LOUISVILLE, KY. – Goodwill Kentucky has been awarded continued funding through the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to sustain and expand its Aspire to Recovery initiative over the next 24 months.
Aspire to Recovery is a recovery and reentry workforce program designed to support justice-impacted Kentuckians recovering from opioid and substance use disorders as they transition from incarceration back into the Louisville community. The program provides coordinated pre-release and post-release recovery and supportive services to individuals enrolled in the Kentucky Department of Corrections Substance Abuse Program.
Through Aspire to Recovery, clients receive comprehensive services that include pre-release recovery and workforce readiness planning, intensive case management and career coaching, recovery counseling and family support services through Seven Counties Services, transitional sober housing assistance, transportation support, digital literacy and financial wellness training, industry-recognized workforce credentials, and employment opportunities with Goodwill Kentucky and other second-chance employers.
“Our mission is not only to help individuals secure employment, but to help create lasting change for families and communities across Kentucky,” said Jessie Ferguson, Goodwill Kentucky director of prison and justice initiatives. “Aspire to Recovery is helping individuals build stability, reconnect with the workforce, and create a stronger future through recovery and opportunity.”
Services are delivered through Goodwill Kentucky’s Downtown Louisville Opportunity Center in partnership with correctional facilities, reentry centers, recovery housing providers, and community organizations focused on supporting long-term recovery and employment success.
The continued funding builds upon strong outcomes achieved during the program’s pilot phase, including sustained sobriety among clients, credential attainment, supportive housing placements, and successful employment outcomes. The expanded initiative will further strengthen Goodwill Kentucky’s recovery-to-work model by increasing pre-release engagement, expanding access to supportive housing, strengthening employer partnerships, and enhancing long-term recovery and employment retention support.
Recent program outcomes include:
- Enrolling 50 individuals in reintegration services, surpassing the program goal of 40 clients.
- Placing 35 clients into full-time employment.
- Supporting 165 incarcerated individuals through the workforce readiness phase.
- Receiving positive employer feedback regarding client performance and reliability from partners, including Workwell Industries and Goodwill Retail.
- Helping 38 clients earn nationally recognized customer service credentials.
- Providing ongoing support services designed to encourage long-term retention and recovery success.
For more information about Goodwill Kentucky’s workforce development initiatives, visit GoodwillKY.org.
About Goodwill Kentucky
For more than 100 years, Goodwill Kentucky has helped Kentuckians find pathways out of poverty through the transformative power of work. Operating in 103 of Kentucky’s 120 counties, Goodwill Kentucky places over 3,000 Kentuckians into jobs each year through its 1,400-plus employer partners and its own retail stores. These life-changing opportunities are made possible through donations to Goodwill Kentucky stores and community support. The organization reinvests approximately 90 cents of every dollar earned in its retail stores into job training and workforce programs. When you give to Goodwill, you do a lot of good.