2021 Goodwill Gulf Coast Annual Impact Report

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

YOU

are the

GOOD

in

FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR & CEO Helen Keller was once asked about the price she would pay to gain the sense of sight. Her reported response was thoughtful and poignant:

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than walk alone in the light."

Friend, it has been our honor to walk alongside you this year to spread goodness and love to nearly 11,000 people in the communities we serve.

Each person who has come to Goodwill to donate gently used items, shop in our stores and online, give us their time and their talents, or be part of our team has changed so many lives for the better.

You are GOODNESS in ACTION. You are shaping the future and making our world a better place every day by using the love in your heart to help another human being be all that they were created to be.

There is no amount of gratitude that would ever be enough to thank you for your selfless contributions to our mission.

BOARD MEMBERS ROBBIE BAKER **

FRANK LOTT III *

Regional President - Hancock Whitney Bank

President - Heritage Homes

IRA BATES JR.**

BO MATTEI **

Assistant Vice President / Community Development Officer - The First Bank

President - Thames Batre Insurance

SHAYLA BEACO **

Partner - Thames Batre Insurance

Executive Director - Build Mobile

RAYMOND L. BELL JR. * Attorney - Maynard Cooper & Gale PC

KEN BROWN * Executive VP, Market President - First Horizon

MICHAEL CHAMBERS **

BOARD CHAIR

LYNN MORRISSETTE ** Parent

JEREMIAH NEWELL * Superintendent/Headmaster - ACCEL Academy

DEVIN NOBLES * BOB OMAINSKY **

SVP Commercial Banking - Hancock Whitney Bank

ROB COUCH ** Lead Pastor - Christ United Methodist Church

SONYA CRAWFORD ** Assistant Attorney General, DHR Mobile County Alabama Department of Human Resources

BURNLEY DAVIS ** Retired

ROB DIEHL ** Executive VP - TrustMark

PETER D’OLIVE * COO - Felder Services

BOYD DOUGLAS JR. ** CEO - CPSI

DANA FOSTER-ALLEN ** CPA – Director of Finance - Mobile County Commission

JUD FREEMAN ** Executive Vice President Long’s Human Resources

ADELE HAPWORTH * CEO - American Equity Underwriters

ABE HARPER * President - Harper Technologies

MITZI HENLEY * President/CEO - Wright Plaza

MICHAEL HOLLAND * Market President – Bryant Bank Owner - Coastal Realty Services

GARNER JEFFERY * BEN KING ** Optometrist - Premier Medical

ALLEN LADD **

Executive Director/Owner - Nobles Group Homes Owner - Wintzell’s Oyster House

JACOB PALMER * General Manager - Palmer’s Hyundai/Toyota

KEN ROBINSON ** President - Engineered Textile Products

LYNN ROBINSON ** Retired

JAY ROSS * Attorney - Adams and Reese LLP

JIM SCHEER ** Civil Engineer

RICHARD SHERRILL * Attorney - Clark Partington Attorneys at Law

LEWIS SHREVE ** CPA - Mostellar & Shreve

NATE SOMMER ** City President - BBVA Compass

JEFF SPILLER ** Founding Pastor - Christ United Methodist Church

JASON SPRY ** Attorney - Law Office of Jason K. Spry

TIMOTHY S. TAYLOR * Financial Advisor - Edward Jones Investments

CLAY WALDEN * District Manager - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama

LINDSEY WEEMS * President - V Corporate

RICHARD WILKINS * Attorney - C. R. Wilkins Law

CHARLIE WIMBERLY JR. ** VP/Broker - Century 21 Wimco Realty

SAM WINTER * Owner/Broker - Sam Winter & Company Real Estate

President - Thames Batre Insurance

E. BRADFORD LADD JR. * Vice President - Roberts Brothers CPM

RUSSELL LADD III ***

FRANK HARKINS

Retired

DAVID COOPER **

Senior VP of Wealth Management - Merrill Lynch

MICHAEL HOLLAND

RON MELTON **

Associate Vice President for Research - University of South Alabama

BOB HUDGENS **

Sincerely,

PEYTON MATTEI **

Retired

Governing Board * Advisory Board ** Board Member Emeritus ***

PRESIDENT & CEO

02 | Goodwill Gulf Coast 2021 Annual Report

EMPLOYMENT

Goodwill Gulf Coast employed 506 people.

Of those, 42% have a disability.

EDGAR AWARD

EARLY EDUCATION & SUPPORT 1,223 children received education and support through programs such as our Child Development Center, Early Intervention, and Home Visitation.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 1,876 people became better prepared for employment by taking classes and earning certifications. 389 people got a job.

ADULT EDUCATION 836 people took free classes to improve literacy, learn digital skills, or earn a GED.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Over 11.3 million pounds were diverted from landfills to resell, reuse, and recycle.

FREE TAX PROGRAM

1,237 taxpayers took home an average refund of $1,570 using our free Volunteer Tax Program.

GIVING BACK 4,476 people were given free medical equipment.

1,030 persons in need were provided free clothing and household goods at a value of $45,310.

An additional $193,000 was given in vouchers, employee discounts, and gift certificates.

74,552 free books were given to local children to support literacy in schools and families.

Goodwill Gulf Coast team members personally gave $18,800 to our local United Ways.

477 volunteers donated time valued at $336,344 across all programs.

1,000 winter coats were given to local homeless shelters in Mobile, Pensacola, and Fort Walton Beach.

10,807

people served in 2021

In 1994, Ray Kissehchi worked for a national pharmacy chain. He developed a relationship with Goodwill Gulf Coast by hiring some of our workforce participants to work for his company.

He learned more about Goodwill, not realizing how much he would need that knowledge. In 1997, his beautiful daughter Michelle was born, and after a medical crisis when she was two years old, Ray turned to Goodwill once again, this time for speech therapy and developmental services to help Michelle regain the skills she had lost. His gratitude and his desire to give back to the community led him to apply to a management position with Goodwill Gulf Coast. In his new role he set a record for the most amount of after market sales ever sold in just his first year. Ray also supported all of our Donated Goods activities by keeping the team supplied with the tools they need to work. Ray’s work led to an increase in the income needed to provide the very same programs available to his family when they needed it most. Ray Kissehchi is our Edgar Award Winner for 2021, and an asset to Goodwill Gulf Coast and the people we serve.

03 | Goodwill Gulf Coast 2021 Annual Report

GOOD SERVICES Job Training & Placement For people with disabilities and others with barriers to employment. All Community Centers offer employment services to self-referred individuals seeking assistance with job search, resume writing, electronic application submissions, and interviewing skills.

Work Training Center/Ability One GWI Services is our partner agency that provides services under two Ability One janitorial contracts in Mobile County, employing individuals with significant disabilities. The Work Training Center provides light packaging and assembly for six corporate partners, providing valuable paid work experience and training for individuals with disabilities.

Digital Skills Training Self-paced job training in a relaxed classroom environment and virtually.

Participants can learn basic to mid-level computer skills such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and so much more. In addition, virtual courses through Career Campus also include QuickBooks, Adobe, CNA, hospitality, and others.

Kaleidoscope Adult Day Program For younger adults who have recently transitioned out of high school and other non-senior adults who desire to remain active and engaged in structured daytime learning and recreational activities.

Military Respite Program This program recruits, trains and monitors independently contracted care providers to provide in-home respite relief to active Navy families with an exceptional family member in the Florida Panhandle.

COUNTIES SERVED SOUTHWEST ALABAMA: Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, Washington NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa

Child Development Center

Adult Education

A STAR-Rated, inclusive child development center in partnership with the Mobile County Schools. Children of all abilities receive high quality instruction with small child-staff ratios.

Classes are offered at four Goodwill locations and are also provided at the County Metro Jail and the Youth Correctional Facility. Outreach program sites, staffed by community volunteers, make Adult Education more accessible to those living in more remote areas. We also offer Adult Literacy and English Language Learner classes.

Home Visitation Programs

Program staff visit families with young children addressing early childhood education, health and developmental issues and provide instruction and connections to Free Book Program needed resources in Mobile, Baldwin, and Free books are provided for local children to take home to encourage and Escambia (AL) counties. support literacy in schools and families.

Early Intervention

Infants and toddlers with special needs receive services to enhance their early development, including special instruction, physical, occupational and speech therapies, behavioral consultations and other family supports.

Youth Excelling for Success (YES) The YES program provides a variety of job training and placement services to young adults ages 17-24 who are actively seeking short and long term employment goals in an onsite/online blended learning environment that is tailored to meet the essential needs of each participant.

Medical Assistance & Equipment Assistance to individuals with disabilities or temporary conditions to obtain medical supplies or adaptive equipment free of charge, contributing to an improved quality of life and greater independence.

GED Testing The Official GED Test is administered weekly in the Goodwill PearsonVue Testing Center located at the Ladd Learning Center on our Gordon Smith campus in Mobile.

Career Pathway Programs A variety of credentialed training programs are offered through live instruction, virtual classrooms, hands-on practice and blended learning opportunities. Options available include computer skills (beginner to advanced), Child Development Associate preparation, and Forklift Certification.

Financial Wellness & Free Tax Prep (VITA) Free income tax preparation for low to moderate income households as well as workshops and counseling for budgeting, first time home buyers, credit, and banking.

High School High Tech Funded by the Able Trust and the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, this program at the Department of Juvenile Justice facilities in Escambia and Okaloosa County targets youth with disabilities aged 14-22 to motivate them to graduate and to pursue careers in high-demand industry jobs.

s k o o l d Goo

GREAT

ON YOU

04 | Goodwill Gulf Coast 2021 Annual Report

GOOD STEWARDS 763,642 store shoppers

33,150

online shoppers

389,177 donors

2%

18%

revenue Retail Services - 62% $17,408,978

Contributions & Fundraisers - 18% $5,200,137

18%

62%

Participant Programs & Services - 18%

$4,921,188

* Other Income - 2%

$686,001

TOTAL REVENUE $28,216,304

10%

1%

expenses Programs & Services - 89% Management & General - 10%

$19,158,043

$2,126,204

Marketing & Fundraisers - 1%

$255,473

TOTAL EXPENSES $21,539,720

89%

89₵ of every dollar we spend is spent on programs and services 05 | Goodwill Gulf Coast 2021 Annual Report

Trenton

Mountains are never easy, but some take longer to climb than we expect.

Trenton Sullivan was facing a mountain. “I had enough credits to graduate high school, but I couldn’t pass the graduation exam,” he explained. Trenton left high school without receiving his diploma.

It took eight years before Trenton decided it was time to scale his mountain. He enrolled in Goodwill Gulf Coast’s Adult Basic Education Program in 2014, with a goal of obtaining his GED. “At first when I got in this, I thought I would never succeed,” Trenton recalled. Each time Trenton had to step out of the program, he powered back, getting closer to his goal each time. “I’ve had great teachers who have helped me through this life journey,” Trenton said. It made the climb easier to bear.

In 2016, Trenton experienced a turning point: he began passing sections of the GED Test. “That’s when I started thinking if I gave up on my GED program, I would lose everything.” Trenton redoubled his efforts, and realized the study material was getting interesting and making more sense. With advice from his teacher, Trenton applied to receive a high school diploma rather than a GED, and was shocked to discover he was eligible. The top of the mountain was in sight for Trenton—with a few more requirements, his journey would be complete. In March of 2021, after seven long years of effort, Trenton completed, and received, his high school diploma. “I thank God I kept on going until I passed!” Trenton exclaimed. “I’m so happy that I didn’t give up or give in.”

Merida

Now a lifelong learner, Trenton has stayed in the program to complete workforce certifications to improve his earning potential, a goal which would not have been possible without his achievement of a high school diploma.

Trenton says, “It was kind of like a lifetime, but it was very worth it. It’s been a great experience for me.”

Three-year-old Merida was in the car with her mom when she unbuckled herself from her car seat, as children do sometimes. Then they were involved in a terrible crash. Merida suffered a serious fracture in her leg, but was otherwise okay. Her mom did not survive.

Merida was taken to a Mobile hospital where she had surgery to repair the fracture. Her dad was told that she would not be able to bear any weight on her leg for three months. Because of COVID-19, many items were in short supply.

Merida needed a pediatric wheelchair, but they were not able to find one, new or used. One of the family's neighbors remembered that Goodwill Gulf Coast had a free Medical Assistance Program, called We Share. While adult-sized items are readily available, pediatric items are harder to come by. The Goodwill team sent a request to all locations so that everyone could look for the small wheelchair Merida needed, but none were found.

The next day, a team member was shopping in a Florida Goodwill Gulf Coast store on her day off when she saw that a pediatric wheelchair had been donated. She asked the store manager to hold it so it could be sent to Mobile for Merida. The tires were dry rotted and the footrests had no pedals, but miraculously, a pair of matching wheels that had been recycled from another chair and foot pedals that fit were used to repair the chair. When the family arrived to pick it up, the Goodwill team asked if they needed any other equipment for her. They said they needed another car seat - one that Merida could not unbuckle. The Medical Assistance Program was able to provide them with that too. "This wheelchair has been such a big help for us and allows Merida to move around on her own while she heals," her dad said. "We are truly thankful for the Goodwill team's help."

06 | Goodwill Gulf Coast 2021 Annual Report

The Cornelio Family Ana was worried and afraid. Her daughter Perla, weighing just one pound after being born weeks early, needed more help than Ana knew, and Ana didn’t know how to get it. Ana and her husband had emigrated from Mexico in 2005, and they didn’t speak English. Ana turned to Goodwill Gulf Coast.

Once she discovered Goodwill, Ana’s eyes were opened to the many programs available to support the needs of her family. Perla began receiving Early Intervention, working with therapists to help improve her development. When Perla turned three, Goodwill Gulf Coast continued to be there for Ana, with Parents as Teachers, a home-based program adding resources for early learning and school readiness. Through goal setting with her parent educator, Ana was able to learn budgeting skills, save for the purchase of a home, and meet other family goals. As their family grew, each child benefited from the PAT program, and the early learning skills Ana was gaining. Now Axel, age 2, is in the PAT program, receiving speech therapy, and enjoying his learning time. “He waits by the door on the days his parent educator is coming,” Ana laughs.

Today, Ana, her husband, and three beautiful children know how much more stable their lives have become. Ana credits Goodwill: “You gave me the assistance that has enabled me to learn more about what my family needs, and the help I needed to meet those needs,” she stated. “We were looking for a better life here, and thanks to Goodwill, we found it.”

Allen Allen was born with a very rare genetic disorder called Usher Syndrome, which caused him to lose his eyesight and hearing. For 21 years, he could see and hear well enough to work at a warehouse, but when his sight and hearing deteriorated, he lost his job.

He ended up staying home all day, wishing he could work again.

Allen came to Goodwill Gulf Coast five years ago hoping to re-enter the workforce. He was first able to get a job sorting Mardi Gras beads, and he was so fast and organized that they tried giving him additional duties, but for safety reasons, it did not work out.

He was disappointed and frustrated, but he and his Goodwill Program Manager, Kathi, kept looking.

Because Goodwill has helped many workers who have disabilities find jobs in downtown Mobile, word has spread to several managers and business owners in that area. The manager of Squid Ink, Amber, and her brother, Pete, reached out to Kathi because they wanted to hire people with disabilities to work in their family's restaurants. Kathi knew that Allen would be the perfect fit. He was trained to roll silverware, fold napkins, and line trays with paper.

But his job has been so much more than that. The entire Squid Ink team has welcomed Allen with open arms and have loved what a big help it has been to have him on their team. When it was Allen's birthday, the team got together and planned a special surprise party for him and made all his favorite foods. He has found camaraderie and a family at Squid Ink. "He has shown how he has overcome his personal challenges and hardships and he shows up to work early with a huge smile on his face," Amber said.

"Goodwill is perfect," said Allen. "They have really helped me all the way."

07 | Goodwill Gulf Coast 2021 Annual Report

Alabama Locations

Florida Locations

Donation Centers

AZALEA STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER

OLIVE STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER

DAUPHIN STREET

300 Azalea Rd. Unit F Mobile, AL 36609

AIRPORT BARGAIN STORE 7431 Airport Blvd.

Mobile, AL 36609

SCHILLINGER STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER

1715 East Olive Rd. Pensacola, FL 32514

PENSACOLA BARGAIN STORE 3351 Mclemore Dr. Ste A Pensacola, FL 32514

PACE STORE

3170 H Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36606

COTTAGE HILL

5013 Cottage Hill Rd. Ste U Mobile, AL 36609

AIRPORT-DAWES

8010 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608

KORBET SQUARE

2423 Schillinger Rd. S. Mobile, AL 36695

4325 Woodbine Rd. Pace, FL 32571

2029 Airport Blvd. Ste D Mobile, AL 36606

MOFFETT STORE

ENSLEY STORE

28691 US 98 Daphne, AL 36526

7900 Moffett Rd. Ste 101 Semmes, AL 36575

2 East Nine Mile Rd. Pensacola, FL 32534

SARALAND STORE

FORT WALTON BEACH STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER

DAPHNE

BELLVIEW

5998 Mobile Hwy. Pensacola, FL 32526

1016 Hwy 43 N. Saraland, AL 36571

913 Beal Pkwy. #J Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547

FAIRHOPE STORE 199 Hwy 98 Fairhope, AL 36532

TIGER POINT

3021 Gulf Breeze Pkwy.

Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

SPANISH FORT STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER 10718 Eastern Shore Blvd.

Spanish Fort, AL 36527

FIND UNIQUE ITEMS AND TREASURES ONLINE!

Free Towing!

DONATE A VEHICLE www.goodwillgulfcoast.org/donate-a-vehicle | 866.233.8586

2440 Gordon Smith Dr. Mobile, Alabama 36617 251.471.1581

www.GoodwillGulfCoast.org

@GoodwillGulfCoast