It’s more than business as usual for Goodwill Industries in Essex, Kent and Lambton – in fact, the organization is proceeding with a $50,000 upgrading of its Chatham recycling centre on National Road.
In a joint effort with the Employment and Social Services program of Chatham Kent and Ontario Works, a team of ten workers has been hired to construct and upgrade washroom and lunchroom facilities at the centre.
“We have good stories to tell and we’re determined to move forward and continue to help our clients and our community,” said Kevin Smith, CEO of Goodwill Industries in Essex, Kent and Lambton.
Smith said he is concerned that fallout from decisions made by Goodwill Industries of Toronto, Eastern, Central and Northern Ontario to close its 16 stores may impact local operations.
“I want to assure people that every Goodwill is autonomous and is governed by its own board of directors,” he said.
Smith said Goodwill relies heavily on donations and needs to ensure goods keep coming in so that the organization can maintain its operations.
“Our corporate vision is that You Donate – Someone Works,” he said. “If someone is concerned about our Goodwill because of something that happened elsewhere, it could cause difficulties and effect the jobs we supply in this region so I can’t stress enough that we are separate organizations and we aren’t in any way tied to what happened in the Toronto area.”
He said during the most recent fiscal year, the organization provided services to
5,444 individuals through counseling, training, placement and post-placement services.
That resulted in 1,656 people in Essex Kent Lambton being placed into work. Goodwill’s workforce grew by nine per cent and donations were up by 14 per cent.
Goodwill provided just under $28,000 in services and earned international recognition in the group for its growth.
Smith said Goodwill is growing and pointed to the opening of a retail store in Windsor in 2014 and Attended Donation Centres in Essex and Kingsville in 2015.
It currently operates four retail stores, a Windsor bookstore and 11 attended donation centres.
