Goodwill celebrates 60 years with Employee Appreciation Day

60 years of “building lives that work” for Central Floridians who have barriers to employment

One of Central Florida’s oldest and best-known nonprofit organizations is celebrating 60 years of providing job training, placement and other critical resources that strengthen the region’s workforce and quality of life.

Goodwill Industries of Central Florida marked the milestone anniversary with an employee appreciation event. All 1,000+ employees were invited to visit the headquarters on South Orange Blossom Trail to enjoy food, fellowship, and games.

Since its founding in 1959, the local Goodwill has focused on helping job-seekers with barriers to employment, such as disabilities, criminal records and homelessness, find work.

In addition to Goodwill’s 11 Job Connection Centers across Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard and Volusia counties, the nonprofit also partners with other community-based organizations at 10 Neighborhood Centers for Families in Orange County, to help with resume writing, interview coaching and assist with leads on job vacancies. These services are funded by the sale of donated items in Goodwill’s 28 retail stores.

“We’re grateful for the community’s generosity in advancing our mission of building lives that work,” said Nima Hodaei, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Florida. “It’s been an honor to earn the trust of thousands of job-seekers in our community. In the years ahead, we’ll continue evolving to meet our region’s needs and increase our impact by connecting job-seekers to training and education that helps them build sustainable careers.”

About Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc.

Since 1959, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida has provided vocational and job placement services to hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. With 28 retail stores, 23 Donation Xpress locations and 11 Job Connection Centers in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Lake, and Volusia counties, Goodwill directly channels more than 90 percent of its annual revenue into programs that enable individuals to secure long-term employment and become self-sufficient. For more information about Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, visit www.goodwillcfl.org.