Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona Awarded Bank of America 2024 Economic Mobility Grant
To improve the lives of individuals and families in Tucson, Bank of America is helping address barriers to employment by investing in Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona. Bank of America has worked with nonprofit partners, local organizations, business and civic leaders and others across Tucson for years to help drive Responsible Growth. Through the bank’s recent investment and partnership, the grant will be used to serve 30 low-income opportunity youth.
This cohort will receive one-on-one and small group employability training including information about in-demand jobs and sectors in Tucson with growth potential, wage ranges, specific skills, and credentials needed for career advancement. Individuals will be placed with local employer partners in their field of interest for a 96-hour paid work experience. They will encounter a real work environment, learn the value of a paycheck, and receive financial literacy education through Bank of America’s Better Money Habits Workshops. Through this collaboration, youth participants will develop job related soft and hard skills to prepare them for unsubsidized employment opportunities.
Goodwill of Southern Arizona has had the opportunity to establish an amazing partnership with Bank of America and the Tucson Market Team for the past four years to provide youth & young adults 16 to 24 years of age pathways to gain valuable hands-on paid work experience within our community through the Opportunity Youth Work Experience Program. Participants within the Opportunity Youth Work Experience Program have been able to participate in Bank of America’s Better Money Habits Training Workshops. With Better Money Habits, Goodwill Youth Reengagement Center staff work together with Bank of America’s Volunteer Team to engage participants in two, one-hour session workshops bi-monthly at our Goodwill Youth Reengagement Centers. The workshops have provided training components to create an interactive and engaging learning environment towards supporting youth development. “With the support of Better Money Habits and the Opportunity Youth Work Experience Program, Bank of America has been instrumental with providing such an invaluable pathway for youth and young adults within Pima County to help skill build and grow their knowledge of healthy habits to prepare next steps towards employment and career pathways to enrich their future. We truly appreciate Bank of America, Lacey Perry and the Tucson Market Team’s continued support and look forward towards continuing our collaborative impact in our community,” expressed Carlos Ramirez, Continuous Improvement Manager for Youth Reengagement Centers at Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona
Goodwill has numerous success stories to share about the youth who have completed this project thanks to funding from Bank of America Economic Mobility Grants in previous years. One story comes from Alaya Delgado-Wallace, a 16-year-old who came to one of the Goodwill Youth Reengagement Centers in August 2023 looking for help to find employment opportunities. Alaya had recently earned her high school diploma and was enrolled in fall semester classes at Pima Community College, with an interest in working with animals and finding pathways towards the veterinary technician field. After connecting with the Goodwill Youth Reengagement staff, she was assisted in employment preparation areas including: customer service basics, resume building and practice interviewing as well as financial literacy trainings through the Better Money Habits Workshops provided on behalf of Bank of America.
Alaya was placed with one of our partner employer sites, Central Pets where she gained experience working in a fast-paced pet-boarding facility cleaning and learned skillsets including: maintaining kennels, pet accompaniment, feeding/grooming support, administrative & documentation of pet care. With her demonstration of exceptional customer service skills, communicative soft skills, and strong work ethic, not only did Alaya successfully complete her hours through the Opportunity Youth Work Experience Program but she was offered a part-time position and hired on with Central Pets to continue her growth within. Goodwill of Southern Arizona is proud to continue this partnership with Bank of America to generate more stories like Alaya’s, through impact for the youth and young adults in the Tucson community providing continued opportunities for on-site work experiences and resources to build their future.
“Our ongoing collaboration with Goodwill of Southern Arizona underscores our commitment to helping drive Responsible Growth in Tucson by supporting the next generation. Through our Summer Youth Employment Program and Better Money Habits classes, we’re not just investing in skills development; we’re investing in the future of local workforce. We look forward to continuing our work with Goodwill of Southern Arizona to empower local youth with the tools they need to achieve their dreams today and build brighter financial futures,” emphasized Adriana Kong Romero, President of Bank of America in Tucson.
About Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona:
Serving Southern Arizona since 1969, the mission of Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona has always been to offer a “hand up” for those looking to make a better life for themselves and their family. The Goodwill team works every day to help support individuals and build a better Southern Arizona through the POWER OF WORK! Thanks to the generosity of our community, Goodwill is able to offer skills, remove barriers and open pathways to independence for local families in need.
