North Louisiana - It takes many individuals to make Goodwill Industries' mission succeed: employees, board members, donors, shoppers, clients, students and community partners. Each one is necessary and vital to help Goodwill run smooth and effectively.

Goodwill is wrapping up a month-long of activities by hosting its 97th Community Awards Luncehon, presented by Willis Knighton Health System, on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. During the event, several business and community leader volunteers will be honored and recognized for their role in helping our mission be successful. Pastor Bill Miller will be the featured keynote speaker at the event.

This year's businesses and individual honorees includes: Pelican State Credit Union, Sciport Discovery Center, Lotus Hopsitality Management, Diesel Driving Academy, Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office, Care Pregnancy Center, Cadence Bank, Northminister Church, Mr. Dennis Willis, Mrs. Shelli Ulrich, Ms. Meosha Barnum and Ms. Carlin Willett.

2022 Highlights include:

• Provided services to 2,628 individuals - a 57% increase
• 417 individuals placed into employment
• Provided employees to 343 unique employers
• Conducted 47 Job Fairs/Hiring Events
• 7,435,211 pounds of donated goods saved from landfills
• Economic Impact of $9,321,626 to North Louisiana

North Louisiana - Throughout the month of May, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana is celebrating Goodwill Month - which recognizes the hard work of its staff, and the impact that Goodwill makes every day all across North Louisiana.
On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, Goodwill will kick off the month-long of planned activities by teaming up with more than 20 local companies to host a large onsite Job Fair at its Job Center, located at 800 West 70th Street, Shreveport. Omni Packaging, Frymaster, Community Angels of Hope, Parish of Caddo, Renke Building Maintenance, Goodwill Industries, Teleperformance, Sabre Industries, Caddo Community Action Agency, Celina's Staffing, St. Genevive Health Care Services, Sportran, Metropolitan Circles, Excess Telecom, Elite Health Solutions, Shreveport Police Department, Snelling Personnel, Northwest Louisiana Food Bank, Louisiana Department of Health, Lotus Hospitality and Willis Knighton Health Systems will be onsite accepting applications, doing interviews and hiring on-the-spot for more than 300 open positions. The event is free and open to the public from 10am to 2pm.

At a time when thousands of individuals across North Louisiana are seeking employment, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana is working to help connect these individuals to employers in our community who are desperately seeking candidates. Last year, Goodwill's Job Centers provided job training and placement services to 2,628 individuals' throughout North Louisiana, while helping 417 of them secure employment within more than 225 local employers. The economic impact of these job placements was $9,094,700. To learn more about Goodwill's workforce programs, visit https://goodwillnla.org/programs or contact Goodwill at 318-868-4701.


About Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana:
Founded in 1926, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana is a nonprofit social enterprise whose mission is provide education, training and career services to individuals who face barriers, disadvantages or have a disability. Since 2005, Goodwill has helped 50,000 achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work.

Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana's, ten retail locations provide not only affordable goods and services, but also employment to those in need and a revenue stream to support Goodwill's charitable mission. In addition, a wide range of business services, including janitorial and grounds maintenance, allows Goodwill to expand further employment opportunities by contracting with federal, state, governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Goodwill also offers multiple job resource centers, equipped with job-search experts, computers, Internet access and telephones. Goodwill believes that work has the power to transform lives by building self-confidence, independence, creativity, trust and friendships. Everyone deserves this chance.

For more information on Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana programs or services, or to find a location near you, visit www.goodwillnla.org.

Shreveport, LA - Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana is teaming up with the Louisiana Downs Racetrack & Casino to host its Spring Green recycling event at the track on Friday, April 21 from Noon to 4PM.
Goodwill donation staff will be on-site to accept clothing and household items like furniture, appliances, housewares and small electronics. This is a great opportunity to do some spring cleaning, while helping make an impact in not only the environment, but the community as donations help supports Goodwill's Job Training and Placement programs.
Goodwill will join On-Site Secure Shredding Services of Shreveport-Bossier who will also be on hand to collect and securely shred paper on-site. This is a great chance to destroy outdated tax documents and other personal papers. Every ton of paper that gets recycled can save 17 trees that absorb 250 pounds of carbon dioxide each year, 380 gallons of oil, 4,000 kilowatts of energy, 3 cubic yards of landfill space and 7,000 gallons of water.
Earth Day is held every April 22 to commemorate the start of the modern environmental movement in 1970. Every year, billions of people take part in events to protect the planet from pollution and other environmental issues. For more information on how your donations make an impact, visit: www.goodwill.org/your-impact.

North Louisiana, LA — At a time when job openings are hitting record high levels, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana (GINLA) remains more committed than ever to helping people re-enter the workforce and learn new skills to better position individuals for future employment. And there is no better time to help people than during Second Chance Month.

 
The National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC) hosts Second Chance Month every April to help raise awareness of the barriers and opportunities for individuals with justice involvement.

“All month, we will highlight our ongoing job training and social service offerings that help people who have justice-involvement find jobs and support their families when they return to their communities,” said David Tinkis, GINLA President/CEO. “We know from our job training and skills development programming that when people return from correctional facilities and then find and keep good jobs, they build brighter futures for themselves and their families, and strengthen their communities. Goodwill is proud to do its part to help people transition from justice involvement to advancing in their careers.” 

Among the Goodwill programs and training opportunities available to those reentering the community, Goodwill offers the EXIT-318 Program, which serves ten northern Louisiana parishes; the Open Placement Program, which serves the Shreveport MSA; and serves as the single point of contact, convener and implementer of reentry efforts for both the Northwest and Northeast Louisiana Reentry Coalitions. In addition, Goodwill also offers work readiness trainings to those incarcerated at both Caddo and Ouachita Correctional Centers. All of these offered programs help individuals learn new skills, get relevant training or start new career paths.

As part of Goodwill’s commitment to Second Chance Month, the organization will participate in or host the following activities:

• April 3: Healthy Blue/Sportran Outreach Fair, Shreveport Intermodal Terminal -1237 Murphy Street, Shreveport, 10am to 1pm
• April 4: Return for Good Job Fair, Probation & Parole Office, 24 Accent Drive, Monroe, 9am to 2pm
• April 5: Job Fair & Resource Expo, Minden Civic Center, 520 Broadway, Minden, 10am to 2pm
• April 6: Return for Good Job Fair, Goodwill Job Center, 800 West 70th Street, Shreveport, 9am to Noon
• April 21: Natchitoches Work Summit, Natchitoches Events Center, 750 Second Street, Natchitoches, 8am to 5pm
• April 24: Return for Good Job Fair, Alexandria Mall, 3437 Masonic Drive, Alexandria, 11am to 7pm

“Even with more available jobs, we’re seeing an ongoing and widening skills gap that is preventing many of those from the most vulnerable communities from reentering the workforce,” said Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development. “That’s why job training and re-training programs, along with industry based Job Fairs and Hiring Events, offered continues to be an important and essential way to help people navigate past these obstacles.” 

About Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana:
Founded in 1926, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana is a nonprofit social enterprise whose mission is provide education, training and career services to individuals who face barriers, disadvantages or have a disability. Since 2005, Goodwill has helped 50,000 achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work.
Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana’s, ten retail locations provide not only affordable goods and services, but also employment to those in need and a revenue stream to support Goodwill’s charitable mission. In addition, a wide range of business services, including janitorial and grounds maintenance, allows Goodwill to expand further employment opportunities by contracting with federal, state, governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Goodwill also offers multiple job resource centers, equipped with job-search experts, computers, Internet access and telephones. Goodwill believes that work has the power to transform lives by building self-confidence, independence, creativity, trust and friendships. Everyone deserves this chance. For more information on Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana programs or services, or to find a location near you, visit www.goodwillnla.org.