Engaging in Our Local Communities
Our social commitment starts with providing jobs in our store and donation centers. It continues as we help people connect to job skills training and employment opportunities at our Workforce Connection Centers. But we don’t stop there. We work to enhance and strengthen relationships in the neighborhoods where we do business. From our partnerships with organizations that share our vision for enhancing communities through The Power of Work to our impactful Acts of Goodwill employee volunteer program, our strong sense of corporate social responsibility is embedded in everything we do.
Acts of Goodwill
Our history of community involvement dates back over 100 years. As the needs around us have evolved and changed, our support has evolved as well.
Acts of Goodwill enables our employees to use paid volunteer time off to serve in communities where they live and work. Since 2019, our employees have celebrated volunteerism, recognized the success of program participants and given thousands of volunteer hours across the greater Milwaukee and Chicago areas.
Our 2023 Impact
700
Employee Volunteers
250
Acts of Goodwill
4,700
Volunteer Hours
Our employees are proud to give their time in many ways, including:
We help remove barriers to employment through Lead2Change and Academies of Racine where Goodwill employees have volunteered to assist students participating in career development programs across greater Milwaukee and Racine since 2018.
In the greater Chicago area, employees volunteer several times a year with Bernie’s Book Bank sorting books to be handed out to schools removing barriers around education and literacy.
Employee volunteers help address food insecurity across the greater Chicago and Milwaukee areas by sorting donations, packing meals, stocking shelves and more at the Midwest Veterans Closet, Northern Illinois Food bank and Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee.
We welcome local businesses and community partners who are interested in volunteering time alongside our employee volunteers. Join an act of Goodwill.
Goodwill Cares
Life can surprise us with unexpected challenges, like dealing with the aftermath of a fire, recovering from homelessness, or bouncing back after losing a job. During these tough times, it’s crucial that our community members have the support needed to recover.
That’s where the Goodwill Cares Community Assistance Program comes in. We provide community assistance through more than 350 community partner relationships. Goodwill supplies vouchers to these partners that enable recipients in greater Milwaukee and Chicago to shop at our store and donation centers. When our partners share these vouchers with their program participants, they help ease the burden of acquiring the essential clothing and household items people need to get back on their feet. We’re proud to say we annually provide more than $200,000 in support through these partner organizations.
If you are looking for support from our Goodwill Cares Community Assistance Program please inquire at one of our Workforce Connection Workforce Connection Centers or contact us.
Community Investments
We partner with local community organizations to support to the communities in which we operate.
Supporting Teens and Young Adults
We support the workforce of the future through partnerships with:
- Sherman Phoenix to provide career readiness, financial literacy and wellness activities
- Academies of Racine to coordinate site visits and career exploration opportunities
- Lead2Change to organize career readiness boot camps.
Removing Barriers to Opportunity
We work with local businesses, helping people with challenges find success in the workplace, including:
- Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce, to strengthen employer partnerships through Goodwill TalentBridge.
- Project SEARCH, to enable people with disabilities to gain and maintain employment in a hands-on work environment.
Supporting Change Leaders
We actively support leading organizations aligned with our mission:
- Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce, to publicly declare our support for the Region of Choice pledge, making greater Milwaukee a more equitable place
- Sojourner Family Peace Center to embed our workforce development solutions into services for women and families
- Convergence Resource Center to provide career resources to women receiving trauma-informed care
Acts of Goodwill Employee Volunteer Stories
Goodwill Employees Share 117 Hours of Impact
Goodwill continues to recognize the value that volunteer work brings to our employees, our organization, and our communities. Two recent events focused on advancing our commitment to youth by supporting literacy skills and another on creating healthy communities.
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Goodwill Employees Share 117 Hours of Impact
Volunteers Prepare More Than 200 Students for Future Careers
Goodwill believes in and supports the workforce of the future. Our support extends beyond our jobs programs for teens and young adults to include our employee volunteer efforts.
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Volunteers Prepare More Than 200 Students for Future Careers
Three Volunteer Events Make a Visible Impact
Goodwill hosted three Community Days events his month, all focused on serving our communities and neighbors. Events included Junior Achievement, Midwest Veteran's Closet and Northern Illinois Food Bank.
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Three Volunteer Events Make a Visible Impact