Goodwill Industries of Southern California
Transforming Lives through the Power of Work
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Job Training & Placement Services - Ending Unemployment for Vulnerable Job-seekers
Goodwill's network of programs and services to vocationally disadvantaged job seekers reach more than 30,000 people every year. We complement the work of other social service agencies with our experience and expertise in employment, and have been doing so for the past 100 years. We operate 4 County/City-funded America's Job Centers of California, 3 Goodwill/privately funded Career Centers, and programs focused on serving people with disabilities, disadvantaged youth and the re-entry population. For over a century we have served over one million job seekers in So. California and placed tens of thousands in good jobs. Our approach is simple: Connect job seekers with employers. Sometimes, the process takes a while because the people we serve often have enormous barriers to employment. Our staff provides case management and career counseling to help vulnerable job seekers meet individual career goals. Resources include career goal assessments, pre-employment assistance e.g. housing referrals, career counseling, case management, GED classes, soft skills workshops, training in short-term certification courses, work experience, support services such as transportation assistance and help with professional clothing, job placement, and follow-ups.
Most of the people we serve from our 30,000 sq. mile service area (Los Angeles County north of Rosecrans, and all of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) could be described as the working poor - engaged in multiple jobs to provide for their families. We also offer programs for disconnected military veterans, persons with disabilities, people with a history of incarceration, and at-risk youth.
Over the years, we've incorporated more high-touch services to vulnerable job seekers resulting in better career-oriented job placements. Over the past 3 years, we have enrolled and graduated more than 1500 people in short-term certificate training at no cost to them, giving them opportunity for stable, career-oriented jobs with sustainable wages. To illustrate the impact of training, in just the first 6 months of 2016, we trained 700 job seekers with a resulting wage gain from placements of $30-million. Goodwill's partnership with Northrop Grumman, City of Palmdale and Antelope Valley College is a good example of our sector-focused work, which we are increasingly doing to benefit job seekers and to address the skills gap in manufacturing. Goodwill developed/customized curriculum to meet the needs of Northrop, and helped Antelope Valley College qualify to receive training funds, engaged other stakeholders (EDD, local agencies) to refer eligible job seekers to Goodwill for pre-screening, and created remedial pathways for job seekers who fail to meet math/reading proficiency. We pre-screened 705 candidates and enrolled 91 in training. Forty have been hired by Northrop or another aerospace/manufacturing employer after training.
Other portions of our service program include:
Contract Services-jobs competitively contracted with local businesses that provide training and work experience for people with developmental disabilities and other disadvantages.
Food Services-provides culinary training and work experience for persons with various employment challenges in our cafeteria, while providing good nourishment for employees and trainees at reasonable prices.
Environmental Services (secure document shredding, computer & e-waste recycling, full service custodial and landscaping services)-provides jobs/training for people with disabilities and other vocational disadvantages.
Retail Service Training-our stores provide jobs and training opportunities for employees working to overcome various barriers to employment.
Retail Services, Contracts, and Environmental Services all provide jobs while bringing in revenue to help fund our workforce and career development programs.
Where we work
Accreditations
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) 2014
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) 2021
Awards
Goodwill Southern California’s Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) program recognized as an ‘exemplary practice’ 2011
CARF
4-Star WorkSource Center and 4-Star OneSource Youth Opportunity Center 2011
City of Los Angeles, Community Development Department
Affiliations & memberships
National Rehabilitation Association 2011
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities, At-risk youth, Ex-offenders, Veterans, Homeless people
Related Program
Job Training & Placement Services - Ending Unemployment for Vulnerable Job-seekers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Though we have 5 target populations, we serve all jobseekers who walk through our doors.
Number of participants who gain employment
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities, At-risk youth, Veterans, Ex-offenders, Homeless people
Related Program
Job Training & Placement Services - Ending Unemployment for Vulnerable Job-seekers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
This refers to the number of participants who receive intensive job placement services with an individualized success plan.
Number of persons earning industry-recognized certifications/credentials
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Veterans, At-risk youth, Ex-offenders, People with disabilities, Homeless people
Related Program
Job Training & Placement Services - Ending Unemployment for Vulnerable Job-seekers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1 Continue to be a leading provider of quality training & employment services for people with the most significant barriers to employment. Serve 86,000 vocationally challenged people in SoCal over next 3 yrs.
2 Grow quality job placement in growth industries from 5,500/year to 8,000 in 2019. Refine/implement comprehensive program design with measurable impact on persons with disabilities & ensure inclusiveness & sustainability.
3 Provide quality work experience to approx. 3,000 at-risk youth, persons with disabilities & vocationally disadvantaged over next 3 yrs.
4 Increase number of job seekers receiving certificates & credentials. Goal: 6,500 over 3 yrs.
5 Expand mobile services to maximize outreach to job seekers throughout territory.
6 Expand large-scale strategic partnerships creating customized training for job seekers with focus on sector employers. Expand/implement apprenticeships/career pathways.
7 Maximize environmental &sustainability efforts throughout organization.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Provide job seekers skills training, paid work experience & placement to stable, career-oriented jobs with livable wages.
Specialized sector-focused training & increased partnerships—A 16-wk. accelerated training program in partnership with Northrop-Grumman & Antelope Valley College enables participants to earn an aerospace mfg. college credential. 20 units of credit are built into the credential so they can continue their education post-program. Interviews with local employers such as Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are guaranteed to grads, who are eligible for entry-level jobs paying $15-$18/hr. After several years they can earn as much as $25/hr. This program has waiting list of 1,000+.
Opportunity for “left behind” persons—With the City of L.A. we work on a Skid Row pilot project to house & place homeless to transitional jobs. Partners focus on rapid housing. Goodwill provides job prep & placement. Key strategy: placement to Goodwill jobs offering work experience in a supportive environment. 26 of 31 homeless participants placed in the 1st 3-months. Soon to expand to the San Fernando Valley & So LA.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Over the past century we have served more than one million job seekers in Southern California and placed tens of thousands unemployed men and women in good jobs. Our approach is simple: connect job seekers with employers. Sometimes the process takes a while because the people we serve may have enormous barriers to employment requiring time, support and resources. Our staff provides case management, career counseling, guidance and direction to help job seekers meet individual career goals. Resources include career goals assessment, pre-employment assistance with housing and other barriers, GED classes, soft skills workshops, career training in high-demand careers, work experience at a Goodwill business or external employer, job application and interview assistance, career placement, support services such as transportation assistance and help with professional clothing, job placement, and 6-month follow up.
Our network of programs and services to vocationally disadvantaged job seekers reach over 30,000 people every year. We complement the work of other social service organizations with our experience and expertise in employment, and have been doing so for many decades. Our territory extends 31,000 sq. miles from all of Los Angeles County (excluding the beach cities – Long Beach, Redondo Beach, etc. – north of Rosecrans Blvd.) to all of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Within this diverse community, we provide services out of several career centers (privately and County/City-funded), programs for veterans (including one onsite at Fort Irwin Forward Operating Military Base), and several sites where we offer services for people with disabilities, disadvantaged youth, and persons with incarceration histories. Lately, we have begun to mobilize some of our services, equipping frontline staff with mobile devices and deploying them where our target population are located.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2016 we accomplished the following:
32,523 Individuals served
27,942 People accessed our basic services including hiring events, job listings in career resource centers, computers for resumes, printing, job search assistance and supportive services (career clothing, transportation assistance, etc.)
4,581 Individuals received intensive services, including career counseling, case management, job training and placement and retention support
1,236 People received industry-recognized certificates/credentials at no cost to them
4,568 Individuals placed to good jobs in the community
2,594 Individuals with disabilities served
1,265 Re-entry participants served (self-reported)
1,092 Youth provided mentoring, homework help, job preparation and career counseling
18,306 Unemployed and under-employed persons served
3,985 Homeless persons served
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
We provide employment services to individuals with barriers to employment, low wage earners and dislocated workers. While our strategic populations include disconnected youth, justice impacted, unhoused individuals, individuals with disabilities and veterans.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our community partners,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Goodwill Industries of Southern California
Board of directorsas of 11/5/2021
Mr. Laurence Midler
CBRE
Term: 2022 - 2021
David Amar
William Blair & Co
Donald Crumrine
Flaherty & Crumrine (retired)
Michael Fong
Los Angeles Community College District
Drucilla Garcia-Richardson
Manufacturers Bank
Diana Ingram
Oracle Consulting
Kathleen Johnson
Law Office of Kathleen C. Johnson
Jack Kaufman
Kaufman, Miller & McAndrew
Jessica Lall
Central City Association
Nancy Limon
Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling
Larry Midler
CBRE Group, Inc.
Thomas Murnane
Arc Business Advisors
Paul Reiner
Deloitte Consulting LLP
Daniel Rendler
Southern California Gas Company
Morgan St. John
Peter Starrett
Freeman Spogli
Susan Stromgren
Bank of the West (retired)
Terry Takeda
Triple T&S Enterprises
Richard Villa
TCW
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/05/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.