Funding supports collaborative partnership with Sentara Health
Staunton, Virginia – Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, a social enterprise dedicated to improving the health and well-being of our communities, is pleased to announce a generous contribution of $15,000 from Sentara Health to assist with the GoodStart Reentry Program & Job Starter Training Initiative.
The $15,000 donation from Sentara will be utilized by Goodwill to support the GoodStart Reentry Program & Job Starter Training Initiative. Goodwill’s reentry program provides case management services, employment and occupational skills training, and job placement to individuals reentering society after incarceration. The program leverages community resources to provide mental and physical health services, and additional wrap-around services to men and women (ages 18 and older) who were convicted as adults in Virginia. The program’s three-phased approach to addressing employment needs includes wrap-around community services, case management, and comprehensive vocational programming that provides participants with ongoing employment assessments, soft-skills training, occupational skills training, credentialing, job placement and job retention support.
Goodwill works with community partners to leverage resources to provide participants digital literacy programming, adult education, financial literacy training, transportation services, housing assistance, family reunification efforts and additional evidence-based activities. The partnership between the Goodwill and Blue Ridge Community College Job Starter programs intends to be the catalyst to placing ten individuals with barriers to employment including a criminal background in employment in the skilled trades earning a living wage. Goodwill will pay the tuition costs and supportive services for ten individuals from the Shenandoah Valley, placing them in employment in the advanced manufacturing field and increasing their self-sufficiency.
“Goodwill is thankful to receive funding from Sentara to support our reentry program,” states, Stephanie Hoer, Vice President of Mission and People for Goodwill. “The partnership with Blue Ridge Community College’s Job Starter programs will help ensure the success of the individuals participating. Sentara and Blue Ridge Community College’s collaboration helps Goodwill to fulfill our mission to empower individuals and our vision to eliminate poverty.”
This contribution from Sentara reinforces their shared commitment to creating healthier communities through partnerships with organizations and individuals.
About Goodwill Industries of the Valleys
Goodwill Industries® of the Valleys serves 35 counties and 14 cities throughout Central, Southwest, and Southside Virginia. Our vision to eliminate poverty is fueled by our mission of empowering individuals, strengthening families, and inspiring communities. Your donations and shopping allow Goodwill® to provide skills training, job placement, and support services to help people achieve their fullest potential.
Visit goodwillvalleys.com for more information.
About Sentara Health • www.sentara.com/news
Sentara, an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system, celebrates 135 years in pursuit of its mission – “we improve health every day.” Sentara is one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and among the top 20 largest not-for-profit integrated health systems in the country, with 30,000 employees, 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves more than 1.2 million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health’s “Top 15 Health Systems” (2021, 2018), and was recognized by Forbes as a “Best Employer for New Grads” (2022), “Best Employer for Veterans” (2022), and “Best Employer for Women” (2020).
