Author: Jacob Heller

Goodwill awarded $50,000 Missouri River Historical Development grant to help cover Mission Services Center construction costs

Goodwill was one of 26 organizations to receive grant money

Goodwill of the Great Plains was awarded a $50,000 Missouri River Historical Development Impact Match Grant during a ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 24th at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City.

The money will go toward the construction of Goodwill’s new Mission Services Center, a more than 20,000-sq-ft, state-of-the-art net zero building.

The first-of-its-kind in the area, the new building will use solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling technology and be the new home of Goodwill’s Sioux City Job Center and Integrated Day Services, both programs that help adults gain more rewarding and independent lives.

The Mission Services Center is currently being built across the street from Goodwill’s main Support Center on W. 4th St. in Sioux City.

During the ceremony, Missouri River Historical Development awarded grants to 26 organizations, totaling $1.25 million, narrowed down from a list of 44 applicants.

Vermillion, SD Goodwill store recognized during National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The Vermillion store was nominated as a 2024 Employer of the Year

The Goodwill of the Great Plains store in Vermillion, South Dakota was nominated as a 2024 Employer of the Year by the Vermillion National Disability Employment Awareness Month Committee.

Staff from the store received a certificate during the 2024 recognition event at the Dakota Center in Vermillion on Tuesday, Oct. 8th.

Goodwill of the Great Plains has worked for more than 100 years to help those with barriers to employment overcome their challenges and gain meaningful, rewarding jobs in the community.

Goodwill’s mission is to build independence through employment, training, and community support; We envision a community where individuals thrive and reach their fullest potential, while being a leader in environmental sustainability.

To find out more about the employment and job training programs offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains, please visit Programs – Goodwill of the Great Plains (goodwillgreatplains.org)

Goodwill gives veterans new winter boots, coats, hats & more during South Dakota Stand Down events

Generous donations help veterans get ready for the cold winter weather ahead

Hundreds of veterans received new winter boots, coats, hats and gloves, at no cost to them, thanks to Goodwill and other volunteers at two different Veterans Stand Down events in both Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota this September.

Volunteers were handing out the supplies during the Veterans Stand Down in Rapid City on Thursday, Sept. 19th and at the event in Sioux Falls on Friday, Sept. 20th.

128 veterans were served at the event in Sioux Falls, while 108 were served during Rapid City’s event.

All leftover clothing was given to other South Dakota groups, including the VA, to distribute to local veterans before the end of the year.

Goodwill of the Great Plains donates more than $13,000 to American Red Cross flood relief efforts

Goodwill customers ‘Round up at the Register’ for flood relief

During a presentation on Thursday, Aug. 8th in Sioux City, Goodwill of the Great Plains donated $13,619.57 to the American Red Cross – Disaster Response: Spring Storms and Floods.

Throughout July, “round up” donations received from Goodwill of the Great Plains’ customers as part of the ‘Round up at the Register’ drive were collected to be donated to the American Red Cross to support those affected by extreme flooding in June.

“As those affected by the flooding experienced a physical and emotionally exhausting process of rebuilding their lives, Goodwill wanted to help contribute toward the community outreach efforts,” said Briget Solomon, President & CEO of Goodwill of the Great Plains. “I’m constantly amazed by the compassion and kindness throughout our organization and in the communities we get to call home.”

In addition to the ‘Round up at the Register’ initiative, Goodwill distributed additional store vouchers to agencies within the communities we serve that provide disaster relief.

Goodwill’s mission is to build independence for the people it serves through employment, training and community support.

In 2023, Goodwill of the Great Plains served 33,049 people throughout its four-state region.

Goodwill to expand services in South Dakota

Day Services will now be offered in Rapid City

After more than a decade of providing employment skills training to help people with barriers find successful employment in Rapid City, Goodwill is pleased to announce it will be expanding services offered in South Dakota to include Day Services.

What are Day Services?

Goodwill helps people with intellectual disabilities meet personal goals and grow as individuals, teaching daily living skills, goal setting, socialization and offering community engagement in a fun, energetic setting – a chance to go out and be part of the community.

These expanded services come after Goodwill went through a two-and-a-half-year certification process to earn Community Support Provider status through the State of South Dakota. In May, Goodwill obtained Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) accreditation.