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total people served in 2019
people placed into competitive employment
program participants who worked and earned paychecks at Goodwill
Feb 12, 2020
Goodwill supports local reading programs with book donations
PRESS RELEASE
MUSKEGON, MI — Goodwill Industries of West Michigan (GIWM) has partnered with Muskegon Area Intermediate School District’s “Read Early. Read Often.” (RERO) initiative in support of improving child literacy rates in West Michigan. Goodwill has committed to donating much-needed children’s books to RERO in support of their outreach programs and collaborating partners.
“Less than 40% of Muskegon County students reach adequate literacy level by third grade,” said Goodwill Resource Development Coordinator Kimberly Harsch. “Without an early strong foundation in reading, children are left behind at the beginning of their education and struggle to catch up. Goodwill knows that education is critical to earning higher wages in adulthood and in combating the cycle of poverty. It is imperative that children in the communities we serve are given every opportunity to be successful in their education so they can be set on a path to obtaining meaningful and self-sustaining employment.”
Goodwill’s supply of books are generously donated by the community for sale in its 18 retail locations. The revenue from the sale of these donated books supports Goodwill’s employment and training programs. Books that remain unsold after being in the stores need to be evaluated for quality, cleaned, and sorted into appropriate age groups. Once books are sorted, Read Early. Read Often. distributes them to non-traditional locations such as community services centers, after school programs, food pantries, doctor’s offices, and free book stores.
On February 1, Goodwill hosted its first book donation event at its headquarter facility. High school volunteers from Mona Shores Interact Club, Muskegon Public Schools, Oakridge Interact Club, Orchard View Interact Club, Pathfinders of Muskegon, and United Way of the Lakeshore joined forces to sort, wash, label, and package 1,333 books that were then donated to Read Early. Read Often. Books from the event also supported the newly formed, student-led “Reading Buddies United” program that matches trained student volunteers to read one-on-one with children in the community.
“We plan to expand on this initial book sorting event to a monthly occurrence,” Harsch said. “We hope to get as many books to kids who need them as we possibly can.”
If you would like to volunteer, or have locations that could use books for children, please contact Kimberly Harsch of Goodwill at (231) 722-7871 x 1057 or Allison Keessen of MAISD’s Read Early. Read Often. at (231) 767-7285.
If you are a student who would like to volunteer for the Reading Buddies United program, contact Dominique Bunker at United Way of the Lakeshore at (231) 332-4006.
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Become a Goodwill VITA volunteer!
Goodwill VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) volunteers provide free tax assistance to low- to moderate-income workers and families eligible for significant state and federal tax credits.
Make a difference! Help working people claim and keep all the refunds they are entitled to.
No accounting experience required! Volunteers receive FREE IRS training and certification.
Flexible hours! You can volunteer for day, evening, and/or Saturday hours in any of our tax-prep sites.
Please call 231-722-7871, ext. 1001 for more information.
View our annual report
Although 2019 seems like a distant memory and reflects a vastly different landscape from where we are now, we would be remiss not to recognize this important year of growth and achievements in our business, our culture, and in changing lives through the power of work.
View our annual report pdf.
Goodwill is Committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Goodwill Career Center REOPENED
M-F: 10am – 3pm or by appointment. Call 722-7871 to check in before entry.
- Job search assistance
- Résumé development
- Career exploration
- GoodTemps application
- Resource assistance
Masks are required for entry.
271 E. Apple Ave, Muskegon
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Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
Sun 11am-6pm
ALL Goodwill Industries of West Michigan stores and donation centers have reopened for business! Thank you for your patience and support!
Message from the president
We need to talk about the protests that are happening in our country and the underlying issue of racism. I write this because it is my responsibility as president to promote the vision and values of our organization.
ALL West Michigan
Donation Drive-Thrus
NOW OPEN! Tues.-Sat 11am-5pm
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Goodwill Industries partners with local hospitals to collect and distribute protective gear for health care workers
Goodwill reopened seven of its donation drive-thrus to serve as designated donation drop-off sites for urgently needed personal protective equipment (PPE).
Success Story: Cedric
Life is all about choices. This is Cedric’s mantra. After his fourth incarceration, Cedric woke up one day and made a conscious choiceto change his life. In February of 2019 he began that change at Goodwill as a participant in the Pay It Back program.
Cedric held jobs prior to incarceration but was always lured back into life on the streets. “My life was full of ups and downs due to living the fast life,” he said.
As part of the program, Cedric was enrolled in Goodwill’s Work Experience Training in Goodwill’s Industrial Services Centerwhere he developed valuable work skills while earning a paycheck. Cedric learned various light industrial tasks such as packaging and assembly work contracted with area businesses.
Learn about Cedric’s full progression from program participant to full-time employment readiness trainer at Goodwill where he mentors others following the same journey.
Goodwill to offer child care services in 2020!
Goodwill is pleased to announce their commitment to opening a child care center within its headquarter facility located in Muskegon.
“We’ve had a vision for this venture for some time now and just received board approval to move forward,” said Goodwill President and CEO Jeanette Hoyer. “We are in the planning and development stages of providing much-needed local child care services, combined with vocational training in the field. We hope to have this fully operational by the end of the year.”
Success Story: Hadley
Hadley’s parents were not sure if their autistic daughter could be successful in a “regular job.” After finishing high school, Hadley was referred to Goodwill’s Supported Employment program by Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) to develop her employment readiness skills. Her Goodwill case manager was able to find Hadley a stocking position at the Shop-N-Save Food Center in Ludington. After some time and job coaching, she now works independently. “She is happy because it allows her to see many people in her community and they always tell her she’s doing a good job. I believe it makes her feel productive,” her mother said.
Visitor entrance for Career Center services and GoodTemps
To better serve the community, all visitors will park and enter through the Apple Avenue entrance of our headquarter facility.
Career Center services and GoodTemps temporary staffing services have moved to the front of the building and use the main entrance. The current rear entrance off Sophia will no longer be used.
Achievers of the Year
Each year we celebrate community members who overcame adversity through the power of work, and the employers who supported them.
