Blog Posts

goodwill volunteers packing kits

Providing Support for our Chicago Neighbors

This summer’s Community Days included two impactful events in the Chicago suburbs. Both events were focused on ensuring under-resourced communities have food and other essential items.
Read More Providing Support for our Chicago Neighbors
  • Acts of Goodwill
  • Illinois
teacher with clipboard in a classroom

Case Study: Stemming the Turnover Tide at a Charter School Group

TalentBridge combined its proven track record in the education sector, its expertise working in other industries, and a thorough understanding of the client’s specific needs to stem the turnover tide for a charter school network’s six facilities in southeastern Wisconsin.
Read More Case Study: Stemming the Turnover Tide at a Charter School Group
  • TalentBridge Success
goodwill boys and men of color mentor

Supporting teens and young adults as they find their next job: Benji's story

Case managers are the heart of the Empower Youth program, guiding participants in realizing their potential, overcoming obstacles and becoming a trusted source and mentor throughout the job process.
Read More Supporting teens and young adults as they find their next job: Benji's story
  • Youth Programs
  • Illinois
  • Goodwill’s Mission
  • Employee Stories
young man making heart hands

How workplaces are helping employees with mental health challenges

Mental health challenges can show up at work in many ways. Learn how employers can support employees and managers when creating a mental-health friendly workplace.
Read More How workplaces are helping employees with mental health challenges
  • Employer Resources
  • Mental Health Toolkit
Goodwill volunteers at food bank

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.
Read More Three Volunteer Events Make a Visible Impact
  • Acts of Goodwill
woman helping teenagers on computers

Empower Youth | Helping teens and young adults reach their goals

The Empower Youth: Career Training and Development program provides job readiness training and placement support to help teens and young adults ages 16 to 24 prepare for and find their next job.
Read More Empower Youth | Helping teens and young adults reach their goals
  • Program Participant Stories
  • Career Readiness
  • Workforce Development
  • Youth Programs
group conversation

Five Mental Health Facts Employers Should Know

1 in 5 adults have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Learn the facts about mental health in the workplace to create and support your employees on the job.
Read More Five Mental Health Facts Employers Should Know
  • Employer Resources
  • Mental Health Toolkit
goodwill store employee in front of store

Boys and Men of Color program helps Jonathan embrace his identity and define his goals

Jonathan found a community that helped him embrace his identity, vocalize goals, and promote inclusivity and self-acceptance through Goodwill’s Boys and Men of Color program.
Read More Boys and Men of Color program helps Jonathan embrace his identity and define his goals
  • Goodwill’s Mission
  • Employee Stories
  • Career Development
man in front of rolls of stickers

Gaining purpose and independence through individual placement and support: Billy's story

For Billy, the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) program opens the door to possibility, purpose and independence. His employment specialist connected him to the DVR to partner in his support and help match Billy’s interests, abilities and skills to different types of work.
Read More Gaining purpose and independence through individual placement and support: Billy's story
  • Program Participant Stories
  • Wisconsin
  • IPS
  • Goodwill’s Mission
man helped by workforce connection center

Equipping Ronnie through our Workforce Connection Center

Ronnie gained skills and confidence through our Workforce Connection Center as he worked towards his goal of obtaining employment.
Read More Equipping Ronnie through our Workforce Connection Center
  • Program Participant Stories
  • Career Readiness
  • Workforce Connection Centers
  • Job Hunting
man recycling electronics

Electronics Recycling Q&A with Goodwill

Many of today’s donors generously contribute electronic devices to support our mission. Learn about electronics recycling at Goodwill and how to prepare your donation.
Read More Electronics Recycling Q&A with Goodwill
  • Retail
  • Sustainable Living
Goodwill volunteers in front of a tree

Celebrating National Volunteer Month with 38 Acts of Goodwill

April is National Volunteer Month and Earth Month. Goodwill celebrated with 38 volunteer events that gave 327 employees the opportunity to give back 556 volunteer hours to their communities in 11 counties.
Read More Celebrating National Volunteer Month with 38 Acts of Goodwill
  • Acts of Goodwill
woman shopping in goodwill outlet bins

8 Ways the Goodwill Outlet Offers a Different Thrifting Experience

Did you know that you can also enjoy a unique thrifting experience at the Goodwill Outlet? Outlets offer merchandise from our Goodwill Store & Donation Centers a second chance to sell at bargain-priced by-the-pound rates before being recycled.
Read More 8 Ways the Goodwill Outlet Offers a Different Thrifting Experience
  • Thrifting
  • Retail
pile of recyclable clothing

Three Reasons Why Thrifting is Better for the Environment

Thrifting or shopping secondhand is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint while finding some really cool and unique items that you wouldn’t be able to get elsewhere.
Read More Three Reasons Why Thrifting is Better for the Environment
  • Thrifting
  • Retail
  • Sustainable Living
goodwill employee empowerment network meeting

How the employee empowerment network supports Goodwill employees

We launched the Employee Empowerment Network with the goal of confidentially engaging employees facing barriers to employment.
Read More How the employee empowerment network supports Goodwill employees
  • Wisconsin
  • Working at Goodwill
  • Illinois
  • Goodwill’s Mission
goodwill employee helping teens

Helping teens and young adults through mentoring and coaching: Nelly's story

Goodwill’s Empower Youth program provides teens and young adults ages 16 to 24 from the Chicagoland area with job readiness training, skill building and support to prepare for and find their next job.
Read More Helping teens and young adults through mentoring and coaching: Nelly's story
  • Career Readiness
  • Youth Programs
  • Illinois
  • Goodwill’s Mission
  • Employee Stories
goodwill workforce connection center service recipient pointing at goodwill logo

Finding a job and a second chance at the Workforce Connection Center: Antonio's story

After being incarcerated, Antonio was driven to pave a new path and achieve a fresh start through employment but needed support and guidance to get there.
Read More Finding a job and a second chance at the Workforce Connection Center: Antonio's story
  • Program Participant Stories
  • Wisconsin
  • Workforce Connection Centers
  • Job Hunting
  • Success Stories
  • Employee Stories
Goodwill volunteer at high school mentoring event

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.
Read More Volunteers Prepare More Than 200 Students for Future Careers
  • Wisconsin
  • Acts of Goodwill
two women working at computers

Empower Youth supports teens and young adults to build the workforce of the future

We’re invested in helping the workforce of the future take the first step in shaping their lives by providing the tools needed to navigate employment challenges and achieve their goals. To do this, we developed the Empower Youth: Career Training and Development program.
Read More Empower Youth supports teens and young adults to build the workforce of the future
  • Career Readiness
  • Youth Programs
  • Illinois
  • Goodwill’s Mission
employee holding flattened cardboard box

Providing employment opportunities and assistance for job seekers

With the support of Goodwill TalentBridge, Seneca was provided a job with a liveable wage within 24 hours of interviewing.
Read More Providing employment opportunities and assistance for job seekers
  • TalentBridge
  • Program Participant Stories
  • Job Hunting
  • Employee Stories