Five Million Dollar Walmart Foundation Grant Funds Goodwill® Initiative For Veterans And Military Families

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 30, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Through a $5 million grant from the Walmart Foundation, Goodwill is extending its Operation: GoodJobs initiative for an additional three years. Operation: GoodJobs, now in its fifth year, will continue to provide the tools and resources necessary to link veterans and military families with meaningful work so that they can gain the financial stability they deserve. The initiative also aims to work with key employers and job creators to connect them with this large pool of highly skilled and mission-ready potential employees.

"While we are excited that military veterans' and families' unemployment rates are declining, underemployment persists," said Wendi Copeland, senior vice president of strategy and advancement of Goodwill Industries International. "Goodwill is proud to continue our work through Operation: GoodJobs as we leverage the knowledge and partnerships we've gained during the initiative's previous four years to connect even more of our country's heroes with the opportunities they have earned."

Launched in 2012 with a $1 million grant from the Walmart Foundation, Operation: GoodJobs helped 800 veterans and family members in two states. Based on the success of that pilot, the Walmart Foundation renewed its commitment the following year with $5 million in funding that expanded the initiative to four states with high concentrations of veterans: California, New York, North Carolina and Texas. Combined, these initiatives helped elevate and deepen military programs across the Goodwill network, changing the lives of 7,820 people in 12 communities.

The next iteration of Operation: GoodJobs expands to include South Carolina and will put a special emphasis on resources and job training programs for female veterans — a fast-growing subset of the veteran community. In addition to providing opportunities to advance careers through job placement, career navigation and skills attainment, Operation: GoodJobs also aims to address the complicated path that veterans must navigate to access resources and support their transition from military service to the civilian workforce.

If you know of a veteran who would benefit from these services or would like additional information about the initiative, please call 800-GOODWILL or email [email protected].

About Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International (GII) is a network of 162 community-based, autonomous organizations in the United States and Canada with a presence in 13 other countries. GII is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is recognized by GuideStar with its Platinum Seal of Approval, the organization's highest rating for charities. GII was also ranked by enso as the #1 brand doing the most good in the world for two consecutive years, and was the only nonprofit brand rated in Forbes' 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years. Local Goodwill organizations are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that create job training programs, employment placement and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,300 stores collectively and online at shopgoodwill.com^®. Local Goodwill organizations build revenues and create jobs by contracting with commercial, state, government and non-government organizations to provide a wide range of business services, including janitorial, staffing services, food service preparation, manufacturing and contracts packing, reverse logistics, document imaging and shredding, and laundry services. Last year, local Goodwill organizations collectively placed more than 288,000 people in employment in the United States and Canada. In addition, more than 38 million people used computers and mobile devices to access Goodwill education, training, mentoring and online learning services to strengthen their skills, and more than 2 million people received in person services. To learn more, visit goodwill.org.

For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at Goodwill.org or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl or Instagram: GoodwillIntl.

About Philanthropy at Walmart
By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. Walmart has stores in 28 countries, employing more than 2.3 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are helping people live better by accelerating upward job mobility for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where we operate. We are not only working to tackle key social issues, we are also collaborating with others to inspire solutions for long-lasting systemic change. To learn more about Walmart's giving, visit giving.walmart.com.

SOURCE Goodwill Industries International

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