Truist Foundation Awards $125,000 Grant To Goodwill Industries

Funding Will Enhance Goodwill Central Florida’s Prosperity Platform and Invest in Building Secure and Prosperous Futures for the Community

ORLANDO – Goodwill Industries of Central Florida was recently awarded a $125,000 grant from the Truist Foundation to help community members set, plan and achieve personal, professional and financial goals.

The funding aims to enhance Goodwill’s Prosperity Platform, an initiative launched in 2021 to offer free one-on-one coaching with an experienced career and financial planner. The service is available to all Goodwill team members, as well as clients who visit select Neighborhood Centers for Families throughout Orange County. The Prosperity model aligns with a pillar of the Truist Foundation: “Building Career Pathways to Economic Mobility.”

The grant will support various strategic program areas of the Prosperity Platform, including:

  1. Assist workers with navigating resources by streamlining access to essential employment resources, making it easier for individuals to find and secure job opportunities that align with their goals and interests.
  2. Enhance training programs that equip individuals with the skills needed to thrive in the modern job market, ensuring they are well-prepared for new career opportunities.
  3. Strengthen access to high-quality employment options and improve worker protections, enabling individuals to build a more secure and prosperous future.
  4. Utilize more robust coordination and knowledge-sharing tools that enable a more efficient and effective approach to helping individuals achieve economic mobility.

“The partnership between Goodwill and the Truist Foundation underscores a shared commitment to ‘Building Lives that Work,’’ said Ed Durkee, president and CEO at Goodwill Industries of Central Florida. “This grant will help build stronger, more resilient communities for years to come.”

Since launching in 2021, the Prosperity Platform has experienced an ever-growing demand for its services. During its inaugural year, the program served 70 individuals and families. So far in 2023, that number has grown to 515 participants.

For more information, visit www.GoodwillCFL.org.