Brian Marsh
Goodwill Industries of Arkansas has received a $749,973 federal grant to support an expanding program that helps formerly imprisoned people find jobs.
The three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will grow the Transitional Employment Opportunity (TEO) program to 20 communities across the state, serving an estimated 900 clients. The grant aims to help reduce recidivism and promote public safety through job readiness training, job leads, job search and resume assistance, interview preparation, mock interviews and job retention.
The recidivism rate of Goodwill’s program is less than 6%, compared to the Arkansas average of 46.1%, the nonprofit said in a news release.
The grant will also fund scholarships to The Academy at Goodwill, where clients can receive training and certifications in welding, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and carpentry.
“This grant will not only impact the individuals who receive our TEO program services, it will also produce a ripple effect on their families, local communities, Arkansas’ workforce and economy that is nearly impossible to measure,” Brian Marsh, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, said in a news release. “Transforming lives is an effort that takes collaboration among a number of stakeholders, including our local and state governments, and other non-profits that place a priority on education, training and employment.”
Goodwill Industries of Arkansas is one of 22 organizations across the U.S. to be awarded the grant, and the only one in Arkansas. Supporters include U.S. Rep. French Hill, who said the nonprofit’s re-entry program has had a “profound impact in our communities.”
“These opportunities provide professional skills training and sets regimens and routines while reducing the rate of recidivism,” Hill said in the release. “I was proud to support their application for this grant and look forward to the good work GIA continues to do within our immediate community.”
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