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 Jobs Squad Spotlight: Mike Twigg
Have you been shopping at the Country Club Mall in Lavale lately? Seen this face? [Read more…] about Goodwill Jobs Squad Spotlight: Mike Twigg
Goodwill Does What!?!?!?- Washington County DSS
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.
This week we go to downtown Hagerstown, MD to explore our partnership with the Washington County Department of Social Services. [Read more…] about Goodwill Does What!?!?!?- Washington County DSS
Business Services Employee Spotlight- Ryan Dewitt!!
With Veterans Day around the corner, I’d like to take this opportunity and platform to thank all of the Veterans that have bravely served our country. You are an inspiration to us all and we can never thank you enough. Horizon Goodwill is proud to make serving and supporting these wonderful men and women a point of focus for our mission. We are thrilled to have a way to give back to these individuals who have given so much to all of us.
This week, we are going to take a look at an incredible individual and service Veteran, Ryan Dewitt. In addition to being a Veteran, Ryan has been employed by Horizon Goodwill since 2012 servicing a contract we hold with the United States Army. Here is his success story!
After serving in the United States Marine Corp from 1998-2000, Ryan suffered a tragic injury that rendered the left side of his body not fully functional. As a result, he received an honorable discharge. Faced with a barrier of this nature could cause many people to lose hope, but that was not the case for Ryan. Through the help and support of the ARC of Frederick County, Ryan connected with Goodwill. This partnership led to Ryan applying for and achieving a position on our janitorial team at Fort Detrick.
Ryan adapted to his situation and remains determined. He is a great asset to our team and brings a warm smile and positive attitude to work each day. In addition to maintaining this job, Ryan also enjoys going to the gym and has recently helped his father build a storage shed. This type of determination is a great example of an individual that did not let his disability define what he could and could not accomplish.
Horizon Goodwill does so much to help so many. And there are so many more people out there for us to help! Sometimes it just takes that first step before you are able realize your full potential. This is why we are here. This is what Horizon Goodwill is all about. Removing barriers, creating opportunities.
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
Goodwill Does What?!- MFRI
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 from my first entry here. [Read more…] about Goodwill Does What?!- MFRI