Goodwill Shows Kids A Good Way

By Laura Robertson
Wednesday - March 31, 2010 Share

By Laura Robertson, President/CEO
Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, Inc.

When Zsasha entered Goodwill’s Ola I Ka Hana youth services program, she almost seemed like a stereotypical high school dropout. She was from a broken home, had been regularly truant at school, hung out with a rough crowd and was dabbling in drugs. Through the guidance and personalized approach of Goodwill’s Ola I Ka Hana staff, Zsasha’s creative talent as an artistically gifted photographer was discovered and fostered.

She is now attending the prestigious Academy of Art University in California and looks forward to a bright future.

Zsasha is one of the thousands of success stories to come out of Goodwill’s 30 employment and training programs each year.


 

Goodwill Industries of Hawaii Inc. is celebrating its 50th anniversary of serving Hawaii’s employment and training needs. Since the time it was incorporated in the Territory of Hawaii, Goodwill has responded to the ever-changing employment needs of our island community and adapted our services to provide relevant and responsive programs and services.

Throughout the years, our commitment has remained helping people reach their full potential through the power of work and to become more self-sufficient through training. Goodwill’s employment and placement programs provide job training, career development and employment for low-income individuals who need assistance achieving their goals of successful employment. Our professional staff served 11,959 people last year and helped 1,866 people find jobs in our community.

Ola I Ka Hana staff member Terence gives client Micah the encouragement he needs through Goodwill’s youth services program

In addition to providing crucial revenue to support our mission, Goodwill’s retail and commercial services division provides employment and onthe-job training opportunities for people who benefit from work experience prior to seeking community employment. Fueled by generous donations of gently used clothing and household items, Goodwill Stores provide a fun way to shop “green” while stretching your dollar.

We appreciate the continued support of Goodwill’s employment-centered mission and for making it possible to provide our quality career development and education services across our island state. These programs have been instrumental in helping people like Zsasha achieve their educational and career goals on the road to self-sufficiency.


To reach Goodwill with questions or for more information, just call 836-WORK (9675) or visit our newly redesigned Web site at www.higoodwill.org.

Together, we can say: We see the good. We see the will. Goodwill works.

 


Hawaii charitable organizations may send requests for space in either Proof Positive or the free advertisement below to dchapman@midweek.com.

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