Goodwill Industries Of South Central California

THE MISSION OF GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA (GOODWILL) IS TO PROVIDE WORK OPPORTUNITIES AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TO PEOPLE WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. GOODWILL PRIMARILY UTILIZES A TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM MODEL, FUNDED THROUGH REVENUE GENERATED BY THE DONATED GOODS RETAIL PROGRAM, TO DELIVERMISSION SERVICES. GOODWILL PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING, AND CAREERSERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES, AS WELL ASTHOSE WITH DISADVANTAGES SUCH AS WELFARE DEPENDENCY, HOMELESSNESS, SOCIAL ANDCULTURAL BARRIERS, AND LACK OF EDUCATION OR WORK EXPERIENCE. ADDITIONALLY, GOODWILL PROVIDES ASSESSMENT AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO CLIENTS OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION; SERVES AS A TRAINING WORKSITE FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM AT TAFT COLLEGE; AND OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE PARTICIPANTS REFERRED BY THE COURTS, SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND OTHER AGENCIES TO FULFILL THEIR RE

THROUGH THE TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FUNDED THROUGH PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF DONATED GOODS, GOODWILL HIRES INDIVIDUALS WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND PROVIDES THEM WITH STEADY INCOME TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. GOODWILL UTILIZES ITS RETAIL STORES, DONATION CENTERS, AND WAREHOUSE SALVAGE OPERATIONS TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT AND JOB TRAINING TO PEOPLE WITH VOCATIONAL DISABILITIES OR DISADVANTAGES AND OTHER HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING EMPLOYMENT. GOODWILL ACCEPTS DONATIONS OF CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM THE PUBLIC AND SELLS THESE DONATIONS IN GOODWILL'S COMMUNITY-BASED AND ONLINE RETAIL STORES. REVENUE FFROM THE SALE OF THESE GOODS GOES DIRECTLY TOWARDS SUPPORTING AND GROWING THE GOODWILL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM LEARN BASIC LIFE AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC SILLS THAT PREPARE THEM FOR EMPLOYMENT IN A VARIETY OF JOBS REQUIRING CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFICIENCY. IN 2021, GOODWILL HIRED 140 LOCAL INDIVIDUALS, 59.3% OF WHOM HAD A DOCUMENTED, DECLARED BARRIER TO EMPLOYMENT. THE AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE OF THOSE 140 INDIVIDUALS WAS $14.27 PLUS BENEFITS AND 97.5% WERE HIRED INTO FULL TIME JOBS OF 35 OR MORE HOURS PER WEEK. GOODWILL WAS ABLE TO PROMOTE 63 INDIVIDUALS DURING THE YEAR AT AN AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE OF 18.2%. THE INTERNAL PROMOTIONS TOOK AN AVERAGE OF 12.8 MONTHS TO ACHIEVE.

GOODWILL PROVIDED PLACEMENT AND ASSESSMENT SERVICES FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION (DOR) IN KERN, KINGS, AND TULARE COUNTIES. DOR IS AN EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILIITES. IN 2021, GOODWILL PROVIDED 28 SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENTS, AND PLACED 38 INDIVIDUALS IN COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT WITH 58% RETENTION AT 90 DAYS. THE PEOPLE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM HAVE VOCATIONAL BARRIERS INCLUDING PSYCHIATRIC, COGNITIVE, ADN PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. GOODWILL PROVIDED JOB READINESS TRAINING, RESUME DEVELOPMENT, INTERVIEW PREPAREDNESS, JOB PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION ASSISTANCE. THE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENT LIVING (TIL) PROGRAM IS A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AT TAFT COLLEGE FOR ADULTS WHO HAVE DEVELOPMENT/INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES INSTRUCTION, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT AND CAREER SKILLS NECESSARY FOR STUDENTS TO LIVE A PRODUCTIVE AND NORMALIZED LIFESTYLE. THROUGH REGULAR EMPLOYMENT, GOODWILL PROVIDES A WORK EXPERIENCE FOR LIVING INDEPENDENTLY UPON GRADUATION. IN 2021, GOODWILL PROVIDED SERVICES TO 5 INDIVIDUALS AS THE PROGRAM RECOVERED FROM COVID. THE KERN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES REFERRED 7 INDIVIDUALS TO GOODWILL FOR WORK EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE EPP, PWEX, OR WELFARE TO WORK PROGRAMS.