Community Donations Pave Way to Employment for SC Residents
July 9, 2012
7,282 People Employed with Help from Goodwill During Organization’s Fiscal Year
COLUMBIA, SC – July 9, 2012 – For over 7,200 SouthCarolinians, discarded clothing, unneeded household items, and outdatedcomputers have helped lay the foundation that ultimately led toemployment. The donation and subsequent sale of these and many otheritems provides funding for the job training and placement programsoffered by Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina(GIUMSC) to help people in our communities prepare for, obtain, and besuccessful in employment.
During GIUMSC’s 2011/2012 fiscal year,which ran from July 2011 through June 2012, a total of 38,892 peopletook advantage of Goodwill’s services in the Upstate and Midlands ofSouth Carolina, with at least 7,282 people obtaining employment duringthat period with Goodwill’s assistance. Collectively, these 7,282individuals have the potential to earn more than $123 million in wagesduring the course of their first year of work, creating a significanteconomic impact in our communities. All of GIUMSC’s services are fundedby donations of gently-used clothing and household items and financialcontributions from individuals in our community.
“Everyopportunity Goodwill has to provide services and help a person becomeemployed is made possible because someone in the community donated,”says Patrick Michaels, President and CEO of GIUMSC. “Every donationmade to Goodwill, whether it is a shirt, a pair of pants, a computer, oreven a car, makes a direct impact on the life of someone right here inour community who is searching for employment.”Services provided byGIUMSC include programs that train participants for careers in Retail,Food Service, Manufacturing, and as Certified Nurse Aides.
Theprogram includes a Work Readiness curriculum addressing topics such asproperly completing applications, constructing an effective resume, andinterview skills; classroom instruction; and work experience in thefield of study. Participants also have the opportunity to completecertification in their respective field upon completion of theprogram.In addition to formal training programs, Goodwill JobConnections provide a wealth of resources to help job seekers connectwith potential employers and find employment.
Services at the 14Goodwill Job Connections in the Upstate and Midlands of South Carolinainclude access to resources like computers and the internet, faxmachines, telephones, and job leads and referrals. A trained employmentspecialist is on site to assist individuals with their job search. Additional services available through Goodwill Job Connections includeresume development, interviewing skills, and classes such as BasicComputer Literacy and English as Second Language. Services are free andopen to the public; no appointment is needed.
