Today we will be shinning a spotlight on a very special individual that works on a contract we hold with the US Army on their base at Fort Detrick. Gary Lewis has been working on this base for over 9 ½ years as part of our janitorial team. With over 100 buildings and over 1,000,000 square feet of space to clean daily, these individuals have a lot of ground to cover! As you can imagine, teamwork and ownership is critical. The dedication and pride in the work this team performs is encapsulated in Gary. [Read more…] about BUSINESS SERVICES EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT- GARY LEWIS!
GET ONBOARD! Job Readiness Starts Here
Are you looking for a job? Are you trying to get back into the workforce? If so, then you know getting a job is a lot of hard work and that keeping a job can be even harder. That is why we are so excited to announce the launch of Horizon Goodwill’s new Job Readiness program, GET ONBOARD!
(Train emoji, high-five emoji, choo choo whistle emoji).
Goodwill’s GET ONBOARD! program is a twenty (20) hour classroom-based training that provides job readiness and soft skills needed by you and expected by your future employer. In just one week, Goodwill’s GET ONBOARD! introduces participants to the world of work and teaches critical employability skills that will help you get AND keep your next job: Personal management, Teamwork, Conflict resolution, Financial literacy, Self-motivation, Professional attire and etiquette.
GET ONBOARD! is free to participants and will be offered at
Horizon Goodwill’s four (4) Job Connection Centers located in Hagerstown and Cumberland, MD; Martinsburg, WV; and, Winchester, VA. The twenty (20) hour training is offered in 5 sessions with certificates of completion given to participants who complete without any absences.
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”
– Arthur Ashe
Since launching on February 1st, forty-five (45) job seekers have participated in and graduated from GET ONBOARD! Goodwill’s Workforce Development Team would like to recognize all the GET ONBOARD! participants — thank you for your willingness to take your job readiness journey with us. Participants and graduates not only embraced a new and innovative learning opportunity, but boldly began their journey of returning to the workforce and moving closer to self-sufficiency.
A special Goodwill thank you to our Washington County partners – Steve Hummel and team from Columbia Bank and Lori Wriston and the staff of Valor Ministries – for collaborating with us on this new venture.
For more information, go to horizongoodwill.org or call 301-733-7330. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Goodwill Does What?!?!?!- LaVale State Highway Administration
Welcome back! As you may know, my goal is to educate and excite you about all that Goodwill does for our community and what it can possibly do for you and/or your business. If this is the first blog you have read in this series, please feel free to see how it all got started from my first entry here. [Read more…] about Goodwill Does What?!?!?!- LaVale State Highway Administration
Guess What?! Horizon Goodwill Opens a New Store in Hagerstown, MD!
A new Horizon Goodwill retail and donation location will be opening soon in the South End Shopping Center in Hagerstown. Maybe you have never been to a Goodwill Store.. Maybe, like me, you visit every Goodwill Store you find! Whether you are a Goodwill beginner or a shopping veteran we have something for everyone. [Read more…] about Guess What?! Horizon Goodwill Opens a New Store in Hagerstown, MD!
Business Services Employee Spotlight-Brenda Wills!
Welcome back! My goal is to educate and excite you about all that Goodwill does for our community and what it can possibly do for you and/or your business! If this is the first blog you have read in this series, please feel free to see how it all got started [Read more…] about Business Services Employee Spotlight-Brenda Wills!
Goodwill Does What?! -HBP
Welcome back! As you may know, my goal is to educate and excite you about all that Goodwill does for our community and what it can possibly do for you and/or your business. If this is the first blog you have read in this series, please feel free to see how it all got started from my first entry here.
If you have lived in Washington County for a while, there is a good chance that you are familiar with this week’s featured business partner, Hagerstown Bookbinding and Printing Company (HBP). HBP has been around since 1903 and is now one of the largest independent printing companies in the Mid-Atlantic region. What you may not know is that since the late 1980’s, they have partnered with Horizon Goodwill Industries.
The relationship was initially formed when Horizon Goodwill began doing subcontracting work for HBP. Since it’s inception, it has blossomed into a much more robust partnership. In today’s environment we have full time HBP personnel working at our corporate facility in our warehouse area. They work alongside our clients who assist HBP with their fulfillment work. The larger the demand and scope of the project, the more hours our clients are able to work. This symbiotic supply chain solution benefits both organizations and we are thrilled to have this partnership!
Our clients work on assembling (a.k.a. kitting) packages that will go out to a variety of HBP’s customers. This type of work requires close attention to detail and gives our clients experience working as part of a larger assembly line type team. The Holiday season is obviously a big push in retail and our staff if gearing up for what looks to be another great year assisting HBP with this work! The jobs created here are a great proving ground for our clients and gives them a paycheck along the way.
There is also an additional group that helps get these packages prepared for final shipment to HBP’s end customers. Working alongside the HBP staff gives our clients a feel for open market competitive employment.
They work very well together and have created a great bond. Horizon Goodwill employee Katie Harrell really likes the work experience and stated, “We work together and laugh together. We are like family out here, not just a team.”
Thanks for reading! Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments regarding the blog or what our Business Services division can do for you! bmarks@goodwill-hgi.org