Goodwill honored by The Quality Texas Foundation

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas received the prestigious Quality Texas Commitment Level Award for Excellence, this past June 28^th during the 2011 Quest for Excellence conference in Dallas. The award was given for demonstrating good performance and commitment to a systematic approach to organizational management and performance improvement.

The seven assessment criteria used to identify high performing organizations included: (1) Leadership, (2) Strategic Planning, (3) Customer Focus, (4) Knowledge Management, (5) Workforce Focus, (6) Process, and (7) Results. The award was accepted by Zachary Haines, Director of Performance Excellence, and it is a follow-up to last year’s Engagement Level award.

“Quality Texas and the Baldrige criteria are the best roadmaps to ensure a high performing organization,” he said. “In order for Goodwill Industries of Central Texas to achieve our mission and serve our clients, customers, and donors, we strive to continually measure, benchmark, and improve every aspect of our organization.”

The Quality Texas Foundation is a non-profit corporation that evolved from a concept introduced by Governor Ann Richards in the early ‘90s, to educate, train, assess, provide feedback and recognize organizations committed to a journey of excellence based on criteria modeled after the National Baldrige Award. In other words, it is a framework for assessing and improving an organization.

“The feedback we receive from Quality Texas is essential for our continuous improvement and the Commitment Level award is a sign of our dedication to quality,” concluded Haines.

E-Waste Control: A Bold Step In The Right Direction

Yesterday Lisa P. Jackson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, unveiled the “National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship”(press release). For all of us who care about the environment, this is a huge deal; both a triumph for the EPA and an essential effort of Obama Administration towards a more conscientious future.

Accompanying Lisa Jackson in the event was Martha N. Johnson, U.S. General Services Administrator, and Nancy Sutley, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair. To launch the initiative they were joined by Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Inc., Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint, and Mark Small, V.P. of Corporate Environment, Safety and Health of Sony Electronics Inc. They each signed a voluntary commitment to EPA’s industry partnership aimed at promoting environmentally sound management of used electronics.

Jerry Davis, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Texas was in attendance along with Christine Banks, Vice President of Environmental Business Services to support the effort and confirm our position on an issue that we have championed from the start: recycling. Whether is electronics or clothes or furniture, we have a commitment to our planet to play it right and to decrease the amount of waste that ends up in the landfills.

The strategy, as Administrator Jackson presented it, is not about halting progress, but about responsible management of everything that goes out of style. This industry moves at an astonishing pace, and we leave behind almost 2.5 million tons of used electronics annually, as a nation.

Goodwill is a founding partner of the Dell Reconnect computer recycling program and we could not be prouder of this achievement. Protecting the environment and creating jobs at the same time - that is what we are about. It is so important to us that it is engraved in our values. Since 2004, when the partnership with Dell began, we have recycled 190 million pounds through the program, and we are confident that we can do much more.

To learn more about the National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship.

To learn more about Dell Reconnect.

Raise the Roof

We know most of you are laughing at us for inciting visions of a bad 80s dance move with that title but then the rest of you probably did the dance move. Cheesy pop culture reference aside, raise the roof is exactly what Austin Goodwill did this week at the location of our newest retail store in the Southpark Meadows shopping center.

Today when we checked in on our Southpark Meadows Construction Cam, here is what we saw:



Continue to watch the progress of our newest store with us through the "Southpark Meadows Construction Cam” as we keep you updated with pictures of the entire construction process.

Remember during construction of the new store the donation site you normally see at this location will not be available. Be sure to find an alternate location that is convenient for you during the construction and continue to support Goodwill's mission with your donations.

Lastly - Don't forget to mark your calendars! This Fall our Southpark Meadows attended donation center will open as a full retail store. We will have more information on our Grand Opening celebration as the date nears. Stay tuned.

Goodwill, Good friend - Janis Guerrero Thompson

Goodwill lost a good friend on Tuesday, June 7th. People have been interested in our organization’s rapid growth over the last five years, and Janis was one of the main reasons. I was unaware when she joined the board just how much her skills at planning, her connections in the community, and her inimitable way of making an important (if unpopular or unexpected) point would guide us, but they did.

I don’t think I’m alone in coveting her abilities. Her obituary spoke highly of her dedication to our community’s children and minorities, groups we see in abundance as we try to solve the problem of unemployment among groups considered disadvantaged. Janis was always involved in our events as well.

I seem to recall her showing up at our annual Ghoulwill Ball fundraiser dressed as a bumblebee, or was it Tinker Bell?

Janis served on our Board of Directors six years. When she retired from the Board, I was hoping to have a chance to hire her to run a new program. I let her know that about two months ago and my request brought out her usual beautiful smile and words of appreciation.

You touched so many of us, Janis, in so many ways.

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Memorial Services for Janis Guerrero Thompson:

A Rosary will be held at Harrell Funeral Home 4435 Frontier Trail Austin, TX June 9, 2011 7:00-7:30 p.m. Services will be held at St Mary Cathedral Austin, TX. June 10, 2011 at 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 10, 2011.

In lieu of flowers, please consider these ways to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Janis Guerrero Thompson:

The Janis Guerrero Thompson Scholarship Fund

Janis devoted a lifetime to the education of children and, particularly, to opening doors of opportunity for students who face challenges while working to realize their dreams. You can contribute by making a gift online or by contacting Laura Duran at the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium at 512-368-2956.

Honor Janis' mission to provide opportunities by supporting Goodwill

Janis envisioned a world where every person had the opportunity to realize their dreams. At Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, we believe that not only does everyone deserve to reach their dream but everyone matters. Each person is valuable, capable, and worthy. Honor the life of Janis Guerrero Thompson by continuing her mission to provide those opportunities to all. Learn more about how Goodwill strengthens our community by helping Central Texans find jobs and how you can get involved at austingoodwill.org.

We (almost) have walls!

It's amazing what you can get done in so little time. Just 43 days ago we announced the groundbreaking on our newest retail store, soon to be in the Southpark Meadows shopping center at Slaughter and South First.

Today when we checked in on our Southpark Meadows Construction Cam we were pleasantly surprised to find that we now have walls to our new store, albeit they might be a little drafty at first. Take a look for yourself:


Continue to watch the progress of our newest store with us through the "Southpark Meadows Construction Cam” as we keep you updated with pictures of the entire construction process.

Remember during construction of the new store the donation site you normally see at this location will not be available. Be sure to find an alternate location that is convenient for you during the construction and continue to support Goodwill's mission with your donations.

Lastly - Don't forget to mark your calendars! This Fall our Southpark Meadows attended donation center will open as a full retail store. We will have more information on our Grand Opening celebration as the date nears. Stay tuned.