Is your background keeping you from obtaining reliable employment? Do you lack the necessary skills to set yourself apart from other job candidates?
Let us help.
We embrace the justice-involved community with our Reintegrating Individuals Successfully Every Day (RISE) program, and we’re assisting more Kentucky job seekers with disadvantages than ever. RISE has been offered since 2018 in the Louisville area, and now we’ve expanded our services to Lexington, Bowling Green and Pikeville!
Participants of the RISE program take part in a two-week session – now offered virtually – to learn valuable life and job skills, including financial literacy, digital literacy, communication skills, health and nutrition and behavioral health. They are awarded a Work Ready Certificate upon graduating, which helps individuals reintegrate back into employment. RISE also allows participants a chance to earn a Chromebook, a stipend and a gym membership or equipment upon graduating
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Take it from Billy, a RISE graduate who said Goodwill helped provide him with the resources he needed to get his life back on track after being incarcerated.
“Once I got addicted to opiates, it was over. I made really good money, but I couldn’t show up half the time, because I was chasing the next high. After I lost this job, my life kind of spiraled out of control. It was a mess. … It didn’t matter what the consequences were; I had to catch that next high. I ended up getting into quite a bit of trouble after a crime spree I’d done. I went to prison for it. During this time, I ended up basically donating my 20s to the department of corrections. And this last time getting out, I decided instead of going home, I was going to try something new. I wanted to come up (to Louisville) and try to figure out how to live life on life’s terms. Being locked in a box 23 hours a day is not a life.”
“Within three weeks (of being released from prison), I ended up getting in contact with the Goodwill program, Miss Tina (Ashby), Tom (Saylor). I have a job interview today. I have housing. I have so many resources to a place I have no clue about. I still don’t know much about Louisville, but I know a lot of people in Louisville now. The RISE program was an amazing program. I mean, it’s just amazing all the resources you guys offer and it’s free. You guys have done so much work in my life, and I’m so grateful to have come here.”
For individuals interested in the RISE program or for those who may know of someone interested, contact the appropriate RISE program manager from the list below via phone or email us at [email protected] for more information.
Louisville: 502-585-5221
Lexington: 859-806-7956
Bowling Green: 270-781-4930
Pikeville: 606-561-0359