Goodwill, Salvation Army team up for career center in Phoenix

PHOENIX — For the first time ever in the U.S., Goodwill and the Salvation Army are teaming up on a project.

And they’re are doing so right here in Phoenix.

The two charities have teamed up for a new place where the unemployed can look for a job in downtown Phoenix.

“The Salvation Army is providing the place for Goodwill to come in and find people jobs,” said Salvation Army Major John Brackenbury.

Goodwill has opened a new career services center inside the Salvation Army’s Warren Ledbetter Service Center at 27th and Washington streets.

Brackenbury said that it’s the perfect spot for such a resource.

“Our family shelter is directly across the street,” said Brackenbury. “We’re right off of the light rail, so men and women who are in this community can come in, and we’re close by several other agencies that are in this community and can come and take advantage of this.”

The center features 11 computer workstations where people can search for a job. It also will have Goodwill staff members who can help job seekers with their resumes and their interviewing skills.

This is Goodwill’s 20th career center in the Phoenix area, but it is the only one that involves the Salvation Army.

Goodwill Central Arizona CEO Jim Teter said thousands of people used Goodwill’s career centers to look for work last year.

“The really good news is that 23,500 of them actually got jobs in the community after they received services from Goodwill,” said Teter. “The economic impact for Arizona was over $790 million.”

This new career center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.