Goodwill Industries of Kentucky was one of three nonprofits chosen to receive part of $1 million in funding that a Louisville Metro Council committee approved in November.
The Office of Resilience and Community Services will release at least $300,000 to each of the three nonprofits in wake of a unanimous approval for a resolution that will fund services that promote self-sufficiency for youths and young adults in the Louisville area. Goodwill was one of 16 nonprofits considered for the grant.
Through the Office of Youth Development, Goodwill will use these funds to provide young adults ages 16-24 with transportation and peer support services. Nonprofit YouthBuild is responsible for centralizing services and outreach, and the Louisville Urban League is responsible for case management. Goodwill was chosen by a group made up of officials from local offices, organizations and universities in part due to our record of effective career services.
The transportation assistance will begin with bus passes and culminate in vehicle ownership for this population of young adults. The Goodwill Cars to Work program will serve as the organization’s point staff. It will ensure that participants understand the many factors that go into owning a vehicle, such as financial literacy and driver education. Goodwill’s goal in this effort is to help alleviate transportation barriers prevalent among young adults in Louisville’s west end, thus helping to create equitable access to education, health, employment, justice and other critical resources.
The grant was highlighted and detailed by Director of Reentry Services Dennis Ritchie in several Louisville-area news reports on Thursday, which are available for viewing below:
- Metro Louisville (release): City announces $950,000 in grants awarded to organizations serving system-involved youth
- Spectrum News 1: Louisville Organizations Receive $950,000 to Help System-Involved Youth
- WDRB: 3 agencies awarded grants to help Louisville’s underserved young adults
- 3 WFPL: Louisville Awards Nearly $1 Million In Grants For Young Adult Support Services
- WLKY: WLKY News at 6:00PM