Annual Message from our President & CEO Dale Monaghan
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Annual Message from Our Board Chair Kevin MacDonald & CEO Dale Monaghan
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Core Values
Goodwill Industries of Alberta operates as an independent, community-based nonprofit organization, providing job placement, job training and career supportive services for those with a disability.
With one of the highest employment rates of Albertans with disabilities in the province, Goodwill strives to make an impact in our communities through the power of work and the dignity of a job.
Our values are our moral compass as we strive to make a difference for so many.
From humble beginnings as the Edmonton Rehabilitation Society, for nearly 60 years we have helped thousands find purpose through employment, as we are a people business, strengthening communities and lives for the better.
There are Not-For-Profit organizations and there are For-Profit organizations. Goodwill is proudly a FOR IMPACT organization.
With support from the wonderful community, together we can create a better tomorrow and our tremendous success showcases how those who donate, shop and support Goodwill are in fact, making such a profound difference, day in and day out.
Career Connections is where Goodwill’s mission of helping Albertans with disabilities, gain and obtain meaningful employment, comes to life.
With resources in the Greater Edmonton region, individuals are assisted with identifying their employment goals, employment preparation, job search, and employment coaching, with an overall goal of gaining independence.
In January 2020, Career Connections broadened the scope to increase the eligibility of participants to the program. This helps increase potential intakes through the Persons with Developmental Disability criteria.
During COVID-19 lockdowns, Career Connections did suspend activity as a health and safety precautionary measure, working in line with provincial regulations. After a two month temporary closure, services resumed with 94.1% of persons served returning to receiving services.
This temporary measure created opportunity where opportunity didn’t exist before. Working in partnership with the Ready, Willing and Able organization, Goodwill helped launch a new service stream. Originally a pilot project, this program re-launched in September with a goal of a creating more employment opportunities for those with a disability.
In 2020, 130 Albertans with disabilities were served through Career Connections. This includes gaining or maintaining paid employment for 59 individuals, creating and maintaining volunteer opportunities for 52 people and graduating 9 people from our program. Based on an assessment in 2019, Goodwill is certified by CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) for quality standards until rec-certification in 2022.
The Career Connections team is an outstanding group of Albertans who are passionate about advocating for a more inclusive society.
With challenges posed by COVID-19, this group has been able to quickly take many meaningful steps towards maintaining and improving the service delivery model with positive results.
Opportunities Abound
Econolube
Econolube in Spruce Grove worked with Goodwill’s Career Connection program to place an individual with a disability into a work program. Helping them find their purpose and creating dignity and joy through the power of work!
The Volunteer Hub
Volunteer placements are in a holding pattern or they’ve been outright cancelled since the pandemic began last year. This left many people without a place to contribute back to the community.
Goodwill’s Job Development Team took this challenge head-on and created “The Goodwill Volunteer Hub.”
Sustainability initiatives continue to thrive at Goodwill. In 2020, thanks to the positive impact made by the addition of seven new sustainability programs, Goodwill continues an upward trend of diversion from local landfills.
This past year, Goodwill has rolled out the following diversion from landfill programs:
In the Calgary region:
- Recycling of razors and razor blades.
- Implementation of the Expanded Electronics Recycling Program.
- Reuse of glassware and ceramics.
- Reuse of audiovisual materials.
- Reuse of soft toys.
- Reuse of single shoes.
- Recycling of plastic food containers; a pilot project at the Goodwill Calgary Regional Office.
In the Edmonton region:
- Recycling of razors and razor blades.
- Implementation of the Expanded Electronics Recycling Program.
- Thanks to the support provided by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), Goodwill was able to recycle the following new categories in 2020:
- small appliances,
- audiovisual,
- telecom devices,
- power air tools,
- games,
- electronic toys and
- music devices.
As a result of these initiatives and Goodwill’s commitment to sustainability the diversion rate across the province once again increased from 85% in 2019 to 86% in 2020. This meant that 15,125,461 kilograms were diverted from the landfills, even with a hiatus of two months due to COVID-19. This is a huge accomplishment considering all the market disruptions and change in procedures experienced in 2020.
Calgary Throw ‘n’ Go
Goodwill Industries of Alberta was the selected partner for the collection of textiles at the East Calgary, Spyhill and Shepard Throw ‘n’ Go facilities in Calgary.
Clothing and textiles are donated, reused or recycled depending on their condition. Materials are sorted, cleaned and can be turned into wiping rags or shredded down for upholstery stuffing or fiber recycling.
All dropped-off clothing and textiles are organized by Goodwill.
Thanks to this partnership with the City of Calgary, 13,225 kilograms of textiles were diverted from local landfills.
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The Nature Inspiration Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose specific projects encourage Canadians to take an interest in natural history, create links with nature and contribute to its preservation.
Goodwill Industries of Alberta continues striving for sustainable and environmental success and was nominated for this national award in the category of non-profits.
The proud recipient of the award, the David Suzuki Foundation, based out of British Columbia, exemplified these characteristics and Goodwill strives incorporate some lessons learned into achieving greater success in the role of sustainability.
Congratulations to the other organizations and nominees for this prestigious award, as their hard work continue push for greatness throughout the country. Award winners and finalists exemplify creativity and innovation through new models of organizational effectiveness, collaboration, and program delivery.
The success of our sustainability initiatives continues to generate positive recognition throughout the country as this nomination builds on the previous success of our award-winning organization. In previous years, Goodwill’s sustainability action plan has been the recipient of an Alberta Emerald Award, a Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations Innovation Award and a Recycling Council of Alberta Award in the 3R’s of excellence.
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Goodwill Industries of Alberta has first handily seen the impact of inclusive employment, the power of a job and the dignity of a job on the lives of Albertans with disabilities. Our Career Connections Team, supports people with disabilities in locating employment or volunteer opportunities in their communities. Individuals are assisted with identifying their employment goals, employment preparation, job search and employment coaching.
As one of Alberta’s largest employers of people with disabilities, Goodwill is proud to be a supporter of Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) and its month-long activities throughout Alberta. Taking place each October nationally and provincially, DEAM, is a campaign and event that works to promote inclusion within the job market for people with disabilities. DEAM raises awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities while celebrating the impact and contributions of these workers.
The month long celebrations wrapped up in Calgary, with Goodwill nominated for several awards at the year end Gala.
For more information on Calgary’s DEAM Celebrations, please visit: http://www.calgaryemploymentfirst.ca/deam/
For more information on Edmonton’s DEAM Celebrations, please visit: https://pdconnection.org/disability-employment-awareness-month-deam/
Nonprofit Employer of Choice
The NEOC recognizes nonprofits whose talent management practices support successful mission delivery in the communities they serve.
In a quest to create decent workplaces, we are trying to debunk the myth that employees in the nonprofit sector are willing to work in exchange for the opportunity to do good. Thanks to our strong organizational culture, training and career development, talented people like yourselves are finding meaningful work right here at Goodwill. Your support has made this award possible!
People helping people. Communities rallying in support of one another.
With COVID beginning to make a world-wide impact, Goodwill and the rest of Alberta made a very tough decision. On March 21st, 2020 Goodwill aligned with the advice of Canada’s public health authorities and implemented their recommendations on procedures and protocols.
For the first time in almost 60 years, Goodwill made a very difficult, yet honorable decision to temporarily close the thrift retail stores and donation centres across the province to keep our friends, family and team members safe from an impending health crisis. A government lockdown took precedent shortly after lasting 52 days.
This temporary measure was in place to ensure we continue to look out for our staff, people who frequent Goodwill and people with disabilities.
During this time, Goodwill asked the public to hold on to their donations and resist the urge to spring clean, as the resources were not in place during this timeframe.
On May 9th, after approval from the provincial government and COVID safety precautions put in place, Goodwill was able to open donation centres across Alberta. Retail stores followed shortly after, re-opening in a safe and cautious manner.
By June 7, 2020, all facilities were operational once again, delivering hope and optimism for the Goodwill mission of helping those with disabilities to find employment.
COVID-19 Timeline
June 9th, 2020
Goodwill successfully re-opens all locations across Alberta.
May 17th, 2020
Goodwill re-opens four retail locations.
May 9th, 2017
Goodwill Donation Centres are allowed to re-open.
March 27th, 2020
All non-essential business in Alberta is asked to close.
March 21st, 2020
Goodwill temporarily closes due to health and safety concerns.
March 12th, 2020
First health restrictions implemented in Alberta.
Guitar made of pencil crayons comes to Goodwill
Sometimes the Goodwill hunt is inspired by your imagination. This is exactly what happened to a retired inner-city elementary teacher. Bryan Rosychuk recently built something unique using only items he found at Goodwill.
Rosychuk built TWO custom-made guitars using pencil crayons and items he found at Goodwill retail outlets in Alberta. All pieces (aside from one tiny piece) were bought within the various retail locations and built at home. It took Rosychuk months to source out the materials and build the guitars. Rosychuk sourced out 1200 Laurention/Crayola pencil crayons and cut them down to 1¾.
His love and admiration for Goodwill didn’t stop there either. He has even written and performed TWO songs for Goodwill with his big hit titled “Goodwill Special.” (Based off the very popular Goodnight Special by CCR).
Arctic Narwhal Tusk Donated
Goodwill receives unique donations daily, but none are as a rare as as an ivory tusk from a Narwhal whale in Canada’s Arctic regions.
The tusk came with hunting tag that dates back to 1978 and is about 24 inches in length. For centuries in Inuit communities, narwhals have provided food for those in the Arctic and have supplied materials for day-to-day living. The narwhal hunt is significant as it provides both food and income, particularly in isolated Arctic communities, where employment opportunities are very scarce for families involved in hunting. Items like these are a fundamental part of Indigenous Culture and History and must be preserved.
As a social enterprise, we are thankful of the donation to help the betterment of our community in Alberta, and are looking to honour the tusk’s cultural significance. After speaking with multiple local organizations, Goodwill is pleased to announce that the tusk will be given to the Arctic Institute of North America, located at the University of Calgary, who is committed to preserving the tusk’s historical and cultural integrity.
The artifact will create a better learning opportunity about this history of our great white North.
A Rare Goodwill Find
In January of 2020, our organization received a generous donation in the form of a hand-made, seal skin jacket from the 1960’s. The jacket has never been worn and is in pristine condition. Our staff found the jacket while sorting through a variety of donations and notified senior leadership because it was immediately recognized for its cultural and historical significance.
As an organization we continue to build more information on the jacket, but we do know some information. This jacket was created in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories in the 1960’s by Holman Coop. The founding of these cooperatives was encouraged by the Canadian Government in 1950’s, intended as ad agencies for selling Inuit art to outside markets as a means to support their community. This became a way of life for this community in order to support their fellow-man.
These jackets were made in a commercial setting and haven’t been produced since 1980. Items like these are a fundamental part of Indigenous Culture and History and should be preserved.
Currently Goodwill Industries of Alberta is working with many people and institutes across Canada to find the proper way to honor the intent of the donation (providing revenue generation for our mission of providing job creation and career development for Albertans with disabilities), while simultaneously honoring the cultural significance of the jackets and its Inuvialuit heritage.
Collaboration and strategic partnerships are fundamental to improving business outcomes. Partnering pushes platforms and products into new markets, exposes brands to new constituencies and enables companies to leapfrog the traditional barriers of expansion and scale by using the core competencies of each partner.
In 2020, continued partnerships with College H.U.N.K.S., Aquatera, ATB Financial and You Can Ride 2 propelled Goodwill to find new partnerships within the community. Enter Peavey Mart, the United Way and a variety of local, volunteer led, community operated organizations helping to make an impact through donation drives.
Kevin MacDonald | Chair
Committee: Chair, Executive Ex-Officio, All
Dorothy Chan | Vice Chair
Committee: Chair, Finance and Audit Executive
Werner Pietrzyk
Treasurer
Jodi Tomchyshyn London
Committee: Governance
Steven Trottier
Committee: Governance
Terri Muhlbeier
Committee: Finance and Audit
Paul Osbaldeston
Committee: Governance
Erin Skinner
Committee: Governance
Loradonna Botter
Committee: Governance
Guy West
Committee: Finance and Audit
Dale Monaghan | President & CEO
Financial Report 2020
As an equal opportunity employer, 2020 marked a challenging year for most not-for-profits organizations across the province. Thanks to our wonderful donors, our organization received 595,071 donations, marking one of the highest years of donation ever, despite a two month hiatus due to COVID-19. Thanks to our wonderful shoppers, retail sales hit $21,121,102, where 89.2 cents of every dollar goes back to our mission.
GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF ALBERTA (REGISTERED SOCIETY)
T3010 Charity Return
For additional financial information, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency website.
Thank You
Goodwill Industries of Alberta is a non-profit charitable social enterprise that depends on support from community and corporate Albertans. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the following supporters.
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