WALMART FOUNDATION GRANT HELPS GOODWILL® GROW JOBS PROGRAM FOR VETS

The Walmart Foundation has granted $5 million to Goodwill Industries International to expand Operation: GoodJobs, an initiative that equips military veterans and their families with the tools they need to earn employment and ensure long-term financial wellness for themselves and their families. Building upon effective practices developed via the Operation: GoodJobs pilot, Goodwill will scale the program to serve more than 4,000 veterans and military families over three years.

Operation: GoodJobs originally launched in the spring of 2012 at Goodwill agencies in Austin and Houston, Texas, and Tacoma, Wash., with a $1 million grant from the Walmart Foundation. After successfully serving more than 800 veterans and families, Goodwill and the Walmart Foundation will expand the program to include nine additional Goodwill headquarters in four states with high concentrations of veterans: California, New York, North Carolina and Texas.

Operation: GoodJobs not only assists veterans and their families with job training and placement and skills attainment, but also plans for each participant’s continued success by designing individualized, comprehensive plans that support the needs of the entire family, including spouses and adult children, and helps ensure their economic stability in the long term,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Each participant in Operation: GoodJobs receives a complete career assessment and a development plan that includes a range of family needs, from basic needs such as child care, nutrition and shelter, to specific job training identified in the assessment process.”

The program connects veterans and their families with opportunities to earn certifications, market-value credentials and degrees that will help them with their careers. In addition, Operation: GoodJobs provides soft skills training, including résumé writing skills, career testing, and translating military skills to civilian language. Goodwill works with hundreds of business partners to find the right match for both participants and businesses. Through Operation: GoodJobs, Goodwill also offers employers free placement and screening services, and post-placement support.

If you know of a veteran who would benefit from these services or have questions, please call 800-GOODWILL or email contactus@goodwill.org.