HOPE & HOME FAMILY SHELTER PROGRAM

In partnership with Mercy House, Goodwill provides emergency shelter intervention for families experiencing homelessness in Maricopa, Yavapai, and Coconino counties – all at no cost to families.

There is one barrier that is more challenging than any other. It is one of the most basic needs of any human being: the need for shelter. Imagine going to an interview without clean clothes, running on nothing but four hours of sleep on the pavement with the ache of hunger in your belly. Imagine going to work every day under those same circumstances and conditions and being uncertain of your own safety. What if you have children? Where would they go?

That is the reality for many families in Arizona. That is why we started the Hope & Home Family Shelter Program: to give families the support and stability they need.

Many other housing programs only focus on providing temporary housing. Hope & Home is different because families receive resource assistance for food, transportation, work, housing, child care, and more, to ensure they are successful. Learn more in this video.

VETERAN & MILITARY FAMILY CAREER CENTER 

We connect Veterans and their families with caring Veteran staff members and resources including job assistance, resume building, mock interviews, training, and more – all at no cost for Veterans.

Over a half million Veterans currently reside in Arizona – strong men and women from all walks of life who have proudly served their country.

Unfortunately, many of our Veterans do not receive the support they need to make the challenging transition from military service to civilian life. Some Veterans find it challenging to adapt from the highly structured culture of the military. Some Veterans are simply not aware of the work they are uniquely qualified for. And some come back from deployments with “personal baggage” – some large, some small – and all deal with it in their own way.

Our Veteran Career Center is staffed exclusively by Veterans, for Veterans, and their families. Our Veteran coaches have expertise in tailoring resumes, in particular, for Federal employment, to better assist our Veterans looking to reenter the workforce through government employment opportunities. Learn more in this video.

MISSION IN ACTION

If you would like to see and experience our mission here at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, sign up for an upcoming Mission tour by clicking HERE. If you want to take action by donating to help us fund our programs, click HERE.

THE EXCEL CENTER  

We help students ages 18 and older earn their high school diplomas, gain workforce certifications, and access childcare, life and career coaching, and transportation assistance all at no cost to the students.

Last year, we took our first steps toward changing the way education is delivered for working-age adults in Arizona.

We launched the Goodwill Excel Center, a high school for adults to give them the opportunity to complete their high school diploma. This crucial step opens the door to a world of possibilities, allowing students to pursue new career opportunities and close a devastating income gap.

“Our students range from 18 to 79 years old”

– Georgia Harris, Vice President and Superintendent

The Excel Center provides free on-site childcare, flexible scheduling, transportation assistance, and career and life coaching. Our students have the opportunity to complete professional certifications that will help them take that next step in their career journey, making sure they can provide for themselves and their families. All of this comes at no cost to them, and it’s all thanks to your continuing support.

This year, we celebrated our very first graduate and opened our new Excel Center Papago campus located at 48^th Street & McDowell.

CAREER CENTERS & MYCAREERADVISOR.COM

We offer employment support including resume building, mock interviews, career exploration, career training, and certifications – all at no cost for the public and online 24/7 (MyCareerAdvisor.com) or in-person.

Across Arizona, we’re helping our neighbors help themselves by giving them the career tools they need to succeed. This allows them to be self-sufficient so they can support themselves and their families.

One of the most rewarding aspects of working with Goodwill is witnessing the successes of the individuals who have worked with us and seeing the progress they have made. We take the time to listen and develop solutions that remove the barriers faced when gaining an education or getting hired. It starts with understanding the challenges people face on a daily basis and doing something about it.

We all understand that having a job is so much more than just earning a paycheck. It gives us a sense of belonging, feeds our families, and provides a sense of accomplishment.

Goodwill’s no-cost career services help individuals achieve a sense of dignity and self-worth. Goodwill empowers individuals, strengthens families, and builds stronger communities.

SUCCESS STORY

Mitzi visited one of our Career Centers looking for employment and was inspired by the work our Career Coaches were doing in the community. She joined Goodwill as a Career Coach, pouring her heart and soul into her work so that she could help others who were struggling with the uncertainties of unemployment.

Mitzi’s tireless work and dedication are reflected in every life she touches. She had walked in their shoes – she knew what it meant to be hungry, homeless, and without hope. She knew their stories because she had lived through the same pain and heartache firsthand, and this drove her passion.

When we first began building the framework of what would become the shelter program, we knew that we needed that same knowledge and passion. Earlier this year, Mitzi was promoted from her role as a Career Coach with Goodwill to a Housing Solutions Case Manager with Hope & Home. She continues to live and breathe our mission every day.