Awards Recognize Life-Changing Impact of Business and Individual Partners   

Goodwill hosted its first New Lives Awards Luncheon on November 1, 2024 at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee. At the event, Goodwill leaders, board members, community partners and donors gathered to celebrate and honor our mission: Connecting people to work. Preparing people for life.

The event included the opportunity to recognize the impact of Goodwill’s workforce development programs across the greater Milwaukee & Chicago areas. In 2023, Goodwill supported over 50,000 individuals across Wisconsin and Illinois, helping them overcome barriers to employment, education and stability. Through our efforts, we connected more than 4,000 people to jobs, providing meaningful opportunities that offer not just a paycheck, but a path forward. 

The New Lives luncheon also celebrated the achievements of people who have participated in Goodwill’s workforce development programs, including: 

• Antonio – Working closely with a Goodwill Workforce Connection Center, Antonio was able to transition into a new phase of life, secure full-time employment and move into permanent housing. 
• Kaylee – Through one of Goodwill’s customized training programs, Kaylee was able to get the training she needed to become a medical assistant at Children’s Wisconsin.  
• Matthew – After participating in Goodwill’s Boys and Men of Color program, Matthew picked up the skills he needed to level up in work and life, becoming an Area Manager at Goodwill.
• Eva – Through the United For Good Program, Eva overcame financial challenges and received training to become a child health care assistant, the first step towards her ultimate goal of becoming a teacher.  

Awards were presented to four community partners, recognizing them for their significant contributions to Goodwill’s nonprofit mission. 

• Corporate IMPACT Award: Zilber Limited and the Zilber Family Foundation for their commitment to providing opportunities for new lives for the people and communities we serve. Over the years, this has included support of Goodwill’s Day Services Programs, Workforce Connection Centers and Community Access Points program, located at the Sojourner Family Peace Center.  
• TalentBridge IMPACT Award: Children’s Wisconsin for their partnership with Goodwill TalentBridge that placed 336 individuals into jobs within Children’s during 2023 and 248 in the past 12 months. The jobs include patient service representatives, environmental service representatives, human resources and recruiting staff and other administrative and professional positions. 
• Collective IMPACT Award: United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Bader Philanthropies, Milwaukee Public Schools for their partnership in the United For Good program—a powerful collaboration that helps people earn their certified nursing assistant certificate while also addressing critical workforce shortages in the healthcare field. 
• Individual IMPACT Award: Donald Driver and the Donald Driver Foundation for a more than 20-year partnership in sharing his time and talent in support of Goodwill’s mission, including mentorship in Boys and Men of Color. 

The event concluded with remarks from Jackie Hallberg, President & Chief Executive Officer.  

“Together, we embody the power of a community that cares deeply and acts with purpose. We’ve seen how every donation contributes to a fresh start and renewed hope for someone in our communities. It’s about more than just donations; it’s about the ripple effect that these contributions have—offering hope, opportunity and a fresh start for so many people. You impact countless New Lives through Goodwill.”