Goodwill® Expands Social Enterprise Model in South Korea

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goodwill Industries International and The Together Foundation have partnered together to expand the Goodwill Industries® mission and social enterprise model in South Korea. Together, the organizations will create a social welfare model of creating jobs and support for people with disabilities as historically, the Korean culture has not been conducive to empowering people with disabilities. The aggressive growth plan includes opening up 100 stores, serving 3,000 people with disabilities and creating 1,000 jobs for people with disadvantages over the next five years, specifically within the network of Goodwill affiliates in the cities of Busan, Seoul and Suwon.

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The collaboration will also focus on promoting mission-based services, such as multicultural family support services and the North Korean resettlement program. The Together Foundation plans to increase the partnership to include: housing for people with disabilities, support services for people from other cultures that have married Koreans and assistance to North Korean refugees.

Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International and Dr. Young Woo Kang, founder of Goodwill Industries of Korea and former Goodwill Industries International board member have been instrumental in the strategic growth plan together with Hyong Ok Jang, Chairman of the Together Foundation and former CEO of Samsung China.

"We are confident that Goodwill Industries of Korea has the capacity to lead, unify and strengthen the Goodwill brand in Korea," said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "We are now in a position to create thousands of jobs for people with disabilities and other disadvantages in Korea through the sustainable Goodwill social enterprise model."

Goodwill Industries of Korea was formed to provide job training and career services to people with disabilities and others who are trying to enter the workforce. Goodwill Industries of Korea has been in existence for nine years and serves as the national organization for Goodwill Industries International in the republic of Korea. It is comprised of 4 affiliates throughout Korea that operate five stores where the majority of the employees have disabilities in order for them to receive employment and training skills.

"The Together Foundation will cooperate and unite with the Goodwill Industries of Korea member agencies and invest every ounce of energy into spreading the Goodwill enterprise throughout Korea," said Dr. Young Woo Jang.

The Together Foundation was first established in February 2011 and serves as an umbrella organization to provide services for vulnerable populations in South Korea. The Together Foundation operates with a similar mission to Goodwill, aiming to provide stable jobs to people with disabilities and those facing challenges to finding employment.

Goodwill Industries International is a social enterprise with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries that advance the Goodwill model of sustainability by investing in global communities.

For more information on Goodwill's presence outside North America, visit http://global.goodwill.org.

About Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based, independent agencies in the United States, Canada with 14 affiliates in 13 other countries. Goodwill is one of the nation's top five most valuable and recognized nonprofit brands as well as a leading social services enterprise (Source:  Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100). Goodwill agencies 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 2,600 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com. Local Goodwill agencies 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 service preparation and document imaging and shredding. In 2010, 2.4 million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill's career services. Goodwill channels 84 percent of its revenues directly into its programs and services. To find your local Goodwill, use the online locator at www.goodwill.org or call (800) 741-0186. Facebook: GoodwillIntl Twitter: @GoodwillIntl

SOURCE Goodwill Industries International