Hamilton Township Mayor Jeff Martin was present to welcome the Goodwill’s Career Opportunity Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month. Located within the Goodwill Store & Donation Center at the Hamilton Plaza at 1245 NJ Highway 33, the Career Opportunity Center offers free career building services to area residents.
While many people recognize Goodwill for its network of retail stores and donation centers, the nonprofit organization also offers free career building services for individuals faced with barriers to employment. Goodwill’s Hamilton-based Career Opportunity Center offers a basic adult education program that enables individuals to earn their high school diploma 100% tuition free. Beyond a diploma, participants can earn up to 30 college credits through partnerships with local community colleges. Individuals can also take advantage of English as a Second Language (ESL) programming as well as career placement services.
According to Goodwill President & CEO Mark B. Boyd, donations are what enable Goodwill to fulfill its charitable mission. “At Goodwill, we take the items you no longer need or want; we sell them to value conscious shoppers; and then use the revenues to help job seekers attain the job skills or education needed to become competitively employed. At Goodwill, we change lives for the better,” said Boyd.
“We have heard how hard it is for our local employers to find employees. With a community partner in Goodwill, we hope that our residents will take advantage of this fantastic resource to help them build careers right here in Hamilton,” said Mayor Jeff Martin.
Founded in 1948, Goodwill Industries of Southern NJ & Philadelphia is a nonprofit, community-based organization dedicated to providing job training and career services that help local residents with disabilities and other barriers to get to work. Revenue from the sale of donated items in Goodwill’s 25+ retail stores fund these programs while contributing to the region’s recycling and sustainability efforts. 2023 marks Goodwill’s 75th year of serving local communities through the power of work.
To learn more about Goodwill Stores and Donation Centers visit www.goodwillnj.org. Visit www.HamiltonNJ.com/EconomicDevelopment to learn of the new businesses that have recently opened or have relocated to Hamilton and read up on why Hamilton is a great place for businesses to call home!