OXNARD : Goodwill to Broaden Scope of Programs

A new and expanded Goodwill building in Oxnard, which is celebrating with an open house today, will allow the organization to train more disabled workers and accept more contracts for manufacturing, assembly, packaging and other work, Goodwill authorities said.

All of the 120 clients who are employed or being trained by Goodwill have barriers to employment, including physical or mental disabilities, or language problems, said J. J. Rippner, production supervisor at the new Goodwill facility.

“We train the people and then have a job coach stay with them at least a few hours a day for the first few weeks on the job,” Rippner said. “People have to have patience with our people and accept them for who they are.”

Doug Thompson, 32, who works for Goodwill unloading trucks, will soon be trained at the new facility for other work, possibly in the janitorial field, Rippner said.

Thompson, who graduated from Buena High School in 1983, said he is ready to learn a trade.

“Goodwill helped me learn to do this,” he said of unloading trucks filled with donated merchandise. “But now I want to move on.”

The open house and tours of the building at 330 Cactus Drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., including a free pancake breakfast for visitors.

The facility will allow Goodwill to expand its existing rehabilitation services as well as introduce several new programs. The organization offers a computer class to train people to work in data entry, with 15 clients now enrolled.

Goodwill also employs people to repair bicycles, test appliances to see if they operate well enough to be sold at the organization’s thrift stores, sort books and repair shoes, Rippner said.

He said Goodwill is looking for contracts from businesses that need collating, packaging or assembly.

The Goodwill Industries office, governed by a local board of directors and funded through donations, is a resource that belongs to the community, said Nick Panza, president of the Ventura and Santa Barbara county chapters.

“We always stress accountability to the local community, especially in using the resources we are given in a responsible way,” Panza said.