Goodwill of North Georgia receives $300K from the Coca-Cola Foundation

Jenny Taylor, vice president for career services and chief mission officer for Goodwill of North Georgia, in the new clean tech training center at their career center in Decatur.   (Ben Gray / Ben@BenGray.com)

Credit: Ben Gray

Credit: Ben Gray

Jenny Taylor, vice president for career services and chief mission officer for Goodwill of North Georgia, in the new clean tech training center at their career center in Decatur.   (Ben Gray / Ben@BenGray.com)

Goodwill of North Georgia has received a $300,000 grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation for workforce training programs serving women in unconventional professions.

Goodwill of North Georgia reports an 84% surge since 2020 in the enrollment of women training in such areas as logistics, construction, information technology, maintenance, electrical vehicle supply and equipment and more, a statement said. The nonprofit anticipates a 10% annual increase for the next five years in women pursuing non-traditional careers.

Profits from sales at Goodwill of North Georgia’s stores are used to fund more than a dozen career centers located across the region, and free training programs. The Coca-Cola Foundation grant helps the workforce training programs continue to be offered at zero cost to the jobseeker, the Coca-Cola Foundation statement said.

“This program plays an important role in Goodwill’s mission to put people to work,” said Keith Parker, President and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia. “Last year alone, Goodwill of North Georgia helped connect more than 8,600 women with living wage jobs.”