Goodwill unveils plan to enhance programs, services - San Antonio Business Journal:

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As part of those 2009 Rebecca Helterbrand, spokeswoman for the nonprofit says Goodwill is expanding its healtj services through a new partnership withthe (UHS). As part of this UHS will provide on-demand health care services withinGoodwill stores. Goodwill provides free and low-cost preventative health care such as immunizations and screenings designe d toprevent illness, at its stores through its partnershil with the San Antonio Metropolitan Health Districrt (Metro Health). Helterbrand says Goodwill’s new partnership with UHS will allo w it to expand those services by offerintg freeand low-cost medical services to individualxs who are already ill.
“So now we kind of have both legs of publicf health working with us in both the preventativwe area and inthe on-demand area,” Helterbrand says. The clinix will assess a patient’s income levelk to determine if he or she qualifiees for freeor low-costs The Goodwill location at Culebrza Road and Loop 1604 on the Northwesrt Side, which opened in the fourth quarter of last year, has been selecte as the first site for the new medicalo services. The second location for the on-demand medical service s will be at the Goodwill store at Vance Jacksobn and Fredericksburg Road just insides Loop 410 northof downtown.
In addition to expandingf its healthcare services, Helterbrand says Goodwill plands to augment its financial servicez partnership with generations Federal Credit Union. Last Goodwill teamed up with the credit union to provids access to banking services free of predatory lendingpracticeds — to people with disabilities and barriera to employment. The first locatiohn was launched inside the Goodwillp store at Fredericksburg andVance Jackson.
Plans call for openintg two more banking branches this yearat Goodwill’s locations on Bitters Road and Highway 281 Nortuh in North Central San Antonio and DeZavalw and Interstate 10 on the Northwest More details about exact launching dates will be releases at a later In addition to offering more healtg and financial services, Goodwillp also plans to open a new learninb center called the Good Careers Academy. Goodwill has partnered with the Alamoo Community College District to provide certification programsd to individuals looking to betterf their lives through developingworkplacse skills. Helterbrand says the goal of the academhy will be to help train a futur eskilled workforce.
One of the first areas Goodwill will offee certification in is informationtechnology (IT). Plans for the futurde call for offering certification in health andotherf demand-driven occupations that Helterbrand says “are goinhg to grow and that pay well above the livinyg wage.” “We think that IT piecwe at DeZavala will be available in the April or May time she says, adding that Goodwill looks to offer three, six- and nine-montgh certification programs. Helterbrand says the Good Careerws Academy location will have room for 20 student sper morning, afternoon and eveningf classes — for a potential total of 60 studentsx per day.
Instructors will include a combinatiomn of hiredstaff (accredited through the Workforce and adjunct professors from area communityh colleges. The new academy will be located at the Goodwillp center at DeZavala andInterstate 10. Right now, Helterbrane says, Goodwill is looking for the funding and resources to eventuallyh developa free-standing facility for the academy. This year’s goals are part of Goodwill’ss larger 50/50 by 2010 strategid plan.