SARASOTA/BRADENTON, FL – Goodwill Manasota recently received a grant of $65,000 from the Ralph S. French Charitable Foundation in support of Goodwill’s award-winning GoodPartner Coach program. This is the thirteenth year that Goodwill has received funding from the French Foundation for this purpose; the funds awarded will help to defray costs associated with the salaries and benefits of two GoodPartner Coaches.

The GoodPartner Coach program offers individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment – of Goodwill’s 800 employees, approximately 70% have a self-identified disability or disadvantage – with employability skills training and case management services. The goal of the program is to enable those who may have been overlooked elsewhere to gain positive personal and workplace behaviors and skills, feel the pride of earning a paycheck and move toward self-sufficiency, build a strong work history, and develop the experience and skills to position them for higher-paying jobs within the organization or outside of Goodwill.

In 2022, a significant number of Goodwill Manasota’s employees represented the following demographics: persons with disabilities, older workers, speaking a primary language other than English, lack of a high school diploma, and those who are justice involved. Individuals with significant barriers require more than just a job to move toward self-sufficiency. Consequently, Goodwill provides each team member with full-time employment, a competitive wage (all employees earn at least $14 an hour) and a life coach.

The GoodPartner Coaches work with team members to do needs assessments to determine barriers to self-sufficiency and identify areas that could be strengthened through training as well as determine access to basic needs such as housing, food and healthcare. Other program elements include the writing of an individualized development plan, offering case management services to address any issues that might be an impediment to success, financial literacy education, referrals for legal services, referrals for mental health counseling or physical restoration services, ESOL classes, GED or high school diploma programs, digital navigation skills training, assistance in earning training certificates, and/or emergency financial resources.

“The GoodPartner Coach Program has been instrumental in providing team members with essential training and education that serve to enhance their employability skills, boost their earning potential, and help them to set – and achieve – goals they may not have previously thought possible,” said Margie Genter, vice president of mission services for Goodwill Manasota. "Thanks to the generous ongoing support from our friends at the Ralph S. French Charitable Foundation, our GoodPartner Coach program can continue to work to boost the career and life prospects for our employees and their families.” 

Goals for the GoodPartner Coach program in 2023 are: to serve all 800 team members in setting and achieving life and work goals; provide ESOL classes to 31 employees as well as serve 20 team members who speak little or no English; assist 24 team members in earning a GED or high school diploma; help 85 team members to secure post-secondary certifications and/or degrees; assist 483 employees becoming Certified Role Model Workers to enhance employability skills; provide financial literacy training to 600 team members; assist 100 team members with digital literacy skills; and assist 66% of all team members in achieving at least one goal on their individualized development plans.

For more information about Goodwill, visit experiencegoodwill.org.

About Goodwill Manasota

Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With philanthropic donations and revenue generated by the sales of donated goods, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities, veterans, seniors, and those with other barriers to employment by providing jobs, job skills training, and free career services. For more information or for a listing of locations, visit experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.