SARASOTA/BRADENTON, FL – Goodwill Manasota has recently received a grant from Publix Super Markets Charities to help support the salary of a GoodPartner Coach. This is the fifth year that Goodwill has received funding from Publix Super Markets Charities in support of this program, for which the need increases as Goodwill continues to hire individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
“Publix Super Markets Charities is proud to sponsor Goodwill Manasota,” said Kelly Williams-Puccio, executive director of Publix Super Markets Charities. “Its mission to change lives through the power of work goes hand-in-hand with our mission to endeavor to meet the needs of the people in our community. We are delighted to be able to help this wonderful organization in its important work.”
A GoodPartner Coach is responsible for providing individuals and families comprehensive “single point of contact” case management as part of a seamless service delivery design including personal and career counseling, life and work coaching, and linkage to and advocacy with organizational and community resources. The GoodPartner Coach Program is particularly important in helping persons with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain positive personal and workplace behaviors and skills, feel the pride of earning a paycheck and move toward self-sufficiency, build a strong work history, and develop the experience and skills to position them for higher paying jobs outside of Goodwill. The retention rate at Goodwill is 89 percent, in great part because of this program.
Goodwill’s Supported JobsPlus program supports employment for team members with significant disabilities, who face much higher rates of unemployment than those without disabilities. As Goodwill has continued to increase the number of employees with disabilities to its team, additional GoodPartner Coaches have been needed to meet the unprecedented demand for one-on-one job training, coaching and employment support services.
With the support of a GoodPartner Coach, team members participate in a career needs assessment and the development of an individualized case management plan; they then go through training components to reach their ultimate desired outcomes. Job performance and educational benchmarks are set, providing clear expectations for career advancement readiness. Ideally, individuals with disabilities and barriers to self-sufficiency will establish a lifetime link with Goodwill, so that they may take advantage of ever-increasing services available throughout the community.
“Goodwill has been innovative in hiring people from the community who may not have been given a chance elsewhere. Our goal is to continue employing and training community members of diverse abilities, because that creates a stronger workforce and local economy,” said Bob Rosinsky, president and CEO of Goodwill Manasota. “Everyone deserves a chance to earn a paycheck and feel the dignity of work. We are grateful to Publix Super Markets Charities for helping us to change lives in a very big way.”
For more information about the GoodPartner Coach program, call (941) 355-2721 or go to experiencegoodwill.org.
About Goodwill Manasota
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With the sales of donated goods and philanthropic donations, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities and other barriers to employment by providing job skills training and employment opportunities. In 2016, Goodwill Manasota served 28,207 people, placed 755 people in jobs and assisted 240 veterans as they reintegrated back into the civilian workforce. Goodwill Manasota’s economic impact back to the community is worth $92.1 million. Goodwill is one of the pioneers of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement and this past year diverted more than 40 million pounds out of the landfill. We accomplish our mission through a network of Good Neighbor Centers in Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto counties and our Mission Development Services (MDS) around North America. Goodwill Manasota is accountable to a local Board of Directors. Goodwill Manasota, in essence, belongs to this community and is not owned by any individual or company. For more information, visit www.experiencegoodwill.org.