Goodwill of South Central Ohio is a non-profit agency focused on improving the quality of life and job opportunities for those with disabilities and disadvantages across our eight-county region: 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.
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.
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.
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 or as salvage. More than 30,000 donors have provided items to our Goodwill stores in the first half of 2019. In 2018, our region alone diverted more than 1.5 million pounds of textiles including clothing, stuffed animals, books, shoes, and computers from landfills.
Another nearly 13,000 pounds of clothing – usually cotton t-shirts – was made into rags and sold to local businesses and factories. 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.