## Goodwill of Orange County ##

People with Disabilities Are Earning Jobs with Goodwill’s Help
Goodwill Commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Since 1924, Goodwill of Orange County has helped people with disabilities find employment, become independent and support themselves and their families. Since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, it has helped increase access to goods and services, such as employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and prohibit employment discrimination. Although individuals with disabilities have benefited from this law, Goodwill knows that those individuals still face challenges to finding jobs and becoming independent. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, people with disabilities have a more than 14-percent unemployment rate, compared to 9.4 percent of people without disabilities.

According to the ADA, National Network, there are more than 54 million people or nearly one in six Americans who have some form of physical or mental impairment that substantially limits their daily activities, including working, walking, seeing, hearing or caring for themselves. “Given that statistic, with Orange County’s population at over 3 million, this means that as many as 500,000 individuals may face some type of disability or barrier,” said Nancy Quarles, Vice President of Human Services, Goodwill of Orange County.

“Despite these circumstances, people with disabilities have unique skills and talents that add to the diversity and vitality of a workplace,” said Quarles. “Many people with disabilities need little to no accommodation to do their jobs, and advances in technology are helping to increase productivity for all kinds of workers, including those with disabilities.”

Goodwill offers a variety of services to help people with disabilities be independent and fully participate in their communities, including education, training and employment training. In addition, in 2008, Goodwill of Orange County opened the Goodwill Fitness Center, a 12,000-square-foot facility specifically designed for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. The gym has fully accessible fitness equipment, as well as classes and trained staff to help people with disabilities experience the positive health benefits of exercise. Goodwill of Orange County recently released three public service announcements highlighting some of the members of the Goodwill Fitness Center who have benefitted from the program and the innovative facility. To view the spots, visit http://www.ocgoodwill-fitnesscenter.org/rise-to-the-challenge/.

This holistic approach to providing services provides the hope, independence and pride needed by people faced with disabilities and other barriers to independence. This also contributes directly to the local community while fueling the economy; in 2009 more than 8,000 individuals benefitted from Goodwill’s programs and services. “Goodwill commemorates the 20th anniversary of the signing of the ADA by continuing to help our friends and neighbors with disabilities build their careers and improve their lives,” said Quarles. “We must look past a person’s disability and remember that each person is an individual capable of making a positive contribution to his or her community. At Goodwill we do not believe that disabilities are defects, they are differences and we strive to focus on each individual’s abilities.”

Goodwill of Orange County is a nonprofit organization with its Main Campus located at 410 North Fairview in Santa Ana. Thanks to a highly successful social enterprise model, including 20 retail stores, 91¢ of every dollar Goodwill spends goes directly to fund its programs for people with disabilities. Now in its 86th year, Goodwill of Orange County has provided thousands of people with disabilities and other barriers the opportunity to achieve their highest levels of personal and economic independence through competitive employment.

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