Palmetto Goodwill

PALMETTO GOODWILL IS CHANGING LIVES BY PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT. PALMETTO GOODWILL IS A LOCAL AUTONOMOUS MEMBER OF GOODWILL INDUSTRIES INTERNATIONAL THAT PROVIDES EDUCATION, JOB READINESS, AND OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING TO UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS IN 18 COUNTIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. PALMETTO GOODWILL, ESTABLISHED IN 1979, HAS OPERATED THE "SOCIAL ENTERPRISE" MODEL THROUGHOUT ITS EXISTENCE, IN THE LAST DECADE EXPANDING ITS REVENUE SOURCES BEYOND RETAIL REVENUES TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND PRIVATE AND CORPORATE FUNDERS. IN 2023, PALMETTO GOODWILL OPERATED 33 RETAIL STORES WHICH SUPPORTED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT EDUCATED, TRAINED, AND EMPLOYED THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THESE SERVICES WERE PROVIDED VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON THROUGH A NETWORK OF NINE (9) CAREER OPPORTUNITY CENTERS, INCLUDING A MOBILE CAREER OPPORTUNITY CENTER.

GOODWILL'S DONATED GOODS RETAIL PROGRAM PROVIDES EDUCATION, JOB TRAINING, AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT BY COLLECTING AND RESELLING RETAIL ITEMS. SALES OF DONATED CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS PROVIDE JOB TRAINING AND REVENUE FOR JOB READINESS TRAINING, CAREER EXPLORATION SERVICES, AND OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING. GOODWILL HELPS PEOPLE EARN A LIVING, IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND STRENGTHEN THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES BY PUTTING 91% OF ITS REVENUE FROM ITS 33 THRIFT STORES BACK INTO MISSION PROGRAMMING. PALMETTO GOODWILL'S DONATION PROGRAM HELPED KEEP MORE THAN 30 MILLION POUNDS OF WASTE OUT OF SOUTH CAROLINA LANDFILLS. GOODWILL'S DIVERSION OF ITEMS FROM LANDFILL IS GOOD FOR OUR PLANET AND ENVIRONMENTBY DIVERTING WASTE FROM OUR LANDFILLS, WE REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

PALMETTO GOODWILL PROVIDED CAREER NAVIGATION SERVICES TO MORE THAN 9,900 UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED JOB READINESS TRAINING, CAREER EXPLORATION SERVICES, AND OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING TO NEARLY 2,300 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH ITS NETWORK OF CAREER OPPORTUNITY CENTERS, ONLINE TRAINING PROVIDERS, TECHNICAL SCHOOL NETWORK, AND OTHER TRAINING PROVIDERS TO PREPARE INDIVIDUALS FOR IN-DEMAND CAREERS IN THE FIELDS OF (1) HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, (2) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES, (3) INDUSTRIAL TRADES, (4) RETAIL TRADE, (5) TRANSPORTATION AND WAREHOUSING. IN ADDITION TO TRAINING, PALMETTO GOODWILL PROVIDED SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INCLUDING RENT, MORTGAGE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, CLOTHING VOUCHERS, FURNITURE VOUCHERS, BUS PASSES, AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.

PALMETTO GOODWILL LAUNCHED THE PALMETTO EXCEL CENTER, AN ADULT HIGH SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS AGED 21 AND OVER, IN AUGUST 2023 WITH OVER 150 STUDENTS ENROLLED. THE SCHOOL OPENED ON TIME AND FULLY STAFFED AFTER SECURING FULL OPERATIONAL FUNDING FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE MISSION OF PALMETTO EXCEL IS TO PROVIDE ADULTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORT TO EARN HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION WHILE DEVELOPING CAREER PATHS THAT OFFER BETTER-THAN-AVERAGE EMPLOYMENT AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES. PALMETTO EXCEL OFFERS A FLEXIBLE, YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULE AND SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS TO HELP STUDENTS MANAGE WORK, LIFE, AND FAMILY NEEDS AS THEY PURSUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS. STUDENTS RECEIVE HIGH-QUALITY, DIRECT INSTRUCTION IN RIGOROUS 8-WEEK TERM CORE COURSES AND CAREER CERTIFICATION CLASSES THROUGH TRIDENT TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND KEY TRAINING PARTNERS. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE INCLUDES DROP-IN CHILDCARE, TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, AND LIFE COACHING AND CAREER NAVIGATION SERVICES, ALL AT NO COST TO STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, IN 2023, PALMETTO EXCEL SUBMITTED TWO LETTERS OF INTENT TO THE CHARTER DISTRICT FOR TWO NEW FUTURE LOCATIONS.