Helping people prepare for, find, and keep good jobs is what Goodwill is about.

Hi Everyone –

Today is Indigenous Peoples Day! We celebrate the people who first called this land home. In Muskegon, we live on the land of the Potawatomi and Ottawa tribes. We remember the tragedies and violence they endured, and we honor their place in the shared story of America.

The Governor’s Executive Orders have been replaced with a Department of Health and Human Services Epidemic Order in regards to mask wearing. Already our retail team is experiencing a resurgence in push back from people who don’t want to wear them, but the mandate to wear them is still in place and will continue. The Epidemic Order also requires us to wear a mask when meeting in person, even if we are 6 feet apart. This is primarily a change for how we have been operating in our administrative office.

In addition to the difficulty in dealing with mask requirements, retail is also suffering from lack of staff, with 29 positions open including many in management. We are shortening the hours of some stores temporarily until additional staff are hired and trained, and putting forth a menu of other actions in an effort to help this very difficult situation. Our stores are doing well in spite of the challenges, e-commerce is pacing to be on budget, and efforts to increase sales, like managing to data and re-setting the Coopersville store, continue.

We have received $200,000 from the State of Michigan to purchase equipment for our recycling training and employment project with PADNOS, Industrial Services, and Workforce Development’s Ignite grant. A big congratulations to Dan Broersma, Workforce Development, and all those involved in securing this grant!

Industrial Services is working hard to relaunch our work with Hot Logic and like retail, is in need of staff. The demand for our contract services seems to only be increasing.

Workforce Development is getting people placed nearly as fast as they are walking in or calling for assistance, and on the other side of this, GoodTemps continues to secure more contracts for work.  In addition, strategic goals are being set for the Holland ETC, Michigan Rehabilitation Services has approved our rates for next year, and we are making plans to consolidate VITA sites to concentrate our resources.

Janitorial Services and Workforce Development are working together to establish a work training enclave with Trinity Health at Sanctuary of the Oaks senior community in Muskegon. These partnerships continue to be one of the best ways we can serve our clients with disabilities in preparing them for work.

Please help me welcome our new Accounting Manager, Angie Conklin! She begins training with Lois next Monday. Her arrival is perfectly timed for training on the budget process which is in full swing for 2021. 

Make a plan to vote if you haven’t already. I will personally assist you if you want help. Just call 231-780-7198. Our staff at the Career Center are also there to help. Do you need transportation on Election Day? Let us know! Would you like to walk through the ballot so that you know what one looks like? Give us a call! We are all here to help. Your vote is your voice! Make sure you are heard. 

Cases of COVID-19 are back on the rise in Michigan and every one of us needs to take every precaution. Wear your masks (or shields) correctly, wash your hands, and keep your physical distance. These safety measures will also protect you from the flu and colds as we enter into colder weather. As a reminder, flu shots are being strongly recommended this year and are being offered free at the ROC from 2:00 -4:00pm on Wednesday, October 14.  Keep yourselves safe, please. We continue to be in this for the long haul and are continuing to make changes to accommodate this reality. One example is that our boardroom is now configured for video conferencing thanks to IT.

There is nothing easy about the time we are living through. If it is getting to you, if you find yourself depressed and anxious, we have resources to help. Don’t forget about our Employee Assistance Fund. Call Shannon Judson in our Career Center or our HR department for referral and help. Both can be reached at 231-722-7871.

My best to all of you –

Jeanette