Agency Provider Profile
Name of Provider: Goodwill Industries of Akron
Address: 570 East Waterloo Road, Akron, Ohio 44319
Phone #: 330-724-6995 Fax #: 330-786-2504
E-Mail: drohrig@goodwillakron.org
About the agency:
Goodwill is a major provider of workforce development, specialized training
programs, and job placement services that has as its mission to be the leader in
providing training and job placement assistance to people with barriers to
employment. Services are designed to prepare recipients for work and to empower
people to live independent, productive lives. Goodwill Industries of Akron began in
1926 in a one-room salon at the corner of Howard and Furnace Streets. In 1953 it was
moved to Mill Street and was a prominent member of the downtown community until
2000 when it was moved to a newly renovated facility on Waterloo Road. The new
building features a one-floor plan for easy accessibility, state-of-the-art computer
labs, professional classrooms and meetings rooms as well as an extensive testing lab.
Within the first year at the Waterloo location more than 1 million people received
services, visited, shopped, or donated at the new facility.
Services provided under Contract with the Board
Facility Based Transitional Work Experience – vocational training in a variety of
positions including industrial services, retail, clerical and janitorial. Consumers
work in an integrated setting along with hourly employees. Each consumer is
assigned a case manager, mentor, and facility based support specialist and is
offered the opportunity for job try-outs in the community. Consumers are paid
minimum wage for their work and there is relatively no downtime during the
workday. Monthly training sessions are held focusing on both work and life skills.
The focus of the program is preparation for community employment. Self-
advocacy is promoted through consumer-management meetings and employee
appreciation events.
Job development – assistance with resume writing, job matching, and pre-
employment preparation. Assistance with finding employment, interviewing, and
arrangements necessary to begin employment. Follow-up with individuals once
they are employed to ensure job retention
Job Coaching – assistance to individuals once they are employed to learn job skills,
build a natural support system, and ensure employment success
Vocational Evaluation – evaluation of skills, abilities, and interests for
employment. Evaluations can be focused on assessing one’s potential for
employment, career aptitude and interests, training needs, work hardening needs,
etc. They can be performed at a testing center or in community work sites.
About other services offered
Goodwill also operates the Employment Resource Center (ERC), a program funded by
Job and Family Services, that is available to individuals who are unemployed,
underemployed, dislocated, downsized, or new to the workforce. Assistance and self-
help tools focus on job loss and transition skills, skill and aptitude testing, career
counseling, interviewing skills, resume writing, and use of job postings and referrals.
The ERC works closely with local companies in times of closure or lay-offs and offers a
job search center, computer lab, career express job readiness workshops, labor
market resources, on-the-job training and follow-up services.
About the staff
Staff include Case Managers, facility based support specialists, job developers, job
coaches, certified vocational evaluators, and certified rehabilitation counselors. A
bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred for all staff. All supervisory
staff are degreed. Vocational evaluators and rehabilitation counselors must meet the
certification and continuing education requirements of their certification boards.
Case management and support staff must hold appropriate certified or registry status
with ODMRDD. All staff are trained in first aid, CPR, OSHA, Client Rights, Major
Unusual Incident Reporting, Behavioral Support, and Crisis Intervention. New staff
are required to complete a Board-sponsored Summit County Training Collaborative
orientation program.
About sources of payment for services:
The following sources of funding/reimbursement are accepted to pay for services:
BVR, CSBMRDD, Bureau of Workers Compensation, Veteran’s Administration, Job and
Family Services, United Way, and private pay.
About service availability:
The work experience program is offered at Waterloo Road and, for a limited number
of people, at the State Road store in Cuyahoga Falls. The program is open for service
Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 3:30. To be eligible an individual must have a
desire to work or participate in a work-oriented program, have a goal of community
employment, be able to self medicate, and be able to use the toilet independently or
have the availability of an attendant. Individuals who need behavioral support
beyond level one programming are not eligible for this program. The site is fully
accessible. It is on a metro route and transportation to and from the program is also
available via CSBMRDD. The hours for job coaching are flexible based on individual
and employer need. CSBMRDD only provides funding for job development and
coaching services for individuals who are Board eligible and do not meet the
eligibility criteria for BVR or BSVI services.
Credentials
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
About who to contact
All of the following contact persons can be reached at the address and phone number
listed for the agency above:
Dawn Rohrig, Director of Vocational Services
Marsha Calloway, Supervisor of Case Management Services
Kelly Bush-Fonseca, Supervisor of Job Placement Services
Leslie Flynt, Supervisory of Job Training Services
References:
If references are needed, the agency will attempt to link you with someone who has
used their services and is willing to be contacted.