At Goodwill, kindness goes beyond offering deals on gently used goods. With a mission of helping people overcome challenges to employment, the nonprofit that began over a century ago may very well have been the first fair chance employer to exist in the nation.
To date, Goodwill Central Oklahoma operates 25 retail stores, 17 donation centers, one outlet store, and one job connection center in addition to employing 800 people, 30% of whom have a nonviolent criminal background.
“Goodwill is focused on employment,” Goodwill Central Oklahoma’s Vice President of Workforce Development, Lisa Dillon, said. “At the end of the day, we want to put people to work because we know that work changes people’s lives.”
The organization’s workforce development department encompasses its Career Pathways Institute, Employment Services Center, Mobile Career Assistance program, and Reentry Employment Preparation Program (REPP), designed specifically for those with criminal backgrounds.
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