GOODWILL OF ORANGE COUNTY AWARDED $25,000 GRANT FROM BANK OF AMERICA TO SERVE O.C. VETERANS

Funds will further Goodwill’s Tierney Center for Veteran Services, resources for vets and their families, including job placement and housing assistance

SANTA ANA, Calif. — June 16, 2016 – Goodwill of Orange County announced today it has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to invest in its Thomas T. & Elizabeth C. Tierney Center for Veteran Services, Orange County’s new all-in-one resource for veterans living in Orange County and their families.

This grant by Bank of America will allow Goodwill to expand its comprehensive approach to serving local warriors and their families and conduct outreach to reach more of the local veteran population. The funds also help fulfill a $1.6 million one-to-one grant match with America’s Warrior Partnership (AWP), a national organization that seeks to unite community-based organizations to collaborate for an improved network of resources for veterans. The remaining dollars to fulfill the AWP grant match are funded by Goodwill through its successful social enterprise model.

“We are tremendously grateful for Bank of America’s support of our program to help match veterans and their families with the services they need,” said Frank Talarico, Jr., President and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County. “With their help, we are better equipped than ever to make a sustained difference in the arena of veteran services and provide critical support to the more than 130,000 veterans living in Orange County.”

“Strengthening the families that are the backbone of our nation’s military is a top priority for Bank of America,” said Allen Staff, Orange County market president, Bank of America. “With Goodwill of Orange County’s help, we’re able to provide the support veterans need to transition back into civilian life and position them for successful careers and lives in the long term.”

The California Department of Veterans Affairs reports that Orange County has the third largest number of veterans of any California county, and that more than 275,000 veterans will settle here in the years to come. There is a huge need for streamlined veteran services in Orange County. Furthermore, according to a recent Orange County Business Council and Workforce Investment Board report, veterans returning to Orange County are three times more likely to be unemployed than the rest of the population.

The Tierney Center will serve as the single touchpoint for local warriors, connecting them with a wide range of personalized services designed to enhance their lives – all provided at no cost. With a host of community partners and local organizations on board, services available at the Tierney Center include vital job-readiness and job placement programs, career counseling, education services, housing assistance, healthcare and benefits, legal assistance, financial counseling and women veteran services.

Goodwill of Orange County is proud to partner with Bank of America to connect the unemployed and underserved with barriers to employment for the training and education they need to secure and retain jobs with livable wages.

About Goodwill of Orange County

Since 1924, Goodwill of Orange County has been in the business of helping people who are facing barriers to entering the workforce in a meaningful, fulfilling manner. Founded on the belief that every person should have the opportunity to achieve the independence that work provides, Goodwill is most recognized for being the conduit where donated goods are sold in America’s favorite thrift stores to generate the revenue that provides the services to those who face employment challenges. Celebrating its 90th year in 2014, Goodwill of Orange County has supported hundreds of thousands of Orange County residents since its inception by creating and providing quality training and employment services to empower its program participants to be productive and independent. The nonprofit organization has dozens of programs that support this effort, including the Goodwill Fitness Center, Orange County’s only facility specially designed for people suffering from chronic illnesses and physical disabilities; its global approach to serving veterans and their families, Goodwill of Orange County Tierney Center for Veteran Services, which helps former service members and their families find resources and services to meet and serve their unique needs, including housing, job placement, education, and wellness; and its Assistive Technology Exchange Center (ATEC), which provides access to more than 1,000 state-of-the-art technology devices for children and adults with disabilities. These are just a few of Goodwill of Orange County’s innovative programs that have served those facing barriers in Orange County for the past nine decades. In 2012, Goodwill was named one of Orange County’s Most Trusted Brands. To learn more about Goodwill of Orange County, visit ocgoodwill.org.

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