Rare distinction achieved in approximately 3 percent of CARF surveys highlights Goodwill’s commitment to service quality and accountability
Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA has earned a three-year accreditation from CARF for its Job Connection Career Centers. The accreditation extends through April 30, 2029.
CARF’s three-year accreditation demonstrates that an organization satisfies CARF’s accreditation conditions and substantially conforms to internationally recognized standards. The accreditation process includes an extensive peer review of an organization’s programs, business practices, service quality and commitment to continuous improvement.
Goodwill’s accreditation report identified no recommendations. According to CARF, this accomplishment is achieved in approximately 3% of its surveys. A recommendation identifies a standard for which CARF determined that an organization did not meet the minimum requirements necessary to demonstrate full conformance.
“Your organization should take pride in achieving this high level of accreditation,” Brian J. Boon, Ph.D., president and CEO of CARF International, stated in an official letter to Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA.
For job seekers, employers, donors, and community partners, the accreditation provides independent validation that Goodwill’s employment and career services are accountable, responsive to feedback, and committed to continued improvement.
“Earning a three-year accreditation with no recommendations is a tremendous affirmation of the work taking place throughout our Job Connection Career Centers,” said Leah Pontani-Small, Chief Mission Officer of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. “This accomplishment reflects the dedication of the employees who provide support to our community members each day. It independently validates that our mission is reflected not only in what we say, but in the quality of the services we provide and the opportunities we help create.”
CARF Report Highlights Organizational Strengths
The CARF report identified 14 areas of strength throughout Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA.
Highlights included:
- The organization is managed with great care. Its comprehensive policies and procedures are a roadmap for success. Every service is provided with high quality, ensuring that the community gets the very best help possible.
- The organization’s services, including the Opportunity Accelerator, are making a real difference. By helping thousands of people get jobs and education, the organization proves every day that its methods work and that its mission is being achieved.
- The Career Centers are very welcoming to anyone who walks through the doors, and the staff will try to assist with whatever services are needed by those coming for assistance.
- Staff members across the Career Centers demonstrate a strong knowledge of program services, resources and community partnerships, allowing them to effectively guide persons served toward meaningful employment and career development opportunities.
- Feedback from clients reflects a high level of satisfaction with the Career Center staff. Individuals shared that staff members not only assisted them in obtaining employment but also positively changed the direction of their lives.
“We thank CARF and its peer surveyors for the diligence and care they brought to this review,” said Doug Newsome, Vice President of Enterprise Services for Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. “We are especially grateful to the employees throughout Goodwill who work each day to provide high-quality employment services and other resources through our Job Connection Career Centers. This accreditation and the report’s findings reflect their professionalism, compassion, and commitment to the people we serve.”
Find Employment, Education, and Career Services
Goodwill’s Job Connection Career Centers welcome community members who are seeking employment, preparing for a career change, or looking for resources to help them advance professionally. Staff members work with individuals to identify their goals and connect them with employment services, education, career development opportunities, and community resources.
Find a Job Connection Career Center near you.
Partner With Goodwill to Strengthen the Regional Workforce
Employers and community organizations are invited to partner with Goodwill to connect with qualified job seekers, share employment opportunities, and help individuals prepare for meaningful careers. Goodwill’s Job Connection Career Center teams can help employers identify candidates and connect with workforce resources that support their hiring needs.
Learn more about becoming an employer partner or sharing available positions with Goodwill.
About Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA
Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc., a non-profit 501c3 charity, builds lives, families, and communities one career at a time by helping people develop their God-given gifts through education, work, and career services. More than 86 cents of every dollar of Goodwill revenue underwrites job training and placement services within the agency’s 35-county service delivery area. Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc. is accountable to a local Board of Directors, belongs to this community, and is not owned by any individual or company. To learn more about the services and individuals Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc. serves, visit www.goodwillworks.org.
About CARF
CARF is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services, enhancing the lives of persons served worldwide.
The accreditation process applies CARF’s internationally recognized standards during a site survey conducted by peer surveyors. Accreditation, however, is an ongoing process that distinguishes a provider’s service delivery and signals to the public that the provider is committed to continuous performance improvement, responsive to feedback, and accountable to the community and its other stakeholders.
CARF accreditation promotes providers’ demonstration of value and Quality Across the Lifespan® of millions of persons served through application of rigorous organizational and program standards organized around the ASPIRE to Excellence® continuous quality improvement framework. CARF accreditation has been the recognized benchmark of quality health and human services for more than 50 years.
For more information or to contact CARF, please visit www.carf.org/contact-us.
