…a high school diploma and The Excel Center was greeted with immediate interest from the community. On opening day, 135 students had enrolled. The goal is to eventually serve 350 students a semester. Through the Adult High School, students will obtain a skills credential, access case management, needed resources, and free childcare services. To support the school, Goodwill’s former headquarters in Baltimore City was remodeled and modernized to accommodate a thriving student population.
Overall, our Workforce Development staff provided over 56,000 services to 1,571 individuals! We placed 1,205 into jobs with an average wage of $16.80. Programs included Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship, Certified Nursing Assistant Training, Flagger Certification Training, Pharmacy Technician Certification Training, and ServSafe Certification Training.
As part of our efforts to continue investing in employees, we launched our Talent Development Program, which focuses on supporting employees with professional development, case management support, and financial coaching. The goal of the Talent Development Program is to increase the retention of entry-level employees while assisting them to achieve their professional/vocational goals.
Ultimately, donations from the public sold in our Retail stores fund our organizational efforts. In 2023, there were over 617,085 donation transactions, which accounted for over 40 million pounds of donated goods. Additionally, there were over 1.6 million shopping transactions in 2023, which showed 8% growth in retail sales from the year prior.
In 2024, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake is expanding our commitment to the environment and increasing our responsibility as stewards of public donations. For the first time nationally, three regional Goodwills are combining our efforts and leveraging our collective reach and resources to make a tangible impact on the environment. The Goodwill collaborative includes Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Goodwill of Greater Washington, and Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County.
With a focus on people, the planet, and prosperity, our three Goodwill organizations are pursuing opportunities to convert used textiles into raw materials and new fabrics, shred plastic, and implode glass into raw materials that can be sold to existing domestic markets.
Thank you to all of our donors, shoppers, supporters, partners, volunteers, board, and staff for your continued support as we continue to expand our efforts across Central Maryland and the Eastern Shore.