During the May 2002 NISH National Training Conference in Orlando, Florida, members of the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled and the Committee staff visited Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc. While in the modern and comfortable atmosphere, the visitors shared ideas, listened to presentations by President/CEO Richard L. Coleman and employees, and participated in personal tours of the organized and efficient facility.

Founded in 1959, Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc. has served the Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, Lake, and Volusia Counties for over 40 years. In accordance with its mission statement, this nonprofit agency has provided employment opportunities to people with disabilities and disadvantaging conditions so that those people may overcome barriers to employment, reach a higher level of independence, improve their lives, and become full participating members of a viable community.

The Orlando Business Journal recently ranked Goodwill as the second largest permanent employment agency in Central Florida. Last year Goodwill placed more than 3,500 people in full-time positions in a multitude of Central Florida businesses ($7,221,675 taxes paid by those placed in employment) and assisted more than 28,000 people with employment-related services (up 75 percent over the previous year). Through contracted outsourcing services, this nonprofit agency can help save customers time and money by finding, training, and delivering reliable, skilled employees to handle a number of business tasks on an outsourced basis, including packaging, assembly, mailing, data entry, custodial work, and grounds-keeping.

A business that has already tapped into the contract services includes the Naval Air Warfare Center and Training Systems Division; eight JWOD employees with disabilities hired by Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc. perform mailroom services, requisitioning services, and warehouse supply services for this business.

In addition to earning the rank of the #1 Goodwill agency for expending the least amount of dollars per client served in 2001, as ranked by Goodwill Industries International; this nonprofit agency was also ranked among the top 10 Goodwill agencies for the numbers of clients served (#6) and numbers of clients placed (#8) this past year.

For more information about Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, Inc., visit www.goodwillcfl.org.