Goodwill Industries, Inc., Serving Eastern Nebraska & Southwest Iowa

Many people know Goodwill Industries, Inc., Serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, (Goodwill Omaha) as a place to donate used clothing and household items or find great bargains. But you might not know: We provide job training and placement services to people with disabilities and other disadvantages. The sale of donated items sold in Goodwill retail stores supports our employment programs and services. Here’s how: People in the community donate gently used items to Goodwill. We sell those donated items in our retail stores. The proceeds from those sales subsidize our job programs, giving thousands of individuals in the Omaha area the chance to earn a living, discover independence and succeed in life. Goodwill provides opportunities through a variety of employment programs, including the following: 

YOUTHBUILD AMERICORPS Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor, YouthBuild AmeriCorps is a program for disadvantaged and at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 years who have struggled with school and are underemployed or don’t have high school diplomas. YouthBuild participants receive construction education and training, earn their GED, and receive leadership training and ongoing support from our team. YouthBuild AmeriCorps is a proud partner of the American Job Center Network. 

EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS Goodwill’s Employment Solutions program is designed to help people with disabilities and other disadvantages get the job training, certification and skills they need to find independence and success through work. Then, we connect participants with our local business clients to place them in jobs, and we provide ongoing support and retention services for both our program participants and our clients. It’s a win–win. 

WORK EXPERIENCE Goodwill’s Work Experience program offers special-education students nearing the completion high school the opportunity to gain exposure to work situations in supportive environments. This program is often their first step in making the transition from an educational setting to the professional working world, and it can improve their chance of successful job placement. Students are referred to Work Experience by their school districts and have the opportunity to work a variety of jobs within the Goodwill organization. 

ABILITYONE Goodwill’s AbilityOne program provides part-time job opportunities for individuals with disabilities in supportive, team-oriented work environments at several federal properties. Employment opportunities are available at Offutt Air Force Base, the Zorinsky Federal Building in Omaha and the Denney Federal Building in Lincoln. Positions include custodial, postal services and grounds maintenance. All AbilityOne participants work with Goodwill Omaha’s team to help ensure successful placements.