Goodwill Industries of Denver.

• Author: Ringo, Kyle
• Position: Sustainability SPOTLIGHT - Goodwill Industries International Inc.

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Most people recognize Goodwill Industries of Denver by the nonprofit's 18 retail stores selling secondhand goods, but that arm of the organization only serves the greater mission of helping members of the community reach their full potential.

Toward that end, Goodwill has started an Energy Workforce Program at East and Montbello high schools. The program is aimed at preparing students for an expected influx of jobs in the state with renewable energy companies drawn here by tax incentives offered in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act from the Obama administration.

Goodwill serves 23,000 at-risk youth each year, and these students in the career-focused mentor program learn skills integral to starting successful careers in the energy sector. They study to pass the Edison Electrical Exam, a common prerequisite for many energy jobs. Joyce Schlose, vice president of workforce development at Goodwill, says the goal of the program is to train and place 90 percent of the students in jobs and internships in the energy industry.

The program is funded from a grant from the Metro Denver Wired Initiative and corporate partners such as Namaste Solar Electric, EnCana, Energy Corp. of America, St. Mary Land & Exploration Co. and Kinder Morgan. Some partners simply provide volunteers and mentors for students in the classroom.

One recent project tasked students with working with professionals to conduct an energy audit of a Montbello home and retrofit the house to make it more environmentally friendly and efficient, saving the homeowner money over time in heating and electricity bills.

"So the intent of the program is to really not only prepare students who are interested in going into these fields but also help students harness that passion and discover what it is they want to do," said Meaghan Carabello, spokeswoman for Goodwill Industries of Denver. "And just be overall more prepared for the world of work."

GREEN FROM GREEN

Goodwill has "a triple bottom line" philosophy. It means the true success of the organization is measured by being successful in its retail business, helping people through the revenue from its retail operation and using sustainable, "green" practices in both.

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The organization saves 50 million pounds of goods from landfills each year and sells them in 18 Denver-area stores, using the money to help fund projects such as the "Green Team" of 13 students involved in retrofitting the...