Goodwill EmpowerOne Celebrates 500 Jobs!
December 1, 2018
For individuals with disabilities to achieve employment, it takes perseverance, commitment to personal growth, and determination to overcome obstacles. For many, a job in the community is a goal that is years in the making. On October 18 in the Peck Center at the Milwaukee County Zoo, Goodwill and its clients, along with Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development (DWD), Wisconsin’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), dignitaries, supporters, employers, families and friends celebrated 500 jobs in the community!
Goodwill works closely with those individuals, partners with employers to meet their business needs, and collaborates with DVR, Wisconsin Family Care and IRIS to support these employment efforts. Goodwill’s Supported Employment serves about 300 individuals across four counties in Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee. The journey began in 2012 when we started off as a very small team, supporting about 20 people in community jobs. We celebrated our milestone of 100 jobs in 2014 and have continued to set new goals for ourselves each year. It takes great team effort to achieve this kind of success and we thank everyone who contributed.
Additional speakers at the event included Delora Newton, DVR Administrator, who explained the benefits of supporting innovative services and getting people with disabilities out into the community working. Curtis Cunningham, Assistant Administrator of Long Term Care Benefits and Programs for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, complimented Goodwill for its services that make a difference in so many people’s lives and discussed the importance of true integration for people with disabilities in our community. Joe Minton of Black Duck Partners, owners of Planet Fitness, talked about the positive impact on the company’s culture by employing people with disabilities. He said, “It’s amazing how much influence these individuals have on the work environment just by their presence. Their good work ethic and genuinely happy attitudes affect everyone around them!”
Link to 500 Jobs Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knkwauGUxv4