Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona’s vision is to end poverty through the power of work. This “work” not only translates to wages that can support a family and end poverty, but it also translates to better access to healthcare, benefits, healthier foods, increased standard of living, and mental health and wellness. 
As many people may know, the path to “work” is not universal. While there are many obstacles to obtaining equitable work, an initial barrier to accessing a quality career is poor education. The first step toward quality work is quality education.
In 2019 the U.S. Census Bureau published a report showing that over 12% of adults do not have a high school diploma. In the United States, two million students drop out of high school every year, and about 25% of adults over the age of 25 without a high school diploma report living below the poverty threshold, as opposed to only four percent for individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
It is impossible to change the current educational system overnight to improve these statistics. But, it is possible to provide new avenues to quality education.
This is where the Goodwill Excel Center comes into play. The Excel Center is a free adult high school program offering services to remove common barriers many adults face. These schools offer access to a high school diploma, childcare, transportation assistance, industry certifications, and life and career coaching.
The Excel Center gives adults an opportunity to secure quality careers through education. It creates a pathway for adults with little or no education to get a good education and career.
Goodwill also values the education and professional advancement of its team members. By offering the My Career Matters program, Goodwill is helping employees achieve their full potential in and outside of Goodwill. This program helps team members get referrals, gain digital literacy, explore careers, design career success plans, develop essential skills, and set future goals.
Through Goodwill, education will no longer be the missing step on the pathway to quality work. The Excel Center program, in tandem with the My Career Matters program, will begin to change the narrative for more than 720,000 Arizonans and their families.
Education makes taking the step toward meaningful careers feel so much closer to those who believe there is no next step. This is how Goodwill is ending poverty in Arizona.
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