Updates
Success Stories
Workforce Solutions helped him get a job, now Ken helps others find their careers
July 25, 2023
Recently, one morning, the Workforce Solutions* office in Portland, Maine was bustling with activity. Ken Hull, Program Coordinator, popped up from his desk. With a big smile, he greeted a young woman, who was holding a baby in a carrier. Not knowing where to start, she expressed her interest in a pursuing nursing career. Ken shared some entry-level training programs…
News
Hooksett store grand opening July 22 – free Club memberships, gift cards
July 5, 2023
Hooksett, New Hampshire’s Goodwill store will host a grand opening 9 a.m. Saturday, July 22 in a newly renovated space near its previous location. The grand opening will treat shoppers to special perks, including free enrollment into Club Goodwill — a program that offers discounts of up to 25 percent on every purchase. The first 100 shoppers will get free…
News
Sign up for a free warehouse tour at Goodwill in Gorham, Maine
June 28, 2023
Goodwill is much more than a store, and we want to share what we do with you. Sign up for a free warehouse tour of our Gorham, Maine warehouse! You are invited to see “behind the scenes” of Goodwill NNE. On this tour, you will meet us, ask questions, and witness how we divert 50 million pounds of stuff each…
Success Stories
University students score jobs in the field of Deaf Services
May 31, 2023
When Melissa Price first walked into Goodwill’s LifeWorks Deaf Services she thought, “I think I’m home.” With her degree in Linguistics and American Sign Language (ASL), she was initially not sure what to do when she graduated. But, after hearing her classmates talk about LifeWorks Deaf Services, she found her way there initially as a volunteer. It wasn’t long before…
News
Hooksett Goodwill store relocating, current store closing June 11
May 24, 2023
The Hooksett, New Hampshire Goodwill store is moving down the street to a beautiful, newly renovated space. The current store will close on Sunday, June 11. The new store will host a grand opening in July — watch this space for an announcement, or sign up for email updates. The new store is less than half a mile from the…
News
Career help now available to Afghan refugees in Maine
May 24, 2023
Workforce Solutions recently received part of a $750,000 grant to support new immigrants from Afghanistan, by helping them find great jobs. In 2022, Maine welcomed over 500 new immigrants, including over 250 from Afghanistan and more arriving in 2023. New arrivals often have trouble finding jobs, don’t realize they are eligible to work, or just need help advancing beyond the survival jobs they got…
Success Stories
Working at a Goodwill store is Tammy’s dream job
May 23, 2023
A few months ago, Tammy Parker made her dream come true and now works at the Mill Creek store in South Portland, Maine. Tammy doesn’t have a car, so she walks across the Casco Bay bridge to work every day. She loves her job so much, and says all of her coworkers are nice, helping each other get their work…
Success Stories
From Syria to Maine, Rajaa finds connection and support at her job at Goodwill
May 16, 2023
Rajaa Allahan picked up a kids’ board game called Guess Who? from the blue hamper full of items. She deftly flipped it around, looked inside, and placed a $2 tag on it. Her hands moved fast as she reached for the next donated item. Once she reviews and tags the items, she places them on the sales floor. Rajaa can…
News
What happens to the donations that don’t sell?
April 17, 2023
We get a lot of questions about what happens to items if they don’t get purchased in our stores. We don’t throw them away, and want to give you a behind the scenes look at all the re-uses we find for them. Your donations When you hand us a box of clothes or toys that you don’t want or need anymore, the…
News
Goodwill’s Maine stores now run on local solar power
April 17, 2023
Goodwill recently moved 12 of its stores and offices to solar power, with plans to move two more to solar power this year. The nonprofit is participating in two community solar farms, agreeing to buy solar energy for the next 10 years. This will account for 62 percent of the nonprofit’s energy use in Maine. “Sustainability is at the center of our work. Goodwill stores keep more…
News
After 46 years of working with people with disabilities, Larry Strout is retiring
April 10, 2023
When Larry Strout’s work-study college job turned into a full-time position at Goodwill NNE, he decided to stick it out until he figured out what he wanted to do with his life. That was nearly 46 years ago. Larry is a Director of Community Case Management and oversees case managers across Maine who work with people with disabilities. Larry has…
News
CEO Rich Cantz stepping down after 20 years with Goodwill NNE
March 29, 2023
Goodwill Northern New England’s President and CEO, Rich Cantz notified the Board of Directors of his decision to leave his role later this year after a 20-year career with the nonprofit. “Working for such an impactful organization has been a dream, and I’m proud of the work we’ve done. After two decades with Goodwill, it’s time for a change. It’s…
Success Stories
Doctors didn’t think Emma would walk again, now she runs and boxes at Goodwill NeuroRehab
March 13, 2023
In the summer of 2021, Emma Robbins got into a car accident. Doctors were unsure if Emma would survive. She drove her car off the road, and suffered from a traumatic brain injury on impact that she is still recovering from today. Since she was a teenager, Emma battled with drug and alcohol abuse and received treatment a few times. She…
News
NeuroFeedback helps clients with anxiety, depression, sleep, brain injury, more
March 7, 2023
Goodwill’s NeuroRehabilitation clinics have a new piece of technology that helps train people’s brains to be more flexible and efficient. NeuroFeedback helps treat anxiety, depression, insomnia, and more in a noninvasive way. It also can help healthcare staff diagnose autism, schizophrenia, brain injury, and more without relying solely on self-reported symptoms. “It can be difficult for a patient with a…
Success Stories
Carina, speech therapist, helps people after a brain injury
March 1, 2023
“Now that’s a cool job!” Carina Ream thought as she was reading an article about a speech therapist who helps actors on their accents for movies. She was student at the University of New Hampshire and was considering how to combine her love of English and science into a career. Ultimately, this led her to graduate school to become a speech…