Goodwill Outlook Spring Newsletter

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Goodwill Training Programs Help People Get Jobs Savara Willis, Pierre Jovin, and Gerry Petelis shared a common goal when they came to Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries: they all wanted to work.

The three of them shared their inspiring stories at Goodwill’s Annual Meeting on January 26.

“This past year, we launched our new branding campaign focusing on the ‘will’ in Goodwill,” said Joanne Hilferty, president of Goodwill. “The campaign is about personal action: I will work. I will aspire. The speakers at the Annual Meeting embody this message.”

Pierre came to Goodwill through Boston Career Link and was looking to transition to human services. He found the support he needed through the Human Services Employment Ladder Program (HELP). Not long after graduating from HELP, Pierre had a full-time job at Pine Street Inn. “It was scary in the beginning, being unemployed,” he said. “But I found the help I needed at Goodwill. It was perfect for me.”

Savara was also unemployed, but found the right program for her at First Step, Goodwill’s job readiness continued on page 2

inside this issue BNY Mellon After-School Program for Girls................................page 2 Donate Movement............................. page 3 Get Ready to Go Green.................... page 3 Development Corner.........................page 4

Goodwill’s HELP Program Expands Massachusetts human services employers often struggle to fill entrylevel positions with well-qualified individuals, but thanks to Goodwill’s HELP program that may be changing.

Goodwill is now offering the HELP program in Salem as well as Boston.

HELP, which stands for Human Services Employment Ladder Program, is a two-month training program designed to prepare job seekers to work in human services.

The success of the program has led to the addition of more employer partners. New to the program are Eliot Community Human Services, North Suffolk Mental Health Association, and Perkins School for the Blind. They join current partners Arbor Associates, Bay Cove, Community Resources for Justice, Pine Street Inn, and Vinfen.

Graduates of Goodwill’s job training programs with Goodwill President Joanne Hilferty.

From left, Pierre Jovin, Savara Willis, Hilferty, and Gerry Petelis.

Since the program’s inception in 2007, 62 graduates have been hired by employer partners. Of those, 89 percent have retained their positions for at least six months.

TRAINING PROGRAMS – continued program. After completing First Step as well as an internship in food preparation, Savara had a full-time job at Dave and Busters and has already been promoted.

“I feel blessed that I found something that I like to do,” she said.

Gerry, a long-time Goodwill program participant with developmental disabilities, exemplifies the Goodwill mission. He had worked in a training program at Goodwill’s Salem facility and was recently hired by ERC Wiping Products – his first outside job.

“I like working there,” Gerry said.

“The people are friendly.”

At the Annual Meeting, Goodwill welcomed its new chair and new members to its Board of Directors.

The new chair is Kevin Bottomley of People’s United Bank. The two new members are: Nancy Aubrey, managing director, McGladrey; and Jane Edmonds, Esq., senior fellow, Leadership & Higher Education, Northeastern University.

BNY Mellon After-School Academy for Girls Celebrates 15th Anniversary For girls like 14-year-old Rachel Dinkins, the BNY Mellon AfterSchool Academy for Girls has been a sanctuary – a place to go to meet with friends, get help with homework and, importantly, get involved in the community.

That was the goal of the BNY Mellon After-School Academy when it was conceived 15 years ago. This milestone was celebrated Left to right: Joanne Jaxtimer of BNY at Goodwill’s Annual Meeting Mellon; Rachel Dinkins from Goodwill’s BNY Mellon After-School Academy. on January 26.

To mark the occasion, the girls from the Academy presented Joanne Jaxtimer, the managing director of corporate affairs for New England at BNY Mellon, a signed photograph with testimonials expressing the impact the Academy had on their lives.

The Academy encourages academic achievement, leadership development, civic engagement, and career success in girls in grades 4 through 12 from communities surrounding Goodwill’s Roxbury headquarters.

Most of the girls who complete the program go on to higher education.

That’s Rachel’s goal: she is already thinking about college and pursuing her dreams.

Goodwill’s 2011 Holiday Roundup Left to right: Goodwill participant George Jackson, state Rep. Gloria Fox, and volunteer Regina Fisher at the Thanks-for-Giving dinner; Patriots’ tight end Rob Gronkowski with Goodwill participant Rebecca Rojas at the Thanksgiving-in-a-Basket event; volunteer Demitrius Leary with a youngster at Goodwill’s Youth Holiday Party.

A Worcester school joined the Donate Movement to collect clothing and household goods for Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries.

Earlier this year, the Nelson Place Elementary School collected 4,800 pounds of goods for Goodwill, which has a store at 25 Park Avenue in Worcester. Allyson Snow’s first grade class collected the most donations at the school and received a $250 gift card to Staples for their efforts.

The Donate Movement is a public awareness campaign emphasizing the positive impact that donating clothing and household goods – rather than disposing of them – can have on local communities and the planet.

If your school would like to participate in a donation drive, please contact Bill LaBelle at 617-541-1415 or blabelle@goodwillmass.org.

Did you catch this Donate Movement ad on the T? The MBTA ran ads for Goodwill during January and February to help promote the importance of donating.

CELEBRATE GOODWILL

WHERE EVERY DAY IS INDEPENDENCE DAY!

2012

Worcester School, MBTA Get on Board the Donate Movement

Celebrate Goodwill at The Good Party 2012 The social event of the season is just around the corner.

The Good Party, Goodwill’s annual signature event, will be held Thursday evening June 14. The evening is an opportunity to celebrate the every day successes of the almost 9,000 individuals who come to Goodwill to achieve independence and dignity through work.

The event will be a Bubble Q, meaning champagne and an assortment of BBQ-inspired dishes will be served. The festivities will take place under a huge tent at Goodwill’s headquarters at 1010 Harrison Avenue in Boston. It should be a memorable evening!

For information about tickets or sponsorship opportunities, please contact: Erin Flaherty at 617-541-1255 or eflaherty@goodwillmass.org.

Get Ready to Go Green!

Spring cleaning means donating to Goodwill There is nothing quite like the feeling of spring. The longer days and warmer temperatures give everyone an extra bounce in their step.

Windows are opened for the first time in months and baseball becomes the talk of the town.

It also means spring cleaning, which is the perfect time to de-clutter your house and make a donation to Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries.

Every year, Goodwill receives hundreds of thousands of goods donations.

Those donations add up to 22 million pounds of goods that are resold in our stores where they take on new value.

This spring, make sure you go green and donate a bag or two to Goodwill. continued on page 4

A Busy Spring for Boston Career Link Boston Career Link, the one-stop career center operated by Goodwill, has scheduled two job fairs this spring, including one focusing on “green” jobs.

Boston Career Link has already held three major hiring events for the community this year as well as more than 170 recruitment events to match employers with prospective employees.

Development Corner

GO GREEN – continued

Eight is Great for Boston Marathon Team

For the eighth consecutive year, Goodwill has a tremendous team running in the Boston Marathon on April 16. This year’s team has 17 runners, all of whom are united by the cause of raising money for Goodwill’s youth programs.

Final Campaign Report Available

Here’s what you can donate: • Goodwill always accepts clothing, but housewares are also always in need.

Spare pots or pans, a working lamp, or dishes are great to donate.

Goodwill has closed its successful Raising the Roof and More! capital campaign, which raised money for renovations to Goodwill’s headquarters at 1010 Harrison Avenue.

• Any kind of shoes are good to donate.

It’s not unusual to have a spare pair or two in your closet and if you are not wearing them, why not include them in your donation?

Become a Member of The Helms Society

• If you have a new set of linens for your bed, you can donate the gently used ones to Goodwill.

Last year, Goodwill introduced The Helms Society, a new giving recognition program named in honor of Reverend Edgar J. Helms who founded Goodwill in Boston in 1895. The Helms Society recognizes the considerable impact contributors make through leadership gifts of $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000 and more. By joining The Helms Society you help Goodwill continue Reverend Helms’ legacy of helping those in need achieve independence and dignity through work.

Doubling Your Gift to Goodwill

To help boost donations to Goodwill, a generous and longtime supporter agreed to match dollar for dollar – up to a total of $25,000 – new and increased gifts to Goodwill in 2012. Help us meet the challenge!

For more information or to make a donation, contact the Goodwill Development Office at 617-541-1259.

• Did you get an e-reader for the holidays? Are you trying to rid your study of books to make room for some new ones? Then think of Goodwill when it comes to books, including children’s and cookbooks.

For a list of our donation centers and stores, visit www.goodwillmass.org.

Goodwill’s mission is to provide exemplary job training and related services to help individuals with disabilities and other barriers to selfsufficiency to achieve independence and dignity through work. Not charity, but a chance.

Goodwill Wins Retailers Award for New Branding

New signs featuring the “I will. Goodwill.” brand at The Goodwill Store in Quincy. Goodwill renovated the store at 625 Southern Artery in the fall.

Goodwill won a “Ramae” award from the Retailers Association of Massachusetts in the Advertising and Promotion category for its I will. Goodwill. branding campaign. The new branding, which features signs designed by Corey McPherson Nash, is being rolled out at Goodwill’s 11 stores in eastern and central Massachusetts.

Joanne K. Hilferty President & CEO Joy S. Burghardt Vice President, Programs & Services Carol S. Cardozo Vice President, Finance & CFO Terrence M. Fitzpatrick Vice President, Retail Enterprise Paul MacNeil Vice President, Work Programs; Director of Boston Career Link Mary G. Rahal Vice President, Human Resources & Administration James Harder Director of Communications Editor, GoodwillOutlook Photo Credits Zev Fisher Kayana Szmczak Photography Design Studio A Design

Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries 1010 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02119 617-445-1010 www.goodwillmass.org