Goodwill opens fourth Job-Link center in Southwest Florida

Feb. 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Charlotte County residents have a new resource to turn to when looking for work and other social services.  On Thursday, February 25, local officials and representatives of Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, (http://www.goodwillswfl.org) cut the ribbon to Port Charlotte’s new Job-Link center, which will provide job placement, skills training, and family strengthening services for the community.

The Charlotte County Job-Link center is Goodwill’s fourth in Southwest Florida, joining offices in North Fort Myers, Clewiston, and Bonita Springs.  Job-Link centers provide soft-skills training for people looking for jobs, ranging from resume assistance, help with online job searches, and job interview coaching.  The Port Charlotte center has six computers available for use by visitors.  “Most organizations are moving toward online job searches,” explains Mike Sell, Goodwill’s Director of Career Development.  “For people who don’t have a computer or internet at home, finding a job can be very challenging.”

Providing job training and placement services for people with disadvantages has always been Goodwill's primary mission.  “Unemployment rates across Southwest Florida are hovering at about 14 percent,” says Bob Haenggi, Goodwill’s Vice President of Career Development Services.  “That makes it more important than ever that we provide these services.”

In addition to vocational training, Goodwill’s Job-Link coordinators can also assist clients in need of other social services, including food stamps, foreclosure assistance, GED and Adult Education courses, income tax preparation, and other programs.

The center is located inside Goodwill’s Port Charlotte Store (2325 Tamiami Trail) and is open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.  “We’re asking that people call to make an appointment for the next few weeks,” explains Kirsten O’Donnell of Goodwill.  “But our goal is to be a drop-in service where people can come in any time during business hours.”

Persons interested in making an appointment may call the Job-Link center directly at (941) 625-1664.

The new Job-Link center is also home to the Charlotte County High School/High Tech program, a career exploration and youth mentoring program for students at Charlotte, Port Charlotte, and Englewood High Schools.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida (http://www.goodwillswfl.org) operates 24 Retail & Donation Centers throughout Southwest Florida in order to support programs and services for people with disabilities and other disadvantages.  These programs include job training and placement, income-subsidized housing for senior citizens and people with disabilities, the Four Wheels For Work vehicle assistance program, the L.I.F.E. Academy charter school, and youth mentoring programs.

More information about Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida is available online at http://www.goodwillswfl.org.

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Goodwill operates 24 thrift stores in SW Florida to support its mission of removing barriers to independence. Programs include income-sensitive housing, career placement assistance, the L.I.F.E. Academy Charter School, Four Wheels for Work, and others.