Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania

52 Weeks of Goodwill, Week 45: This 2024 Halloween season was our organization's best one yet! Every year, Goodwill is amazed by our team members' creativity, teamwork, and passion for the holiday. Andrew Marano, Goodwill's Chief Retail Operations and Sustainability Officer, says "The 2024 Halloween season has come to a close and our retail teams, once again showed they are a force to be reckoned with. I am extremely proud of their focus on production and providing fresh merchandise for their shoppers to make sure we provide the best in-store experience possible. Our retail team members continue to show their passion for our mission – giving items a second chance to sell and providing the fuel necessary to help people in the communities we serve." Our Human Services team had fun this Halloween season too! In October, members from Goodwill's EARN, Adult Workforce, Housing, Education, and Reintegration participated in a trick-or-treat event for the families that we serve. We had buckets of delicious candy (generously donated by staff and departments), games, and activities for the children. Everyone dressed in their Halloween best to welcome in the spooky season! Everyone danced to “Thriller” and other eerie tunes provided by DJ Alycia. Thank you to all who participated; this was a lovely event to connect with families and provide a fun Halloween celebration for all! Goodwill's Halloween season wouldn't be possible without the endless support of our shoppers and donors. THANK YOU for all that you do to help us serve our community! #GoodwillSWPA

November is Native American Heritage Month! This month is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages, and stories of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other island communities. With 574 federally recognized tribes in the U.S., we recognize the remarkable heritage and culture of these individuals who deeply enrich our nation. At Goodwill, we understand the importance of recognizing the land in which our region operates. The counties within our Goodwill region are located on the ancestral lands of the Monongahela, Shawnee, Osage, Massawomeck, and Calicuas tribes, who owned this land for generations long before our presence here.

52 Weeks of Goodwill, Week 44: Meet Paul, a former resident at Northside Common Ministries (NCM)! Paul sought NCM's shelter as a first step to helping him find stable housing and employment. During his time at NCM, he utilized our services and successfully found permanent housing and a new job! Now that he's back on his feet, Paul's goal is to keep his current job and support his children. Congratulations on your new beginning, Paul! Learn more about Northside Common Ministries, an affiliate of Goodwill, here: https://lnkd.in/exVPtgTs #GoodwillSWPA #NCM #NorthsideCommonMinistries

Ready to advance your career? Join Goodwill’s FREE career services webinars! From polishing your resume to honing your interview skills, we’ve got you covered. Register now at https://lnkd.in/eSuNP8PR #GoodwillSWPA

Take your digital skills to the next level with Goodwill’s FREE webinars! From Microsoft to Google and Gmail, we’ve got the resources to help advance your career. Sign up at https://lnkd.in/edPT4tsr #GoodwillSWPA

52 Weeks of Goodwill, Week 43: Last week, Goodwill celebrated the graduation of 16 GED students! We welcomed students and families to the Lawrenceville Workforce Development Center to celebrate everyone who successfully completed their GED exam through Goodwill within the past year. Vallie, our graduating class speaker, has worked toward getting his GED for 13 years. As the father of six kids, he wanted to earn his GED to apply for better job opportunities. With his GED, Vallie plans to apply to be a bus driver at Pittsburgh Regional Transit. He also recently purchased a home, giving his family a bigger space to grow and flourish! Goodwill is incredibly proud of our graduates for their commitment and strength toward earning their GEDs. These students have gone above and beyond in their work to ensure they're building a better future for themselves. Many graduates plan to continue their education or use their diplomas to apply for better jobs, like Vallie. Congratulations to all of this year's graduates! Learn more about Goodwill's GED program here: https://lnkd.in/g484MjYe #GoodwillSWPA

New to coding? Goodwill’s FREE Intro to Coding Part 2 webinar is just for you! We’ll guide you through the basics of the Python programming language, including statements, lists, modules, and debugging. Sign up now and start building your coding skills at https://lnkd.in/gytCBCw5 ?? #GoodwillSWPA

52 Weeks of Goodwill, Week 42: Meet Anthony, a former resident at Northside Common Ministries (NCM)! Anthony came to NCM seeking shelter after facing housing instability. With a safe place to sleep, Anthony could focus on working, eating nutritious meals, and staying clean. In less than two months since his arrival at NCM, Anthony was able to find new employment and housing! Now that he's back on his feet, he's searching for a second job to better his financial stability. Anthony's advice to future residents is to make the most out of the opportunities you have at Northside Common Ministries. Congratulations on your determination, strength, and new start, Anthony! Learn more about Northside Common Ministries at https://lnkd.in/exVPtgTs #GoodwillSWPA #NorthsideCommonMinistries #NCM

Deciding whether to disclose a disability to your employer can be challenging, but you don't have to do it alone. Join our free Disclosing a Disability webinar on Thursday, October 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., to learn about reasonable accommodations and the resources available to guide you through the process. Register today at https://lnkd.in/epkF7GNA #GoodwillSWPA

Are you a veteran, service member, or spouse looking to take the next step in your career? Goodwill and the Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) program is here to help! Join us on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, for FREE workshops at our Lawrenceville Workforce Development Center – free parking is available! ? Federal Hiring – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ? Interview Skills – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Learn more and sign up at https://lnkd.in/gBUqEkgn #GoodwillSWPA