Huntley Goodwill kicks off ‘Let’s Go to Work!’

HUNTLEY – Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois’ new “Let’s Go to Work!” program kicked off last week at its Huntley store, 11900 Kreutzer Road.

“Let’s Go to Work!” is a program that provides employment in a supportive work environment and case management to program participants. Employees sort, bag, and label items including toys, Matchbox cars, jewelry, ties, and more.

Goodwill shoppers can support this initiative by buying these bags, which range from 99 cents to $4.99.  Customers also can donate these items to various locations throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

“Let’s Go to Work!” is a collaboration with the Pioneer Center for Human Services in McHenry. Goodwill plans to collaborate with other organizations in the future to bring the “Let’s Go to Work!” program to more communities.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides jobs training and placement services for people with barriers to achieve meaningful employment. Rockford serves as the headquarters for Goodwill Northern Illinois and is one of 165 Goodwill agencies under the auspices of Goodwill Industries International.

GII recently was named by Forbes Magazine as the No. 2 nonprofit in the country.

Goodwill Northern Illinois’ territory includes an 18-county area in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin with a combined population of more than 1.1 million. Goodwill’s retail operations sell donated, gently-used products as well as new items such as overstocks and close-outs from some of the best-known stores in the state.

Goodwill stores in northern Illinois employ more than 300 and are located in Huntley, McHenry, Rockford, Machesney Park, Freeport, Sterling, DeKalb, Ottawa, and Beloit, Wis.

For information, visit www.goodwillni.org.