Shreveport, LA - On August 17th, 2022, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Companies 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.
"More and more individuals have started coming back to our Job Centers knowing that the increased unemployment assistance is ending this month. We are focused on making it easy for them by having many employers onsite to help ease this process and get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and those who not vaccinated, masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored numerous job fairs.
Shreveport, LA - On May 18th, 2022, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Companies 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.
"More and more individuals have started coming back to our Job Centers knowing that the increased unemployment assistance is ending this month. We are focused on making it easy for them by having many employers onsite to help ease this process and get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and those who not vaccinated, masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored numerous job fairs.
Shreveport, LA - On March 30th, 2022, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Companies 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.
"More and more individuals have started coming back to our Job Centers knowing that the increased unemployment assistance is ending this month. We are focused on making it easy for them by having many employers onsite to help ease this process and get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and those who not vaccinated, masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored numerous job fairs.
Shreveport, LA - In celebration of Women's History Month, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host a free, virtual discussion on women in leadership and honor the contributions women have made to the community and society.
The webinar will take place on Friday, March 25, 2022 beginning at 11:30am and is open to the public. Featured panelists include:
Sarah Giglio, President of the Junior League of Shreveport Bossier
Dr. Evelyn Baraco Pryor, Medical Director at Ochsner LSU Health Ambulatory Care Center and Internal Medicine
Anjanette Brundrett, Human Resources Director at Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana
Marquel Sennet, Director of Communications for the City of Shreveport, will moderate the lunch hour event, which is being sponsored by Goodwill's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.
Registration is free and capacity is limited. To register to participate, please visit: https://bit.ly/DEIWomensHistory.
Shreveport, LA - On March 16th, 2022, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Companies 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.
"More and more individuals have started coming back to our Job Centers knowing that the increased unemployment assistance is ending this month. We are focused on making it easy for them by having many employers onsite to help ease this process and get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and those who not vaccinated, masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored numerous job fairs.
Shreveport, LA - On February 24th, 2022, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Companies 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.
"More and more individuals have started coming back to our Job Centers knowing that the increased unemployment assistance is ending this month. We are focused on making it easy for them by having many employers onsite to help ease this process and get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and those who not vaccinated, masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored numerous job fairs.
Shreveport, LA - On February 2nd, 2022, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Companies 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.
"More and more individuals have started coming back to our Job Centers knowing that the increased unemployment assistance is ending this month. We are focused on making it easy for them by having many employers onsite to help ease this process and get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
North Louisiana, LA - During the first quarter of 2021, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana (GINLA) competed with other Goodwill Industries offices from across the county in the Skills to Succeed Academy Challenge.
The Skills to Succeed Academy (S2SA) is a free, online training resource available to any organization or individual in the community to help plan their career, get a job and build skills for the future. Created by Accenture, S2SA engages individuals with advanced learning technologies, gaming techniques, role-based simulations, videos, quizzes and other interactive exercises.
Goodwill Industries International (GII) teamed up with Accenture to create the two-part challenge to bring additional awareness to this valuable training resource and to increase engagement across the Goodwill network. From January 15, 2021 to April 15, 2021, more than 1,464 individuals, including youth, seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities and returning citizens, from 60 different Goodwill's participated in the challenge
GINLA was recognized in both levels of the Challenge: Top 10 in increasing the number of S2SA users and Top 10 for the total number of learners engaged. For this accomplishment, GII awarded $2,500 grant award to GINLA for its workforce development efforts.
If your organization, school, business or you are interested in learning more about utilizing the free Skills to Succeed Academy resources, please contact Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development at 318-629-5980 or lstevens@goodwillnla.org.
Shreveport, LA - On Wednesday, July 28, 2021, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will team up with eight other local companies to host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Grigg's McDonalds, Eldorado Hotel & Casino, Advantage Resourcing, Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, The Arc Caddo Bossier, Johnny's Pizza, Community Angels of Hope and The Service Companies 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.
"More and more individuals have started coming back to our Job Centers knowing that the increased unemployment assistance is ending this month. We are focused on making it easy for them by having many employers onsite to help ease this process and get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and those who not vaccinated, masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored numerous job fairs. The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, August 18th.
Shreveport, LA - On Tuesday, July 13, 2021, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will team up with six local companies to host an onsite job fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Sam's Town Hotel & Casino, RenKe Janitorial, Seeds in Action Community Health Center, Jean Simpson Personnel and Wing Stop Restaurants will be onsite accepting applications, doing interviews and hiring on-the-spot for more than 200 open positions. The event is free and open to the public from 10am to 2pm. Additionally, the Healthy Blue Mobile Unit will also be onsite from until Noon to provide COVID-19 vaccinations
"With the end of the increased Federal Unemployment Assistance payments ending on July 31, 2021, we know many individuals are going to find themselves desperately seeking employment," Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development says. "With this in mind, Goodwill is focused now more than even on helping individuals in the Shreveport Bossier area get back to work.".
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and those who not vaccinated, masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored numerous job fairs. The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, August 28th.
North Louisiana - In celebration of LTGBQ+ Pride Month Month, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana, in partnership with The Philadelphia Center, will be hosting a free, virtual panel discussion to educate practitioners, human resource professionals as well as business and industry and the general public regarding the advantages of recruiting, retaining and advancing LGTBQ+ employees.
The event will take place on Thursday, June 24, 2021 beginning at 2pm, and is open to the public. Featured panelists include:
Samantha Ortiz
Evan Stevens-Jones
JD Stevens-Jones
AJ Haynes
Goodwill Industries Director of Workforce, Anjanette Brundrett, will moderate the hour-long event, which is being sponsored by Goodwill's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.
Registration is free and capacity is limited. To register to participate, please visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/772476603324118284
Shreveport, LA - 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.
To culminate the end of May as Goodwill Month, Goodwill will be hosting its 95th Anniversary Community Awards Luncheon on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at 11:30am at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino.
As part of the event, several business and community leader volunteers will be honored and recognized for improving people's lives through the power of work. This year's businesses and individual honorees includes: Arthur J. Gallagher; Heard, McElroy & Vestal; Dollar Mania; Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse (CADA); Mrs. Bonnie Moore, City of Shreveport Community Development Director; Former Senator Ryan Gatti; and Caddo Commissioner John Atkins; Mr. RJ Johnson; Ms. Sarah Brossette and Ms. Kasei Collins.
In 2020, even in spite of the COVID pandemic, more than 1,075 individuals people visited a Goodwill Job Center seeking employment assistance in one of the 20 different workforce development programs offered throughout the 26 parishes of North Louisiana. Goodwill knows that the work conducted each day at our Job Centers makes a real impact on the community and lives are changed forever because of it.
To learn more about the event, to sponsor or purchase tables or tickets, please visit Goodwill's website at: www.goodwillnla.org or via Eventbrite at: https://bit.ly/3ais7Fz.
The following is a news release from Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana:
The recent articles on NPR and the AP newswires, have compelled Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana to assure our generous community: Goodwill absolutely wants your "junk." And, on behalf of our fellow local, nonprofit leaders who, in this community fund critical programs and services by selling donated goods, they want your gently used items too.
Goodwill would like to address any confusion that may have resulted from this story. While an executive with Goodwill Industries International was quoted in the story to confirm the wonderful increase in donations being enjoyed by the 156 locally governed, independent Goodwill territories across the country, no one from any charity that sells donated goods "admonished" the public about the quality of their donations.
While you may no longer want what you donate, we most certainly do. Goodwill, and other such social enterprises, depend on donated goods to support mission services. To oversimplify, we get stuff, we sell stuff, and we change lives. At GINLA, none of your generous donations go to waste. Items not sold or not saleable in our stores and online platform are recycled or baled and sold as salvage. We do all of this in a socially responsible way, always diverting what would typically be sent to the landfill.
No matter how we sell your donations, we generate revenue to fund the reason why we do what we do - create job opportunities for people with barriers to employment. Every day your donations are converted to revenue that is critical to our mission. Your donations are transformed into real money invested into our community's programs and services.
This leads to measurable and meaningful results for North Louisiana. Over the past three years, Goodwill has served almost 5,600 area residents just through its various job training programs. Whether it is an unemployed person who may have a disability, a neighbor recovering from substance abuse, or someone who may have served prison time for a nonviolent crime, Goodwill is proud to help them overcome their barriers to employment.
We are not alone. Collectively, the largest social enterprises that operate retail outlets in our region rely on your donated goods so they can also convert them into revenue to support their respective work in the community. Together, our impact is important - and impossible without your donations.
The scale on which Goodwill receives and sells your donated goods and put the proceeds to work serving the nation's communities, is staggering. Goodwill Industries is comprised of more than 3,300 independently operated retail locations, nationwide.
Last year, the sale of your donated goods led to 288,000 people getting back to work. Our friends at nonprofit community resale services and GINLA rely on your donations to continue this important work.
In the midst of the 'shecession' and immense job loss, corporate America and nonprofit joining forces to put people back to work.
Shreveport, LA - Goodwill, the leading workforce provider in North America, today announced a new, first-of-its-kind coalition called Rising Together™, which will work to create an equitable economic recovery and provide job seekers with the skills and supports needed to access sustainable jobs. Joining Goodwill with a goal of empowering one million people to access sustainable careers by 2025 are Fortune 50 companies and global philanthropic and business leaders, including the Anthem Foundation, Coursera, Google, Indeed and Lyft.
Together, Goodwill and its partners are providing resources to address the widening skills gap and the negative impact of the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic. The Rising Together™ coalition will provide a combination of holistic workforce services and supports, as well as build and expand upon programs that address the inequities and systemic barriers facing workers in our society the most. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2.3 million women have left the labor force, a phenomenon that is being called the 'shecession,' and many others remain out of work and without the skills needed to gain new employment. Nationwide, pandemic-related job loss has also had a disproportionate impact on Black and Hispanic men and women as well as those who do not have post-high school education.
These powerhouse brands are on the frontlines of America's workforce, hiring thousands of new employees each year. The coalition will use its combined hiring strength to support the holistic needs of job seekers - from providing essential transportation and broadband access to offering training opportunities and job search skills.
Rising Together™ jump-starts a vision for a future where there is a pathway to opportunity that is accessible by all. Together with Goodwill:
Anthem Foundation will launch a healthcare career path training that will benefit thousands of individuals over the course of two years. The program will build healthcare employee pipelines while supporting healthcare workers affected by the pandemic. The training will ultimately lead to credentials, job placements, wage increases and benefits.
Coursera, through its social impact program, will provide 2,000 scholarships to those hard-hit by the economic turndown, including people who are impacted by the criminal justice system, veterans and youth learners. Scholarship recipients will have free access to 4,000 courses as well as hands-on projects and professional certificates that teach job-relevant skills across business, technology and data science.
Google will continue to support Goodwill in its efforts to deliver digital skills training across the United States through programs such as Google Career Certificates, which help job seekers prepare for in-demand jobs in less than six months without the need for a college degree or prior experience. Since 2017, more than 100 local Goodwill organizations have implemented the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator® in their communities, equipping more than one million people with digital skills and placing more than 170,000 of those individuals into employment.
Indeed will help job seekers who are often overlooked or face challenges to finding work with skills-based assessments, job seeker support and employer hiring events. Indeed will work with Goodwill on a fellowship for women who have had to leave the workforce or were reduced to part-time work due to COVID-19 (either voluntarily or involuntarily). Goodwill's collaboration with Indeed will also include the launch of the Indeed + Goodwill Digital Resource Guide, which will equip Goodwill organizations with best practices and recommendations on how to help people find jobs at Goodwill organizations and other employers.
Lyft will continue investing in its LyftUp Jobs Access program, which launched in 2019 with a coalition of partners including Goodwill, to provide individuals access to the transportation they need to get to interviews, job training and/or the first weeks of work. To date, the program has supported job seekers with access to tens of thousands of rides.
"As we celebrate Mother's Day, millions of women, mothers and families across North America are struggling, even as the country works toward recovery," said David Tinkis, President & CEO of Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana. "We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive in life, but, today, too many people are left out of that opportunity. We must ensure that people can equip themselves with the skills they need to compete for jobs in a changing economy. The Rising Together™ coalition is providing training and other critical services directly to the communities who need them the most."
Goodwill is embedded in every community across North America, and more than 24 million people receive support from the nonprofit annually. These supports include both in-person and virtual career supports, including job training, mentoring, career fairs, classes and job placement; and access to other assistance, such as child care and transportation. The Goodwill brand has a nearly 120-year history and can provide what is needed in times of economic crises, recessions and moments of social distress. Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana has been providing those critical services for 95 years.
To view Goodwill and its partners' commitments to an equitable recovery and to hear from the coalition's executives, visit Goodwill.org/Rising-Together.
"Providing in-demand skills and credentials in a field like healthcare will help people enter a career path that leads to economic stability," said Felicia Norwood, executive vice president and president, government business division for Anthem, Inc. "This is a huge step in empowering families struggling with housing insecurity, lack of access to food and healthcare, and much more. The Anthem Foundation is proud to work with Goodwill and the Rising Together™ coalition to help lift people up and provide the opportunity to thrive."
"Through the Jobs Access program and our work with Goodwill, we know that more than half of the program's participants are women," said Lisa Boyd, director of social impact at Lyft. "We also know that for women who are unemployed or underemployed, reliable transportation to a job interview, job training or the first few weeks of work can mean the difference between successful, long-term employment and lost opportunities, which is why continuing our partnership is critical to helping women get back to work."
"Too many women and families are being left behind amid the pandemic, and without robust solutions, it will be difficult for them to catch up," said Abbey Carlton, head of social impact at Indeed. "With Rising Together™, we are proud to offer access to key services such as job placement support, leadership training and development, and more to help empower people within their own communities to thrive."
"A growing number of well-paying, entry-level jobs require digital skills that can be learned online," said Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera. "Together with Goodwill, our scholarship initiative will provide communities hardest hit by the pandemic with free access to job-relevant learning that prepares them to enter high-demand fields."
"Since 2017, Google.org has supported Goodwill with more than $15 million in grants to help advance their delivery of digital skills training to more than one million people across the United States," said Hector Mujica, economic opportunity lead for Google.org. "We are proud to continue to support Goodwill as they work to create greater access to high-growth, high-paying jobs in the digital economy through training programs, including the Google Career Certificates."
Shreveport, LA - On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will team up with The Service Companies to host an onsite job fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
The Service Companies will be accepting applications, doing interviews and hiring on-the-spot for more than 100 open positions. The event is free and open to the public from 9am to 4pm, but appointments are required.
"Now that the extra $600 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments has ended, we know many individuals find themselves desperately seeking employment," Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development says. "With this in mind, Goodwill is focused now more than even on helping individuals in the Shreveport Bossier area get back to work.".
Applicants will be required to wear a mask, answer a health screening and have their temperature checks as part of the application process.
To obtain an appointment time, please visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054EAFA82BA6FE3-goodwillservice or call 318-868-4701. Goodwill is hosting weekly job fairs and the next one will be on August 4th.
Young adults who have had a brush with the criminal justice system and want to bring their lives back into focus can now get help, thanks to the Caddo Parish District Attorney and Goodwill Industries.
Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. and Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana have partnered in the Life Launch Re-entry Program, designed to help low-income young adults take part in the DA's pre-trial diversion program. This gives some first-time offenders a second chance through up to a year of counseling, restitution and community service. Participants must be age 18-24, live in a low-income Census tract area of Caddo Parish, be involved in the criminal justice system and not be a sex offender.
"I want to thank Goodwill Industries for their partnership in this endeavor," said DA Stewart. "I do not want any young person to ever mistakenly believe that administrative costs of our pre-trial diversion program will prohibit them from participating in the program. I do not want any eligible young person to miss out on pre-trial diversion opportunities being offered to them due to lack of funds. The program is rigorous but beneficial, and upon completion their charges may be amended or dismissed."
Goodwill Industries Life Launch Re-entry Program Manager Von Jennings echoed Stewart.
"We know he is extremely interested in uplifting the lives of young people in this community," Jennings said. "This initiative is one of five sites in the country and Goodwill is honored to bring it to Caddo Parish. This initiative will allow some young adults the opportunity and resources for a second chance."
The program currently has resources to assist up to 50 new participants. It can offer these people educational courses to earn the high diploma equivalency (HiSet), post-secondary education, on-the-job skill training, job readiness, life-skill training and job-placement assistance. In addition, participants are eligible for supportive services such as clothing, bus passes, rental deposits, identification records and emergency assistance.
People who want to take part in the program should call Goodwill Industries and ask for Life Launch at (318) 868-4701, or contact the Caddo Parish District Attorney pre-trial diversion department.
Shreveport, LA - On Tuesday, July 21, and Wednesday, July 22, 2020, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will be hosting a job fair for Retail employees at the Airline Drive Retail Store, located at 4000 Airline Drive, Bossier City.
Goodwill staff will be accepting applications and conducting interviews for several open positions in our retail stores. The event is free and open to the public from 10am to 1:30pm, but appointments are required.
"To help facilitate our retail store needs, expand our store hours open to the public and continue processing the generous amount of donated goods, we are seeking new associates to join our team," says Melissa Wahl, Director of Retail.
Applicants will be required to wear a mask, answer a health screening and have their temperature checks as part of the application process. To obtain an appointment time, please visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054EAFA82BA6FE3-goodwill3 or call 318-868-4701.
Goodwill Industries will be teaming up with The Service Companies to host another Job Fair on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.
Shreveport, LA - On Wednesday, July 8, 2020, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will team up with HireQuest Direct to host an onsite job fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
HireQuest Direct will be accepting applications, doing interviews and hiring on-the-spot for many open positions. The event is free and open to the public from 10am to 3pm, but appointments are required.
"In just a few short weeks, the extra $600 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments will be ending, and many individuals are going to find themselves desperately seeking employment," Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development says. "With this in mind, Goodwill is focused now more than even on helping individuals in the Shreveport Bossier area get back to work.".
Applicants will be required to wear a mask, answer a health screening and have their temperature checks as part of the application process.
To obtain an appointment time, please visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054EAFA82BA6FE3-goodwillhirequest or call 318-868-4701. Goodwill will host another Job Fair with Sabre Industries on July 15th.
Shreveport, LA - On Thursday, June 25, 2020, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will host a job fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Teleperformance will have representatives accepting applications, doing interviews and filling open positions by job fair attendees from 10am to 3pm. This event is free and open to the public, but appointments are required.
"Goodwill is focused on helping individuals get back to work," Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development says. "COVID has definitely impacted our community and many of our employer partners are seeking new employees. This is the first of several industry-based job fairs Goodwill will be hosting over the next few months".
Applicants will be required to wear a mask, answer a health screening and have their temperature checks as part of the application process. To obtain an appointment time, please visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d45afa723a6fe3-goodwillor call 318-868-4701
Shreveport, LA- Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana, Inc. has safely reopened four of its Job Centers to start rebuilding our community and workforce.
Goodwill Industries provides vital community services through its Job Centers and Placement staff. "Now more than ever, Goodwill will play a critical role in assisting the most vulnerable segments of our community who have been laid off or dislocated from employment," stated David Tinkis, President and CEO. "We will still offer job placement services virtually, if desired, but there are many in our community without access to technology. Opening our Job Centers will allow us to accomodiate these individuals."
The four open Job Centers are: 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport; 3158 Louisville Avenue, Monroe; 311 South Drive, Natchitoches; and 6501 Coliseum Blvd #700-C, Alexandria. Job Centers are open Monday though Thursday 8am to 5pm and Fridays 8am to Noon.
Goodwill is following CDC guidelines and reconfigured the computers to be 6 feet apart, along with limiting the number of job seekers inside each Job Center and sanitizing after each use. Individuals will be required to wear a mask, answer a health screening and have their temperature checked.
Goodwill will continue to provide help with immediate needs such as employment registration, community needs referrals, job search assistance, resume writing, interviewing skills and preparation and one-on-one case management. Goodwill can even connect you to free skills training as requested.
Providing these community services requires funding, and the Goodwill Retail Stores provide a direct financial source to support Goodwill programs and the Job Centers. Goodwill Retail Stores began reopening in May. For a list of store locations that are open, visit: https://goodwillnla.org/shopping-locations/.
Did you know that nearly all tobacco usage begins before an individual's 18th birthday? For decades, underage smoking and second hand smoke has been a major health threat among children and teens. According to Medline Plus, nearly 25 percent of high school students are smokers, and an additional 8 percent use smokeless tobacco products, such as snuff and dip. And with increase in vaping products and the lack of knowledge in teens about such products, the numbers which was slowly decreasing, has significantly increased. Today, 21% of all high school students use e-cigarettes.
In July 1992, Congress enacted the SYNAR Amendment, named after the Oklahoma Congressman Mike SYNAR. This act required states to implement and enforce legislative laws with the goal of barring tobacco products to those under 18. It also requires random, spontaneous checks be performed and an annual printed report produced explaining how the checks were performed and the outcomes of those visits. Last year, legislation was revised and raised the age limit to 21, based on data from the National Academy of Medicine stating this could save more than 223,000 lives and reduce lunch cancer deaths by 50,000 annually.
Louisiana has already seen a dramatic reduction of tobacco access to those under the age of 21. The rates of underage youth who purchased tobacco products from retailers has decreased by more than 25% and the rates of retailers in violation has decreased more than 32% overall. There has also been a major decrease in the number of underage smokers.
In 2015, the Northeast Delta Human Services Authority (NEDHSA) and Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana (GINLA) formed a partnership to help address the issues with underage tobacco use in North Louisiana, as well as to perform the required compliance checks.
From July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, more than 400 stops at retailers, such as drug stores, supermarkets, gas stations and franchise discount stores, were attempted or made in the 12 parishes of Northeast Louisiana. Goodwill Industries contracted with several youth who attempted to purchase a variety of tobacco products including cigars, cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, such as e-vaper or chewing tobacco. Of these stops, only 5 were willing to sell tobacco products to underage youth.
Although there is no dedicated federal source of funding in implementing the SYNAR requirements, the partnership between NEDHSA and GINLA has been able to provide the data to the state to demonstrate the overall success in reducing youth access to tobacco products, and prevent youth tobacco use.
Goodwill Industries is proud to spotlight National Prevention Week and partner with NEDHSA in implementing comprehensive strategies to reduce usage of tobacco products. Without the SYNAR program and the random merchant inspections conducted throughout all of North Louisiana, we know that many more youth would have access to these products and the numbers would be even higher. If you are interested in learning more about how to quit, the SYNAR program or how you can get involved, please contact the Northeast Delta Human Services Authority at 318-362-3270.
To our Goodwill Donors, Friends, Employees and Customers,
The COVID-19 crisis is a sobering reminder of the vulnerability that we all share as human beings. Our thoughts are with those who have been personally impacted by the virus, especially those who have fallen ill. As an important person to our organization, we wanted to remind you that today begins the Community Foundation's 2020 Give for Good Advance Giving Campaign and your support of Goodwill truly matters now more than ever!
For the past three weeks, our retail stores and Job Centers have all been closed due to the stay-at-home mandate of our staff and the public. Our administrative and programmatic staff have all been working remotely to ensure our essential business operations and clients' needs have all been addressed during this uncertain time. As a social enterprise organization, the closure of our stores created new revenue challenges, but we knew the best way for Goodwill to help during this difficult time was to continue fulfilling our mission, "Improving People's Lives Through the Power of Work".
We thank you for your continued trust and partnership as we walk through these uncertain times together. As the health crisis seems to be plateauing and the possibility of life returning to the new normal, we know our mission will be more important than ever as the days unfold. We hope you will take advantage of the Community Foundation's Give for Good campaign and choose to support Goodwill as one of your philanthropic choices.
Thank you for making our mission, your mission!
David Tinkis, President & CEO
Shreveport, LA- Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana, Inc. announces the appointment of five new members of its Board of Directors, as well as the full slate of officers and board members for 2020-2021.
Joining the Board of Directors are Mario Chavez, Lisa Janes, Trey Lutrick, Carolyn Tillman and Doug Warner. "Our new Board Members are a talented group and passionate about the Goodwill mission. The addition of this group will continue to strengthen our accomplished leadership. We are very fortunate to have them join Goodwill as we continue to serve the North Louisiana community. " stated Gloria Washington, Goodwill Board Chair.
The Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana Board of Directors elected the following members as Board Officers for 2020-2021: Gloria Washington - Board Chair, Kevin McCrary- Vice-Chair, Aylwin Holmon - Board Treasurer, R.J. Johnson - Board Secretary and Charles Coleman - Past Chair.
The remaining 2020-2021 Board of Directors are:
To Our Donors & Customers,
Over the past few weeks, it's become clear that the world and our community is facing an unprecedented challenge. Like you, we are deeply concerned and want to do what we can to help keep our community and our families safe and healthy.
On behalf of Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana, Inc., I wanted to send a personal note to you to let you know how we are responding to the situation. We are humbled by your loyalty, and we take our responsibility to our customers, our donors, and our employees very seriously.
From the onset of this situation, we have been listening to the appropriate sources for accurate and up-to-date information, and our preparedness plan reflects those inputs. As things evolve, we are actively monitoring the situation and assessing risks, and are ready to implement immediate changes to ensure a high level of safety. We will continue to communicate with you in a timely and transparent way so you can continue to shop with us with confidence.
What We're Doing:
Shreveport, LA - On Wednesday, February 26, 2020, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana and Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College will host a job fair at the NLTCC-Shreveport Campus located at 2010 North Market Street, Building E, Shreveport.
Union Pacific Railroad, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., City of Shreveport, Always Best Care, Storer Services, AAFES Exchange, The Service Companies and Red River Sanitors are just a few of the companies that will have representatives accepting applications, doing interviews and filling open positions by job fair attendees. This event is free and open to the public and will be from 10am to 1pm.
"Goodwill's focus is on putting people to work in stable, competitive employment and giving them the skills needed to stay in those jobs," Darelene Robinson, Open Placement Manager says. "A job fair is a great way to introduce our clients to employers who are needing to fill positions, and hire the right people on the spot."
Goodwill believes that giving people a hand up is much more valuable than a hand out. Opening doors to people who need jobs, not only empowers the citizens of Shreveport and all of the communities we serve to succeed, but also helps the city as a whole by providing a well-trained and inspired workforce.
About Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana
Goodwill is a nonprofit leader in providing education, training and career services to individuals who face barriers, disadvantages or have a disability. Goodwill has been on Forbes' list of top 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years, the only nonprofit featured on that list. Since 2010, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana helped place more than 50,000 individuals people into employment.
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.
Monroe, LA – In an effort to improve efficiency and to better serve the Monroe area, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will close its Monroe retail store and donation center, located at 3158 Louisville Avenue, at month’s end.
“We have been blessed with support from the Monroe community who have donated and shopped with us in our time here.” says David Tinkis, President and CEO. “As a thank you to the community and to help us clear out our existing inventory, the store will be holding a storewide 50% off sale now through December 30th.”
Starting December 23rd, Goodwill will be adjusting its operational hours to 10am to 7pm, except for December 24, 25 and 29 in which the store will be closed. The final day the store will be open is December 30, 2019.
While the store may be closing, the Goodwill Job Center will remain operational at the Louisville location. “We will continue to fulfill our mission of providing workforce development programs and services to people with disabilities or other barriers, including reentry programs and several supported employment programs,” says Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
As for the employees, Goodwill has transferred all eight retail and donation center employees to its West Monroe store, located at 3426 Cypress Street.
The West Monroe location is one of nine other retail locations that will remain open. As always, 88 cents of every dollar from retail sales supports Goodwill's mission of helping local individuals gain and maintain jobs. Goodwill would like to invite the public to continue to shop and donate items.
About Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana
Goodwill is a nonprofit leader in providing education, training and career services to individuals who face barriers, disadvantages or have a disability.
Goodwill has been on Forbes’ list of top 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years, the only nonprofit featured on that list. Since 2010, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana helped place more than 50,000 individuals into employment.
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. - The Better Business Bureau held its 15th Annual Torch Awards at East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport on Thursday. The groupo honored 26 nominees in the Shreveport/Bossier market.
The special guest speaker was Teddy Allen, Louisiana Tech Writer - University Communications. It was emceed by Sonja Bailes, Public Relations Liaison, Bossier Parish School Board.
The awards were presented to four different categories, Integrity Award (businesses that maintain a solid commitment to ethical business practices); Customer Commitment Award (business with outstanding customer service programs); Good Neighbor Award (businesses and employees who play a significant role in their support and involvement in local charities); and Not-For-Profit Award (non-profit organizations that have positively impacted the communities of Shreveport/Bossier and other surrounding parishes).
BBB recognized three finalists in each of the categories:
Winner of the Integrity Award was Basinger Family Dentistry. Other finalists in this category were Career Adventures and Lee Michael Fine Jewelry.
Winner of the Customer Commitment Award was Educator Alexander Consulting. Other finalists in this category were Morgan Tool & Supply and Murray's Auto Group.
Winner of the Good Neighbor Award was Barksdale Federal Credit Union. Other finalists in the Good Neighbor category were Origin Bank and Shreve Memorial Library.
Winner of the Not-For-Profit Award was Providence House. Other finalists were Dress for Success Shreveport-Bossier, Renee's Run and Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana.
Also recognized at the luncheon were BBB Scholarship recipients, Carmencita Coniglio, LSU Shreveport; Corbin Phillips, Bossier Parish Community College; Charles Edward Wilson, Jr., Southern University - Shreveport; Gin Pau, Centenary College; Thomas Celles, Northwestern State University and Josie Bush, Louisiana Tech University. The profits from the Torch Awards will continue to be used to establish BBB scholarships to assist business majors pursuing an MBA.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - 74 years ago, Congress designated the first week in October to recognize people with disabilities.
Now, throughout the entire month of October - the contributions of workers with disabilities are honored with National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
"Employers don't realize there are so many employees out there now that need a second chance," explains Goodwill Industries' Director of Workforce Development Lynn Stevens.
"They have a small disability, not so drastic, severe, or physical," Stevens said, who helps find and place over 2,000 eager job seekers with available jobs, every year.
"I'm one of those disabilities and I go to work every day."
At age 21, Stevens was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy shortly after giving birth to her firstborn.
"Shocked," Stevens remembers. "It's like when someone says you have cancer, you don't know what to say, or what to do."
And three years ago, her then-teenage son was also diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
Despite losing the ability to walk a few years ago, Stevens remains very spirited in her work, helping those with disabilities.
"It really thrills my heart because some people had given up hope a little bit. And here we are, cheering them on, every day," Stevens said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the jobless rate among workers with disabilities is double that of those without disabilities.
"Goodwill not only celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities - but we also want to bring awareness to issues they face in gaining meaningful employment," adds David Tinkis, President/CEO of Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana.
Tevin Persley of Shreveport, a college graduate, credits Goodwill for helping him find a job as an auditor at a local casino. Persley was the focus of a 'The Good Stuff' segment earlier this year titled, 'Second Impressions'. Earlier in October, KSLA News 12′s Doug Warner also featured Tony Jones in a 'The Good Stuff' segment titled, 'Love before first sight.'
Jones, diagnosed with macular degeneration, was given extensive guidance by the Louisiana Association for the Blind in preparing for his future without sight, and landing a job as a print shop employee.
Spencer Harrison, highlighted in 2018′s 'The Good Stuff: What can Brown do for Spencer', also overcome his special needs diagnosis, and is set to return to work with UPS again this holiday season.
The United Parcel Service eventually offered his seasonal employment during the 2018 Christmas season after learning of his love of UPS.
Copyright 2019 KSLA. All rights reserved.
(Shreveport, LA) - Throughout October, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana joins employers, government agencies and nonprofits in honoring the contributions of workers with disabilities by celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).
Each and every day, Goodwill employment services are offered free of charge for anyone looking for a new job or a better career. Among the more than 2,300 individuals served by Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana in 2018, more than 4% of those reported a disability and looked to us for help securing employment.
NDEAM dates back to 1945, when Congress designated the first week in October to recognize people with disabilities. This year's theme, "The Right Talent, Right Now," emphasizes the benefits of welcoming the talents of all people, including people with disabilities, to the workplace.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the jobless rate among workers with disabilities is double that of those without disabilities. At a time when companies are struggling to find skilled and reliable workers, Goodwill Industries would like to call upon employers to consider hiring or expand opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
"We know that work can be a powerful source of pride, identity and self-sufficiency," said David Tinkis, President/CEO of Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana. "Goodwill not only celebrates the contribution of workers with disabilities, we also want to bring awareness to issues they face in gaining meaningful employment. By doing so, we help build stronger families and make North Louisiana a more vibrant community with a stronger economy."
To commemorate NDEAM, Goodwill Industries will initiate a new Disability Employment Coalition on October 1st to ensure that all individuals with disabilities, who want to work, will have access to services and employers that will enable them to do so. The coalition is open to all employers and the public who may have an interest in the topic. Confirmed attendees include Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, Eldorado Casino, Shreveport Convention Center, Brookshire's Grocery, Bossier Parish Community College and the Service Companies.
To find out more about the coalition, or the employment services offered at Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana, contact Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development, at 318-629-5980 or visit www.goodwillnla.org.
About Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana
Goodwill is a nonprofit leader in providing education, training and career services to individuals who face barriers, disadvantages or have a disability. Goodwill has been on Forbes' list of top 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years, the only nonprofit featured on that list. Since 2010, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana helped place more than 50,000 individuals people into employment.
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 - On Thursday, September 19, 2019, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana and Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College will host a job fair at the NLTCC-Shreveport Campus located at 2010 North Market Street, Building E, Shreveport.
Caddo Parish Schools, Continental Drilling & Services, Preferred Care at Home, Red River Sanitors, Adecco, Sabre Industries, Teleperformance, US Census Bureau, Cricket Wireless, Frito Lay, Primerica, AAFES Exchange and the Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen are just a few of the companies that will have representatives accepting applications, doing interviews and filling open positions by job fair attendees. This event is free and open to the public and will be from 10am to 1pm.
"Goodwill's focus is on putting people to work in stable, competitive employment and giving them the skills needed to stay in those jobs," Darelene Robinson, Open Placement Manager says. "A job fair is a great way to introduce our clients to employers who are needing to fill positions, and hire the right people on the spot."
Goodwill believes that giving people a hand up is much more valuable than a hand out. Opening doors to people who need jobs, not only empowers the citizens of Shreveport and all of the communities we serve to succeed, but also helps the city as a whole by providing a well-trained and inspired workforce.
About Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana
Goodwill is a nonprofit leader in providing education, training and career services to individuals who face barriers, disadvantages or have a disability. Goodwill has been on Forbes' list of top 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years, the only nonprofit featured on that list. Since 2010, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana helped place more than 50,000 individuals people into employment.
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 - On Wednesday, August 18, 2021, Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana will team up with five other local companies to host an in-person Job Fair at its Job Center located at 800 W. 70th Street, Shreveport.
Frymaster Corporation, Max's Pawn Shop, Snelling Staffing Agency, University Veterinary Hospital and Dimension Development Group (Homewood Suites, Residence Inn, Town Place Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and the Courtyard Marriott) will be onsite accepting applications, doing interviews and hiring on-the-spot for more than 200 open positions. The event is free and open to the public from 10am to 2pm.
"Now that the increased unemployment assistance has ended, more and more individuals have visited one of our six Job Centers seeking employment. We are continuing to focus on making it easy for them by having a variety of employers in different sectors onsite to get individuals back to work," stated Lynn Stevens, Director of Workforce Development.
All applicants will be required to complete a health screening form and wear a mask to participate in the Job Fair. Masks will be available onsite. Since the COVID pandemic began in March 2020, Goodwill has sponsored more than 100 in-person Job Fairs. The next one will be held in early September.