Latest news with #Goodwill
CBC
10 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
New London-based project to provide jobs to people with criminal records
Social Sharing A new pilot project is starting in London to help break down barriers to finding employment for people with criminal records. The Fair Chances Employment Pipeline Project was started by the London-area branch of the John Howard Society (JHS) in partnership with Goodwill Industries, which will be employing the project's participants. "We found that so many people with criminal records are really struggling," Taghrid Hussain, the executive director of JHS London, said. "They really have difficulty finding employment, and keeping meaningful employment, as well." The pilot project is funded though a Community Vitality Grant from the London Community Foundation (LCF). With donations from families, individuals and businesses, the LCF disperses yearly grants to fund projects that meet community needs. LCF often funds pilot projects like this when there's a potential to make a difference, said Lori Runciman, the foundation's grants director. This year, the foundation is providing $1.5 million in grants to nine different projects, including this one. A 2024 report from JHS found that Canadian employers have, by and large, excluded qualified applicants with criminal records, regardless of the severity of the offence. This is harmful, according to Hussain, as meaningful employment offers a sense of agency and belonging, as well as an effective barrier against homelessness, addiction and getting stuck in the "revolving door of crime." Through the Fair Chances Project, JHS will refer 30 people with criminal records to Goodwill for job training and onboarding. Then, upon successful completion of training, Goodwill will offer them a job in one of their stores, cafes or warehouses. JHS will be providing individualized support to the participants throughout the process and, after 18 months, they plan to interview all participants and put together a final report on the results. "The idea is to encourage other employers to do the same thing, to start thinking about giving an opportunity to individuals who are justice-involved," Hussain said. Goodwill has the capacity to help in that goal with its 26 retail stores, 44 donation centres as well as career centres, cafes and warehouses across the province, said Jessica Justrabo, director of strategic partnerships and community impact at Goodwill Industries. "We're really excited to continue our support for this model because it's what we do best and we came together to really make sure that we are improving outcomes and improving lives in our communities." Goodwill has already worked with JHS over the years and employed people with criminal records, Justrabo said, but this project was an opportunity to formalize their partnership. Beyond just employment, further support will be also available to participants such as employment counselling and skills development to help them either move up within Goodwill or move on to other careers. The project will hopefully be transformative for many, Justrabo said, but she recognizes that it may not work out for every participant. This is something they are prepared to handle on a case-by-case basis and it would not mean the end of their support. "Everyone's journey is different," she said. "So if they would like to return to the program, if they need a little extra stabilization, if they need a referral to another organization, we're happy to follow and support individuals as their journey unfolds."
CNN
11 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
The Labor Department has suddenly stopped funding a senior job training program
Job market Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow Goodwill, Easterseals and other nonprofit organizations say thousands of low-income seniors could soon be unemployed because funding hasn't come through for a decades-old federal job training and placement program. The Department of Labor has yet to release more than $300 million in funds for national grantees of the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which was created in 1965 to help low-income, out-of-work adults 55 and older — especially veterans, rural residents and people with disabilities — return to the workforce. On July 1, the Department of Labor released about $86 million in funds to state recipients, but the national grantees' funds were not released (something that's typically done in May), several of the longtime participating nonprofit organizations told CNN. The funding pause of the program that serves about 40,000 seniors was first reported by Bloomberg Law. As a result, those organizations say they've had to furlough seniors participating in the program, as well as their own employees. These moves are coming at a time when hiring activity has continued to slow in the broader US labor market. 'This is an intrinsically American program, when you think about it: people who want to work, who want to be contributing members of society, people who want to be able to support themselves, who want to be a part of a community,' Kendra Davenport, president and chief executive officer of Easterseals, which provides services to children and adults with disabilities. But the uncertainty extends beyond the current year's funding, as the program itself is feared to be on borrowed time: The proposed 2026 fiscal year budget for the Labor Department proposes eliminating the SCSEP and a slew of other longtime job training programs and replacing them with a block grant to be distributed to states and local communities. Such potential cuts couldn't be coming at a worse time, Davenport said. 'If you look at a macro level at what is impacting these seniors, there are Medicaid cuts, so their health care might go away,' she said. 'There are massive [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] cuts. Many of these folks are dependent on SNAP for food assistance; that's going away. And now SCSEP is taking away their opportunity to work.' She added: 'We're putting people who really do want to help themselves in a terrible position.' A Labor Department spokeswoman said the agency will 'provide an update soon' on the remaining $307 million in 2025 funding for the national grant recipients. 'The Department has given all SCSEP grantees a one-month period of performance extension, so that if grantees have funding available from their Program Year 2024 grant, they can still use these funds to continue program operations,' Christine Feroli, a Labor Department spokeswoman, wrote via email to CNN. 'The Employment and Training Administration is preparing to award grants shortly after state and territorial grantees submit their required budget documents. The department will support grantees in their operations and services to participants.' Organizations such as the National Asian Center on Aging are sounding the alarm over the funding delays. 'This funding delay is not just a bureaucratic issue, it's a crisis for tens of thousands of older adults who depend on SCSEP to survive,' Clayton Fong, president and CEO of the organization that provides employment programs and caregiving services for older adults, said in a statement earlier this month. In an emailed statement to CNN, Fong called on the Labor Department to fully fund the program to support a 'meaningful pathway to economic stability' for low-income seniors. 'SCSEP is a job training program that restores dignity and a sense of purpose to seniors who want to continue working but are often overlooked in the workforce,' Fong said. 'This funding pause has painful consequences for jobseekers who are trying to build skills and take care of themselves and their families.' Fong's organization has furloughed more than 800 senior workers. At Goodwill Industries, more than 400 program participants were placed on leave of absence status; and if funds are not released by July 31, additional furloughs could impact more than 1,500 of its older workers, the nonprofit said in an emailed statement to CNN. 'Goodwill is urging the Department of Labor to quickly provide the allocations needed for this important program to continue and calls upon Congress to continue to invest in SCSEP, providing essential support for older workers,' according to the statement.
CNN
12 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
The Labor Department has suddenly stopped funding a senior job training program
Goodwill, Easterseals and other nonprofit organizations say thousands of low-income seniors could soon be unemployed because funding hasn't come through for a decades-old federal job training and placement program. The Department of Labor has yet to release more than $300 million in funds for national grantees of the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which was created in 1965 to help low-income, out-of-work adults 55 and older — especially veterans, rural residents and people with disabilities — return to the workforce. On July 1, the Department of Labor released about $86 million in funds to state recipients, but the national grantees' funds were not released (something that's typically done in May), several of the longtime participating nonprofit organizations told CNN. The funding pause of the program that serves about 40,000 seniors was first reported by Bloomberg Law. As a result, those organizations say they've had to furlough seniors participating in the program, as well as their own employees. These moves are coming at a time when hiring activity has continued to slow in the broader US labor market. 'This is an intrinsically American program, when you think about it: people who want to work, who want to be contributing members of society, people who want to be able to support themselves, who want to be a part of a community,' Kendra Davenport, president and chief executive officer of Easterseals, which provides services to children and adults with disabilities. But the uncertainty extends beyond the current year's funding, as the program itself is feared to be on borrowed time: The proposed 2026 fiscal year budget for the Labor Department proposes eliminating the SCSEP and a slew of other longtime job training programs and replacing them with a block grant to be distributed to states and local communities. Such potential cuts couldn't be coming at a worse time, Davenport said. 'If you look at a macro level at what is impacting these seniors, there are Medicaid cuts, so their health care might go away,' she said. 'There are massive [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] cuts. Many of these folks are dependent on SNAP for food assistance; that's going away. And now SCSEP is taking away their opportunity to work.' She added: 'We're putting people who really do want to help themselves in a terrible position.' A Labor Department spokeswoman said the agency will 'provide an update soon' on the remaining $307 million in 2025 funding for the national grant recipients. 'The Department has given all SCSEP grantees a one-month period of performance extension, so that if grantees have funding available from their Program Year 2024 grant, they can still use these funds to continue program operations,' Christine Feroli, a Labor Department spokeswoman, wrote via email to CNN. 'The Employment and Training Administration is preparing to award grants shortly after state and territorial grantees submit their required budget documents. The department will support grantees in their operations and services to participants.' Organizations such as the National Asian Center on Aging are sounding the alarm over the funding delays. 'This funding delay is not just a bureaucratic issue, it's a crisis for tens of thousands of older adults who depend on SCSEP to survive,' Clayton Fong, president and CEO of the organization that provides employment programs and caregiving services for older adults, said in a statement earlier this month. In an emailed statement to CNN, Fong called on the Labor Department to fully fund the program to support a 'meaningful pathway to economic stability' for low-income seniors. 'SCSEP is a job training program that restores dignity and a sense of purpose to seniors who want to continue working but are often overlooked in the workforce,' Fong said. 'This funding pause has painful consequences for jobseekers who are trying to build skills and take care of themselves and their families.' Fong's organization has furloughed more than 800 senior workers. At Goodwill Industries, more than 400 program participants were placed on leave of absence status; and if funds are not released by July 31, additional furloughs could impact more than 1,500 of its older workers, the nonprofit said in an emailed statement to CNN. 'Goodwill is urging the Department of Labor to quickly provide the allocations needed for this important program to continue and calls upon Congress to continue to invest in SCSEP, providing essential support for older workers,' according to the statement.
The Irish Sun
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I'm a millionaire model living the cheap life – I rent my two homes and drive a Porsche but still shop at Aldi
A MODEL worth millions has revealed why she still shops like she's skint. Lana Madison pockets a seven-figure salary and could afford to buy luxury items all the time. 4 Lana doesn't like spending lots of money just because she can. 4 She prefers to shop in budget supermarkets. 4 The model rents instead of buying homes. 4 She believes her modest upbringing shaped her beliefs. But other than owning her beloved Porsche, she prefers to get her groceries at budget supermarkets like Aldi and snap up pre-loved clothes . The trans OnlyFans star , 29, said: "I'm pretty modest with my spending. 'I shop at Aldi and Goodwill – and I absolutely love a good sale. 'I don't wear designer clothes either, I'll just buy basic jeans and shirts from the mall. 'I was brought up in a humble home . 'My mum was always shopping through bins at Goodwill and my family never cared about 'status'." Lana, who has 76,000 followers on Instagram ( neighbours . 'This approach to money is rooted in who I am to my core. Most read in Fabulous 'The more cash I started earning, the more I felt that I didn't want fake, artificial joy or a mountain of things I don't need or won't use – just because people expect rich people to have it.' The adult star grew up in a Catholic household in a small Texas town. Moment sacked OnlyFans teacher insists 'I never thought they'd catch me' in GMB interview But she now splits her time between New York and Miami and has ditched her costly townhouse after realising that she had no need for excessive space , a private pool or outdoor kitchen. She now rents two homes and prefers to save money for her future . Lana said: 'A lot of girls in this industry want the biggest house on the block. 'But I honestly don't care about that. 'I'd rather live somewhere small and calm than have rooms I never use. "Just because I make good money doesn't mean I need a mansion or a staff. 'I still do my own washing and take the bins out. "Some people want the influencer lifestyle – the glam squad, the penthouse, the parties, but that's never been me. 'I'm a millionaire but I want a simple life. "I like nice things, but I don't need 10 versions of them. "I still get excited over a thrift find – that hasn't changed. Read more on the Irish Sun "I grew up upper middle class, but I don't take anything for granted. "At the end of the day, I just want a quiet, normal life – even if it looks different on the outside.'
USA Today
4 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Grandma's trash turned Gen Z's treasure: Estate sales are the newest craze
Environmentally-conscious young people are heading to estate sales for low cost, well-made products. VIENNA, Virginia ‒ At noontime on a recent summer Friday, about two dozen cars were parked along a tree-lined culd-a-sac in this suburb 30 minutes outside of the nation's capital. A blue yard sign directed people to a house at the end of the street with a simple, beckoning message: 'Estate sale this way.' Women in their 20s and 30s meandered to their cars carrying cardboard boxes piled high with books, holiday decorations, clothes and picture frames. Across the country, scenes like this are becoming more common, as young people looking to shop in more sustainable ways are gravitating toward estate sales – rather than large retailers – to find low cost well-made products. In the past six months, the online estate sale marketplace Everything But the House saw a 28% increase in business, with much of that driven by young people, Chief Commercial Officer James Ferguson said. The company saw an 18% uptick in sales among people aged 25 to 35 in the first half of the year, he said. "There's a concept of quality and value from things that maybe are older or were gently used in a previous life. We call it pre-loved," he said. "They're seeing the opportunity to get something unique." Estate sales on the rise Raquel Sobczak, 25, began attending estate sales after the COVID-19 pandemic to find deals on clothes and trinkets she could use to decorate her house. This year, she said she made a commitment to buy only secondhand goods. Now, the Arlington, Virginia resident said she attends sales at least two or three times a month. 'It's better for the environment, but it's also better for my wallet to go and buy stuff secondhand,' Sobczak said, while shopping at a July 18 estate sale. 'I am not in a place where I could afford to go pay a few hundred dollars for this,' the 25-year-old said, holding up an ornate cuffed bracelet with a price sticker dangling from the side. 'But I could swing 20 bucks.' Gen Z consumers' rising interest in estate sales follows a broader demand among the age cohort over the last decade for thrifted goods. Young people began frequenting resale stores like Goodwill out of a desire to reduce their carbon footprint and shop more sustainably. In 2021 alone, 42% of Gen Z and millennials said they had shopped for secondhand clothes, according to a survey conducted by the online consignment site ThredUp. Some young people told USA TODAY they are now turning to estate sales after finding the inventory at thrift and vintage shops overrun with fast-fashion and cheap goods. 'I know if I'm going to an estate sale, I'm probably going to find real treasures that have been cared for by people,' said 27-year-old Edie Guy, who lives in Mount Vernon, Virginia. 'Sometimes you'll find that at thrift shops, but I feel like less and less because everyone and their mother is kind of donating to thrift stores just to get stuff cleaned out of their house.' Guy begrudgingly visited estate sales with her mom and grandmother when she was a child but said she didn't become interested in them until after college, when she needed to decorate her new apartment. As she and her husband look to furnish their first home, Guy said estate sales have become a life- and money-saver. 'The quality you get is unmatched,' she said. 'We can get an incredibly high quality crafted piece for $300, versus something online that was mass produced for like, you know, $5,000." Attracting young consumers Some estate sale companies have begun to capitalize on the increased interest from younger generations. an online marketplace and directory for in-person estate sales, has taken steps to attract Gen Z and millennial consumers on social media, company general manager, Marika Clemow, said. 'We can appeal more to them in that, not only are you buying something at a fairly decent price that's durable and long lasting ‒ but, you're not putting more plastics into the earth,' Clemow said. 'This generation is a little more open to items at estate sales not feeling like old, worn stuff, but being old reusable stuff.' Rising inflation and tariff concerns also may have a hand in Gen Z's new attraction to estate sales. In the past six months, Clemow said she's seen an uptick in people searching the digital marketplace for durable goods, like furniture, tools, school supplies and baby ware. Meanwhile, searches for luxury goods, like Rolex watches, have dipped. Diane Rotondo, who runs a Blue Moon Estate Sales franchise in Fairfax County, Virginia, said she's seen a similar demand for furniture. A couple of years ago, Rotondo said she couldn't get people to buy antique four-poster bedframes and now, young consumers are snatching them up early. "The cost of goods are going up and up and up and it makes it even more impossible to get the things you like," Rotondo said. "When you can go to find something that you really like and pay so much less than what you would in a store, it's just a pleasant experience." When asked about what she believes is drawing more people to estate sales, Rotondo said: 'the adventure.' 'It gives somebody the opportunity to treasure hunt in the modern day,' she said. 'It's like a little museum, but you get to purchase it and give it a new journey instead of it ending up in a landfill.'
