Welcome to the Horizon Goodwill Industries company newsletter.
Our Mission is: Removing Barriers, Creating Opportunities.
September 2022 Vol. 1, Edition 3
Why Learning New Things is Important
Hopefully, by now, everyone at HGI is familiar with our training platform through PayCom. This is one of the ways that we deliver information to help employees with their jobs, whether the training is on how to work safely, use technology, or manage teams of people.
Why do we provide these learning opportunities? At HGI, we believe in what is called a “growth mindset,” which means that each of us can become better at our jobs by seeking opportunities to learn and try new things. This is where our training and development activities come in – helping employees acquire new or improve existing knowledge or skills. This, in turn, helps you become better at your job and overcome performance gaps based on a lack of knowledge or skills. It can also provide opportunities to be considered for promotion at HGI or obtain a better job with another employer.
So whether it is the next required training assignment or something you are interested in learning more about on your own, look at it as a chance to grow your knowledge and skills – and it might just open the door to a new opportunity.
Yours in hope, Dave
In the fall of 2021, in our continued effort to meet people where they are while still meeting the needs of employers, the workforce development team started our CUT/CLOTH/WORK events. We know when people feel good, they do good. Thanks to community partners offering free haircuts and HGI’s donated goods team for clothing donations, job seekers can have practice interviews and guidance on interviewing before meeting prospective employers. Last week, the Allegany County in Cumberland (UPIP) team hosted one of these events with more than 161 attendees, with many people receiving job offers on the spot.
• 165 attendees
• 34 hair cuts provided
• 10 community partners participated -149 attendee contacts made
• 17 employers participated – 249 interviews held (interviewed with multiple companies)
• 6 Business Services Offers were made (2 pending)
The following are the Services provided through July 2022:
This month, the Business Services Department wants to highlight one of its employees. Meet Bill Lynch!
Bill Lynch came to a job fair in June of 2017 and started the training program and completed Onboarding, and then joined the Custodial program. Bill has worked for many Business Services contracts (DLLR, MVA, MIFRI, and cleaning the retail stores). Bill completed the program and had to leave due to health issues. In April of 2022, Bill applied and returned to the Custodial position at UPIP and keeps the place looking great. Bill says he really likes the people he works with, and this is one of the better jobs he has had. Bill is very easygoing and great to get along with and likes to learn whatever is thrown his way.
In the area of Marketing and Development, there is some confusion about who handles events. Craig Foster is the Marketing & Public Relations manager and is responsible for the advertising of Horizon Goodwill Industries. He arranges store and attended donation center openings, advertisements, and sponsorships for community activities. Amanda Rossen, the Development Manager, is responsible for Grants, but also all events that HGI will be participating in. Including the sponsorships for those events. You can see why there is some confusion when it comes to events. Here is a quick guide to ‘who-does-what’:
| Marketing | Development |
| Store Openings/ADC Openings | Organization Special Events |
| Advertising (Media/Job Fairs, etc…) | Mission Events (community) |
| Event Sponsorships (stand-alone ) | Event Sponsorship (participating) |
| Signage (banners, sandwich boards, building, etc..) | Fundraisers |
| Literature (rack cards, flyers, etc…) | Power of Work Awards |
| Promotional items (giveaways, swag, et…) | More Than Just A Store events |
If you have any questions, please contact either of us about your activity, and we’ll be happy to help!
One of the most common items that are donated is ‘books.’ People donate books for several reasons: Kids outgrow the younger books, tastes change, spring clean-ups, and people move and need to declutter their homes. Those donations are processed at the retail stores, warehouses, or donation centers, and decisions are made. We categorize donated books into three categories: Good for store sales, direct to a reseller, or directly to recycling. At the warehouses, the bar codes on the books are scanned, and the books are put into two bins (resell or store sell). Recycling/Repurposing/Reusing is very important to Horizon Goodwill Industries, and in 2021, 168,000 lbs. of books weren’t resellable. Of those, 37,000 lbs. went to a 3rd party vendor, and 168,000 lbs. will be turned into pulp for reuse/recycling. The total number of books removed from the waste stream was about 205,000 lbs., a tremendous amount of potential trash that has been diverted from the landfill.
As students settle into a new school year, we are reminded that autumn is nearing. Pumpkin spice is everywhere, and leaves will soon be falling. September brings awareness to our communities struggling with opioid use and suicide. At HGI, we take an active role in helping employees and community members overcome addiction barriers and mental health challenges. The Human Resources Department would like to remind you that we can connect you to resources to help you with those barriers both at work and at home. Use Paycom to “Ask Here” for “Resource Coordination” or access our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) on the BHS Portal online or via the app at portal.BHSonline.com Username: Horizon Goodwill or call 800-327-2251.
August’s Living Our Values Award was presented for our “Character” value. Employees across the HGI organization nominated individuals they believed embodied this value day in and day out. The employees nominated demonstrate self-awareness and are committed to personal growth. They deliver on promises, do the right thing even when no one is looking, and are impeccable with their word. They respect others and value their contributions. They demonstrate trustworthiness and place their trust in others.
Winner: Brian Selby (Payroll Manager/Accounting)
We received 89 nominations for our Living Our Values – Character – Award. Brian Selby was nominated multiple times, and comments included, “Brian is dedicated to the best interest of HGI. From shoveling snow to making sure the doors are all locked, Brian does his job and much more for HGI.“, “Brian is always there no matter what the question is he can answer, or he finds the answer for you.“, “Brian is a pleasure to work with, dedicated and prompt with resolving issues.” and “Brian is very helpful when you have any questions about payroll. Not only does Brian provide the answers you need, but he also explains the importance of correct payroll procedures. If Brian does not specifically know the answer to your question, he will find out who can help, or he will research and always get back to you.“. Other top nominees included: Christopher Douglas – Assistant Store Manager/Berkeley Springs, and Frances Reese – Store Manager/North Pointe.
Be sure to nominate your selection for the September Living Our Values – Celebration – Award. This employee takes time to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of others. They believe in the value of overcoming barriers and take pride in achievements, great and small. Submit your nominations via Paycom Survey!
Spotlight – The Adolescent Clubhouse
You may have heard the name Adolescent Clubhouse, but are not really sure of what it is. The Adolescent Clubhouse and Whole Family Center is a program that has been designed to meet the needs of families and at-risk youth in our community by providing a family-oriented environment for them to grow together. Implemented into our programs, we create an environment that is fun, family-friendly, and drug-free. At the Adolescent Clubhouse, we encourage adolescents ages 11-16 to embrace their education and mental and emotional regulation and build healthy family and social relationships. We provide sufficient space to host various after-school activities daily, including arts and crafts, workouts, and self-care activities. We also provide free homework help and tutoring to encourage continued school success.
Our goal in the Adolescent Clubhouse is to provide a free, safe, and supportive environment for youth in our community. The Whole Family Center is where parents with young children can spend the day, somewhere safe and inviting. Families are encouraged to utilize our computer center to take courses including budgeting, child-parent relationships, and self-esteem. Also available to all families with young children are pack-n-plays, changing tables, as well as access to formula for young infants. Snacks will be provided throughout the day, and a free meal at five o’clock, Monday through Friday. As a special treat for our families, we host family movie nights every Wednesday.
Milestones & New Hires
Congratulations to the following people for reaching a great milestone, and a big ‘Welcome’ to our newest team members as they begin their journey to their milestones!
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Upcoming Events
- 9/17: Winchester – Winchester Pride 2022 at the Taylor Pavilion Winchester (12PM – 4PM)
- 9/17: Hagerstown – 7th Annual South End Community Block Party at Hagerstown City Park (11AM – 3PM).
- 9/24: Martinsburg – Recovery in the Park hosted by Mountaineer Recovery Center (11AM – 4PM)
- The Adolescent Clubhouse Wednesday Family Movie Night. The event is free to the public. Upcoming movies: Sept 7: Nanny McPhee, Sept 14: Soul, Sept 21: The Good Dinosaur, and Sept 28: Rio
Thank you for reading the Horizon Goodwill Industries newsletter. If you have any exciting news or story suggestions, please contact us at marketing@goodwill-hgi.org