November 15, 1996 Dear Personal Donor: In the short while since Goodwill helped him find his job, Robert has learned to thoroughly clean a motel room in about 40 minutes. His job objectives call for him to do it in 30. He has no time to waste. Neither do we. With the help of friends like you, Goodwill has continued to adapt our services to meet the human needs of our changing society. We don't waste time as we are helping the community. And we don't waste money. The gift that I am asking you to make will be used to continue our mission of helping people prepare for, find and keep jobs. In their December, 1995 review of the nation's best charities, U.S. News & World Report called Goodwill one of the five "Standout Good Guys." The magazine stated that Goodwill (as well as the other standouts) is "uniquely effective, innovative or valuable." While I appreciate U.S. News & World Report's endorsement, the true value of your support is measured by the way Goodwill takes on problems that affect all of us. Every time we help someone find a solution to their employment barrier, the positive effects radiate throughout our community: The business community welcomes not only another worker, but a consumer with increased purchasing power. Parents act as role models of self-sufficiency instead of dependency. Tax dollars that would have been spent on public assistance are saved. You and I know that solutions to difficult problems don't just happen. At Goodwill, it is the hard work of staff and those who benefit from our services that produces the kind of inspiring results I see every day: A Goodwill staff member addresses a group of welfare recipients: "You can earn the money to support yourself and your family," she says. "You can get off welfare. I know you can... I did." A participant in a Goodwill program rushes back from a job interview to share the results with his classmates in our desktop publishing training program. once his tears have subsided, he confirms what his classmates have already figured out: he just received a job offer -- his first in five years. Addressing a meeting at a neighborhood center, a Goodwill staff member tells the audience how Goodwill can help them find and keep jobs. On his way home, he shares the story with four people at a street corner. At the next corner he tells five more. In order to develop job skills, a man with some serious disabilities begins working in Goodwill's industrial division. It takes a long time for him to gain the self-confidence to work elsewhere in the community. Eventually, he turns your support into a payoff for all of us. He proudly leaves Goodwill to support himself. These people and their successes are real. Just like the respect we've earned from U.S. News & World Report. Just like the impact Goodwill's work has on our community. Real work. Real results. A real difference in people's lives -- in all of our lives. The people who can benefit most directly from your generosity have no time to waste. Neither do the rest of us who feel the positive results of their success. Your support helps provide real solutions. Please use the enclosed response card and envelope to give generously to Goodwill today. Sincerely, Jack Dustman Board Member and Former Chairman