Goodwill is more than just a store. As a non-profit organization, we’re focused on helping South Texas’ community grow and thrive. Since 2017, Goodwill has served over 27,000 South Texans through training, job placement, and support services.
Along with the opening of our Rockport Goodwill store, we also opened the Job Connections Center. Here’s what you should know:
Rockport Goodwill
Rockport is now the 20th Goodwill store in South Texas and is located at 1326 Highway 35N.
In conjunction with the Rockport Goodwill store opening on May 12, Goodwill partnered with Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend to open the Job Connections Center. During Rockport Goodwill’s grand opening, there were several modern skills workshops available, including:
- How Zoom works
- How to attach your resume and other documents
- iPhone tips
- How to create and use your LinkedIn profile
Goodwill Gives Back
A core port of Goodwill’s mission is to include training and job opportunities for people with disabilities or barriers to employment. Most people don’t realize the impact Goodwill makes on their community.
As a whole, Goodwill spends approximately 82% of its annual revenue on skills training and job placement. In other words, if you donate clothing and other items with a resale value of $100, roughly $82 is directly helping community members acquire the basic modern day skills they need to secure and maintain employment.
One of the biggest programs the Goodwill of South Texas recently championed is Let’s Get Back to Work, which helps people land a good job in the post-pandemic world.
The Jobs Connections Center
The Job Connections Center was created to help community members prepare for and find jobs. A partnership with Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend makes this process easier. Workforce Solutions’ mission is to “invest in our regional economic success through access to jobs, training, child care, youth programs, and employer services.”
When customers come into the Rockport Goodwill store, they’ll also have access to computers to search for employment and have someone there to assist them. Some basic services include:
- Basic computer skills
- Keyboarding
- Internet basics
- Microsoft Word
- Using email
- How to properly complete online job applications
You can also learn virtual job interview skills, take a career assessment, and develop your resume and cover letters with a job coach.
Rockport Goodwill Mural
In the store, you’ll also notice a hand-painted mural behind the cashier counter section. The mural features five individuals who have been offered opportunities by Goodwill despite a disability or other barrier to employment. These five individuals are:
- Chevy Villareal, a Goodwill Achiever of the Year
- Damian Tabor, a Goodwill Graduate of the Year
- Ross Wagner, a Goodwill Graduate of the Year
- Leoner Briones, a Goodwill employee since 1983
- Stefany Schade, former Goodwill Board Chair
How You Can Support Rockport
We believe Goodwill is where your donated clothing and household items can do the most good. When you donate to Goodwill, you’re contributing to the Goodwill Circle of Hope.
- Your donations help the Goodwill of South Texas generate revenue
- With the revenue, we help fund job training programs
- Job training programs equip community members with the skills needed to get employment
- Community members then donate their clothes, repeating the cycle
The Rockport Goodwill store is open from Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.