Goodwill flourishes with day center, job opportunities

BY STACI WILSON

Goodwill Industries opened its doors in Susquehanna County nearly two years ago. In that time, the adult day center and job programs have grown and participants have flourished.

Program director Rachel Borgna said she’s focused on letting the community know the center is here.
She has been reaching out to local school districts to let them know the services offered for graduating students at Goodwill Industries.

The program provides daily living and community activities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Over the two years, the daily schedule at the center hones in on what the clients want, Borgna said.

Days begin with daily exercises before participants split into smaller groups centered around their personal interests, from photography to personal money management, healthy cooking and computer skills.

Borgna said the group often comes together in the afternoon, deciding they wanted to turn the radio on for a daily “dance party.”

“The recently learned the ‘Cupid Shuffle,” Borgna said which they then demonstrated in front of her office door. “It’s a lot of fun, a lot of skill development,” she said.

The program is completely person centered, Borgna said. “Whatever the clients want, we – as a team – will bend over backward to do it for them.”

Since opening at the SR 706 site, just east of Montrose, they’ve added raised garden beds and plan to expand the garden this year.

Participants get to enjoy the fruits of the labor during “healthy cooking” days, where Borgna said they use what is ready for harvest in their meal or snack preparation.

“I have seen such growth from each client, barriers broken and a trust from them,” Borgna said. “I hope they’re as happy as I am.”

And finding what makes each of them happy is Borgna’s primary goal. For some, it’s art, others want to lose weight, and others want to develop job skills.

“It’s an exciting time here, and there’s room for more,” Borgna said.

The adult day center will host an Open House and Art Show for the public on May 28, 3-5 p.m.

In the Job Options program, Borgna works with clients to develop job-ready skills.

Individuals fill out a job application to Goodwill Industries and work through the application process. They are then assigned a job coach and go to work at various establishments in the community.

The Goodwill job coach stays with the client at the worksite and assists them to whatever level is needed, Borgna said.

“The community businesses have been great with working with us,” she said.

For one Goodwill client, filling out her timesheet is her favorite day of the week, Borgna said. “She always knows when payday is.”

And Borgna has also witnessed the “dream scenario.”

One client started in the day center, then expressed an interest in the supported Job Options program.

“His employer approached us and let us know that he wanted to hire him,” she said. That participant has now moved into the follow-up competitive job program, also offered at Goodwill.

But, Borgna said, they were able to help tailor his schedule to allow for him to still attend the day center for part of the day before he heads to work in the afternoon.

Matt Warren heads up the competitive employment program at the Montrose center.

Competitive employment offers people with disabilities a way to enter the workplace.

Warren said, “To get into the program, it doesn’t matter what disability a person has; where they; what school they go to, or who their family is – as long as someone has good motivation and behavior, we are able to find them a job.”

Warren said he has worked with people who have some prior work experience to those who have never worked before. And, although it’s competitive employment, Goodwill Industries is there to support the client.

“We work on the application process, have mock interviews, and do self-assessments,” Warren said. Hard and soft job skills are also developed.

“Our number one priority is to find a job placement that our clients would be happy to work there each day,” Warren said.

After a work placement is found, Goodwill stays involved as a job coach, working alongside the person on site.

“We try to fade out as soon as our client is comfortable,” Warren said but he remains connected to the workers, following up with them at the workplace.

“Part of our success comes from matching people with a placement. That’s where the long-term success comes from,” he said.

And Warren finds his work just as fulfilling. “The center point of what’s rewarding is knowing you helped someone accomplish something they might not have been able to without a little bit of help,” he said.

For more information about Goodwill Industries and the available programs, call 570-278-0705.