Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas
2017 Power of Work Awards
Winners Announced
Recognizing Extraordinary Leadership in the Quest to Empower Local Job Seekers.
First-ever The Bob Smart Legacy Award to be Presented
Sponsorships and Tickets Still Available
Kansas City, MO (March 22, 2017) – The non-profit agency Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas announced the winners for the six 2017 Power of Work Awards scheduled to be given at the luncheon on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at the Grand Street Café (4740 Grand Ave, Kansas City, MO). The Goodwill Power of Work Awards showcases the strength and success of Goodwill clients who have overcome barriers and continue to bravely build Kansas City’s workforce, and the local businesses that support them. More than 300 influential corporate and community leaders join together to honor and hear stories of the local individuals and employers. All proceeds will benefit Goodwill programs and services. Information on tickets and sponsorship opportunities can be found here. Photos of the winners can be found here .
Jeremy Allen, Honorary Chair from Commerce Bank and Chair of the Board of Directors for Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas, stated, “These awards are a significant and visible statement of the community’s widespread commitment to empower people with disadvantages and different abilities. Goodwill’s mission has been embraced throughout all sectors, large and small, and our communities are better for it. We look forward to shining a well-deserved light on these good works to not only reinforce these efforts but to foster more commitment in the future.”
Bright Future Award
The Goodwill 2017 Bright Future Award recognizes a graduate of Goodwill’s Quest Academy or Project Search who succeed in spite of a disadvantage or different ability. The 2017 winner is Tim Starr. Tim works at Antons KC , assisting the kitchen as kitchen helper since March of 2017. Tim was honored for his adventurous spirit and determination to prove naysayers wrong. He truly enjoys people and is excited to help others in any way he can. His smile and friendly attitude are contagious.
Empowerment Award
The Empowerment Award recognizes a person with a compelling story of success, who, with the help of Goodwill services, has overcome significant challenges and is competitively employed. The 2017 winner is Kim Lewis.
Kim is a security guard for ISS/UniGuard-Security.She has demonstrated an amazing work ethic with exemplary attendance and dedication. She is an example of a strong woman who pushed herself harder to achieve her goals of gainful employment.
Generational Strength Award
The Generational Strength Award recognizes a person with a disadvantage or different ability whose family has been positively impacted by the individual's employment. The winner has a strong family support system and has gained the tools to improve the household’s health, housing, education, transportation and/or confidence. The 2017 winner is Angela Simms. She is a cashier at Cosentinos Price Chopper in Brookside. She possesses a very strong work ethic and commitment to what she cares about. She desires to continually improve herself and provide the best life for herself and her family. Being employed means Angela has the resources and flexibilty to spend time with her four children.
The Bob Smart Legacy Award
The first-ever Bob Smart Legacy Award recognizes a for-profit organization with 500+ employees that has a history of diversity in workplace opportunities by aligning with Goodwill’s mission and vision to competitively employ people with disadvantages and different abilities. This award is named in memoriam of Bob Smart, appointed to the Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas Board of Directors in 1958, and who remained on the board for 58 years until his passing in March of 2016.
The 2017 winner is Cintas , which supplies corporate identity uniform programs, providing entrance and logo mats, restroom supplies, promotional products, first aid, safety, fire protection products and industrial carpet and cleaning.
Cintas currently works with the Kansas State School for the Deaf to provide internships and pairs up new employees with a buddy employee to help in their transition. Cintas has donated more than $500,000 in women’s suiting apparel for the Dress for Success program, donated backpacks to an elementary school in Mexico and partners with universities to provide mentoring opportunities as well.
Corporate Visionary Award
The Corporate Visionary Awards recognizes a for-profit organization that has practices, policies, and culture to include populations that have been marginalized in line with Goodwill’s vision to lead innovative practices that promote individual self-sustainability for people who have been marginalized. The 2017 winner is the Kansas City Marriott Downtown .
The Downtown Marriott partners with many organizations whose mission statements include assisting individuals with barriers including Goodwill, Catholic Charities, Rose Brooks Center, Della Lamb Community Services, Job Corps, Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City, Full Employment Council and Jewish Vocational Services. They have a diversity and engagement committee open to all employees which focuses on celebration and recognition for employees who are part of a diverse or disadvantaged community. They also offer job shadowing and coaching.
Community Impact Award
The Community Impact Award recognizes a small for-profit organization that contributes to the community through hiring practices that align with Goodwill’s mission and vision. The 2017 winner is Showtime Elite Detailing . Showtime offers internships and job shadowing. The family-owned shop works with individuals of marginalized populations and believes in providing a second chance. So much so that it’s known as ‘Second Chance Detail.’
.Learn more at www.mokangoodwill.org. To see all the good we do together, follow us on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.
