Goodwill Central Coast

WE HELP PEOPLE WITH EMPLOYMENT NEEDS BECOME SUCCESSFUL THROUGH JOBS, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT.

GOODWILL CENTRAL COAST'S RETAIL PROGRAM HELPS PEOPLE WITH DISADVANTAGES OR DISABILITIES, AND THOSE EXPERIENCING OBSTACLES TO BECOME JOB-READY, AND TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT. OUR 16 STORES, 21 DONATION SITES, ECOMMERCE DIVISION, AND TWO INDUSTRIAL PLANTS PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR THREE COUNTIES. THE RETAIL PROGRAM PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING TO 980 INDIVIDUALS, AND PAID MORE THAN $16 MILLION IN WAGES IN 2023. GOODWILL SELLS A VARIETY OF DONATED MERCHANDISE TO THE COMMUNITY AT VALUE PRICES. OUR RETAIL, AFTERMARKET SALES, AND RECYCLING PROGRAMS TOGETHER DIVERTED AN ESTIMATED 19.5 MILLION POUNDS OF MATERIAL FROM LOCAL LANDFILLS AND SUPPORTING GOODWILL'S MISSION TO HELP GET PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ON THE ROAD TO ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE RETAIL OPERATIONS GENERATED FUNDING TO SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT COUNSELING, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, FINANCIAL COUNSELING, AND JOB TRAINING SERVICES THROUGH OUR CAREER CENTER, TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND THE OPPORTUNITY PLATFORM.

GOODWILL CENTRAL COAST HELPS INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFY THEIR STRENGTHS AND OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLES THAT MAY PREVENT THEM FROM OBTAINING AND RETAINING EMPLOYMENT, WHICH IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, WE SERVE THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE IN THIS AREA, INCLUDING THE PHYSICALLY AND DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED, DISPLACED WORKERS, AT RISK AND JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH, AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS. WE ALSO OFFER FREE DIGITAL LITERACY, JOB SEARCH, JOB PLACEMENT, JOB READINESS TRAINING, AND INCOME TAX RELATED ASSISTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY. IN 2023, WE SERVED 16,626 INDIVIDUALS.

THROUGH THE EXPANDED SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT (ESE) PROGRAM, GOODWILL CENTRAL COAST PROVIDES IMMEDIATE SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE CALWORKS WELFARE-TO-WORK CLIENTS WHICH INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING, SUPERVISION, INTENSE CASE MANAGEMENT, JOB PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, AND UNSUBSIDIZED JOB COORDINATION IN ORDER TO HELP THEM ESTABLISH WORK EXPERIENCE AND/OR APPROPRIATE WORK BEHAVIORS BEFORE ENTERING UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE SOURCE OF INCOME TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO LONG-TERM UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT. CLIENTS IN THE ESE PROGRAM ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR ALL OF THE FREE SERVICES OFFERED BY THE GOODWILL CENTRAL COAST OPPORTUNITY PLATFORM. IN 2023, THE EXPANDED SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS SERVED 212 PEOPLE, WITH $557,000 IN WAGES PAID.

THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (WIOA) TITLE 1, GOODWILL CENTRAL COAST GIVES INCOME-ELIGIBLE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY ADULTS/DISLOCATED WORKERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED IN THE LABOR MARKET BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES WHILE ALSO MATCHING EMPLOYERS WITH THE SKILLED WORKERS THEY NEED TO COMPETE IN THE ECONOMY THROUGH RAPID RESPONSE EFFORTS. BASIC CAREER SERVICES HELPS PEOPLE OBTAIN IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT THROUGH ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR SELF-DIRECTED JOB SEARCH INCLUDING JOB OPENINGS, LABOR MARKET INFORMATION, COMPUTERS, INTERNET, AND PHONES IN THE AMERICAN JOB CENTERS OF CALIFORNIA (AJCC) CAREER CENTERS. INTENSIVE CAREER SERVICES INCLUDE INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING ACCOUNTS, TRANSITIONAL JOBS, AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING THAT HELP ADULTS AND DISLOCATED WORKERS ADVANCE THEIR SKILL SETS AND EARN CREDENTIALS IN HIGH-DEMAND INDUSTRIES. SERVICES INCLUDE SKILL ASSESSMENT, ENROLLMENT INTO TRAINING PROGRAMS, CAREER ADVISING, CASE MANAGEMENT, JOB PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION SERVICES.