S E A T T L E G O O D W I L L INDUSTRIES 2019 ANNUAL REPORT BREAKING BARRIERS A MESSAGE FROM DARYL & BRODERICK Dear Friends, Breaking barriers. This is the work of Goodwill neighbors like Yonas, who came to Goodwill after students. This is the work of Seattle Goodwill. escaping persecution and imprisonment, and completing a harrowing journey that spanned three We thank you for making the work of breaking continents. Today Yonas is following his dream to barriers possible. become an electrical engineer, and is among the more than 6,000 individuals that came to Goodwill to This annual report celebrates many successes and push through challenges and improve their lives. breakthroughs we’ve had this year. We have diversified our job training and education programs to enhance We hope you will take the opportunity to read through gateways to opportunity, resulting in over 1,400 this report and learn more about the experiences individuals placed in jobs. We’re also excited to share and accomplishments of people like Yonas and that 378 students enrolled in further education, others in our Goodwill community. These stories are while another 256 students earned credentials, the true measure of our mission. bringing them one step further to overcoming barriers to entering and advancing in the workplace. As we step into 2020 together, Seattle Goodwill It’s through outcomes like these that we measure continues to advance our mission to empower success delivering our mission – to change lives by individual growth and overcome barriers. Thank providing quality, effective employment training and you for caring, and thank you for giving, but most basic education to individuals experiencing significant importantly, thank you for your commitment to barriers to economic opportunity. breaking barriers. And while the numbers are gratifying, we are honored to share a few success stories of Goodwill students, partners and donors that are representative of the work we do with and Daryl J. Campbell Broderick Smith for thousands more. Stories of our courageous President & CEO Chair, Board of Directors 2 PARTNERSHIPS SAFEWAY Safeway and Goodwill have an integrated partnership “Safeway has hired many Goodwill clients who are and work together to achieve the greatest benefit for now thriving in management at our stores,” said Goodwill’s clients and the respective communities Sara Osborne. “We strongly believe that our store in which they live. In addition to fundraising for teams should reflect and relate to the many different Goodwill’s job training program, Safeway also communities in which we operate, and Goodwill helps participates in job fairs and actively hires a us achieve that mission. We are also a company significant number of people enrolled in the program. in which almost all of our leaders started out in our stores as courtesy clerks, so with dedication “Goodwill is an invaluable partner as we seek for and commitment from both the employee and our new employees because they provide English for company, what may once have been an entry level Speakers of Other Languages courses, retail training job can easily become a meaningful career.” and soft skill education, as well as the clothing and transportation necessary for their clients to get started in a new career,” said Sara Osborne, Director Goodwill is an of Public Affairs for Safeway and Albertsons. “invaluable partner as we In spring of 2019, Safeway and the Goodwills of Washington teamed up to kick off its first job training and education fundraising campaign. People who seek for new employees... donated at Safeway supported Goodwill’s mission to provide free job training and education programs. to get started in a new These classes include Basic Computers, GED Preparation, Youth Programs and Retail and Customer career. Service. They help people in the community find jobs and become economically self-sufficient. ”– Sara Osborne, Safeway 3 It’s amazing the “help that Goodwill gives. It’s a huge push they give you, and from then on it just gets easier. ” 4 STUDENT STORIES Meet STEPHANIE When Stephanie dropped out of high school and “I didn’t know it was possible,” Stephanie said. became a busy mom of three daughters, she “Once I started studying high school level classes, assumed her career aspirations were over. I saw it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Everything kind of opened up. All these possibilities Stephanie came to the U.S. when she was 16 years were endless.” old. She didn’t speak English, struggled to make friends in high school, and developed social anxiety Besides providing educational and motivational due to the rigors of being immersed in a new culture. support, Goodwill provided Stephanie valuable Although Stephanie enjoyed learning, the crippling support services such as payment for books so she effects of being bullied prevented her from graduating. could focus on her studies. More than 10 years after leaving high school, Stephanie’s career goals had faded. 56% of Goodwill’s However, her hope began to grow after she connected with the YMCA Casino Road Academy in Everett. The Academy is a partnership between students are female. Seattle Goodwill, the YMCA of Snohomish County and Everett Community College. It offers Adult Basic Education classes such as English for Stephanie didn’t stop at her high school education. Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses As a youth, Stephanie always dreamed of being a taught by Goodwill instructors. childhood educator. She was able to gain childhood education experience by volunteering in the Stephanie enrolled in an ESOL class and discussed Academy’s daycare. She met with a liaison at the with her instructor her ultimate goal—finishing high YMCA Casino Road Academy who helped Stephanie school, getting a college education and becoming a obtain financial aid for college. Now she’s working child educator. toward a college degree so she can one day open her own daycare. “My instructor became my mentor, not just my teacher,” Stephanie said. “He was so encouraging, Stephanie has worked tirelessly toward her goals so helpful. He said, ‘If you need any help with and plans to be a first-generation college graduate. homework or don’t understand something, come to Stephanie has completed one year of classes at me, and I can help you.’” Everett Community College and constantly visits the YMCA Casino Road Academy to give back and What once seemed like fantasy suddenly became motivate other students. more real. Stephanie excelled in her ESOL class and was encouraged by her Goodwill instructor to “Goodwill is giving you everything to get started,” complete her high school education. Within a year, Stephanie said. “It’s amazing the help that Goodwill Stephanie had enrolled at Everett Community College gives. It’s like a huge push that they give you, and where she obtained her High School 21+ diploma. from then on it just gets easier.” 5 Meet LISA Lisa had been volunteering as an office assistant Skagit County Goodwill JTE Center were willing to at Goodwill’s Skagit County Job Training and take me on as a student. Every two weeks there Education (JTE) Center for a year before she left has been something new I have been able to do. to address health problems. Nine months later, This year, I did my taxes by myself, which was the Lisa returned to Goodwill, but instead of providing first time in three years. Knowing someone is going volunteer service, she began receiving help. to be there for me who I can ask help from was very helpful for me. Meeting my objectives has Lisa had been losing important numeracy skills made me realize something important — things from past head trauma. She couldn’t give the that previously seemed insurmountable now seem correct amount of change to a cashier. Lisa possible.” struggled remembering her phone number and address, too. She confided in Skagit County JTE staff and began taking Goodwill’s High School Equivalency (HSE) course, which traditionally paves paths for students to earn their high school degree of High School 21+ (HS21+) diploma. Case Managers Her instructor connected with her in a unique way, provided 26,467 and Lisa’s numeracy skills slowly returned. Lisa, who was out of work, now feels confident she can services to 5,150+ soon return to the workforce. students last year. “What Goodwill has done has made a huge difference to me,” Lisa said. “I also want to express how grateful I am that the people at the 6 Meet YONAS As a child in Eritrea, Yonas did his homework by After receiving religious asylum and staying in a Los candlelight so that he could one day make positive Angeles-area detention center for eight months, change in the world. Yonas traveled to Seattle to be with his sister. Soon after, a relative told Yonas about Goodwill’s “When I was very young there was electricity resources. scarcity in my country,” Yonas explained. “I was really into helping the community and wanted to With the help of Goodwill he earned his High School solve the problem. My mom would say, ‘OK, if 21+ high school equivalency diploma. “Coming to you want to solve the problem, you have to go to Goodwill was very helpful,” Yonas said. “When I first school. You have to inspire people.’” came here, they were giving me bus passes and were trying to connect me with jobs. I was able to meet Yonas excelled in his East African school and was people, and I was inspired to go back to school.” excited to begin his college career. Then, Yonas was arrested for practicing his religious beliefs. Yonas began volunteering in Goodwill math classes and enrolled at Seattle Central College.