Get on the Bus!

Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit(GIGD) has kicked off our second annual “Get on the Bus Campaign” to raise funds to meet the transportation needs of our clients who have secured employment, but now need to get to work, mostly via bus.

That is where the rub often is….no paycheck yet to pay for transportation to and from the new job. So that’s why “Get on the Bus” can really make a difference. When one of our “new graduates” needs help with transportation for a month, three months, or for whatever time necessary, Goodwill provides the resources to make that happen – primarily with bus tokens. $50 provides a bus pass for an entire month.

Last year, through our first campaign, we helped more than 700 people with transportation needs. It is just another way that we remove a barrier to work so those we help can do what they so desperately want to do - have a job to provide for themselves and their families.

This year, GIGD is partnering with WJR-760 radio, SMART, Comcast and Caribou Coffee for a whole month (September 2nd through October 3rd) in helping us to get more of our Goodwill “graduates” to their jobs through our “Get on the Bus” efforts.

Then, on October 3rd, SMART will match every $50 we raise with another monthly bus pass. So we can help double the funds. Also on October 3rd, some local McDonald’s with collect donations at their restaurants to support this effort. So join us and “Get on the Bus”, by donating at your local Caribou Coffee, calling 1-866-964-GIVE(4483) or through www.giveabuspass.org. Help people who are helping themselves!

Dream Cruise Wrap-Up

While most of Metro Detroit slept early Sunday morning, Goodwill Industries was hard at work.

Our trainees were out overnight Saturday night doing the clean up following another successful Woodward Dream Cruise on Saturday. The Dream Cruise is yet another Detroit tradition that trusts Goodwill to handle its cleanup effort.

We were so pleased to be included through Tanner Friedman and sponsored by Guardian Alarm Company to do the cleanup in both Royal Oak and Berkley.

Our crews picked up close to two tons of garbage in about 5 hours. It’s important work to do, a great business for us, but WOW, human beings sure know how to make a mess!

This is a great opportunity for Goodwill and our trainees and we appreciate the overwhelming support of the community when news of our involvement was reported over the past few weeks. We are ready to work and continue to contribute to the World’s Largest One Day Automotive Event!

Woodward Dream Cruise

Remember when your mother told you “if you do good things, good things will happen to you in return?”

Well, I believe Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit has proven that old adage is true today - ten times over.

One example started back in 2006, when we quickly responded by helping to clean the streets for Super Bowl XL, something Detroit really needed. Roger Penske and the Downtown Detroit Partnership team remembered our efforts and we have been part of “Clean Downtown” ever since. From there, we have done special events clean-up for the Detroit Grand Prix, GM River Days, the Winter Blast and we expanded our clean-up services to the Detroit Zoo buildings earlier this year.

Now we have the opportunity to be part of another premier Metro Detroit event - the Woodward Dream Cruise. It’s possible through the generosity of Guardian Alarm Company, which has been a part of our community for more than 75 years.

We will be providing clean up service for Berkley and Royal Oak along the Cruise route once the cruising on Woodward stops late on August 16th. The Dream Cruise brings employment – no matter the duration of the work.

We have proven that we can handle one-time as well as ongoing work - whether it be clean-up, light assembly, recycling, investment recovery – for any employer looking for trained, trusted, and ready to work employees. We are ready to help! And that helps Southeast Michiganders help themselves by working rather than taking. That’s another good thing will bring good things for many.

Economic Impact

I am just back from a week in Washington, DC with my counterparts from Goodwills across the country. We shared information about the impact of Goodwill with our elected representatives that I would also like to share with you.

The numbers prove that Goodwill is an important piece of the effort to jumpstart Michigan’s economy. The 10 Goodwills in our state generate more than $100 million in annual revenue.

Here are the important numbers about the Goodwills in Michigan for 2007:
· $103.1 million in gross revenues
· Direct employment of 3588 people
· Served 28,949 clients
· Placed 6349 people in competitive wage job positions

Nationally there are more than 180 local Goodwill organizations training, preparing folks to be ready for work and trusted from the day they start working. I am proud that Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit is a key part of this important effort..

Trained. Trusted. Ready to Work.

Goodwill International New Leader Visits Detroit

We had a special visitor here at Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit last Thursday. Jim Gibbons, the new President and CEO for Goodwill Industries International, was here to visit Detroit and learn more about the important work that we are doing helping people to be trained and ready to work.

I hosted all of the Michigan Goodwill CEOs for a Goodwill Association of Michigan meeting for us to learn about what each other is doing in our respective geographical areas and to hear from Jim about Jim. Jim recently came from the National Association for the Blind (NIB) where he served as their President and CEO for nine years. Before that, he worked in the telecommunications industry.

Jim Gibbons lives the Goodwill mission every day as he is completely blind himself. He has been challenged by a disability but he has resoundingly won the battle. He was the first graduate of the Harvard Business School MBA program who is blind. Jim is learning a lot about all the wonderful work that we do with anyone with really any barrier to work whether it is a disability, or one of a myriad of others: chronically unemployed or underemployed, returning citizen, mental illness, people with HIV/Aids. He was particularly pleased to learn more about our Flip the Script program.

Young minority men ages 18 to 30, rewrite their life’s “script”, during a 16 week intensive classroom training program focusing on the fundamental principles of algebra, reading enrichment, social skills development, workplace ethics, male accountability and anger management.

And to all of you, who read this blog - As they say on the Motel 6 commercials of old, come and visit us anytime, “we’ll leave the light on for you.”