Our listeners want some details about how the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds that came our way because of COVID-19 actually benefited our community. I spoke with Carolyn Johnson, Chief Mission Officer at Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida.
Goodwill is one of five organizations which administered the distribution of ARPA funds. Two businesses in need in our. The other four organizations are Southwest Florida Impact Partners, SCORE Southwest Florida's Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association and the Small Business Development Center at FGCU.
Johnson shared how the ARPA funds benefited goodwill clients in two ways.
"Goodwill Industries was really lucky to receive two different streams from two different distributors locally, one through the United Way of Lee Hendry and Glades and the other through Lee County. $225,000 was given to us through the United Way. And then $50,000 through Lee County," said Johnson. "And what's great about this is both of these fundings helping to serve two different populations that we have through our programs and services. So, one for individuals who are first time job seekers or who want to enhance the careers that they're in. And the other one is for those individuals that we serve that have a little bit more of an entrepreneurial spirit. So we were really lucky to be able to have these two different streams of funding to serve both of the programs and services that we hold dear."
Johnson shared some of the numbers regarding client successes.
"Through the United Way ARPA funding distribution, we were able to enhance our Opportunity Accelerator. The Opportunity Accelerator involves three phases where we "assess and plan" with an individual, "equip and connect" them with services and upskilling. And then "launch and evaluate." And that's where we actually place them into employment and get them involved in hiring events," said Johnson. "So through that, we have served 573 individuals who have actually gone through the phases of the OA. Out of that 207 were placed. And then 19 people, which we call "career advancers" - they were already in a career, but they took a digital class, did some other kind of class where there's ESL or anything else that kind of moved them up to another level in the job they already had. In our Micro Enterprise program, with the latest enrollment period, we had 44 participants enrolled, 20 graduates. Eight new businesses have been either started or sustained. And you know the Micro Enterprise program has been around for a long time. We've had in total over 1000 individuals go through this program and we've started or sustained 560 businesses."
Johnson then commented on the overall benefits of the ARPA funds.
"We're very, very grateful for the community support we're grateful for, you know, this funding that has come through and I feel like people are finally seeing us as more than a store and seeing, you know, over 25,000 people that we serve every year-- that we put them on a path to success and sustainable success."
Karen Moore is a contributing partner for WGCU and the publisher of SWFL Business Today.
