Just like many individuals and organizations who have been affected by the area’s economic troubles, Goodwill’s contracts division has also felt the impact. Goodwill has been hit hard recently with the news that they will soon be losing one of their largest and long-standing contract jobs. 

   Because the company is being bought out, Goodwill expects to lose this contract job by the end of the year. “With the loss of this particular contract job, Goodwill will lose about 60% of our business,” says Al Slabe, operations director.

   The loss of this contract will dramatically hurt Goodwill’s sheltered and organizational employees. Sheltered employees are those with severe or multiple disabilities. They are employed by Goodwill, and work at the Goodwill facility, and may not posses the ability to work at an outside work environment.

   The contract jobs that Goodwill performs for outside businesses creates opportunities, and provides jobs for these people that may have a difficult time working elsewhere. There are currently 24 people on the sheltered employment waiting list, with 12 of those waiting for jobs in Goodwill’s contracts department. It can take up to two years for a job to open up and a person to be called off the waiting list. The loss of contract jobs further prolongs this waiting period.

   A Company who hires Goodwill to do work for them not only benefits Goodwill and its employees, but it also benefits the organization that contracts Goodwill to do the job. In addition to the company giving back and supporting the community, Goodwill’s contracts department can save that same company time and money.

   Goodwill’s contracts department can do such things as packaging, assembling and visual quality inspection/control. Some of the jobs they have done in the past include packaging candy, polybagging, assembling paint cans, counting pieces and parts, checking parts for tolerance, packaging machine parts, etc.

   Although Goodwill recently acquired a new contract with a company out of Newton Falls, Ohio, additional contracts are needed to keep people employed and to reduce the waiting list of those waiting for employment at Goodwill’s plant.

   In addition to the contracts division, Goodwill also provides commercial laundry services, janitorial services and sells wiping cloths.