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2O18 ANNUAL REPORT

PURPOSE,PRIDE & DIGNITY

I returned back to Goodwill of Orange County this year energized and ready

to serve as the new President and CEO and to work in partnership with the

Board of Directors and Leadership Team to establish Goodwill’s vision and

strategic plan as we look forward to our centennial anniversary in 2024.

From the brainstorming, connecting and strategizing, one theme remained constant: purpose,

pride and dignity.

These three words exemplify what we as an organization are all about. They are the foundation

our mission was built on 95 years ago — helping people who are facing barriers get and keep

jobs, which provides purpose, pride and dignity.

When an individual with a physical disability is given his or her first chance to thrive in the

workplace. When a mother earns a paycheck to provide for her family. When veterans seamlessly

transition from the military into meaningful employment.

That’s purpose, pride and dignity in action. And we are so fortunate to play a role in so many

stories like this each and every day.

We envision a community where there is a job for everyone who wants to work; we believe the

power of work changes lives.

We are committed to providing a pathway to purpose, pride and dignity for every person we serve.

Nicole Suydam

President and CEO

“EVERYBODY HAS A PURPOSE.”

— DOLLY PARTON

“NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS.” — ANNIE

ANNIE“Never give up on your dreams.” That’s the mantra Annie repeats to herself and enthusiastically

shares with others who are having a bad day or doubting themselves. Annie knows first hand

the power of persistence — she had to persevere over several obstacles before finding the right

path. After earning an English degree from the University of California, Irvine, Annie was on

the hunt for a job. Like most college graduates, she started the search with positivity, ready to

embrace new opportunities and responsibilities. Annie soon hit her first roadblock — employers

seemed unwilling to give her a chance given her physical limitations. They never stopped her

before, so why would they now, she wondered. Annie stayed faithful and determined. It was

a few months of uncertainty and rejection, but finally things started to look up. A referral to

Goodwill of Orange County through the Regional Center of Orange County’s Paid Internship

Program finally set Annie on the path to success she’d been seeking. With Goodwill’s guidance

and support, Annie soon landed an internship at Capstone Partners for the role of Administrative

Assistant to one of the company’s Financial and Insurance Directors. Once the door opened for

Annie, there was no stopping her. Annie mastered programs like Salesforce, Microsoft Outlook

and LinkedIn with ease. She quickly became an indispensable member of the team; she was even

nicknamed “the best recruiter” by fellow employees. After just one year, Annie was offered a

full-time position at Capstone Partners. Annie finally achieved her dreams of finding meaningful

employment with a company that truly values and cares for her. She is an incredible role model

to others who might doubt themselves or their abilities. Annie now confidently smiles and shares,

“I am proof that you can change your path in life.”

PURPOSE

“ I REALLY FEEL LIKE I’M HELPING OTHERS.

AND IT ALSO MAKES ME FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF” — ETHAN

ETHANSoft-spoken and shy. Those were the two words most often used to describe Ethan — that is,

until he was given the opportunity to work. In January of 2018, Ethan was selected to be a part

of Goodwill of Orange County’s Project SEARCH program, a one-year training and education

program in partnership with UCI Medical Center for adults with autism that immerses them in

the workplace. Ethan was placed into an internship program that gave him real-life job experience

in several departments, including Acute Rehab, the cafeteria, and facilities and maintenance.

Over the course of the program, Project SEARCH staff and department mentors encouraged

Ethan, taught him a variety of new skills and prepared him for competitive employment. Beyond

these meaningful career-building skills, Project SEARCH has given Ethan even greater gifts:

confidence and self-esteem. Ethan is now able to express his opinions more effectively and

communicate easily with peers and supervisors. Both Ethan and his family have expressed the

positive impact the internship has made on Ethan — while social interactions used to give him

significant anxiety, Ethan now welcomes the opportunity to engage with others. The internship

program proved valuable for Ethan’s professional life as well. After graduation, he was offered a

part-time position at Bracken’s Kitchen in Irvine, an organization dedicated to providing quality

food to individuals in Orange County facing poverty. As part of the Bracken’s Kitchen team, he is

thriving and continues to come out of his shell. For Ethan, the power of work truly changed his life.

PRIDE

“THE WAY GOODWILL CHANGED MY LIFE IS VERY,

VERY PRICELESS.” — MARLENE

MARLENEMarlene suffered a spinal cord injury that resulted in quadriplegia. With the loss of use of her

legs and partial loss in her arms, Marlene uses a power wheel chair and has limited mobility and

strength in both hands. The injury had no affect on Marlene’s optimistic outlook on life or her

desire to pursue a career in public relations. This past spring, Marlene enrolled in Santa Ana

College, working toward an Associate Degree in Communication. Marlene soaked up every

class, every lesson and every insight into the world of PR — but with her injury, she was having

a hard time keeping up with note taking, often having to rely on peers to provide her with

notes. A referral from the Department of Rehabilitation brought Marlene to Goodwill’s Assistive

Technology Exchange Center. Goodwill’s qualified team of rehabilitation engineers helped Marlene

find several assistive technology devices to help her reach her goals in school, and beyond into

her career. To speed up her typing abilities, a speech recognition application provides Marlene

with a way to dictate what she wants to write quickly; to eliminate the need to operate a mouse

with her laptop, a trackball was recommended to allow her to control mouse movements with

eye movements; and to help her capture notes during class, an adapted digital recorder with

large buttons that are easy for Marlene to operate was provided. These tools continue to be

critical components of Marlene’s overall success, giving her the ability to complete tasks and

homework efficiently, and building her confidence as she continues her pursuit of a career in

public relations.

DIGNITY

TOTAL PUBLIC SUPPORT & REVENUE:

$132,465,030RETAIL STORES:

$59,930,504DONATED MERCHANDISE:

$35,327,939EDUCATION, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT & REHABILITATION SERVICES:

$28,404,980FUND DEVELOPMENT:

$1,676,804OTHER SOURCES:

$7,124,803TOTAL EXPENSES:

$134,650,183PROGRAMS & SERVICES:

$126,318,652GENERAL & ADMINISTRATIVE:

$7,306,040FUNDRAISING:

$1,025,491

OF EVERY DOLLAR GENERATED GOES DIRECTLY TO PRO-GRAMS & SERVICES

FINANCIAL IMPACT

For every dollar generated, 94 cents goes directly to Goodwill of Orange County’s programs and services.

That’s the power of keeping our administrative costs low. Our other numbers are pretty impressive too.

20

18 YEAR IN REVIEW2

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410 N. FAIRVIEW STREET

SANTA ANA, CA 92703

714.547.6301

OCGOODWILL.ORG

“WE ALL HAVE POSSIBILITIES WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT.

WE CAN DO THINGS WE DON’T EVEN DREAM WE CAN DO.”

— DALE CARNEGIE