The Impact Awards are where the heart meets action.

The Business Journal is honoring 11 nonprofits that blend philanthropy with fairness and community impact.

This year's honorees focus on a special interest including children, organ donations and education. Each cause prioritizes uplifting a certain segment of the population to make their lives better. You will find among the winners those who embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. They work toward offering opportunities to everyone in areas including lifesaving medical care, education, mental health, housing and physical fitness. 

The Business Journal made another special recognition. Goodwill San Antonio was named the 2024 Impact Honoree of the Year.

"Goodwill has been about building skills for people and lifting people up and removing barriers," Goodwill CEO Carlos Contreras said from the stage. "That's really what we do. We are a workforce development agency that helps people improve their lives through work."

Goodwill San Antonio

Carlos Contreras, President & CEO

In 1945, on the South Side of San Antonio, with a passion for helping others and an initial investment of just $5,000, Bill Sinkin and four local business leaders founded Goodwill San Antonio. The nonprofit organization opened its first store in 1946, employing 22 team members, 19 of whom were Purple Heart Veterans. Since then, Goodwill San Antonio has expanded to serve not only San Antonio, but also Bulverde, Cibolo, Kerrville, Laredo, Live Oak, New Braunfels, Seguin, Windcrest, and the surrounding areas.

What is the nonprofit's mission and a description of its primary philanthropic program? 
By providing good jobs, free career training and employment placement services, we help individuals achieve upward mobility, economic independence, and self-sufficiency. Goodwill's Good Careers Academy provides free certifications for the following vocational programs: nurse's aide, medical assistant, pharmacy technician, and commercial driver's license. Every student at the Goodwill Academy is assigned a case manager who provides wrap around services for when life happens. Whether it's a bus voucher, a childcare referral or financial assistance to make a monthly rent, our level of support and care is what allowed our students to have a high rate of completion and certification.

Provide specific efforts made over the last 12-18 months that the nonprofit is most proud of.
Goodwill San Antonio achieved record milestones over the past 12-18 months on our career training and employment placement services, including 243 graduates of our academy (40% increase from 2022), 212 digital literacy certifications awarded (110% increase from 2022), and placing over 1,180 into a job.

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Goodwill recorded the highest number of employees in our 79-year history with 1,782 - an 11% increase from 2022. Earlier this year, Goodwill doubled down on our sustainability efforts by partnering with Big Sun Solar on the installation of solar panels at four of our major retail stores in the area. The investment is projected to generate 784,982 kilowatt hours of solar energy, meeting 100% of each site’s energy needs. The installation of solar panels for more Goodwill store locations are scheduled for 2025.

Explain the future goals for the nonprofit over the next year and 5-10 years into the future.

"Access to Good Jobs for All" is at the heart of our 10-year vision plan for 2035. We aspire to be a recognized workforce development partner in the region. We will elevate our employment placement services and career training offerings through an increased presence and service delivery in the region. We will continue our commitment to caring for people and the planet by investing in process engineering, organizational efficiencies, and scalability of programs to meet the growing workforce realities of our beloved community.

Originally shared on bizjournals.com