FY 2023 Annual Report
Hope From our Board and CEO Dear Gulf Coast Friends: Stop for a moment and reflect on a time when you needed a second chance in your life. At some point, we all do. When faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, to whom did you turn to restore your sense of hope? For more than 13,000 people in southern Alabama and the Florida panhandle in FY 2023 – those in need of employment assistance, early childhood intervention, or education and support services – each of them turned to Goodwill Gulf Coast and discovered they had found the right place. Hope happens here! By supporting Goodwill Gulf Coast this past year, you played a role in providing them with hope too. If you donated household goods or clothing, if you shopped in our stores, if you donated financially or volunteered, you helped us provide those we serve with a renewed sense of hope – and we’re very thankful for your help. Working together, we made a profound difference. In FY 2023, Goodwill Gulf Coast reached new heights in terms of its service to the community and provided more people with hope than ever before. This fiscal year represents our third straight year of “making and breaking” new records in terms of the quantity of donations, the number of customers, and, most important of all, the multitudes of people we served with programs and services. Thank you for helping us make hope happen! Forever grateful,
Sam Winter
Chairman of the Board
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Frank Harkins President/CEO
Goodwill Gulf Coast: FY 2023 Annual Report
Governing Board Raymond Bell, Jr. Ken Brown Peter D’Olive Adele Hapworth Abe Harper Mitzi Henley Michael Holland Garner Jeffery E. Bradford Ladd, Jr. Frank Lott III Peyton Mattei Jeremiah Newell Devin Nobles Jacob Palmer Jay Ross Richard Sherrill Tim Taylor Clay Walden Lindsey Weems Richard Wilkins Sam Winter
Advisory Board
Ira Bates, Jr. Shayla Beaco Michael Chambers David Cooper Rob Couch Sonya Crawford-Miles Kristi Daughtery Burnley Davis Rob Diehl Boyd Douglas Paul Elliott Dana Foster-Allen Jud Freeman Bob Hudgens
Ben King Allen Ladd Bo Mattei Bren McMaken Ron Melton Lynn Morrissette Bob Omainsky Ken Robinson Lynn Robinson Jim Scheer Lewis Shreve Jeff Spiller Jason K. Spry Charles Wimberly, Jr.
The Edgar Award
Named after Goodwill’s founder Rev. Edgar Helms, the Edgar Award honors an individual employee who best embodies the Goodwill spirit of ensuring that every person in our community “has an opportunity to develop to their fullest usefulness and enjoy a maximum of abundant living.” This year’s Edgar Award recipient is Sharon Warren, executive assistant to CEO Frank Harkins. A native of Saraland, Sharon came to Goodwill following 30 years in Huntsville where she worked on government contracts at Redstone Arsenal, supporting managers and engineers. Sharon joined Goodwill Gulf Coast in 2020, providing similar support for our CEO, executive staff, and Board of Directors. “She is truly a remarkable and invaluable member of our team,” Harkins said. “Her dedication to her work is evident in her unwavering commitment, loyalty, and dependability.” Sharon received the award at Goodwill’s Year-End Summit in November. “Goodwill Gulf Coast is a wonderful place to work and to feel like I am a part of something that contributes so much to our community,” she said. “As much as I enjoy doing what I do here, it is my Goodwill family that makes this such a special place. You all truly are examples of what an award winner should be. I am proud to be part of such a great team.”
Hope By the Numbers In FY 2023, with higher-than-ever levels of donations, customers, and revenue in our retail stores, Goodwill Gulf Coast was able to increase the breadth of its impact in the community, reaching more deeply into the counties we serve. Our ability to grow and thrive for those we serve was largely influenced by the level of support we received from the community.
Program Reach
13,219 people received 21,129 services in FY 2023 – an increase of 1,188 more individuals and 3,582 more services than last year. In addition, we served increased numbers in rural Alabama counties.
Employment
Goodwill Gulf Coast employed 506 people last year. Of those individuals, 42% have a disability and 6% are veterans.
Early Education/Support
1,296 children received education and support through programs such as our Child Development Center, Early Intervention, and Home Visitation – an increase of 156 more children than last year.
Workforce Development
3,257 people (an increase of 1,107 over last year) became better prepared for employment by taking classes and earning certifications, which resulted in 388 people getting a job in the community.
Adult Education
Free Tax Preparation
Environmental Impact
Giving Back
794 people took free classes to improve literacy and earn a GED (Graduate Equivalency Degree), a HSDO (High School Diploma) or an industryrecognized job training credential. Over 10 million pounds of clothing, household goods, and various items were diverted from local landfills by donors. Instead, these items were resold, reused, and recycled by our store customers.
Areas Served SOUTHWEST ALABAMA: Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington counties NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties
1,284 local taxpayers who needed tax preparation services conferred with volunteers to prepare their tax returns and took home an average refund of $856 (for a total of $1.1 million).
• 6,266 people in financial need received 9,441 pieces of medical equipment freeof-charge • 1,589 individuals in need were provided with free clothing and household goods valued at $49,359 • 91,745 free books were given to local children to support literacy in school and families • 1,128 volunteers donated 14,483 hours valued at $460,559 across all programs • 1,300 winter coats and 250 blankets were distributed to homeless shelters in Alabama (Mobile) and Florida (Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach) • 4,000 pounds of donated food was given to non-profit Feeding the Gulf Coast for local distribution • 6,721 people representing 175 agencies utilized Goodwill’s Gordon Smith Campus auditorium and classrooms for training, workshops and networking, provided as a community service, free-of-charge Hope Happens Here: Goodwill Gulf Coast
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Hope Through Services and Programs EDUCATION SERVICES
Adult Education
Classes in basic skill remediation and GED instruction are offered at four Goodwill locations as well as the Mobile County Metro Jail and the Strickland Youth Center. Outreach program sites, staffed by community volunteers, make adult education more accessible to those in rural areas. We also offer Adult Literacy and English Language Learning classes.
GED Testing
The official GED Test is administered weekly in Goodwill’s PearsonVue Testing Center located in the Ladd Learning Center on the Gordon Smith campus in Mobile. We also administer the GED Test in the Mobile County Metro Jail and the Strickland Youth Center through mobile test labs.
Career Pathway Programs
Goodwill staff offers a variety of credentialed training programs through live instruction, virtual classrooms, hands-on practice, and blended learning. Options include instruction and certification for Information Technology, Child Development Associate (CDA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Manufacturing, and Forklift Operator.
Youth Excelling for Success (YES)
YES provides a variety of job training and placement services for young adults (ages 17-24) seeking short-term and long-term employment in the community. Instruction is provided both onsite and online, and tailored to meet the needs of each participant.
EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
Job Training and Placement
For people with disabilities and others with barriers to employment, each Community/Opportunity Center in Alabama and Florida offers employment services to individuals seeking assistance with job search, resume writing, electronic application submissions, and interviewing skills.
Work Training Center/Ability One
The Work Training Center performs light packaging and assembly for corporate partners, providing work experience and training for individuals with disabilities. Through contracts with GWI Services, we also provide Ability One janitorial services in Mobile County, employing individuals with significant disabilities.
Digital Skills Training
Through self-paced job training in a relaxed classroom environment (as well as virtually), participants can learn basic to mid-level computer skills such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. In addition, virtual courses through Career Campus include QuickBooks, Adobe, CNA, and hospitality.
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Goodwill Gulf Coast: FY 2023 Annual Report
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Child Development Center (CDC)
Goodwill Gulf Coast provides for the community an inclusive child development center in partnership with Mobile County Public Schools. Children of all abilities receive high-quality instruction with favorable child-staff ratios.
Home Visitation Programs
Educators with the HIPPY Program (Baldwin County and Escambia County, AL) and PAT Program (Mobile County) visit families with young children to address early childhood education, health needs, and developmental issues. The staff also provides instruction for parents/caregivers and connections to needed resources.
Early Intervention
Infants and toddlers with special needs receive services to enhance their early development including personalized instruction; physical, occupational, and speech therapies; behavioral consultations; and family support and training.
Military Respite
This program recruits, trains, and monitors independentlycontracted care providers in the Florida panhandle to supply in-home respite relief for active-duty Navy families who have children with special needs.
SUPPORT SERVICES
Kaleidoscope Adult Day Program
For adults with developmental disabilities who have recently transitioned out of high school and other non-senior adults who desire to remain active and engaged in structured daytime learning and recreational activities. This program helps participants enhance their personal growth, happiness, and self-sufficiency through meaningful activities.
Free Book Program
Children’s books are distributed free of charge to families visiting Goodwill stores as well as to schools, daycares, and other organizations serving children in an effort to encourage and support literacy.
Financial Wellness and Free Tax Preparation (VITA) Free income tax preparation for low to moderate income households; budgeting workshops; first-time home buyer counseling; and credit and banking classes are offered. Notary services also are available.
Medical Assistance and Equipment
Assistance for individuals with disabilities (or temporary conditions) to obtain medical supplies or adaptive equipment free-of-charge, which leads to an improved quality of life and greater independence.
Hope Thanks to Your Help When you support Goodwill Gulf Coast, you enable programs and services that meet people where they are, many with a sense of helplessness, and provide them with the resources, skills, and support to transform their helplessness to hope. In the process, they gain a better quality of life, which contributes to a healthier community in which everyone can realize their full potential.
Community Impact YOU DONATE
WE SELL
438,340 donations of clothes and household goods – 8% more than last year (LY)
951,831 customers through our retail stores – 19% more than LY
WE TRAIN
PEOPLE WORK
51% of our customers chose to “round up”, donating $133,139 for programs and services
13,218 people in need were provided with services – 9% more than LY
351 individuals were employed in our retail stores
21,129 services were provided to those in need – 17% more than LY
3,257 people became better prepared for employment – 34% more than LY With Goodwill Gulf Coast’s help, 388 individuals secured a job – 14% more than LY
REVENUE
Contributions & Fundraisers – 1% $369,463
Retail Services – 71% $21,298,631 Participant Programs & Services – 21% $6,148,899
EXPENSES
Programs & Services – 77% $22,806,135
Marketing & Fundraisers – 1% $179,942 Management & General – 8% $2,541,719 Mission Development/ Expansion Funds – 14% $4,231,423
Other Income – 7% $1,942,226
89¢ OF EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND provides support for programs and services
Financial Impact Total Revenue................................................................$29,759,219 Total Expenses Programs & Services..........$22,806,135 Administrative Support ..........$ 2,541,719 Marketing & Fundraising...........$ 179,942 Mission Development/Expansion Funds.......... $ 4,231,423 Hope Happens Here: Goodwill Gulf Coast
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Hope-filled Highlights LaKarla Mitchell
Child Development Center (CDC) Parents as Teachers (PAT) “When my daughter Brayla was born, my husband Brandon and I were not new to parenting, to education or to Goodwill Gulf Coast,” LaKarla said. “Our older two sons, now 16 and 14, attended the Child Development Center on this campus. I knew the excellent foundation they both received from the preschool program here.” Brayla and son Draydon both experienced speech delays, and Draydon had other developmental delays also. “We began the search for the interventions they would need to make progress, and of course, started with Goodwill,” she said. Both children are now enrolled in Goodwill’s Child Development Center, and LaKarla receives resources from her Parents as Teachers (PAT) Parent Educator. The change was almost immediate. Enrolled in the program in August 2022, by November Brayla was speaking short sentences. “We knew it was the attentive staff, therapists, and a rich learning environment that made this kind of a difference,” LaKarla explained. “She has come so far! And now that Draydon is enrolled in both of these programs, we’re seeing a complete 180-degree turnaround from last year.”
Dale Root
Digital Skills Program participant Employee, IT Support, Goodwill Gulf Coast After serving on several ships for the United States Navy, Dale Root decided he wanted to pursue a career in information technology. Using his GI Bill to pay for the tuition, he signed up to take courses. When his school in Albany, NY closed abruptly, Dale was devastated — floundering for a direction, not knowing where to turn next. Dale did not give up. He found an opening for an Information Technology Support position at Goodwill Gulf Coast, and applied for the position. His supervisor not only hired him, he also connected Dale to a free course offered by Goodwill that would give Dale the credentials he would need to excel in his field. Dale enrolled in the Google IT Support Certification course through Goodwill Gulf Coast’s Digital Skills Program. He completed the course in less than three months, and has now completed his certification in Cyber Security. Dale’s perseverance netted him a job in his field and the credentials to support his continued career growth, thanks to services available to him through Goodwill Gulf Coast’s Digital Skills Training. 6
Goodwill Gulf Coast: FY 2023 Annual Report
Megan Lasker
GED and Career Pathways (CDA) programs Employee, Child Development Center (CDC) Megan Lasker dropped out of school at 16, the same day she attended her one and only day of high school. The next few years proved to be chaotic, with moves to several states. Eventually, Megan became homeless, then a single mom. Fortunately, after meeting a new caretaker, she found Goodwill Gulf Coast’s GED program and earned her high school equivalency in 2009. After working in the child care field, Megan was hired at Goodwill’s Child Development Center. She discovered she could earn a professional credential in Early Childhood Development through Goodwill’s Career Pathway program at no cost to her. Megan completed the classroom hours and the hands-on practicum, earning her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential in March 2023. Megan’s life has changed for the better. “I am no longer a dropout, or homeless,” she said. “I am a graduate, and a professional. I love my job. I love the children I care for every day. I love my life. I could not have made it to here without the kindness of friends and the help of the people at Goodwill.”
Alex Kelley
Workforce Development participant When Alex was in 11th grade, he dropped out of high school and got a job instead. Then he got another job, and another until he was working three jobs – days, nights, and weekends. Stretched thin on time, he realized his situation wasn’t going to improve without a high school education. Alex’s mother found Goodwill’s GED program and, after he got a better-paying job, he let go of his extra jobs and started classes. His Goodwill instructors helped him gain the credits to earn his diploma. Then he discovered he could take classes at Goodwill to earn his forklift certification. “Goodwill was with me every step, and gave me hope that this could work,” he said. Alex landed a carpenter’s job at Chevron (where he’s also able to operate a heavy duty forklift) and has established a reputation as a team player. Since then, he has bought a house and a new truck. “I don’t know where I would be without the help I got from Goodwill, because my life is so much better,” he said. Alex has even enrolled in college part-time with a bright future ahead.
Hope Happens Here: Goodwill Gulf Coast
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Hope In Your Neighborhood ALABAMA LOCATIONS
FLORIDA LOCATIONS
DONATION CENTERS
AZALEA STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER 300 Azalea Rd. Unit F Mobile, AL 36609
OLIVE STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER 1715 East Olive Rd. Pensacola, FL 32514
DAUPHIN STREET 3170 H Dauphin St. Mobile, AL 36606
AIRPORT BARGAIN STORE 7431 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36609
PENSACOLA BARGAIN STORE 3351 McLemore Dr. Suite A Pensacola, FL 32514
SCHILLINGER STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER 2423 Schillinger Rd. S. Mobile, AL 36695
PACE STORE 4325 Woodbine Rd. Pace, FL 32571 ENSLEY STORE 2 East Nine Mile Rd. Pensacola, FL 32534
SARALAND STORE 1016 Hwy. 43 N. Saraland, AL 36571
FORT WALTON BEACH STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER 913 Beal Pkwy. #J Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
SPANISH FORT STORE & COMMUNITY CENTER 10718 Eastern Shore Blvd. Spanish Fort, AL 36527
AIRPORT-DAWES 8010 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608 KORBET SQUARE 2029 Airport Blvd. Suite D Mobile, AL 36606
MOFFETT STORE 7900 Moffett Rd. Suite 101 Semmes, AL 36575
FAIRHOPE STORE 199 US Hwy. 98 Fairhope, AL 36532
COTTAGE HILL 5013 Cottage Hill Rd. Suite U Mobile, AL 36609
DAPHNE 28691 US Hwy. 98 Daphne, AL 36526 BELLVIEW 5998 Mobile Hwy. Pensacola, FL 32526 TIGER POINT 3021 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 MILTON 5163 Dogwood Dr. Milton, FL 32570
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