Goodwill launches new business, mentoring programs
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, headquartered in North Fort Myers, has launched several new programs in the last few days, and is planning ahead for the holidays.
Over the weekend the first class in a new program was held to help local individuals start their own businesses.
“We have had, over the weekend, our first Micro-Enterprise Class, which is a partnership between Goodwill and several other local agencies including the Southwest Florida Community Foundation,” said Goodwill Vice President of Career Development Services Bob Haenggi. “The whole purpose of the project is to help those who want to start a small business but don’t have the resources or the education, to get a jump start on that process.”
He stated that Elliott Rittenhouse, who has substantial experience in this type of program, recently was named the new director.
“We hired Elliott as the new Micro-Enterprise director. He will be directing 12-week classes. It is the first-ever of its kind from us, and we are now looking for other individuals to apply for a future session, which we will hold a few months down the road.
“People don’t realize that 20 percent, or about 55,000 members of the Southwest Florida labor force, is made up of Micro-Enterprise individuals. The curriculum that we chose was designed not only to offer information, but to guide the would-be entrepreneur into a go or no go decision.”
Haenggi said this type of program affords individuals the opportunity for other options of employment, like having their own business. “It allows us the opportunity to offer more and is an addition of our cadre of services.”
Haenggi said the choice of Rittenhouse was golden. “Elliot ran the Micro-Enterprise project for the State of Maryland; he was the former state director of the Small Business Development Center Network for the State of Maryland. We are already recruiting for the second class which is scheduled for early fall.”
GoodGuides Youth Mentoring Program
now under way, agency seeking
mentors and students
The GoodGuides Youth Mentoring Program was also launched last weekend, with a kickoff party for students and their families on Friday, June 4.
It was deemed “Family Fun night” and held at the Bridge Youth Center. The Bridge is a faith-based youth center located in the Fort Myers River District (2128 Cleveland Ave.)
“We’re asking people from the North Myers area and everywhere to help, in all five counties we serve,” said Director of Public Relations and Marketing for Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Kirsten Britt O’Donnell.
The GoodGuides program is a youth mentoring program which provides career exploration, mentoring and skill development activities for at-risk youth age 12-17, O’Donnell said.
Students receive encouragement and resources with the goal of staying in school, improving school performance and developing career plans. The program is administered locally by Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, and is funded through a Department of Justice Grant.
“In mentors we’re looking for somebody who really wants to make a difference in the life of a young person. We’re not just looking for mentors, we’re looking for students, too.”
There is an application process both of the programs. Go to goodwillswfl.org for more information, or call 995-2106.
Festival of Trees
volunteer mixer
It’s not too early to get involved in Southwest Florida s fastest-growing holiday tradition. The Festival of Trees committee hosted a volunteer mixer on Friday, June 4. The event was held at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center in the Fort Myers River District (2301 First St.)
“I know it seems early to be talking about a Christmas event,” said O’Donnell, Festival of Trees committee member. “But we need volunteers for just about every aspect of the Festival, and we have something for everyone. Really, the more, the merrier!”
Both events are hosted at the historic Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in the Fort Myers River District. In 2009, nearly 4,000 people visited the display of trees.
In the event’s first three years, the Festival of Trees and the Tux & Trees Gala had raised more than $160,000 to support Goodwill’s mission of helping people with disabilities and other disadvantages overcome their barriers to employment and independence.
Proceeds from the Festival of Trees benefit the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation, dedicated to providing a lasting impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
Those interested in becoming mentors for the Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise project can call 995-2106 ext. 219. More information is available online at swflmicro.com and goodwillswfl.org/microenterprise.htm.
The SWFL MicroEnterprise Project is administered by Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. and is funded through the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. Other program partners include the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center, SCORE, and ACCION USA.
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. serves Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties, and helps people with disabilities and other disadvantages overcome their barriers to employment and independence. Programs supported by Goodwill include Job-Link, career training and placement, the L.I.F.E. Academy Charter School, income-subsidized housing for senior citizens and people with disabilities, and others. More information is available at www.goodwillswfl.org.