Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin Receives $10,000 AT&T Foundation Grant to Support School-to-Work Program
Program provides work and training experience for high school students who have barriers to employment in Antigo, Rhinelander and White Lake
FOR ANTIGO TIMES
ANTIGO,– Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin (Goodwill NCW) received a $10,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation today to support its School-to-Work program during an event at the Goodwill Retail Store and Training Center in Antigo.
The $10,000 AT&T Foundation grant will support Goodwill’s School-to-Work program, which provides work and training experience for high school students who have barriers to employment. The goal is to provide students with temporary work opportunities at Goodwill retail stores and training centers to help them gain skills for future employment.
“Through our School-to-Work program, our goal is to help high school students gain the skills, training and work experience they need to secure jobs in the future,” said Chris Hess, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin. “We are excited to receive this generous grant from the AT&T Foundation to support our programming and our efforts to eliminate barriers to employment for students with disabilities.”
School-to-Work is a cooperative effort between Goodwill and area school districts, including Antigo, Rhinelander and White Lake, that provides valuable work experience for high school students with disabilities. These work experiences help to bridge the gap between the classroom and working in the community.
“For more than a century, education has been a priority for AT&T,” said Scott T. VanderSanden, president of AT&T Wisconsin. “On behalf of the AT&T Foundation, we are proud to support Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin and their efforts to provide job experience, training and skills for students who will need extra help transitioning from school to work.”
Students participating in the program earn a paycheck while learning basic work skills and expectations to help them with the transition from high school into community work opportunities. Goodwill meets with area school districts to present the program and identify students with barriers who would benefit from the training experience.
The $10,000 AT&T Foundation grant will help Goodwill NCW provide temporary work opportunities for up to 25 youth during the 2019 and 2020 summer and school years.
The mission of Goodwill Industries is Elevating People by Eliminating Barriers to Employment. A nonprofit, Goodwill uses donations and shopping purchases to fund job training and more in communities in north central Wisconsin to make a life-changing impact for the people they serve. To learn more, please visit: https://www.goodwillncw.org/
AT&T is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities, and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation support projects that create opportunities, make connections, and address community needs where we – and our customers – live and work. Supporting education has been a major focus for AT&T for more than a century and education is our key philanthropic focus. We are driven to help students succeed – in school, in the workforce, and in life. To learn more about AT&T’s support of education please visit AT&T Aspire.