Licking/Knox Goodwill opens new Business Services facility in Hebron
The Licking/Knox branch of Goodwill is opening a new Business Services facility in Hebron. The building, located on O’Neill Drive, has been vacant for five years and will house assembly contracts.
By opening this new building, Goodwill created 25 jobs that will go to disabled members of the community. The new employees will fulfill requests for assembly and fabrication work, with pay that is “well above minimum wage,” according to Lisa Baker, the vice president of communications for Licking/Knox Goodwill Industries.
Among Goodwill’s initiatives, in addition to their retail stores, janitorial services, and other goals, is their career services division, which Baker says is “really at the heart of our mission.”
“Our career services works with state agencies to provide vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities,” Baker said. “(We) basically work with them and find the perfect job for them, and help them find gainful employment.”
The new facility will provide jobs that are easy to access. The building is in a centralized location, which is helpful as many of the employees rely on outside transportation from family members or caregivers. Additionally, the job itself will provide an easygoing environment: employees will be able to sit comfortably as they perform their tasks.
“Having this building allows us the opportunity to pursue some additional contracts that we were looking at as well as creating that comfortable work environment that people with disabilities really prefer, and I think everybody would,” Baker said.
She added, “it makes it easier for them to get there and it gives them their own space, and gives (them) a sense of ownership of the work they’re doing.”
Goodwill has a number of business initiatives, which are intended to provide training and support services for people with disabilities. They have retail stores across Licking and Knox counties, and they run janitorial and security divisions. They also have an online auction website for items that might be difficult to find in retail stores, and they are looking to expand their housing units in order to provide housing for veterans as well as their own employees.
Donations to Goodwill ultimately go toward supporting these initiatives. The new business services building will provide more job opportunities for people who need them.
“We’re just so grateful for the support of the communities, helping us in our retail stores and the donations that we receive,” Baker said. “People seek us out to do business and understand that we are responsible and excited to get out in the community.
"Making jobs doesn’t just mean collecting shirts and selling them. We can turn that into almost anything that helps people reach out and find jobs.”
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking/Knox Goodwill opens new Business Services facility in Hebron
