In July, Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa received a $36,500 grant from The Walmart Foundation and its State Giving Program.
The money will be used to buy 20 laptop computers and a charging cart for Goodwill’s Career Connection Center in Johnston, and supporting materials including books, flash drives and clothing vouchers for Goodwill’s other Centers, in Des Moines and Newton.
Goodwill President Marlyn McKeen said the funding will help support Goodwill’s mission, which is to improve the quality of life for all individuals by providing skills training and helping people find jobs.
“This grant will enable Goodwill to provide training and the connections needed to get a job for up to 2,200 individuals,” McKeen said.
Goodwill’s Career Connection Centers provide free resume writing, job search and application assistance, interviewing and career planning for anyone looking for employment. In addition, the Centers provide numerous classes to assist job searchers with soft skills to improve their employability.