Goodwill® Executive Named To Veterans' Labor Panel

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goodwill Industries International Senior Director of Mission Services Joylin Kirk has been appointed by Labor Secretary Thomas Perez to serve on a federal advisory committee chartered to assess the employment and training needs of veterans and their integration into the workforce. The appointment to the Department of Labor's Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment, Training and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO) will extend through January 31, 2019.

ACVETEO is a congressionally mandated committee authorized to assess the employment and training needs of veterans and assist with their assimilation back into the civilian workforce. Committee members are charged with taking meaningful action to address the complex challenges associated with advancing the employment situation of the nation's veterans. As part of her appointment, Kirk will chair the subcommittee that studies the challenges veterans face when looking for employment due to Goodwill's work in that area and its history of serving veterans dating back to World War I. 

"I'm honored and excited to serve on this committee and to help our nation's veterans explore new avenues to employment," said Joylin Kirk, senior director of mission services. "Many veterans have had a difficult time transitioning from military to civilian life. I pledge to do all I can in this new role to honor their sacrifice and service, and support them in finding fulfillment through the power of work."

Kirk began working for Goodwill of Western & Northern Connecticut in 2004 and transitioned to Goodwill Industries International in 2009. As part of her role, she oversees a team that works with Goodwill® organizations across the country to provide résumé help, career counseling, housing and meal service, vocational rehabilitation, and a variety of training and support services for veterans and their families. During her tenure, Goodwill provided services for more than 202,000 veterans and their family members, and it has hired nearly 4,000 members of the military in communities across the country.

For more information about the Labor Department's ACVETEO, visit: https://www.dol.gov/vets/aboutvets/advisorycommittee.htm

To learn about what the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) offers transitioning military, veterans and employers looking to hire, visit:  www.veterans.gov

About Goodwill Industries International

Goodwill Industries International is a network of 164 community-based organizations in the United States and Canada with a presence in 13 other countries. Goodwill is the #1 brand doing the most good in the world (Brand World Value Index, 2016) and is one of America's top 20 most inspiring companies (Forbes, 2014). Goodwill organizations are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,100 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com^®. Local Goodwill organizations also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food services preparation, and document imaging and shredding. Last year, Goodwill placed 312,000 people in employment in the United States and Canada. Nearly two million people worked to build their career and financial assets by engaging with Goodwill team members. In addition, more than 35 million people used computers and mobile devices to access Goodwill education, training, mentoring and online learning services to strengthen their skills. To learn more, visit goodwill.org.

For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at Goodwill.org or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl.

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SOURCE Goodwill Industries International