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Never underestimate the power of a Green Bay Packer game, for it was at a game that conversations between colleagues developed into a strategic partnership between Goodwill and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare called Project PRISM.

October is my favorite time of the year with the fall colors, football season and National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The purpose of NDEAM is to raise awareness of employment needs and celebrate the many and varied contributions of workers with disabilities. The national theme for 2014 is “Expect, Employ, Empower.” Chosen by the U.S Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the theme reflects the reality that we can expect people with disabilities to have the desire to join the workforce if they are empowered.  

I was fortunate enough to be part of an engaging peer networking book discussion this morning at Goodwill, hosted by Executive Learning Exchange, centered around the book Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go, Career Conversations Employees Want (2012, Kaye & Giulioni).

One of the common things we hear as we bring prospective business partners and community agencies through our Goodwill Centers for Work and Training is, “I never knew Goodwill did that!”  Everyone is well aware of our Goodwill Store & Donation Centers, but we have also worked hard over the past several years to reinvest in our Workforce Development capabilities.

At Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago, describing what we do can be summed up simply and broadly as Transforming Lives through the Power of Work. 

Welcome to ‘What Works;’ Goodwill’s blog where industry experts share their solutions for employers. It’s coming soon, so be sure to check back often. Or, better yet, sign up for our RSS feed so you’ll see the page as soon as it’s ready!