WHO:             Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr., Board Chair Jane Vaughan, with Board of Directors and Staff of Goodwill, CEO Debbie Alvarez, Activist & Goodwill Poet Laureate, Iyabo Williams, Community Leaders, an the Public

WHAT:            A Celebration of A Legacy and Fond Farewell for Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez; Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. will launch special "Willie Brown Collection" in support of the work of Goodwill and in salute of Alvarez-Rodriguez' accomplishments. Alvarez-Rodriguez's legacy includes but is not limited to the following:

•  Goodwill revenues grew by 80 percent moving an earnings deficit to profitability with budget growth from $22 million to $42 million annually.
• Goodwill has received one of the highest rankings from Charity Navigator - the largest independent charity evaluator.
• Goodwill provided over 25,000 people education, training, support, case management, career advising and coaching.
• Goodwill hires people from its training classes. Nearly 50 percent of Goodwill's over 700 employees are former Goodwill service participants who successfully transitioned from public support into becoming sustainable taxpayers.
• Goodwill now serves 7,000 participants annually through its education and job training services

WHEN:            TODAY, December 20th, 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

3:30 p.m. Ceremony with Mayor Willie Brown, Goodwill Board of Directors, Community Leaders, Activist & Goodwill Poet Laureate, Iyabo Williams

WHERE:            Goodwill's SOMA As Is Store, 86 Eleventh Street (around the corner from 1500 Mission Street location), San Francisco, CA 94103

Link to invitation: www.paperlesspost.com/events/3024531-1c277ca3/replies/61006557-6f460cc4 

About Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties, Inc.

Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties, Inc. is a driving force behind positive change. Goodwill is where second chances are found and resilience is rewarded. More than 7,087 people partnered with Goodwill in 2011 to achieve transformative personal growth through innovative employment, education and support programs and hands-on guidance. By teaching real world skills and opening a few doors, Goodwill provides the tools people need to chart their own course from poverty to the perpetuating benefits of professional and personal success.

Statistics only tell part of the story, but our impact is clear. In 2011 Goodwill employed

882 people in our nonprofit social enterprises and placed another 529 people in local jobs outside

 of Goodwill. The economic impact generated by these jobs infused more than $17million into the California economy. The taxes generated by Goodwill employees alone provided over $2 million in needed public revenue.

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Media Contact:

Kate Moynihan, 415 760-2159

Jackie Wright, 415 525 0410

The Revalue Economy: Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez at TEDxSanJoaquin In Honor of Goodwill CEO Alvarez Rodriguez, This afternoon,Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. will salute her accomplishments and  donate 90 items for "The Willie Brown Collection" to launch Goodwill's Donate- A-Thon (Biggest Goodwill Donation Day of the Year--December 31st) FOR MORE COMMUNITY NEWS CLICK HERE!