WUTC Scenic Roots Radio Show feat. Gena Weldon Tune in here to WUTC's Scenic Roots radio show to hear from Gena Weldon, the President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area! Gena shares insights on how Goodwill partners with the University of Tennessee and how they are making a difference in our community through education, training, and employment opportunities. Don't miss this chance to learn more about the impactful work being done right here in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia.
Solara Sain From 1992 to 1995, the Bosnian War displaced more than 2 million people as they fled to seek safety from the violence - and Solara Sain was one of them. "I was granted the opportunity to move to the U.S. through a Lutheran Church refugee program," shares Sain. "I had little work experience, but I was determined to find a job that allowed me to earn a living." At the time, Goodwill was opening a new store within walking distance of Sain's apartment, and she was hired as a store associate in January of 1997. Before the war, Sain never imagined she would live in America, so her English was very limited. "When I arrived in the U.S., my English vocabulary consisted of about 200 words, shares Sain. "Every day presented a new challenge to learn something new." Despite this obstacle, Sain persisted. She became a U.S. citizen in 2001, and from 1997 to 2005, Sain was promoted three separate times, eventually earning the title of store manager. But Sain's journey didn't stop there. She continued to participate in training programs and accept any opportunities for growth. From 2008 to 2020, Sain continued to advance in leadership roles at Goodwills across the country, from Oklahoma City to Dallas, Texas. "Today, I am proud to serve as vice president of retail operations at Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga area," says Sain. "Goodwill is much more than a store. More than 85 cents from every dollar generated in stores by the sale of donated items is used to support our mission to help people transform their potential into opportunity through edu-cation, training, and employment." Throughout her career progression at Goodwill, Sain was inspired to persevere by her late father, and his influence still guides her journey today. "He never stopped learning, which is why I enrolled in college to pursue his dream of all of his children obtaining a college degree," finishes Sain. "In May of this year, I will graduate with my master's degree." Read More Here
National Clean Out Your Closet Week National Clean Out Your Closet Week is celebrated every third week of March. This week serves as a perfect opportunity to declutter. Cleaning out your closets can help reduce stress, increase productivity, and give you a sense of control. Once you’ve sorted through your belongings, donating your gently used items to Goodwill is a powerful way to provide those items a new life while supporting your community.
Goodwill will host a two-day hiring event at the Goodwill Opportunity Center in East Brainerd on Tuesday, March 25, and Wednesday, March 26, from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The Goodwill Opportunity Center is located at 7601 East Brainerd Road, Suite 121, next to the Goodwill store and Donation Xpress location. The hiring event is in partnership with Schneider Trucking, which is recruiting for regional truck-driving positions. The roles offer weekly home time and a competitive benefits package, including a 401(k) with company match, medical, dental, and vision insurance. Open interviews will be held during the hiring event. A demo fleet truck will be available for viewing. “In addition to frequent hiring opportunities like these, our center offers free career services like resume development and job search support to anyone in the community,” said Ben Salser, Goodwill Opportunity Center – East Brainerd manager. Since 1923, Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area has helped people receive the training and support they need to find competitive jobs in our community. Goodwill Opportunity Centers are located in East Brainerd, Chattanooga and Dalton. Free services offered at Goodwill Opportunity Centers include career assessments, career and job search support, employment readiness assistance, digital skills training, financial and nutritional education, on-site job coaching, resume and interview preparation and access to on-site resources and career fairs. Revenue from the sale of goods at Goodwill’s 16 area stores, remains local and funds employment and training programs to help people in the community overcome barriers to advance their careers. Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area provides education, training and employment for people in a 23-county region in Tennessee and Georgia. Visit www.goodwillchatt.org to learn more. For questions, call the Goodwill Opportunity Center – East Brainerd at 423-757-9527 or email them at bens@goodwillchatt.org Read more Here
Opportunity Center in Dalton, offering local job seekers an opportunity to connect with an employer in the Dalton area. The Goodwill Opportunity Center is inside the Goodwill Store at 1001 Market St., near Mountain Creek Harley–Davidson in the Market Street Shoppes of Dalton shopping center. The hiring event in partnership with The Cleaning Advantage is Wednesday, March 12, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The Cleaning Advantage is seeking to hire janitorial and floor care professionals for roles at Dalton State College. Ideal candidates will have experience in commercial cleaning and floor care. Attendees are asked to bring a resume and two forms of identification to the hiring event. In addition to hiring events, Goodwill’s Opportunity Center provides free career services such as career assessments, job search support, employment readiness assistance, digital skills training, financial and nutritional education and resume and interview preparation. “Hiring events are just one example of how we give back to the community,” said Rachel Inman, vice president of mission services. “Goodwill is committed to providing resources to help people succeed in their job search and beyond.” Visit www.goodwillchatt.org to learn more. For questions, call the Goodwill Opportunity Center – Dalton at 706-609-5647 or email Ben Salser at bens@goodwillchatt.org.
Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area was honored to receive the Spirit of Chattanooga Award for Public Service Online Film at the 2024-2025 American Advertising Awards hosted by the American Advertising Federation Chattanooga. The mission of the American Advertising Awards is to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in advertising. The award ceremony was held last Thursday at Mac Avenue Events in Chattanooga. The American Advertising Awards, known as the ADDYs, is the most prominent creative competition in the world, officials said. Each year, over 40,000 entries compete in 200 markets nationwide. Goodwill’s award-winning video, chronicling the opening of their store, donation center and Opportunity Center in Dalton was shot and edited by Brandon Brown Productions. “Receiving the American Advertising Federation’s Spirit of Chattanooga Award and having the chance to witness the exceptional work being created in our community was truly an honor,” said Michelle Turner, director of Marketing and Communications for Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area. “Most importantly, we are grateful for the opportunity to share how Goodwill empowers individuals to transform their potential into opportunity through education, training, and employment.” The award-winning video can be viewed at this link . Read More Here .
Goodwill will host two hiring events at the Goodwill Opportunity Center in Dalton during February, offering local job seekers opportunities to connect with employers. The Goodwill Opportunity Center is located inside the Goodwill Store at 1001 Market St., near Mountain Creek Harley–Davidson in the Market Street Shoppes of Dalton shopping center. The hiring event in partnership with Toyo Tires is on Friday, Feb. 21, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Toyo Tires is hiring manufacturing technicians for night shifts with a starting wage of $23 per hour. Attendees are encouraged to complete an application and online assessment before the event at www.toyotires.com/careers. If needed, applicants can complete these steps at the event. The hiring event in partnership with Schneider Trucking on Friday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Schneider Trucking is recruiting for regional truck driving positions. These roles offer weekly home time and a competitive benefits package, including a 401(k) with company match, medical, dental and vision insurance. In addition to these hiring events, Goodwill’s Opportunity Center provides free career services such as career assessments, job search support, employment readiness assistance, digital skills training, financial and nutritional education and resume and interview preparation. “Hiring events are just one example of how we give back to the community,” said Rachel Inman, vice president of Mission Services. “Goodwill is committed to providing resources to help people succeed in their job search and beyond.” For questions, call the Goodwill Opportunity Center – Dalton at 706-609-5647 or email them at bens@goodwillchatt.org. Read More Here .
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Opportunities are knocking for job seekers in Chattanooga as Goodwill and Spotlight Staffing team up for a hiring event, offering up resume tips and immediate openings for those applying. The event, hosted at the Goodwill Opportunity Center, focused on connecting job seekers with immediate opportunities in skilled trades and manufacturing positions. Free services offered at Goodwill Opportunity Centers include career assessments, career and job search support, employment readiness assistance, digital skills training, financial and nutritional education, on-site job coaching, resume and interview preparation, and access to on-site resources and career fairs. Michelle Turner, The Director of Communications at Goodwill Chattanooga, stated that “The [Goodwill Opportunity Center] offers services like resume preparation, interview preparation, job search, and support. At the event, Spotlight Staffing was looking to hire plumbers, machine operators, maintenance technicians, forklift drivers, customer service, production, and light industrial work associates. “We really need to help people who have barriers to employment.” Since 1923, Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area has helped people receive the training and support they need to find competitive jobs in our community. Goodwill Opportunity Centers are located in East Brainerd, Chattanooga, and Dalton. For those unable to attend, Spotlight Staffing and Goodwill provide ongoing job placement and training services. More details are available on their websites. Read More Here .
Goodwill will host a hiring event at their Opportunity Center in East Brainerd on Thursday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Goodwill Opportunity Center is at 7601 East Brainerd Road, Suite 121, next to the Goodwill store and Donation Xpress location. The hiring event is in partnership with Spotlight Staffing. During the hiring event, Spotlight Staffing will be hiring plumbers, machine operators, maintenance technicians, forklift drivers, customer service, production and light industrial work associates. “In addition to frequent hiring opportunities like these, our center offers free career services like resume development and job search support to anyone in the community,” said Ben Salser, Goodwill Opportunity Center – East Brainerd manager. Since 1923, Goodwill Industries of the Greater Chattanooga Area has helped people receive the training and support they need to find competitive jobs in our community. Goodwill Opportunity Centers are located in East Brainerd, Chattanooga and Dalton. Free services offered at Goodwill Opportunity Centers include career assessments, career and job search support, employment readiness assistance, digital skills training, financial and nutritional education, on-site job coaching, resume and interview preparation and access to on-site resource and career fairs. Revenue from the sale of goods at Goodwill’s 16 area stores, remains local and funds employment and training programs to help people in the community overcome barriers to advance their careers. For questions, call the Goodwill Opportunity Center – East Brainerd at 757-9527 or email them at bens@goodwillchatt.org. Read More Here.
