FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

James Harder
617-541-1218 jharder@goodwillmass.org

Goodwill to Provide Women with Career Assistance Beyond Jobs program to serve women across the country
BOSTON (Feb. 14, 2013) Help is on the way for women in the Greater Boston area who are having difficulty achieving financial independence and economic self-sufficiency. Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries is one of 45 Goodwill organizations across the country to take part in an innovative program that provides job training and placement services to women. The program, known as Beyond Jobs and funded through a $7.7 million grant from the Walmart Foundation, will now create a larger impact by reaching more women who are unemployed or underemployed. This new funding will help broaden the reach of a program that was started in 2010 in five U.S. markets, including Boston. Initially the program served 1,342 women and is now expected to serve 12,250 women in 45 communities. Not only will this program help place women facing barriers in jobs, it will also give them access to additional resources needed to support themselves and their families in the long term, said Joanne K. Hilferty, president and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries. Beyond Jobs fulfills Goodwills mission of generating economic opportunities for people who face challenges to finding employment and will help women enter the workforce and take key steps to achieve financial independence. Beyond Jobs leverages Goodwills approach to job training, placement and family financial support services. Over the 30-month grant period, Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries will work with low- and very low-income women to provide them the tools to pursue their educational, career and financial goals. Once participants are placed in jobs, they will receive support to help retain them, to further their education, and to advance in careers within their chosen industries. Long-term unemployment among women remains a problem, both locally and nationwide. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only 26 percent of the women who lost their jobs during the recession have regained them. Last year, more than one out of four women was still looking for work after more than a year of job hunting.

We are excited to be able to further assist women, said Joy Burghardt, vice president of programs and services at Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries. Each woman in the program will develop a career plan and receive needed job training, placement services, and additional supports to help her achieve economic security and advance in her career. Among the tools provided by the Beyond Jobs program are continued financial education, family strengthening services, and connections to healthy food and nutrition initiatives. The Beyond Jobs program is a key element in Walmart achieving the goals of its Global Womens Economic Empowerment Initiative, one of which is to help 200,000 U.S. women from low-income households with workforce readiness through job training, education, career counseling, and mentoring. For more information, visit corporate.walmart.com/women. About Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries For more than a century, Goodwill has provided job training programs and partnered with the business community to provide meaningful work opportunities for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to self-sufficiency. In addition, Goodwill operates Boston Career Link, a onestop career center, which offers universal access to a broad range of services for job seekers, individuals who are looking to advance or change careers, and employers seeking good job candidates. Goodwill also offers programs that foster academic achievement and career aspirations among urban youth. The Goodwill Stores in eastern and central Massachusetts provide jobs and on-the-job training opportunities. They offer quality, low-cost goods to individuals and families looking for value and support other programs and services fulfilling Goodwills charitable mission. Visit www.goodwillmass.org for more information. About Philanthropy at Walmart Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to helping people live better through philanthropic efforts. By operating globally and giving back locally, Walmart is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the communities it serves and make a significant social impact within its core areas of giving: Hunger Relief and Nutrition, Sustainability, Career Opportunity and Womens Economic Empowerment. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are leading the fight against hunger in the United States with a $2 billion commitment through 2015. Walmart has donated more than 900 million meals to those in need across the country. To learn more about Walmarts giving, visit foundation.walmart.com.

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