Organization: GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH TEXAS
Mission: CHANGING LIVES THROUGH THE POWER OF WORK BY PROVIDING FREE JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR OTHER DISADVANTAGES. IN 2018 WE HELPED SERVE 4,284 PEOPLE.
Activities: DONATED GOODS: GOODWILL RETAIL STORES AND DONATION STATIONS ARE CENTRAL TO THE FULFILLMENT OF GOODWILL'S MISSION OF PROVIDING JOB TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND DISADVANTAGES. IN 2019, OVER 20,691,623 WORTH OF GENTLY-USED CLOTHING, FURNITURE, AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD GOODS WERE SORTED, PRICED AND SOLD IN GOODWILL'S 16 RETAIL LOCATIONS, CLEARANCE STORE AND ECOMMERCE, SAVING OUR CUSTOMERS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON QUALITY, LOW COST GOODS, WHILE PROVIDING THE REVENUE NECESSARY TO FUND CRITICAL JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS. GOODWILL IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE ORIGINAL RECYCLER, SINCE WE HAVE BEEN REUSING AND RECYCLING DONATIONS SINCE 1902. AT YEAR END, OVER 1.5 MILLION TRANSACTIONS WERE MADE AND 261,512 PEOPLE GENEROUSLY DONATED THESE GOODS, KEEPING OVER 13.5 MILLION POUNDS OUT OF AREA LANDFILLS INCLUDING COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER COMPONENTS WHICH WERE RECYCLED THROUGH THE DELL RECONNECT PROGRAM.
MISSION SERVICES: SOUTH TEXAS HISTORICALLY IS KNOWN FOR HIGH POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT. AS A LEADING PROVIDER OF JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS, GOODWILL BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF WORK. IN ADDITION TO EARNING A PAYCHECK, WORK HELPS BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE, FRIENDSHIPS, INDEPENDENCE, DIGNITY AND TRUST; ENRICHING THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. THE CONSISTENT BARRIER FACED BY ALL PEOPLE GOODWILL SERVES IS THE LACK OF MARKETABLE JOB SKILLS. THROUGH JOB TRAINING INCLUDING BASIC DIGITAL SKILLS, PLACEMENT AND RETENTION, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND DISADVANTAGES ENTER OR RE-ENTER THE WORKFORCE. GOODWILL'S GOAL IS TO MATCH THE SKILLS, INTERESTS, AND WORK PREFERENCES OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO THE NEEDS OF LOCAL EMPLOYERS. MANY OF THE PEOPLE GOODWILL SERVES ARE EX-OFFENDERS TRYING TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES. RESUME WORKSHOPS ARE PROVIDED TO INMATES AT BOTH THE COUNTY JAIL AND FEDERAL PRISON TO GIVE THEM A RESOURCE OUTSIDE THE PRISON SYSTEM AND TO HELP THEM SECURE EMPLOYMENT. IN 2019, GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH TEXAS MISSION SERVICES DIVISION PROVIDED FREE JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES TO 6,146 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT SOUTH TEXAS. GOODWILL OPERATED TWO LEARNING CENTERS THROUGHOUT ITS 20-COUNTY SERVICE AREA AND SECURED STEADY EMPLOYMENT FOR 583 PROGRAM GRADUATES. THE COMMUNITY DEMAND FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CONTINUES TO GROW DUE TO THE RECOGNITION OF GOODWILL'S SUCCESS IN PLACING PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN MOST CHALLENGED IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT ON THEIR OWN. GOODWILL STORES, DONATION STATIONS, AND CONTRACT SERVICES ARE ALSO SOURCES OF MISSION FULFILLMENT. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING JOB TRAINING TO PEOPLE WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, GOODWILL ALSO EMPLOYED 24% OF PROGRAM GRADUATES. THOSE PLACED AVERAGED A WAGE OF 10.19 PER HOUR. COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED TO SOUTH TEXANS INCLUDED FREE INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE TO 1,205 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO EARNED UNDER 60,000 THROUGH THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) PROGRAM, COMMUNITY SERVICE RESTITUTION (978 PEOPLE), CLOTHING VOUCHER PROGRAM (914 PEOPLE) AND ANNUAL JOB FAIR (410 PEOPLE). THESE 6,923 CRITICAL HUMAN SERVICES WERE FUNDED THROUGH FEE FOR SERVICE FROM REFERRING AGENCIES, REVENUE GENERATED FROM GOODWILL'S CONTRACT SERVICES, DONATIONS SOLD AT GOODWILL RETAIL STORES AND E-COMMERCE, AND THROUGH THE GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS AND BUSINESSES. GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH TEXAS IS ALWAYS WORKING TO FIND NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITIES, EDUCATE PEOPLE ON OUR MISSION, AND GENERATE INCREASED PUBLIC SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO SHARING THE GOODWILL STORY THROUGH GRASS ROOTS EFFORTS, GOODWILL IS INCREASING THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, WHICH OFTEN COSTS LESS THAN TRADITIONAL MEDIA, AND ONE SPECIFIC WAY WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HASHTAG CAMPAIGN, BRAGABOUTTHETAG. GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH TEXAS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT GOODWILLSOUTHTEXAS.COM AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SUCH AS FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER AND YOUTUBE.
CONTRACTS: ONE OF GOODWILL'S MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS AND MISSION FULFILLMENT OPERATIONS IS ITS CONTRACT SERVICES DIVISION. IN 2019, USING STATE AND COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS, GOODWILL EMPLOYED 144 PEOPLE IN VARIOUS TYPES OF CONTRACTS INCLUDING TEMPORARY STAFFING, DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION, GROUNDS KEEPING, AND JANITORIAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT FIFTEEN COUNTIES IN SOUTH TEXAS FOR CUSTOMERS SUCH AS THE CORPUS CHRISTI ARMY DEPOT, TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND THE U.S. ARMY RESERVE CENTER. APPROXIMATELY 76% OF THE LABOR HOURS ON THESE CONTRACTS ARE PERFORMED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES. GOODWILL OFFERS ITS EMPLOYEES HOPE, DIGNITY, AND A FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
NTEE category: Human Services
Secondary category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building