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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Goodwill Industries is mainly known for the thrift stores, but what they are really selling is a sense of hope. Their goal is to provide education and training to people through their Artemis Institute Training Program. Check out how they’re empowering people to gain employment in the cutting edge tech fields in today’s Nonprofit Spotlight.

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

Who does your organization serve? 

Goodwill is a nonprofit organization that serves the Greater Kansas City community and surrounding areas. All programs and services are available to our clients at no cost and are developed to overcome each individual’s specific barrier to employment.

What is your mission statement? 

Goodwill empowers people to discover their potential and adapt for the future through the power of work.

What is currently impacting your operation? 

Job seekers who have barriers to employment that have an interest in short-term training that lead to immediate hiring opportunities.

What services are you providing? 

For 128 years, Goodwill has had a rich legacy of service for Kansans and Missourians. Today, MoKan Goodwill continues to operate out of the same sense of urgency—responding to the needs at hand as well as the coming requirements of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Rapidly changing technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and 3D printing, are drastically shifting how we work and the skills that will be important to employers in the future. Goodwill wants to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to benefit from the well-paying careers currently available within the IT field as well as the future state jobs that are being created.

To achieve this goal, Goodwill launched the Artemis Institute, in partnership with area technology companies, to train adults in Kansas and Missouri so they are well prepared for the next wave of industry. Through a combination of virtual and in-person classes, our instructors and expert advisors will help students understand and explore the skills and careers that are advancing in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Our program is centered on hands-on and project based experiences and learning through the use of virtual reality headsets and other future-state technologies.

image courtesy of MOKAN Goodwill

How can the community help: volunteering, donating goods, event participation and how will monetary donations be used? 

People can make physical donations or shop at our stores to help fund our mission since 88¢ of every dollar earned is committed to empowering local job seekers.

About Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas

Founded in 1894, Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas is a CARF-accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals of all abilities obtain jobs, essential skills training, and personal development opportunities. Recognized as an “Employer of Choice” with a GuideStar Seal of Transparency, our agency operates 16 regional retail stores and donation centers that generate funds to support our Mission, with 88¢ of every dollar earned committed to empowering local job seekers. As a Kansas City Industrial Council (KCIC) gold medal winner, MoKan Goodwill is also recognized as a leader in sustainability, annually diverting more than 17 million pounds of donated materials to resell, reuse or recycle. In 2022, we served 1,797 individuals, providing nearly 9,544 employment services, and assisting with 700 job placements.

Learn more at www.mokangoodwill.org. To see all the good we do together, follow us on Facebook,  Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.