OUTLOOK
Fall 2016
Goodwill Recognized for Workforce Development
Excellence in job training and placement work over many decades has earned Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries the 2016 John Gould Education and Workforce Development Award from Associated Industries of Massachusetts. The award was presented before 750 Bay State business leaders at the AIM Annual Meeting May 13 at the Westin Waterfront hotel in Boston.
Goodwill Partner Presented With Community Partner Award
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cited for Outstanding Work with Developmental Disabilities Employment
This past April, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital was recognized for a partnership with Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, and its work with Project SEARCH®, a national program designed to secure competitive employment for young adults with disabilities. Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital was awarded the Community Partner Award from the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP). This award is given to a community partner that promotes the integration of individuals living with development disabilities and/or brain injuries into their community. “Spaulding opened its doors to Goodwill, to Project SEARCH®, and to the community,” said Joanne Hilferty, President and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries. “In the first year of the program, eight students were enrolled, seven graduated, and six are working in competitive employment. Through this program and partnership, students have the opportunity to work at a facility that is a national model for inclusive design and to develop their job readiness skills and self-confidence in order to obtain competitive employment.” “Community partners like Spaulding are a crucial part of the human services sector in Massachusetts,” said Gary Blumenthal, the President and Chief Executive Officer of ADDP. “There are hundreds of thousands of people living with disabilities in Massachusetts who rely on the generosity of organizations like Spaulding to provide critical services so they can live, work, play and thrive in their home communities.”
Joanne K. Hilferty accepts the Gould Award on behalf of Goodwill
“The work done at Goodwill not only provides hard-working people a pathway into the job market, but also meets the need of employers to address the most prevalent challenge they face in a growing economy – finding good employees,” said Richard Lord, president and CEO of AIM.
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Congratulations to Spaulding and to Goodwill for supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families!
Goodwill Is Tops Worldwide In Brand Value
Goodwill was ranked #1 in a recent 2016 Brand World Value Index Survey that reflected how people view the missions of 149 well-known organizations. Survey results were published in Fast Company magazine.
Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries 1010 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02119 617.445.1010 www.goodwillmass.org
Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Your gift to support Goodwill is fully tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
OUTLOOK
The Official Newsletter for Supporters of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries
It Was A Great Summer Night at The Good Party
2016 edition of fundraiser hits new heights
Fall 2016
Sharing Her Amazing Journey: Carolyn Smith
More than 300 guests gathered beneath the big top on June 9 as Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries celebrated at The Good Party in style. With a spectacular summer evening as a backdrop, the annual fundraising gala featured donors, board members, partners and friends displaying their united support behind Goodwill’s mission of helping those with barriers to self-sufficiency to achieve independence and dignity through work. Honorary co-chairs Karen Holmes Ward and Keith Motley led the program, highlighted by the appearance of program participant Carolyn Smith, who shared her uplifting story of all that Goodwill has helped her achieve over the years. The energy in the gigantic party tent was palpable as Smith recounted her journey from being alone and jobless in a Dorchester women’s shelter to obtaining meaningful employment and life-changing independence through Goodwill’s Boston Career Link, First Step and human services training programs.
Thank you! A special thank you to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for being the Gold sponsor of The Good Party in 2016 and to all our sponsors for making this an unforgettable night, and one that we look forward to repeating in 2017! Event honorary co-chairs, WCVB’s Karen Holmes Ward and UMass-Boston Chancellor Keith Motley
The highlight of The Good Party this year was an appearance by Goodwill program participant Carolyn Smith, who inspired the crowd by sharing her personal story of triumph through Goodwill programs. Here are some excerpts from her remarks: “I moved to Boston in October 2014 from Kansas City, Kansas. I was leaving my hometown because of a domestic violence situation. When I moved here, I lived at a shelter for women in Dorchester. I wanted to work, but it was hard because I was in a new place and continued on pages 2 Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries
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OUTLOOK
Fall 2016
Sharing Her Amazing Journey from page 1
didn’t know anyone except for my sister. Then I heard about Boston Career Link at Goodwill and about First Step, a job readiness program. That seemed like a good place for me to start looking for a new career.
Running for the Future While Remembering a Legacy
Runner Dave Cator honors Goodwill’s late board member Peter Morrissey
Goodwill Work Crews Making a Difference Goodwill and the American Surgical Company (ASC) are working together – and it could help save lives
I loved the First Step program. It taught me how to improve my interview skills, how to be professional in the work place, and helped me get my resume up-to-date. While I was there, I learned about Goodwill’s HELP program, which trains people to work in human services. I realized that was what I really wanted to do. The HELP program was wonderful. It was exactly what I was looking for. I’ve always had a passion for helping people, but this really put everything into focus. While I was waiting for the next HELP program to start, I received an internship at the Goodwill Store. It was great to be working! Before the two-month program was over, I had been hired as a residential counselor at Women’s Hope. I was so happy. I love working at Women’s Hope and helping the women there. I really felt like things were finally turning around for me. I’m already looking at getting certified as a drug and alcohol counselor. I’m in a good place now. But it hasn’t been easy and it’s been a struggle every day. But I never gave up and I’m glad I didn’t.”
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Fall 2016
OUTLOOK
Upcoming Events at Goodwill
Goodwill holds a number of events throughout the year in order to better serve the many individuals and families who need its help. All events support Goodwill’s mission of giving individuals who face barriers to employment the opportunity to gain independence and dignity through work.
Goodwill participant Johnny Tran pictured with Erik Piasio, Managing Director of American Surgical Company (ASC) Dave Cator with Youth Initiative members
It is difficult enough to run 26.2 miles in a cold, hard-driving rain. It’s almost unimaginable to run it with your left arm in a sling. But that’s what Dave Cator did in last year’s Boston Marathon. The month before the marathon, Dave broke his shoulder when he had to jump to avoid being hit by a car. Despite this injury, Dave never considered not running Boston. That’s because Dave was running to honor the memory of his dear friend Peter Morrissey who died in 2012. Peter was a Goodwill board member, marathon runner, and advocate for Goodwill’s job training and youth programs. Dave decided he wanted to run for Peter and raise money for the Peter Morrissey Youth Fund, which supports Goodwill’s youth programs. “Finishing that marathon was the most difficult thing I ever did,” said Dave. “I honestly don’t remember the last 10 miles. But I did not want to let my supporters down. I wanted to finish for them and for Peter.”
Johnny Tran is in Goodwill’s Employment Supports Program, which works with individuals who have developmental disabilities. Many of the participants in the program work in mobile work crews that go to the employer’s place of business. It’s a partnership that works well for the companies and creates an integrated employment environment for the participants. Johnny works at ASC, a Salem-based company that manufactures and assembles surgical products. He works in a sterile environment and assembles sponges that are used by neurosurgeons. “Johnny is a tremendous worker,” said Erik Piasio, ASC’s Managing Director. “He is very focused on doing a good job.” Erik’s involvement with Goodwill is not new. His father also employed Goodwill participants at his medical device company in Portland, Maine. That made the decision to partner with Goodwill in Salem an easy one.
Last year, Patriot’s Jabaal Sheard helped distribute baskets to participants at Goodwill’s Thanksgiving-in-a-Basket event
• November 21, 2016 Thanksgiving-in-a-Basket • November 23, 2016 Annual Thanks-for-Giving Dinner • December 10, 2016 Youth Holiday Party
“This has been a wonderful program for us,” he said. “It has gone better than expected and we hope to bring on more employees from Goodwill in the year ahead.”
Dave raised nearly $6,000 in honor of Peter. He’s still a little surprised he was able to finish that race, but he had a good reason to make the effort.
That would be OK with Johnny. “I think this is a great job,” Johnny said. “I like coming here every day and going to work.”
“It would be hard to find a man of greater integrity, character and quality than Peter Morrissey,” Dave said. “I am honored that I was able to run for him and to support a cause that meant so much to him.”
Are you ready to help people like Johnny overcome disabilities and find meaningful employment? Make your gift to Goodwill today by visiting www.goodwillmass.org today.
Children enjoying the Youth Holiday Party
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