AKRON, Ohio — Dec. 17, 2020 — Goodwill Industries serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland Counties received an investment of $5 million from MacKenzie Scott to expand its mission to help individuals prepare for, find and retain employment in Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland counties. The agency is humbled by and grateful for this transformative gift and excited to accelerate the work being done to help people overcome challenges, build skills, find jobs and grow their careers. While the agency creates its plans to use this awesome and inspiring unrestricted grant, Goodwill has temporarily placed the funds in a separate account until it can review with its Board a plan to wisely allocate the grant across programs and years in a way to best support the constituents it serves.
“We are deeply honored and appreciative of the generous and immeasurably impactful grant made by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott,” said Nancy Ellis McClenaghan, president & CEO, Goodwill Industries serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland Counties. “There are no words to adequately convey the extent of our gratitude to Ms. Scott for this gift. We are very, very excited to be one of 384 organizations, including 47 Goodwill organizations, she is supporting. Over the next few months, we will reach out to our existing community funders and partners in Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland Counties, as well as our local sister Goodwill, Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, which is also a grant recipient. We hope to have our plan coordinate with and complement existing programs in the region; Goodwill has been and will continue to be a collaborative community partner. We expect to announce our plan at our virtual Annual Meeting scheduled for Noon on Wednesday, March 24, 2021.”
Goodwill’s Chair of its Board of Directors Chip Clupper added, “2020 has been a year like no other. This gift comes at a time when millions of Americans urgently need help training for and finding their next jobs. Goodwill’s mission-based model is a proven one. This investment in Goodwill Industries in Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland Counties expands and accelerates its capacity to equip people with essential job skills and other forms of support that they need to move forward with their lives.”
For those in our community in need of job search support services, Goodwill’s breadth of services range from vocational assessments to job readiness and skills training — including digital skills – for those new to the workforce up through dislocated executives. The agency has specifically enhanced its virtual offerings during this difficult year. The Virtual Services Portal link is: www.goodwillakron.org/virtual. While this is a self-serve portal, a Mission Manager will be following up with those who access it to offer additional support. In addition, there are certain face-to-face services available in a safe, physically distanced manner. The Mission Services team can be contacted at 800-989-8428 or at missionservices@goodwillakron.org.
About Goodwill Industries Serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland Counties. The Goodwill Industries of Akron, Ohio, Inc., is a not-for-profit corporation that helps individuals prepare for, find and retain employment. Operating in the five-county region of Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland, the agency was established in 1927. It is a private, independent organization, operating as an affiliate member of Goodwill Industries International. Goodwill helps to directly strengthen the region’s workforce through its employment programs and indirectly through the net proceeds from its retail outlets and business services division. For more information about GIA, visit www.goodwillakron.org or call 800-989-8428.
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Contact: Jennifer Bako
(330) 786-2519
jbako@goodwillakron.org