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FALL 2019
INSIDE: Help for the Bahamas Ring in the Season
L E T T E R
From securing work opportunities for people with disabilities or other challenges, to helping families access needed services, Goodwill works with partners throughout the community who help make it happen.
Board Chair Carole F. Philipson
Our Mission: To help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work.
P R E S I D E N T
Our mission at Goodwill is helping people achieve their full potential. But we don’t do it alone.
President and CEO Deborah Passerini
President and CEO Emeritus R. Lee Waits
T H E
Making the Dream Work
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Members of the Board Mike Attinella Lee Bell Steve Bivens Robert D. Dobkowski Christina Elam, CFP Steven M. Erickson Mark E. Gauthier Marie Hebbler Andrea D. Kiehl, Esq. John Maceovsky Dominic Macrone Tony Martinez Melissa Mora, Esq. Carole F. Philipson Mark D. Pichowski Ed Rader Scott Rutz Bob Wabbersen Sandra Young
F R O M
Through partnerships with the U.S. Air Force and Aramark, Goodwill’s JobWorks program employs men and women with disabilities in postal services and food service at MacDill Air Force Base. Our Job Connection Centers work with many different organizations to bring people together with training and employment opportunities. And our Community Resource Directory helps people access a wide range of services in addition to those offered by Goodwill. The list goes on. All those who donate or shop at Goodwill are also essential to supporting our mission. As author and leadership expert John C. Maxwell says, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Thank you for being part of the Goodwill team. Sincerely,
Deborah A. Passerini President and Chief Executive Officer
New Chair, New Members for Goodwill Board
GoodWorld News is a quarterly publication for friends and employees of Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc. Jennifer Fleming, Editor 727-523-1512, ext. 1015 jennifer.fleming@goodwill-suncoast.com Visit our website at goodwill-suncoast.org Call toll-free: 888-279-1988 TTY: 727-579-1068 Goodwill Industries-Suncoast, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that provides services without regard to race, spiritual beliefs, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, socioeconomic status or disability. If you need accommodation or assistance in accessing any area of employment or program services, please let us know.
Carole Philipson
Mike Attinella
Marie Hebbler
Tony Martinez
The Goodwill-Suncoast Board of Directors elected a new board chair and three board members in September. The new board chair is Carole Philipson, who joined the board in 2000 when GoodwillSuncoast merged with the Goodwill in the Lakeland region. She had served on the Lakeland Goodwill board for many years prior to the merger. Carole has held a variety of executive-level positions within the health care administration field. She now works as a consultant. Carole and her husband live in Lakeland. New to the Goodwill board is Mike Attinella, chief financial officer and treasurer with the Superior Group of Companies in Seminole, Fla. Mike and his wife live in Treasure Island. Marie Hebbler is returning to the Goodwill Board after a required period off the board. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Risk Matrix Solutions, a web-based enterprise risk assessment software solution for banks and credit unions. Marie began her board service with Goodwill in 2012. She and her husband live in St. Petersburg. Also new to the Goodwill board is Tony Martinez, vice president of information security & IT solutions/chief technical officer at MGT Consulting Group. Tony and his wife have three young daughters. The family lives in Tampa.
In Memoriam
John Lazenby, manager of Goodwill’s Freedom Village II apartments in Tampa, passed away Oct. 16. A Texas native, John truly identified as a Texan. He served in both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army and was a great husband, father, grandfather and friend. He started with Goodwill in 2009 and is remembered for his sense of humor and ready smile. He will be greatly missed.
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“I’ve become more and more confident on a daily basis,” Ross says. “It’s a very concerned, attentive organization.”
Air Force Contract Takes Off Inside the highly secure gates of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Goodwill’s JobWorks program employs 46 people with disabilities via contracts with Aramark and the Air Force. MacDill is the headquarters for the United States Central Command and United States Special Operations Command. Two of the employees, Ross Meeuwsen and James LoBosco, work in MacDill’s Postal Service Center sorting and labeling mail and handling customer service. “I like working here very much. It’s a good job,” says James. He has been on the job for almost three years. His co-worker, Ross, is a five-year employee.
Because of the success of the employees and the program, the postal service contract recently expanded, adding seven more positions for people with disabilities. The expansion added opportunities at MacDill’s “Official Mail Center” in addition to the existing Postal Service Center. David Blackmer has worked for three months at the Official Mail Center, as the first in line to help organize and sort outgoing mail. David began as a Goodwill employee in food service at MacDill in 2010 but was promoted to general clerk at the Mail Center. He is proud to show an updated spreadsheet guide he created to organize mail flow.
David Blackmer enjoys his new position. “I like it here, it’s not stressful,” he says.
Ross Meeuwsen, left, and James LoBosco work in the Postal Service Center.
On Base Before coming to Goodwill-Suncoast, Daphne Days worked as a detention officer with juveniles and later with adults with disabilities. In 2006, she joined the Goodwill team as a skills trainer in our Life Skills Development program for adults with disabilities. Over the years she worked her way up to become the site supervisor for three of our Life Skills locations in Pinellas County.
The expanded contract translates to nearly 130,000 pieces of mail processed at MacDill, up from about 55,000. In addition to postal work, 38 people are employed at the dining hall on base. an associate degree in criminal justice. Daphne’s many years of working with people with varying degrees of disabilities affects her outlook on life. “I saw one of our participants go through cancer, and seeing her persevere was very rewarding and very motivating to me,” she says.
In September, Daphne was promoted to assistant operation manager at MacDill Air Force Base, where Goodwill’s newly expanded program (see story above) employs 46 people with disabilities. In her new position at MacDill, Daphne splits her time between the on-base food service and postal service. It’s clear she enjoys her job and the people she oversees. “I love being challenged to expand my abilities,” Daphne says. Daphne lives in Clearwater with her dog, a “Misty Bleu” pit bull. She has a bachelor’s degree in health care administration and
Daphne Days at MacDill’s Diner’s Reef.
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GoodLilly’s
Please Pass the Turkey You Urned It Donated item $ 6.98 Oldsmar Superstore It’s easy to add some functional décor to your home with all the great things you’ll find at Goodwill!
Donated item $ 3.98 Trinity Superstore Need serving dishes for a dinner party but don’t want to break the bank? Check out Goodwill first!
For the Dogs New item $ 1.49
Bowled Over
Goodwill has lots of new items for your fur babies, from scratch pads to chew toys to food bowls, for paws-itively less!
Donated item $ 2.98
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Most Goodwill Superstores
St. Petersburg Gandy Superstore Goodwill has a huge variety of bowls, plates, and other decorative items for your home.
A collection of brand new and donated items found at Goodwill-Suncoast stores The Gift of Vinyl
Happy Hour
Donated item $ 1.18
Donated item 3.98
$
Sebring Superstore
Spring Hill Superstore
If you’ve got the turntable Goodwill’s got the vinyl! Browse the collection in each store to complete your collection.
Get the party started with this bottle opener perfect for an outdoor patio bar.
Teach the World to Cook Donated item $ 1.18 Brandon Superstore Cook in perfect harmony with this Coca-Cola cookbook from the eclectic bookshelves at Goodwill stores.
Armour Amor
Send us your Goodwill finds!
If we feature them here or on our Upcycle page we’ll send you a $20 gift card good at any Goodwill-Suncoast retail store. Post your photos on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/goodwillsuncoast) or e-mail them to jennifer.fleming@goodwill-suncoast.com. For Goodwill store locations, visit www.goodwill-suncoast.org.
Donated item $ 3.98 Wesley Chapel Superstore Love armadillos? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but you might just find a golden one at Goodwill some day!
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GoodStuff
Consider a Goodwill Gift Annuity. 60 years or older? Invest in Goodwill for tax savings and lifetime income! When you make a gift of cash or stock into a Goodwill annuity, you receive an immediate charitable income tax deduction. You also receive guaranteed income for life, after which Goodwill uses the remaining principal for services to people who are disabled or disadvantaged.
Annuity Rates Age 60 Age 65 Age 70 Age 75 Age 80 Age 90
Helping the Bahamas On Oct. 22 we presented a check for $26,360 to the Red Cross to aid relief efforts for people in the Bahamas devastated by Hurricane Dorian. During a special collection in September, Goodwill shoppers were invited to round up their purchase at our stores to support Bahamas relief efforts. Thanks to the generosity of the community, donations surpassed our $25,000 goal! Donations from Goodwill’s Round Up program usually go to support our services to help people get jobs. Goodwill-Suncoast President and CEO Deborah Passerini and Vice President of Fund Development Jim Williams (right) presented the check to Red Cross Regional CEO Eric Corliss and Regional Philanthropy Officer Robb Resler (middle right and left).
Rates as of 6/1/2013
For a free proposal, please contact Jim Williams, Vice President for Fund Development (888) 279-1988 Ext. 1050 or e-mail jim.williams@goodwill-suncoast.com
Run Like a Hippie! for
Peace Love &
Goodwill
The Hippie Dash for Peace, Love & Goodwill is going down May 16 in downtown Safety Harbor, so please save the date for the grooviest 5K in Tampa Bay! Stay tuned for more details, man!
Synapse Challenge In July, Synapse Florida and SunTrust Foundation teamed up to help us better our organization with a little help from the community. The “Synapse Challenge” tasked out-of-the-box thinkers with ways to help us monitor our inventory levels and increase efficiencies. After dozens of submissions, three teams were chosen for the final pitch. The winner was Christina Dills of Smart Edge Technologies, who took home the $7,000 prize money. Dills created a prototype of an automated inventory control system and check-out using radio-frequency identification technologies. Such a system would allow Goodwill to provide relevant jobs and training in the ever-changing retail environment.
4.8% 5.3% 5.8% 6.5% 7.5% 9.8%
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Find Help, Fast Need help? We know Goodwill can’t be all things for all people, so we’ve created an online directory to connect people with other local agencies and their services. The online Community Resource Directory lists resources available in our 10-county area. The directory is a searchable, user-friendly database of services for people in need, including those offered by Goodwill as well as other organizations. The community resource directory is at www.goodwill-suncoast.org/services
In June, students enrolled in our JAG volunteer program said their goodbyes to Robin Davis, a volunteer herself, who has been with us since 2016. Thank you, Robin!
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U P C Y C L E
R ing
Create easy DIY napkin rings for a festive table setting
in the
season
Start with thrifted curtain rings
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Create snowflakes from thrifted puzzle pieces
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Spray paint white or the color of your choice
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When dry, add festive designs with metallic paint pens
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To turn snowflakes into decorations guests can take home, glue a loop of string or twine to the top.
P R O J E C T
5
Spray paint in the color of your choice
Using a hot glue gun, layer the pieces into a snowflake shape
Then attach the snowflake to the napkin rings and you’re all set!
The end result is a beautiful addition to your holiday table and a special gift for your guests!
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10596 Gandy Blvd. St. Petersburg, FL 33702 ®
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GoodWorld News • Fall 2019
Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE
PAID
Permit #5008 St. Petersburg, FL
GoodWorks Connected with a Job in Record Time! Russell walked into a Job Connection Center and three days later had a full-time job! For 20 years, Russell Knerr was fortunate enough to work in a manufacturing plant that produced Klondike bars, Good Humor ice cream and Popsicle frozen treats. Among other benefits, there was always free ice cream for the taking in the break room, Russell recalls. But in 2014 the plant moved from Clearwater to Tennessee, and Russell found himself abruptly unemployed. “I started doing landscaping and irrigation but I was eventually laid off,” Russell says. “I was collecting unemployment when I found the Job Connection Center by accident – I didn’t even know it was here!” The day that Russell walked into our Job Connection Center in St. Petersburg, a Goodwill employment specialist helped him fill out an application for Halkey Roberts, a manufacturing company. The very next day he was called in for an interview, the following day attended orientation and on the next day began working as a machine operator. “I never expected it to go that quick,” he says. “And it turned out to be just what I wanted.”
Second Job Connection Center Now Open! We’ve opened our second Job Connection Center inside our newest Superstore at 10739 Big Bend Rd. in Riverview. Like the first, it offers free services to job seekers and employers. The center is a place where job seekers – like Russell in the adjacent story – can access resources and develop skills that can lead to greater employment success. Goodwill employment specialists offer guidance through the career exploration and job search process. The center also offers computer access, assistance with cover letter and resume development, and skill builder workshops on topics such as Job Seeking Techniques, Mastering the Interview and Computer Basics. In addition, the center is a place for job seekers or others to simply get answers regarding local services – such as where to find childcare, transportation, and training. The center also assists local businesses by hosting recruitment events in the adjacent Community Room. The Riverview Job Connection Center is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday - Thursday. Visit www.goodwill-suncoast.org/ job-connection-center/ for more information and a schedule of workshops. To inquire about Job Connection Center services, email JobConnection@goodwill-suncoast.com or call 813-302-9405 for the Riverview center and 727-321-7337 for the St. Pete location.