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The locally owned business, Food Geeks, now operates a new restaurant inside the nonprofit’s Goodwill Opportunity Campus.

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is happy to announce that local restauranteur Food Geeks has opened a new restaurant venture inside the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, located at 5301 Wilkinson Boulevard in Charlotte.  

The restaurant, Good Food by Food Geeks, is a locally owned, family-run business offering “comfort food the Brooklyn way,” inspired by owner Terrence Burns’ upbringing in New York City. Good Food offers made-to-order, quality comfort food, in addition to grab-and-go offerings, quick snacks and treats, a coffee bar, and hot buffet lunch specials. Standout meu items include the Saratoga Salmon BLT Sandwich and Salad, Smothered Chicken and Grits, Smash Burgers, Smoked Jamaican Jerk Chicken, and Sweet Potato Chicken and Waffles.

Both Good Food and Goodwill share values of connecting and supporting community – with the Good Food team looking forward to not only offering delicious food, but also community events such as meet-ups, lunch and learns, open mic nights and more.  

“I’m excited for the new move and partnership with Goodwill,” says Terrence Burns, owner of Food Geeks. “It gives the Food Geeks brand a space to shine and provide some of the best comfort food this region has experienced, and most of all execute our vision of creating a space for food, family and fellowship.” 

“We were intentional about selecting a vibrant locally owned business in our community to operate in the restaurant space in this fantastic location,” said Jose Luis, Chief Operating Officer for Goodwill industries of the Southern Piedmont. “Food Geeks is a well-respected organization in the Charlotte community that aligns with the mission and values of Goodwill Industries of Southern Piedmont. The Goodwill Opportunity Campus was created as a place where people could see possibilities, seize opportunities, and prosper. With Good Food on campus, we are excited for Food Geeks to inspire possibilities and create opportunities for members of the community to come together in fellowship over some delicious offerings.”  

The restaurant space, which formerly housed Community Table Bistro, was established in 2016 to address the food desert along the Wilkinson Boulevard corridor, and to support the vision for the Goodwill Opportunity Campus. The state-of-the-art facility in west Charlotte provides the area’s most comprehensive collection of resources and opportunities for individuals seeking to advance their careers and improve their lives. The Goodwill Opportunity Campus houses Goodwill career services and training programs, as well as other nonprofit partners to support community members on their pathways to prosperity.  

The Goodwill Opportunity Campus offers several event, conference and meeting spaces available to rent, now with catering offerings provided by Good Food. 

This is the third locally owned restaurant or food business Goodwill has introduced in its facilities in recent years. The nonprofit added locally owned café’s, Salty Bean and Big Red’s, inside their concept stores in Rockingham and Shelby in 2022.   

Goodwill is hosting a donation drive in partnership with the Charlotte Knights! Stop by and donate your gently-used clothing, electronics, household items and more.

DETAILS

ENTER TO WIN PRIZES

When you donate your gently-used items, not only will you be giving back to your community – you’ll also be entered to win an XBOX One or a 50-inch flat screen TV!

THANK YOU, VETERANS!

In honor of Veterans Day, any veterans, military members or their dependents who donate will receive a coupon for 25% off donated goods at any Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont retail store, excluding its outlet store, Second Editions. Donors must show their veteran/military/dependent ID at the donation drive to receive the coupon.

YOUR DONATIONS MAKE AN IMPACT!

You can feel good about donating to Goodwill because your gently-used items will do good for our community! The revenue we generate from selling items in our stores funds career training coursesjob search supportfamily stability services and more – all of which we offer free of charge to thousands of people in our community each year, including our own team members.

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is partnering with CareerWork$® and The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) to train and upskill people in the Charlotte region for careers in banking.

The Charlotte region is home to more than 91,000 financial services jobs, and it is the second-largest banking center in the nation. With no other workforce development programs dedicated to the finance industry in the greater Charlotte region, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is expanding its training division to offer the BankWork$® program so that people have equitable access to career development opportunities.

“We envision a community where equitable access to career opportunities is available for all,” said Chris Jackson, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “We recognize that skilled training is an essential part of helping to build our growing city, and having these skills can lead to in-demand, high-potential careers. We’ve come together with CAEL and CareerWork$ to make the path to these careers possible in one of our community’s top industries.”

CareerWork$ partners with experienced workforce development and nonprofit organizations, like Goodwill, around the country to operate their programs. On a national level, the BankWork$ program has a 73% placement rate.

“CareerWork$ is thrilled to partner with Goodwill Industries of Southern Piedmont to bring BankWork$ to the Charlotte region. Through this partnership, we hope to help many in the community launch careers with excellent growth potential in the financial services industry,” said Ranko Fukuda, interim executive director.

BankWork$ is an eight-week intensive workforce services program that will give people the skills, access, and coaching needed to succeed and grow in banking careers—from understanding the financial services workplace to bank regulations, bank products, cash handling, and processing customer transactions. Graduates are prepared for roles such as: Associate Banker, Branch Banker, Client Services Representative, Lead Teller, Member Service Consultant, Personal Banker, Relationship Banker, Teller, and Call Center Representative.

Additionally, the program will engage prospective employers in the community during the duration of the program to provide industry insight and integrated recruitment opportunities.

“We look at the local business needs and participant opportunities to prosper when developing training programs for our nonprofit,“ said Raquel Lynch, chief program officer for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “In addition to providing BankWork$ to the Charlotte community, participants enrolled in this program will also have access to family stability services, a Career Navigator and Employer Engagement Specialist for assistance with interpersonal skills, mock interviews, resume preparation, and help landing the job.”

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont uses the revenue generated from the sale of donations throughout our retail stores and online, philanthropic donors, and grants to provide employment, job placement, job training, and certifications and credentials for anyone looking to improve their skills and grow their careers. The BankWork$ program is also offered free of charge but will provide participants with a stipend of $15 an hour during their training to support them on their journey toward a new career.

“CAEL is grateful for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s leadership in bringing this much-needed short-term career training program to the Charlotte community through Truist Foundation’s Where It Starts: Build Better Careers initiative,” said Earl Buford, president of CAEL. “We’re excited to see how our partnership with Goodwill and CareerWork$ continues to unfold as we work together to create opportunities for more individuals in the Charlotte area to connect with good jobs in the financial services sector.”

A.J. Bayi wears many hats – mom, wife and Program and Project Management Associate Manager for Accenture, a business management consulting firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. At Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, she’s known as a mentor.

Bayi began working with the nonprofit’s participants in fall 2022 through her employer as a mentor to women enrolled in Goodwill’s Advanced IT training development programs.

“It was so rewarding,” Bayi said when explaining the joy she gets from helping others advance in tech. “After you struggle, doing so much, and you figure out ways to not struggle. All I want to do is tell people: “here are the steps.” Do this so that you don’t have to struggle.”

Bayi started her career in cyber testing, but like many moms, once she expanded her family and had her three kids, she took time off to raise them. Little did she know ten years out of the business would make it very challenging to get hired again. “It was very, very hard for me to get back into technology after having a 10-year break. Because every software testing or programming language that I knew was obsolete at that point.”

That’s when Bayi turned to certifications and landed a job as a business analyst. “And even with that, it still took two years to get that full time job and then once I got the full-time job, that’s when I realized, oh, I still have to figure out how to stay relevant and keep this job,” she explained.

Certifications, like the one Bayi acquired and those given to Goodwill University participants, are very beneficial for career advancement. Not only are they more affordable, but in tech, they’re actually more beneficial, “Now that the landscape is changing, we don’t need college as much because the technology is changing so quickly. College can’t even keep up with what the technology is doing. It’s more important that you can teach yourself the technology and upgrade your skills through the certification.”

Her own struggle is the reason why she’s passionate about helping others.

“I will do anything for your program. Absolutely anything. It doesn’t have to have anything to do with my job,” that was Bayi’s response to Goodwill Employment Engagement Specialist Craig Kalhagen, when he asked if she had time to come back and do more with the participants after mentoring the fall cohort. Now she’s working with the nonprofit outside of work.

Goodwill is able to provide job training in IT, construction, customer service, Microsoft and more – free of charge – thanks to donations and shopping at retail stores, as well as funds from individual and corporate donors. While those efforts help to fund the mission, there’s so many other ways that people can support Goodwill’s mission of building pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve. Goodwill’s Employer Engagement team heads up the efforts to bring industry experts into the training program to share their industry insight.

“Any time we can incorporate industry professionals into our training program as a guest speaker or co-facilitator it is an incredible opportunity for participants,” Kalhagen said. “They hear about how what their learning is used in the business world including what it takes to be successful. Our team greatly appreciates these partnerships, and it allows employers to get to know our participants better and create a talent pipeline for their company’s open positions.”

Students Bayi mentored received assistance with resume prep, mock interviews and career guidance. Since working with last year’s participants, Bayi has given two webinar training courses to spring 2023 participants, and regularly speaks with participants outside of class; even inviting them to the course she teaches on the weekend through Meetup, which she offers for free to Goodwill participants.

Bayi echoes Kalhagen’s sentiments and encourages local employers to get involved with the nonprofit. “Talking to someone and explaining to someone else what I do, and having them show interest, or even spark their own curiosity to do their own research in it is very rewarding,” Bayi explained. “The companies have the ability to take people and train them into what they want to become. They just have to have that commitment.”

If you or someone you know would like to volunteer your services, while having the opportunity to grow your company’s talent pipeline, please contact Craig Kalhagen by clicking here. If you’re interested in providing assistance to other Goodwill training services, please contact the Employment Engagement team by clicking here.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to prosper and thrive. That’s Goodwill’s vision for our future – a community where equitable access to career opportunities is available for all! But, this cannot be achieved alone.  

We’re proud to share our 2022 Community Report, highlighting the collaboration that made it possible for more than 7,700 people to advance their careers and improve their lives in partnership with Goodwill last year. 

Within this report, you will meet numerous people sharing their personal stories of overcoming obstacles, uncovering their passions, and achieving more for themselves and their families – all because of their talent and determination, and a little support. You will also learn more about the unique programs and services Goodwill offers that helped them on their journey – all available at no cost, thanks to the generous material and philanthropic donors in our community. 

At Goodwill, we want people to be able to create generational prosperity, and to wake up each day with a sense of hope and purpose. We hope you join us in envisioning what our community can be if we choose to invest in career opportunities for all. 

Just imagine the good we can do, together!  

Have you ever needed a second chance? We all have. And so do justice-involved individuals entering back into society. Unemployment among formerly incarcerated people is five times higher than among the general public. This disparity is especially challenging for people of color and women. The risk of recidivism is reduced when the individual finds gainful employment, which in turn helps strengthen our communities.

“On July 23, 2015, I was released from prison after serving 12 years. After my release, I was living in a halfway house and looking for employment. I was having a heck of a time just finding somebody to employ me. Someone told me, ‘You need to go to Goodwill because I see you’re serious about getting a job.’ So, I took their advice,” said Herman Meeks, Store Manager of the Goodwill store in Shelby

Meeks has been working for the nonprofit for seven years, and despite his life challenges, he has achieved redemption with Goodwill. He’s been consistently promoted, and today, he serves as an inspiration to new team members looking for a second chance.

“What I love most about working for Goodwill is the camaraderie. Everybody here genuinely believes in the mission, and the mission directly ties right back into me,” Meeks said. “Today, I own my own home; I have two cars; I have plenty of money saved. I’m just blessed beyond measure.”

In April, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont recognizes Second Chance Month, a time to raise awareness of the challenges facing people with justice-involved backgrounds and to spotlight the important work being done by community-based organizations to empower second chance individuals to achieve career and life success.

“I feel people should know about Second Chance Month and about being a second chance employer; what it means to give a second chance to someone who’s been incarcerated who may have made a mistake in their life but they’re looking to turn their life around,” said Meeks.

Marcus Sifford, Store Manager of the Goodwill store in Pineville, echoed Meeks about the importance of Second Chance Month; emphasizing the significance of giving someone rehabilitating back in society “a chance to make a living”.

Sifford is also formerly incarcerated and has been with Goodwill for 13 years. Like Meeks, he’s transparent about his story and hopes it motivates others to apply with second chance employers, like Goodwill, once they’re released.

“I’ve hired a lot of ex-felons, and I tell people my story,” Sifford said. “I also tell them if you know somebody that can’t find a job because of their background, send them to Goodwill and give us a chance to make a change in their life.”

In addition to hiring second chance, Goodwill also partners with The Center for Community Transitions (CCT), an organization that helps justice-involved individuals and their families with employment and reentry services. We help to connect Goodwill participants with justice-involved backgrounds to CCT to take advantage of their specialized supports, and we help to enroll CCT participants into tuition-free job training programs at Goodwill. Together, we help to reduce recidivism by providing people with criminal records and their families tools and resources to rebuild their lives.

In 2022, Goodwill re-examined policies for justice-involved individuals to make sure its practices were supportive and inclusive. The changes allow the nonprofit to hire more justice-involved individuals and make a greater impact in our community.

Changes include:

“Each year we partner with area re-entry experts to determine best practices and as a result we are able to offer more second chances to justice-involved individuals to help those get a new lease on life and prevent recidivism, thus continuing to strengthen our community,” said Chip Bryan, Director of Talent Acquisition for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont.

Goodwill’s mission is to build pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve. This means that we enhance people’s dignity and quality of life by ensuring equitable career opportunities are available. Our organization is proud to be a second chance employer and will continue to stand firm in our commitment to creating more equitable access to career opportunities for all.

by: Amy Share, Grants Manager at Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

March is Women’s History Month, and we’re excited to highlight a valued supporter of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s mission, the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy Foundation.

The Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy Foundation helps provide access to opportunities that foster self-sufficiency, especially for women. As a grantor of the Goodwill Career Navigation program since 2018, they have created lasting impact for those pursuing equitable access to career opportunities. Last year, Goodwill supported over 340 women through career navigation.

Antonia “Toni” Voliton moved to the Charlotte area in 2010 seeking economic opportunities and stable schools for her children. After being employed in social work supporting those with mental illness, she was soon introduced to Goodwill’s services and was inspired by her Career Navigator to become one herself.

“I was so excited to begin my career journey at Goodwill. I figured out very quickly, that my social work background would be an asset to my role. Eight years later, I remain in my position, helping participants to develop essential employability skills and gain family sustaining employment.”

Support from Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy has helped ensure Antonia’s work can continue, providing customized one-on-one coaching and aiding participants to bridge the skills gap to pursue the life they want to achieve.

“This is why grants are essential in executing Goodwill’s mission. Those who provide grants help Career Navigators provide our varied participants current, beneficial career guidance.”

Thank you to the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy Foundation for continuing to support team members like Antonia and our Career Navigation program. These services are vital to providing a clear path for participants to pursue career opportunities, advance and thrive.

The locally owned food service group now owns and operates the restaurant inside the Goodwill Opportunity Campus.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is happy to announce that FDY, Inc. has taken ownership of Community Table Bistro, the restaurant inside of the Goodwill Opportunity Campus located at 5301 Wilkinson Boulevard in Charlotte. FDY, Inc. is planning its official grand opening for April 11, 2023. 

FDY, Inc. is a minority-owned, nationally certified food service company that specializes in operating non-traditional locations such as airports and universities. FDY has a rich 40-year history in the Charlotte community, having managed the food service on university campuses to include Johnson C. Smith University, Livingstone College and Barber Scotia College. Today, FDY operates familiar brands such as Bojangles, Red Mango Smoothie Factory, Char-Grill, Salsarita’s, Bruegger’s Bagels and Burger King in three airports including the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.  

“We are delighted to be the exclusive food service provider for the Goodwill Opportunity Campus and to offer a much-needed destination for quality meals in this part of West Charlotte,” said Keith Haywood, President and Owner of FDY, Inc. “Our company has had to pivot many times in our 40-year history, but one thing that remains consistent is our commitment to serve as a reliable partner. Our goals are not only to provide outstanding food and superb customer service, but also to build a longstanding relationship with Goodwill that will grow into a pipeline for talent development and a resource for our associates.”  

This is the third locally owned business Goodwill has introduced in its facilities. The nonprofit added locally owned cafés, Salty Bean and Big Red’s, inside their concept stores in Rockingham and Shelby in 2022.   

“Throughout the request for proposal process, we were intentional about selecting a locally owned business in our community to operate this amazing space in this fantastic location,” said Jose Luis, Chief Operating Officer for Goodwill industries of the Southern Piedmont. “FDY, Inc. is a well-respected company in the Charlotte community that aligns with the mission and values of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. The Goodwill Opportunity Campus was created as a place where people could see possibilities, seize opportunities and prosper. Under FDY, Inc.’s ownership, we hope Community Table Bistro inspires possibilities and creates opportunities for our team members, participants and members of the community to come eat together in fellowship.”  

Community Table Bistro, established in 2016, was created to not only address the food desert along the Wilkinson Boulevard corridor, but also to support the vision for the Goodwill Opportunity Campus. The state-of-the-art facility in west Charlotte provides the area’s most comprehensive collection of resources and opportunities for individuals seeking to advance their careers and improve their lives. The Goodwill Opportunity Campus benefits job seekers by offering a central location for coordinated services and helps Goodwill increase long-term support for participants on their pathway to prosperity. The campus also boasts several event, conference and meeting spaces available to the community to rent, with catering offerings provided by Community Table Bistro. 

Goodwill and FDY, Inc. will host a formal grand opening ceremony for Community Table Bistro on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. More details, including media opportunities will be available in April.  

View the Community Table Bistro menu here. Stay updated by following Community Table Bistro on Instagram @communitytablebistro. 

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About Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont 

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is a nonprofit organization that connects people to opportunities to find gainful employment and meaningful work. Through its current 31 retail stores and more than 35 donation sites, the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, and partnerships with employers and other organizations, Goodwill builds pathways for members of the community to uncover their passions, enhance their skill sets, and achieve more for themselves and their families—creating a brighter future for all. As a social enterprise, proceeds from the sale of donated goods fund job training and employment services offered free of charge to members of the community. In 2022, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont provided support to more than 6,600 people. At the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, the organization partners with Skyla Credit Union, Charlotte Community Health Clinic and Dentistry, among others, to provide health and financial resources so individuals can truly be successful in work and life.   

You can learn more about Goodwill programs and services and view testimonials from participants by visiting www.goodwillsp.org. 

About FDY, Inc. 

FDY, Inc. is a nationally certified, minority owned food service management company headquartered in Charlotte, NC.  For 40 years, FDY, Inc. has operated multiple food and beverage concepts in locations including colleges and universities, airports, travel plazas, and corporations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. FDY, Inc. currently operates over 20 brands, including its proprietary brands The Young Kitchen™ and The Queen’s Beignets. Visit https://fdyinc.com/ to learn more. 

Media Contacts 

LiZeatra Wilson | Public Relations & Communications Manager | Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont | Direct: (561) 676-7801| Email: lizeatra.wilson@goodwillsp.org   

Najla Haywood | Vice President and Director of Communications | FDY, Inc. | Direct: (704) 709-1906| Email: nhaywood@fdyinc.com 

Goodwill is known for helping people find work. But we know success isn’t achieved alone, which is why we encourage partnership and collaboration to help our team and the people we serve in achieving their goals.   

Atrium Health and DPR Construction have embraced ambitious community engagement goals on one of the most significant capital investment projects ever undertaken by the Charlotte, North Carolina based healthcare owner. DPR, along with partner Rodgers Builders, is constructing two largescale replacement facilities as part of this major update to the flagship Atrium Health campus in the heart of downtown Charlotte: the 150,000-sq.-ft. Carolinas Rehabilitation Hospital and the one million-sq.-ft. Adult Acute Care New Bed Tower.  

While the addition of new world-class replacement medical facilities will help Atrium Health to better meet the needs of the growing Charlotte community, the owner’s desire to impact and serve the local community goes even deeper. As part of the broadscale effort to engage the community and help develop a strong local construction workforce, Atrium Health and DPR committed to hiring at least 20% of the necessary project resources locally.  

With a limited pool of local talent resources from which to hire, DPR had to think outside the box to find solutions for reaching this substantial community-based hiring goal. Shortly after kicking off the CMC Main Expansion project in early 2020, DPR launched a collaboration with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. The goal: grow the local construction workforce by expanding and supporting a training program focused on building up basic and advanced construction trades skills to meet two unique needs – filling a talent shortage in construction, while providing opportunities to people in the community.   

The partnership between DPR and the nonprofit supports Goodwill’s Construction & Trade Skills Training program. Located in west Charlotte, The Goodwill Construction Skills Training Center provides courses in forklift, construction basics, commercial carpentry, HVAC, electrical and drone training. The center was established in 2019 to help members of the community access skilled trade careers, and to fill the ongoing demand in the construction industry. Through Goodwill, residents in the Charlotte region can access industry-recognized skills training programs that help them pursue the life they want to achieve. Thanks to shopping and donations at Charlotte-area Goodwill retail locations, these training courses are free of charge. 

DPR’s team plays an important role in the program, helping participants learn about the possibilities within the industry, experience hands-on learning and helping to develop and deliver a well-received carpentry course led by DPR employees Chuck Haskett and Scottie Semder. Goodwill has hosted training classes in DPR’s local prefabrication warehouse and have brought training classes out to DPR’s Atrium Health project site for tours and interaction with active construction team members. Industry partnerships like these not only provide valuable learning opportunities for Goodwill participants, but also paths to promising careers. Multiple Goodwill graduates have been hired to work at DPR, supporting projects including the CMC Main Expansion project. 

DPR mechanical, electrical and plumbing subcontractors Adams Electric and Harris Mountain West have helped drive the program, adding curriculum in electrical, plumbing and piping prefabrication. The courses bring Goodwill participants into DPR’s Charlotte prefabrication warehouse to work in a safe, controlled environment, where they receive hands-on learning on how to create prefabricated, multi-trade racks.  

Altogether, the training program graduates roughly 10 to 12 individuals every eight to 10 weeks who come out prepared to join the local construction workforce. Adams Electric is just one of several local subcontractors that has hired graduates from the program.  

DPR has also worked in partnership with Goodwill to promote hiring events and trade partner training events. Since the opening of the Goodwill Construction Skills Training Center in January 2019, DPR has directly helped add a number of trained craftsmen to the Charlotte workforce.  

Goodwill exists to help people see possibilities, seize opportunities and prosper. Through partnerships with employers and other organizations, Goodwill builds pathways for members of the community to uncover their passions, enhance their skill sets and achieve more for themselves and their families—creating a brighter future for all. In 2021, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont provided support to more than 6,100 people.

Update 10/28/22 – the proposal process is now closed.

Seeking a Food Service Partner:

If you haven’t yet experienced the Goodwill Opportunity Campus along Wilkinson Boulevard, you will be surprised to find a visionary building bringing community together through partnership and service to advance equitable access to opportunity for all. Our campus is home to the career training, employment services and secondhand shopping Goodwill is known for. But it’s also a place where community groups intersect – where connections are facilitated between employers, industry leaders, nonprofits, shoppers, donors, team members, community groups and more. However, we recognize one of the greatest connectors of people is a shared table – and that’s where you come in.  

Previously, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont offered fresh and affordable food options on campus through an on-site bistro. Now, we hope to reinvigorate the existing restaurant space by inviting an independent operator to introduce a food service environment that encourages gathering and collaboration while offering healthy and affordable food options for Goodwill team members, participants, campus partners, shoppers, members of the community and nearby businesses. We are seeking an operator with demonstrated success in the industry and a commitment to serving community.  

The Goodwill Opportunity Campus provides unique opportunities to leverage an on-site garden, and support meeting and event catering to our many guests. We invite you to learn more about the exciting opportunity to bring new food options to our space, and the Wilkinson Boulevard corridor.  

About Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont:

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont (GISP) was established in 1965 and is part of a network of 155 autonomous, nonprofit Goodwill organizations in 12 countries that make up Goodwill Industries International.  GISP’s purpose is helping people see possibilities, seize opportunities and prosper. We envision a community where equitable access to career opportunities is available for all. Goodwill builds pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve. We stand firm in what we believe in and are direct and clear when it comes to our values and commitment to creating more equitable career opportunities for all 

GISP serves 13 counties in North Carolina and 5 counties in South Carolina. The organization currently has services and facilities in Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Richmond and Union counties in North Carolina and Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina.   

GISP incorporates continuous improvement strategies, and therefore seeks similar visions from our partners. The awarded applicant should be committed to providing a like-minded vision, in a very dynamic and ever changing environment. The operator must understand our mission, and the fact that GISP is a nonprofit organization.   

Preferred Qualifications:

 Sample Documentation Requested: 

Terms/Scope of Partnership:

Signage:

Hours of Operation:

Restaurant Specs – GISP to Provide:

Critical Due Dates:

Send Proposal Responses to:

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont 
Amy Jordan 
VP, Business Development and Facilities 
5301 Wilkinson Boulevard 
Charlotte, NC 28208 
704.393.6884 
amy.jordan@goodwillsp.org 

Important Notes:

By submitting your response to this RFP, it is assumed that the operator agrees to the following terms and conditions: