Change can be observed in an instant. But it’s usually a mistake to think it happens that way.  So while it’s tempting to focus on all the conspicuous transformations Goodwill has undertaken in 2022 — new look, new locations, new website —the reality is that all these are byproducts of a broader evolution. Ours is an organization eagerly leaning into one of the great inflection points of its life. We are actively steering a course of heightened community outreach — the result of insights, priorities and initiatives set in a strategic plan that’s been creating momentum for the past three years.

Mission innovations have pushed our ABC philosophy (advancing folks beyond A job to a Better job and then a Career) beyond a theoretical ideal and into the real world of quantifiable results. This year, nine out of ten training and certification graduates secured positions with a wage increase of 15%. We’re meeting the moment of the changing employment ecosystem while simultaneously meeting clients wherever they may be. In addition to traditional Job Connections, this year delivered a new era of flexible outreach on the four wheels of our 30 ft Mission Mobile vehicle.

Our strategic focus on service excellence yielded greater access to customers in the form of three new locations, and also in better experience within those stores thanks to important operational innovations. Coupled with a commitment to remain an employer of choice, these strides launched a series of important internal communications advances that make being in a Goodwill more welcoming and convenient than ever.

All this is, of course, the inspiration behind the countless new ways we’re telling our story.  It is the story of virtuous cycles. One where a host of diverse characters — from donors to associates to shoppers to job seekers — play essential roles in improving each other’s lives.  We love orchestrating these connections. We’re grateful to the individuals who make them happen. And we’re emboldened by all the evolving ways of facilitating that exchange of benefits from person to person. Simple convenience for some. Profound opportunity to others. And always, Goodwill to all.