Goodwill NYNJ & CVS Health Join Together to Break Employment Barriers for People with Disabilities

NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodwill® Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. (Goodwill NYNJ) recognized CVS Health with the 2018 Employer of the Year award for sharing the vision of Goodwill NYNJ that all work environments can be accessible, equitable and inclusive for individuals with disabilities. The award was accepted by Ernie DuPont, Senior Director of Workforce Initiatives for CVS Health. Sharon Cooper, a Goodwill NYNJ program participant and current CVS Pharmacy colleague was honored with the 2018 NDEAM Employee Honors Award.

Katy Gaul-Stigge, Goodwill NYNJ CEO and President, presented both awards during Goodwill NYNJ's 2^nd National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) ceremony on Friday, October 19 in the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Manhattan located at 334 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10023. October is National Disability Employment Awareness month and the 2018 NDEAM theme is "America's Workforce: Empowering All." CVS Health and Goodwill NYNJ are leaders in the vision to create a world with no employment barriers for individuals with disabilities.

Goodwill NYNJ has customized job training with CVS Health for the last several years, and this approach of working with the employer has resulted in hiring at CVS Pharmacy locations across New York City. Goodwill NYNJ has trained and placed over a dozen people, including Sharon, 29 year old New Yorker who had never before had a job.

Watch how Goodwill NYNJ and CVS Health collaborate to create and support jobs for individuals with disabilities in this video

Goodwill NYNJ is proud to join forces with CVS Health and hundreds of employers who reject the current status quo of a 75 percent unemployment rate amongst individuals with disabilities despite lowering unemployment rates.

People prefer to work for or do business with socially responsible companies. According to Nielsen's report "Doing Well by Doing Good," 67 percent of the more than 30,000 survey respondents would prefer to work for socially responsible companies, and 55 percent will pay extra for products and services from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact.

"At CVS Health, we understand the importance of helping individuals with disabilities access the security and prosperity that stable jobs can provide," said Dupont. "We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to creating a more inclusive workforce, and look forward to helping more colleagues like Sharon Cooper find a meaningful career with CVS Health."

"It is an honor to move the needle on employment for people with disabilities with Ernie DuPont and the whole CVS Health team.  Goodwill NYNJ is proud to implement customized job training for individuals with disabilities to help break employment barriers with great employers. At Goodwill NYNJ, we believe that if there are people who want to work and can be ready to work with training support, we will find like-minded employers to connect with," said Gaul-Stigge. "Goodwill NYNJ creates jobs. Last year, we hired or developed job options for 4,000 people, including more than 1,300 individuals with disabilities. We walk the walk, 1 in 7 of our colleagues is a person with disabilities."

CVS Health has received a perfect score on the Disability Equality Index's "Best Places to Work" index for the past two years for disability inclusion and equitable best practices in the workplace.

Goodwill NYNJ broad human services programs will serve over 30,000 people this year. These include providing unlimited job coaching and full-time and temporary job placements for individuals with disabilities and other barriers, digital skills training, and clubhouses and other supportive programs for people with psychiatric disabilities.

About Goodwill NYNJ
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. (Goodwill NYNJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which operates 38 retail stores throughout the region powered by donations of clothing and household items. Goodwill NYNJ translates those donations into workforce development services for people with disabilities and the unemployed. For over 103 years, the agency's mission has been to empower individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work. Annually, Goodwill NYNJ provides services to thousands of New York City Metropolitan Area residents - in workforce development, services for individuals with disabilities and retail training leading to employment to build better lives for participants and their families. Learn more about Goodwill NYNJ at http://www.goodwillnynj.org; follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillNYNJ; and find  us on Facebook or Instagram: GoodwillNYNJ.

NOTE:
High- and Low-Resolution Images Available Upon Request, including:

• Goodwill NYNJ CEO/President Katy Gaul-Stigge offering welcoming remarks
• Goodwill NYNJ CEO/President Katy Gaul-Stigge presenting awards to Sharon Cooper and CVS's Ernie DuPont
• Business leaders interacting with each other and employees with disabilities

Interview with Katy Gaul-Stigge, Goodwill NYNJ CEO & President, Available Upon Request

Contact: Jose Medellin | [email protected] | (646) 238-9133 mobile

SOURCE Goodwill NYNJ