Goodwill of South Central Ohio is a nonprofit agency focused on partnering with individuals with disabilities and challenges to help them lead the lives they envision. Our service region covers eight counties: Athens, Fayette, Hocking, Jackson, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, and Vinton.
We work toward accomplishing our mission in a variety of ways, but we always start in the same place – finding out the dreams and desires of the individual who has come to us for assistance.
Career Exploration and Job Placement
Our employment specialists meet with individuals to learn their likes, dreams, and career desires. After job interests are determined, our specialists take individuals to observe and engage with those working in those jobs. Once the idea job is identified, our specialists work with individuals on job development and placement in the community. While most services are provided in person, some may be provided remotely if requested. The length of service is determined on the needs and circumstances of each individual.
Job Training and Coaching
We help individuals develop and fine tune skills for the workplace based on the person’s specific needs determined during conversational assessments and interactions. When necessary, our job coaches will work with individuals at the job site to adjust to the new environment and responsibilities.
Our community employment services have been CARF accredited since 1999.
Meaningful Community Engagement
Our Activity and Training Centers aim to provide individuals the same types of social and volunteer opportunities to engage with our communities like those without developmental disabilities enjoy. We currently have Activity and Training Centers in five communities – Athens, Chillicothe, Logan, Washington Court House, and Waverly. The interests of the individuals seeking services at one of our centers help drive what they do whether it’s going somewhere like bowling, working on job skills, or choosing to volunteer somewhere like the local humane society or food pantry.
Transportation
We provide non-medical transportation to and from our Activities and Training Centers and for programming. Transportation also is provided for career exploration and job training.
Our Partners
We provide services in partnerships with county developmental disability boards in our eight counties, the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. These partners refer individuals to Goodwill for services.
While the core of the individuals Goodwill assists have developmental disabilities, we don’t stop there. We aim to help anyone with barriers to employment including veterans, the elderly, and those with mental health disorders, in recovery from drug addiction, and criminal backgrounds.
Providing services at no cost wouldn’t be possible without donors across our eight counties providing items to sell in our stores. More than 58,400 donors provided items to our Goodwill stores in 2020.
We also turned 3,600 pounds of unsold clothing – usually cotton t-shirts – into rags to sell to local businesses and factories, and we recycled 1.6 million pounds of textiles. Goodwill of South Central Ohio also generates revenue through Medicaid reimbursement when applicable and by selling protective gloves to businesses and public agencies like correctional facilities and schools.
