ARCADIA, FL – After more than a year of being closed to in-person assistance, Goodwill Manasota’s Arcadia Job Connection office has returned to in-person services. The Arcadia Job Connection office (1701 E. Oak St., #B) reopened to the public on May 17.
Goodwill closed all of its Job Connection offices as per the Governor’s orders during the statewide, 30-day stay-at-home order last April. The economic downturn – which had a significant impact on Goodwill’s revenues for months – required readjustments to mission services offerings, and concerns about COVID-19 made a return to typical operations impossible for some time. Goodwill responded by providing Job Connection services virtually almost immediately, to assist community members at a time when many were experiencing job losses or reduced hours.
“Now that things are slowly returning to normal, we wanted to return to face-to-face services in Arcadia,” said Goodwill vice president Margie Genter. “While we are extremely proud of how our team pivoted to providing career services virtually, we know that there’s nothing like sitting with someone and really getting to know them as we work to help them navigate their job search.”
Staffing the Job Connection office is Ana Magadan, the new GoodPartner Coach/career development facilitator for Arcadia. Magadan, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, is a case manager and social services advocate with 15 years of experience planning, developing and implementing client-focused life skills and addressing non-vocational barriers.
Goodwill’s Job Connection program is a free service that is designed to help individuals obtain long-term employment or to transition to better-paying jobs. Through the program, community members can receive career counseling, interest and aptitude assessments, assistance with resume and cover letter writing skills, interview strengthening exercises, application submission guidance, access to computers and internet, and help with online job searches. The program provides invaluable assistance to all members of the community but is particularly critical for those with barriers to employment: individuals with disabilities, veterans transitioning to civilian life, ex-offenders, those with educational or economic disadvantages, and more.
In addition to the Arcadia location, community members can access in-person placement services at multiple locations in Sarasota and Bradenton. To find the most convenient location, visit experiencegoodwill.org; for virtual Job Connection services, call 888-230-8820.
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 philanthropic donations and revenue generated by the sales of donated goods, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities, veterans, seniors, and those with other barriers to employment by providing jobs, job skills training, and free career services. For more information or for a listing of locations, visit experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.