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Tag: disability employment
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Goodwill on Whyte Fashion Show
Edmonton, AB (July 10, 2024) – Get ready to be dazzled and inspired at the upcoming Fashion Show on Whyte Avenue, presented by Goodwill Industries of Alberta. This vibrant event promises to be an afternoon filled with fashion, entertainment, and the celebration of Edmonton’s rich diversity.
Goodwill on Whyte Fashion Show 4 To celebrate individuals with disabilities across the capital region, for the third year in a row Goodwill is hosting the Goodwill Fashion Show on Whyte Avenue in Old Strathcona from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m on July 13th. This outdoor event will take place in the Goodwill Whyte Avenue parking lot at 10110 82 Ave NW. Models will be made up volunteers from Goodwill’s Mission Impact program, a program specializing in finding work opportunities and job training for those with barriers or disabilities, as well as models from Kello Inclusive, an agency based out of Edmonton, representing disabled and visibly different talent, because the beauty of disabilities, diversities and differences deserves to be represented fairly and fully.
The Goodwill on Whyte Fashion Show will feature a dazzling display of creativity and style, showcasing the remarkable talent of local thrifters. Attendees can expect an eclectic mix of outfits and accessories, demonstrating how thrifted fashion can be both sustainable and fashion-forward.
This year’s rendition will include a special performance by Bollywheels, (an inclusive Bollywood style dance troupe) and CTV’s Josh Classen as the featured emcee! The Fashion Show aims to not only showcase self-expression through fashion but also to celebrate community spirit and inclusivity in Edmonton.
Goodwill on Whyte Fashion Show 5 This event is FREE and open to the public, inviting fashion enthusiasts, community members, and families to join in this exciting celebration. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience Edmonton’s diversity and creativity firsthand.
For everyone attending, we encourage you to bring at least one item for donation, as you will be making an impact on those with a disability to find and gain meaningful employment.
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon celebrating style, community, and the transformative power of thrifted fashion.
Media Availability
What: Goodwill on Whyte Fashion Show
Who: Bollywheels performance group, CTV’s Josh Klassen, Goodwill Mission Impact and Kello Inclusive models
When: Saturday, July 13, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: 10110 82 Ave NW, Edmonton, AlbertaContact Information
Doug Roxburgh
Manager of Brand Integrity and Marketing
Goodwill Industries of Alberta
#178, 3803 Calgary Trail NW
Edmonton, Alberta T6J 5M8
Telephone: 780-944-1414 Extension 81043
Cell: 587-778-0324
Email: droxburgh@goodwill.ab.ca—-
About Goodwill Industries of Alberta: Creating positive change since 1963, Goodwill’s mission is to provide Albertans with disabilities the opportunity to enhance their lives through meaningful employment. Goodwill Alberta is one of the largest employers of Albertans with disabilities; with 21% of Goodwill employees having a self-disclosed disability. We provide employment opportunities in our thrift stores and an accommodating work environment for Albertans with disabilities in Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, Grand Prairie and Calgary. Our Edmonton based Career Connections program has been providing employment coaching, job search, and training to individuals with developmental disabilities for decades. The success of Goodwill’s retail operations revolves around the generosity of people in our community choosing to donate to Goodwill and shop at our thrift stores. Every year over one million Albertans shop at Goodwill, and more than 800,000 Albertans donate to Goodwill; 92% of all revenues go back into our mission and remains in Alberta. We are also a major recycler of a growing range of donated items; we recycle more than 21 million kgs every year. We are a donor-driven charitable society and we’ve been proudly serving Albertans for more than 60 years.
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60 Years of GOOD
Since 1963, Goodwill has helped provide meaningful employment for those with disabilities and barriers to the workforce.
From the very first Goodwill store on 103rd avenue in downtown Edmonton, to more than a dozen retail stores across Alberta, Goodwill is striving to make a positive impact in our province.
This is possible because of the amazing donations of clothing or used household items by people like you each and every year.
For 60 years, your donated shirt is giving people like Andre a chance to enhance their job skills.
For 60 years, your donated coffee mugs are giving people like Shelly an opportunity to contribute back to the community.
For 60 years, your donated records are giving people like Justin a chance to fulfill their dreams.
For 60 years, Goodwill is providing opportunity, service and GOOD.
Thank you for making a difference by donating to Goodwill and continuing our mission of helping those with disabilities and barriers an opportunity to find and gain meaningful employment.
60 Years of Opportunity
In 1963, the Edmonton Rehabilitation Society (ERS) officially adopted the name Goodwill at a Board of Directors meeting in October of that year. This landmark decision also opened the very first Goodwill store in the province. Since 1963, Goodwill and the ERS have done so much good for the community, creating training and employment opportunities for those disabilities and barriers to the workforce.
First Goodwill Store opens in 1963 60 Years of Service
Since 1983, Goodwill is a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) certified operation, continually improving and leading for ways to serve those barriers.
While, Goodwill is an operation that has about 30% of the workforce with a self-disclosed disability, it’s all about finding the right job for the right person, whether at Goodwill or with other organizations across the province. Goodwill has worked with over 2,000 separate employers, employing thousands of individuals since 1963.
The work continues through our Career Connections program (formally the Power of Work program), as Goodwill works closely with Persons with Developmental Disabilities, educating employers through programs like the Employer Inclusion Accelerator and working with organizations like Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM), the Pan Disability Connection and the Special Olympics, among others.
Past Goodwill stores and donations being received to support the mission 60 Years of GOOD
As we celebrate 60 years, we’ll have a number of happenings in our communities throughout the year, utilizing the GOOD that has been done over the past by each and every one of you.
This includes celebrating our mission, our sustainability efforts, our community, our shoppers, our donors, our volunteers and the hard working people at Goodwill.
Prepare for a full year of surprises and events, from store openings, donation centre openings, Proclamations from the province, lighting the skies of Alberta blue, Thrifting buses, the Thrifting Hall of Fame, the Special Olympics and so much more!
Thank you for making a positive impact in our province by donating to Goodwill and celebrating 60 years of service!
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Employer Inclusion Accelerator Program
Goodwill is launching a brand new program that provides support and coaching to employers who would like to hire people with disabilities and are not sure how to get started and how to ensure success.
This program supports employers with:
Goodwill provides: hiring, retention, onboarding and coaching support for Employers. If an employer is interested in contributing to their community, contact Goodwill, as we can get you started! The process is easy!
- It all begins with an initial assessment to determine your goals with regard to hiring individuals with disabilities.
- Your Employer Coach will work with you to develop a customized plan including:
- Job posting
- Advertising
- Interviews
- Selection
- Onboarding
- Orientation
- Ongoing Coaching
- All of this is provided at no cost to employers!
(Note: ineligible organizations are recruitment businesses or other organizations hired and paid for by an employer, federal or territorial governments, federal crown corporations and agencies)
How the Employer Inclusion program works Workshops
For all FREE video workshops to assist employers, be sure to keep an eye on monthly tutorials.
To view them at a later date please visit our Employer Inclusion Workshop page.Contact Us Today!
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Thank You
Your donations are making a positive IMPACT!
Donations is where our journey begins at Goodwill. Your support, means more people with barriers are entering the workforce then ever before.
We are taking your donations to re-sell in our stores, where 90% of all funds raise goes right back into our mission.
Some of your broken furniture donations are repaired and upcycled through a program led by Albertans with disabilities, to re-sell at our stores.
We are taking your unwanted items and finding a new home, creating an extended lifecycle for the product and sparking joy for a new generation.
THANK YOU to our shoppers, donors and all Albertans, as you all continue to step up for the GOOD of your community, making a positive impact for our province.
Your donations empower Albertans with disabilities through the power of work and the dignity of a job. Thank You
Throughout November and December, we’ll be saying thank you in our own unique GOODWILL way, because your contributions have helped further our mission of helping those with disabilities to get back into the workforce, finding the right job, for the right person.
Some things to consider about your contributions:
• You helped over 170 Albertans through our Career Connections portfolio.
• You contribute to the more than 700,000 donations we received this past year. (and counting)
• Through recycling and re-purposing we divert about 19million kilograms from landfills annually.
• 90 cents of every dollar you spent was reinvested into Goodwill’s mission.Together we are changing lives for the better, strengthening families and communities, through the power of work and the dignity of a job.
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Goodwill & The Mustard Seed
Press Release & Media Availability
Goodwill Industries of Alberta and The Mustard Seed
Edmonton AB (June 3, 2021) – Volunteer placements have been in a holding pattern since the COVID-19 outbreak in March of last year. This left many people without a place to contribute back to their community. This was even more evident at Goodwill’s Career Connection program.
With the assistance of many wonderful organizations and the launch of Goodwill’s Volunteer Hub, volunteer placements have steadily increased, providing purpose and training for those with disabilities. This Volunteer Hub has become a training ground for those with barriers who wish to enter the workforce.
Today, in partnership with The Mustard Seed, the organizations are announcing a new initiative: The Providing Aid Cooperatively Project. The PAC project looks to get basic supplies into the hands of vulnerable community members who require these items immediately. These supply packages consist of a variety of items depending on seasonal needs and campaigns within The Mustard Seed. Examples include Hygiene Packs, Wellness Kits, Summer Safety Kits, and more! For more visit: https://theseed.ca/pac
Jocelyn Lapointe, Mustard Seed Thrift Store Supervisor is proud and excited to spread the good in our community with Goodwill.
“We share a lot of the same passions including employment, sustainable shopping and support of Edmonton’s most vulnerable. Through this partnership we will collaborate, grow, and serve the communities we serve while employing people with a variety of barriers”.
With the help of Goodwill, volunteers and individuals with disabilities at the Career Connection program will individually package these items, so they are safe and they are ready for distribution for The Mustard Seed patrons.
The partnership between the organizations highlights how two non-for-profits can provide for their mission, while working together to support the greater good of the community.
You can see more on the PAC project by visiting The Mustard Seed and Goodwill Industries of Alberta.
Media Contact
Doug Roxburgh Liz Stephenson Goodwill Industries of Alberta The Mustard Seed Manager of Brand Integrity Lead Communications Coordinator 780-944-1414 780-999-6878 droxburgh@goodwill.ab.ca lizstephenson@theseed.ca —-
About Goodwill Industries of Alberta: Creating positive change since 1963, Goodwill’s mission is to provide Albertans with disabilities the opportunity to enhance their lives through meaningful employment. Goodwill Alberta is one of the largest employers of Albertans with disabilities; with 30% of Goodwill employees having a self-disclosed disability. We provide employment opportunities in our thrift stores and an accommodating work environment for Albertans with disabilities in Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, Grand Prairie and Calgary. Our Edmonton based Career Connections program has been providing employment coaching, job search, and training to individuals with developmental disabilities for decades. The success of Goodwill’s retail operations revolves around the generosity of people in our community choosing to donate to Goodwill and shop at our thrift stores. Every year over one million Albertans shop at Goodwill, and more than 700,000 Albertans donate to Goodwill; 89.2% of all revenues go back into our mission and remains in Alberta. We are also a major recycler of a growing range of donated items; we recycle more than 16 million kg every year. We are a donor-driven charitable society and we have been proudly serving Albertans for nearly 60 years.
About The Mustard Seed: The Mustard Seed is a Christian non-profit organization that has been caring for men, women, and children experiencing poverty and homelessness since 1984. The Mustard Seed provides a safe haven where we support the whole person through delivering basic services, housing, wellness services, employment programs, and partners with the community to address the root causes of poverty.
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Repair for Good
“I was broken and discarded. Then Goodwill made me whole again. I’ve been refurbished and upcycled. Now, I am ready for a new home.”
The good thing about upcycling is that there really are no limits to what you can create. It’s a sustainable, cost-effective option, and anyone can join the upcycling revolution and undertake a range of upcycled furniture projects!
This revolution has come to Goodwill as our organization goes back to our heritage. Back to where it all began. The Commercial Services is a team made up of individuals with a disability and this team has been working very hard to bring you upcycled furniture show pieces for your home. These one of a kind items keep furniture out of local landfills and provide employment opportunities for those with a disability.
Shop Online
Today, you can now search through our online inventory and find the piece that sparks joy in your life. Browse our products, add your favourites to the cart and place your order. Schedule a pickup date and time and drop by the amazing Edmonton Impact Centre to grab your items – it’s that simple!
Funds from each purchase will go towards programs that will help more people with disabilities find purposeful employment. Our trainers will inspect all items for quality before pick-up in the West End of Edmonton at 11415 168st. NW.
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At the moment, the Goodwill online thrift store offers items for pickup only.
Shipping may be available in the future however, the logistics for shipping are currently too difficult with all the stores and the limited number of items.
Stay tuned for changes and updates to this policy!
Shop with Goodwill and skip the tax all while helping to create positive change in your community. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Ready? Set. Shop!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Let us know. Contact Goodwill Alberta – we’d love to hear from you.
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The Goodwill Volunteer Hub
Volunteer placements are in a holding pattern or they’ve been outright cancelled since the pandemic began last year. This left many people within our Career Connections division without a place to contribute back to the community.
Goodwill’s Job Development Team took this challenge head-on and created “The Goodwill Volunteer Hub.”
This Volunteer Hub is based out of Goodwill’s Career Connections training facility on Whyte Ave. in Edmonton.
Here, individuals with disabilities assemble and create different ‘kits’ to help spread the GOOD vibes throughout our region.
It began with creating kits for disadvantaged people in the community (in partnership with the United Way). Different groups benefit from these kits and the packages range from:
- A children’s literacy kit
- A senior’s activity kit
- A pencil case kit
- A Thank You card to frontline workers
Other assembled kits include:
- Share the GOOD packages to stimulate local business
Albertans’ with disabilities assemble all items, creating dignity and joy through the power of work!
Assembly options are endless as this hub is a platform for volunteerism and community engagement.
We welcome this community engagement because of the challenges before us. As a result, when faced with CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES abound!
To help create more volunteer opportunities for these individuals, please contact us at:
marketing@goodwill.ab.ca -
Goodwill Round UP
There’s something new coming to a Goodwill near you!
Every time you shop at your local Goodwill, you have the chance to make a difference and now it’s easier than ever to help Albertans with disabilities find purposeful employment.
Introducing: Goodwill Round UP!
At checkout, you will have the opportunity to Round UP your purchase to the nearest dollar, but you might be wondering; “where will that extra money go?”
GREAT QUESTION!
Every cent you donate through our Round UP program will go directly towards our mission. This adds to the 89 cent of every dollar you’ve already donated by shopping in our stores. This means more resources to help Albertans with disabilities train; find; and gain, meaningful employment in our community.
At Goodwill, your CHANGE will CHANGE a life!
FAQ
- What is the Goodwill Round UP program?
- Our Round Up program is a way for shoppers to help enhance Goodwill’s mission of helping those with disabilities to find and gain meaningful employment.
- How do I Round UP?
- You can either “Round UP” your purchase to the nearest dollar or donate a set amount that you desire. All of these options will be available to you at the check-out.
- How does my change help?
- At Goodwill89, cents of every dollar you spend at our stores directly funds our mission of helping those with barriers to get into the workforce. Under Round UP, 100% of the proceeds goes directly to our programs.
- What programs do you have for these services?
- Goodwill is proud to be one of the largest employers of people with disabilities in the province, with nearly 30% of over 700 staff members having a self-disclosed disability. Goodwill also has a Career Connections Program, where individuals with disabilities are able to train and prepare to find the right career opportunity; either in Goodwill or with a partner organization, striving for long-term success.
- Aren’t I helping just by shopping?
- Yes! You absolutely are and we couldn’t thank you enough for your support! Having said this, your extra generosity will go the extra mile to create a purpose and strengthen your community by helping more people overcome barriers to employment.
- Where can I learn about how my change is being used?
- You can visit our website at goodwill.ab.ca to read about our programs, services and our mission. You can also contact us at marketing@goodwill.ab.ca or 780-944-1414.
- Great, how can I start contributing today?
- You can start by visiting your nearest Goodwill, by finding that one-of-a-kind item that fits perfectly in your wardrobe or household. Visit https://www.goodwill.ab.ca/thrift-store-locations/ to find one near you!
- What is the Goodwill Round UP program?
