GOODWILL
WORKS
GOODWILL OF THE OLYMPICS & RAINIER REGION
Jason Kravitz, Flora Muglia and Justin Spelhaug of Microsoft celebrate the partnership with CEO Lori Forte Harnick and the Goodwill team.
MICROSOFT SUPPORT WILL HELP MODERNIZE GOODWILL’S THRIFT INDUSTRY
Thanks to an organization-wide donation of Microsoft software, Goodwill’s thrift store enterprise is developing the initial phases of a modern reporting and analytics system, designed to tackle the challenges of brick and mortar retail. Key to the future growth of Goodwill’s retail operation is understanding customer shopping preferences and trends in real time and adjusting store labor and backroom production to maintain the most desirable products and quantity on the sales floor. “Thanks to Microsoft’s help, we will now be able to integrate powerful analytic tools that were not possible with our former system,” said Lori Forte Harnick, president and CEO of Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region. “With Microsoft’s contribution, we have a foundation that allows us to add new Microsoft tools such as Power BI and Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, to make our thrift retail business more effective and efficient in serving the needs of our thrift customers.”
A COMMUNITY REPORT | WINTER 2019
A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Hello, friends! As we begin 2019, we are looking ahead to a future that is ripe with opportunities – and challenges – for the communities we serve across our region. Building upon our nearly 100-year foundation, we are refreshing our vision and mission statements to better capture those opportunities and overcome those challenges, together with all of you. These new vision and mission statements were developed by our employees, who work day-in and day-out to serve our community, supported greatly by your guidance and generosity. Our vision – that every person has the opportunity to learn, work and thrive in all aspects of life – will be achieved only if we work closely with other organizations throughout our region, which is why we are so delighted to share several new stories of collaboration in this newsletter. Continued on Page 2
MILGARD WINDOWS & DOORS PARTNER TO PROMOTE EMPLOYEE SUCCESS
Milgard Windows & Doors is partnering with Goodwill to help eliminate barriers to career advancement and bring growth opportunities to its non-English speaking employees in Tacoma, Washington. As part of the Masco Million Differences campaign, Milgard is hosting a pilot program to bridge the gap employees’ growth and development within the company. Key to the effort is an onsite Vocational English-as-a-Second Language (VESL) class provided by educators from Clover Park Technical College. Goodwill provides a success coach to assist employees with their VESL course and to provide additional workplace competency training, financial literacy and employee retention counseling. During the first quarter of the pilot, 18 out of 20 Milgard employee Albert Seuteni and Goodwill’s Student Support and Success Coordinator, David Krause.
participating employees successfully completed the 10-week program segment. Milgard has underwritten the project with a $25,000 grant
locations and Goodwill may make the model available to
provided by Masco Corporation, its parent company. With
other companies facing similar challenges.
successful outcomes, Milgard may adopt the program in other
COMMUNITY LEADERS COME TOGETHER TO HIGHLIGHT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
In October, Goodwill hosted a community event to further employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Representatives from Fred Meyer, Cintas, Celebrity Cake Studio, and the Pierce County Auditor’s Office were among 150 people who discussed ways to integrate more individuals with disabilities into the workforce. Goodwill Disability Services offers a wide range of support to more than 250 participants each year. Services include identifying interests, abilities and support needs for individuals; matching individuals with the right work opportunity and providing job search help; resume preparation and interview coaching; placement in an integrated volunteer opportunity to help
“Voices of the Village,” featuring persons of diverse abilities, entertained at the October event.
determine individual strengths, skills interests and potential barriers to employment; and on the job training to help individuals master the skills necessary to be successful.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO continued... Our mission is our contribution to realizing that vision. It is our promise to help people realize their fullest potential through education, job placement, and career pathway services made possible by community donations, purchases and partnerships. You will see this mission come to life in our stories that showcase new programs to help people not only land a job, but also to help them take new steps on a pathway to a career.
We are so grateful to work alongside all of you as we embark on a refreshed mission in pursuit of a collective vision. Thank you! Lori Forte Harnick
President & CEO
COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME TO THE TABLE TO SUPPORT JOB TRAINING
In November, Goodwill hosted the fourth in a series of Rising Chef dinners, showcasing Goodwill’s regional Culinary Skills job training program. The “Come To The Table” event raised funds from generous private and business donors within the community. Underwritten by Banner Bank, 50 guests heard inspiring personal stories from several graduates of Goodwill programs and enjoyed a five course meal of duck and salmon prepared by culinary students. The event also highlighted many Goodwill job training programs, including Warehouse and Logistics, WorkFirst, and Computer Skills.
2019 ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING AND CAREERS IN PIERCE COUNTY
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the City of Tacoma, Clover Park Technical College, and Goodwill are once again providing training opportunities to help people in Pierce County find quality environmental careers. An EPA Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grant is funding recruiting, entry level training, Goodwill Financial Education and Coaching Program manager Norman Brickhouse.
FINANCIAL EDUCATION FOR TACOMA PUBLIC UTILITIES CUSTOMERS
career counseling and job placement services that are a gateway to careers in construction, contamination remediation, hazardous material handling, and more. Environmental careers start at $14/hr. and can reach senior management positions paying more than $65/hr. Initial training also includes $1,500 in
Customers of Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) and the City of
certifications in HAZWOPER, Underground Storage Tank, OSHA
Tacoma’s Environmental Services can now receive credit on
10 Construction Safety, Confined Space Entry, Forklift, and
their utility bills for enrolling in Goodwill’s Financial Education
Asbestos.
program. The first six-week training program will be offered starting As a public service to customers meeting certain income or
March 6, 2019 at Clover Park Technical College, with two more
age requirements, the City of Tacoma has contracted with
courses scheduled for later in the year.
Goodwill for the 12-hour “Key to Change” Financial Education course and a series of one-on-one personalized financial coaching sessions. This free financial education includes understanding utility bills, payment options, assistance programs, conservation tips for both power and water, reviewing and improving credit scores, budgeting and financial planning. Customers taking the services can receive up to $160 in credit toward their utility bills. TPU estimates a minimum of 900 customers will take advantage of the program during the two-year service agreement.
Christopher Algeo, Vice President and Business Acquisition Manager for Wells Fargo, presents Goodwill with a $50,000 Career Readiness grant.
WELLS FARGO GRANT LAUNCHES GOODWILL CAREER READINESS PROGRAM
Thanks to a $50,000 grant from Wells Fargo, Goodwill of the
Readiness Logo
Olympics & Rainier Region will launch a new career readiness program to prepare and credential people for the growing number of jobs requiring 21st century skills. GOODWILL CREDENTIALED
CRED
CAREER READINESS EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT
CRED (Career Readiness Education and Development) is now available at Goodwill, as either a stand-alone program or integrated into its many industry-specific career path areas, such
as barista, culinary, and warehouse and logistics skills training. Employers who hire these Goodwill-credentialed graduates will
Four-year pilot engaging high school students to pursue careers in healthcare.
HIGH SCHOOL HEALTHCARE CAREERS PILOT SHOWING INITIAL SUCCESS
find new employees with very productive skills for integrating GOODWILL CREDENTIALED
CRED into, and advancing within, the workplace. CAREER READINESS EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT
Sixty-nine freshmen are now midway through their initial year in the new Healthcare Careers Academy (HCA) at Stadium
The 40-hour package covers training in workplace computer
High School. This four-year program engages students from
software, critical math skills, and financial literacy, including how
diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in healthcare.
to secure educational funding and manage a budget and credit.
With J. P. Morgan Chase Foundation support, Goodwill is
The program also offers career fundamental work habits, such
providing a student coordinator at Stadium High School to
as communication, customer service, working with a team and
organize activities with associated medical and technical
conflict resolution along with career preparation and placement
college partners. The coordinator arranges field trips,
skills, including effective resumĂŠ and social media profiles,
speakers, job shadows, and internships and conducts parent,
networking and mock interviews.
student, and partner outreach.
By mid-2019 Goodwill expects to expand the program beyond
The Academy is a partnership between Tacoma Public
its own career programs to offer employers an in-house
Schools, MultiCare Health System, CHI Franciscan, University
version to increase upward mobility and stability within their
of Washington Tacoma, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma
own workforce.
Community College, Bates Technical College, Goodwill and the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation.
Devi Smith, People Ready, and job seeker Twyinisha Blunt network at HIRE 253.
YEAR-END JOB FAIRS AT GOODWILL
SERVE 830 JOB SEEKERS
The Hire 253 Job Fair, Ending Homelessness One Job at a Time, opened its doors to 634 youth and adults experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Job seekers had the opportunity to apply for entry-level and general employment across multiple career fields at the October 3rd fair at Goodwill’s Milgard Work Opportunity Center in Tacoma. The public effort was the fourth hiring event planned by the WorkForce Development Committee of the Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness, which includes partner organizations such as Catholic Community Services, Tacoma Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, Career Path Services, Sound Outreach, the DSHS Employment Pipeline, Valeo Vocation, and WorkSource Pierce. The sixty participating employers that committed to helping those in crisis located within area code 253 included Amazon, Horizon/Alaska Airlines, Sherwin-Williams, and Safeway. More than 200 attendees walked away with employment thanks to prior preparation in job seeking and retention skills provided by the coalition partners. VetsAid Concert and Goodwill Job Fair: In partnership with the November 11th Joe Walsh VetsAid Tacoma Dome concert, Goodwill’s Operation GoodJobs veterans program hosted a VetsAid Job Fair. The Fair helped about 200 job-seeking transitioning service members, veterans of any era, and spouses connect with more than 50 top employers. Goodwill in Tacoma was selected to pilot the job fair concept for VetsAid to test, refine and share the concept with future annual Joe Walsh concert venues. Following the fair, more than 18,000 attended the Tacoma evening concert featuring Ringo Starr, James Taylor, Don Henley, Chris Stapleton and HAIM. The event raised approximately $1.2 million to help veterans and their families.
FREE TAX CENTER OPENS AT GOODWILL
Goodwill, KeyBank, the IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program and the Pierce County Asset Building Coalition are sponsoring a free tax filing center, open Tuesday through Thursday, 3:30-7:00pm, January 29 through April 11 at Goodwill’s Milgard Work Opportunity Center in Tacoma. This year the partnership expects to provide more than $300,000 in free tax services and nearly $1.4 million in refunds to more than 1,000 singles and families making less than $66,000 in annual income. Goodwill is also hosting KeyBank’s Super Refund Saturday at the Milgard Work Opportunity Center on Feb 2nd. KeyBank volunteers expect to serve an estimated 150 tax filers thanks to 25 volunteer certified tax preparers. Each year, KeyBank staffs a “Super Refund Saturday” free tax service in communities nationwide. During KeyBank’s national campaign, volunteers will help more KeyBank volunteer Amber Bearden prepares taxes for Zuron Martin.
than 1,000 households attain $2.4 million in refunds.
GOODWILL
OF THE OLYMPICS & RAINIER REGION
VIS ION Our vision is that every person has the opportunity to learn, work, and thrive in all aspects of life.
MISS ION Joining the Culinary Program at Goodwill was my best decision ever. Now me and my husband have one shared dream of having our own restaurant.
Our mission is to help people reach their fullest potential through education, job placement, and career pathway services made possible by community donations, purchases, and partnerships.
- Honey Batth Culinary Skills Program
NEW BOARD OFFICERS & MEMBERS FOR 2019 Goodwill is proud to announce the appointment of two new board members and two new officers for 2019. New officers include Board Chair-Elect Colette Taylor and Secretary Charelle Foege.
DONATE
GET
INVOLVED
Donate gently used clothing and household items goodwillwa.com/donate
New Board members are: Karen E. Koch, PharmD, MSHA, Vice President for Quality management at MultiCare Health System in Tacoma. Jacqueline L. Justice, J.D., aPHR, with JJ Legal Services, PLLC.
GIVE Give a financial contribution to sustain our impactful community programs goodwillwa.org/give
GOODWILL BOARD
VOLUNTEER
Volunteer your time at Goodwill to help others goodwillwa.org/ about/volunteer
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
CHAIR
Christopher Algeo CHAIR ELECT
Colette Taylor TREASURER
Shahrokh Saudagaran SECRETARY
Charelle Foege
MISSION SERVICES CHAIR
Bill Dickens BOARD DEVELOPMENT & GOVERNANCE CHAIR
Carlyn Roy MEMBER-AT-LARGE
Shannon Govia
DIRECTORS
Anthony Chen, MD Rory Connally Suzy Esposito Demetrius Forte Josh Garcia Daniel Glover Terry Jones Jacqueline Justice Karen Koch Mark Rodriguez
WORK OPPORTUNITY CENTERS: 714 S 27th St • Tacoma, WA 98409 • 253.573.6500
REFER Refer someone to a Goodwill job training program goodwillwa.org/training
HIRE Hire a Goodwill program graduate to access great talent, eager to work goodwillwa.org/businesses/ hire-our-grads
SHOP Shop at one of our retail stores goodwillwa.org/shop or shop online shopgoodwill.com/goodwillwa
PARTNER Become a Goodwill Corporate Alliance Partner goodwillwa.org/ businesses/corporate-alliance
1030 15th Ave • Longview, WA 98362 • 360.501.8340 goodwillwa
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