TACOMA – A “beam-signing” ceremony at the Milgard Work Opportunity Center last week marked the halfway point of construction on the Tacoma Goodwill project. Work on the 63,000- square-foot, four-level facility began in June and it is scheduled to be completed in fall 2009.

The Jan. 15 event, for Tacoma Goodwill employees, took place at the site of the new building, located at South 27th Street and Tacoma Avenue. For the past several weeks prior to the event, staff members have had the opportunity to sign the final beam that was placed on the building.

“The building represents our future but it’s the partnerships we’ve created and what goes on inside the facility that’s the real story,” said Bob Bruback, president of the Tacoma Goodwill Board of Directors. “It will support our efforts to train and place people in jobs.”

The facility will be LEED Silver certified “green” building and support a Goodwill initiative to expand services in Pierce County and across the region. Architects BCRA of Tacoma and general contractors Rushforth Construction are overseeing the project.

Fundraising for the $20.3 million project is about 80 percent complete based on a balanced approach involving Goodwill’s own funds, government and private donors and foundations.

Terry A. Hayes, Tacoma Goodwill CEO, said construction of the new building can’t come soon enough.
“These are tough economic times for the people we serve,” Hayes said. “More than ever, we need the resources to expand our services.”

Brittany Bailey, 20, a Human Resources assistant/Community Service coordinator for Goodwill, was a program participant in the STEPS program for youth before getting hired by the agency. She said Goodwill helped move her away from troubled times.

“I’m more confident in myself, I know how to use the resources around me for help,” Bailey said. “If I was still in California, who knows, I could be in jail or on drugs, because that was the atmosphere.

“I just look toward the future. The mentors here at Goodwill have a lot to do with it,” she said.

Tacoma Goodwill in 2008 served 5,241 people – more than 1,000 ahead of expectations for the year. Another 1,023 people were placed in jobs.

The centerpiece of the facility will be on the first two floors where the youth career center will be located – a partnership of 12 youth career service agencies from across the area. The third floor will feature a job-training and placement center and classrooms. Goodwill administrative offices will be on the top level along with meeting rooms that will be open to the community.

“Everyone wants an example of one-stop centers for youth,” said Ed De Jesus, a nationally recognized expert in the field, during a recent talk with center partners. “This new facility will be one of the country’s top models.”

De Jesus leads a youth policy and advocacy firm, The Youth Development and Research Fund. He also has been assisting the group in their planning efforts.

Partners in the YCC include: Bates Technical College; Clover Park Technical College; Tacoma Community College; Tacoma Community House; Vadis; Tacoma Public Schools; Centro Latino; The Job Corps; Tacoma/Pierce County Employment and Training Consortium; Metropolitan Development Council; My Service Mind; and Goodwill.