Dear Friends,
This past year was challenging, exhilarating and rewarding for Goodwill. With the recognition that "together we are stronger," the theme of this year's community impact report, we know that an informed and engaged workforce can reap rewards that ripple across our entire organization and positively impact the people and communities we serve. For this reason, we invested in our culture and our guiding principles—Inspired by People, Power of the Whole and Results Matter—impacting more than 6,000 employees, and used those principles in decision making. We launched an internal Operation Mission Goodwill (OMG) tour to educate our employees about many of the programs and services that we provide and help them understand the important role they play in making our mission come alive.
With the goals of enhancing our programs, helping more people find and be successful in work and becoming more efficient in the delivery of services, 2017 was a year of collaboration with other non-profit organizations. Work continued with the Disability Workforce Collaborative, a group of agencies working together to improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. We also worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs and Milwaukee Public Schools to provide job opportunities for young adults. We also expanded program sites for Project SEARCH, a unique, business-led internship program for young adults with disabilities to include General Mitchell International Airport along with the Milwaukee County Zoo. Each of these partnerships have made us stronger.
In 2017, Goodwill Great Lakes celebrated its 20th anniversary with its partner—the U.S. Navy—providing food service, laundry, administrative and logistic services for Sailors and Recruits at Naval Station Great Lakes. Nearly 600 individuals with disabilities are employed and receiving hands-on training.
Goodwill adapted to changing expectations around employment services for people with disabilities, successfully transitioning more than 400 individuals toward community employment or other services of choice.
Other new initiatives such as our vibrant e-commerce and e-cycle businesses have positively impacted not only the financial health of the organization but also increased our ability to train and employ people with disabilities and disadvantages.
We will continue to count on the generous commitment of our dedicated staff, collaborative partners and donors as we look to the future and celebrate the successes of those we serve.
Sincerely,
Bob KlugChairman of the Board
Jackie HallbergPresident and CEO