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Congress
designated each October as National
Disability Employment Awareness Month
 This
effort to educate the American public
about issues related to disability
and employment actually began in
1945, when Congress enacted a law
declaring the first week in October
each year "National Employ
the Physically Handicapped Week."
In 1962, the word "physically"
was removed to acknowledge the employment
needs and contributions of individuals
with all types of disabilities.
In 1988, Congress expanded the week
to a month and changed the name
to "National Disability Employment
Awareness Month."
Since
2001, the Office of Disability Employment
Policy (ODEP) in the U.S. Department
of Labor has been responsible for
planning NDEAM activities and materials
to increase the public's awareness
of the contributions and skills
of American workers with disabilities.
Various programs carried out throughout
the month also highlight the specific
employment barriers that still need
to be addressed and removed. ODEP
provides information online that
can to be used for National Disability
Employment Awareness Month, as well
as other educational programs throughout
the year on its Publications webpage.
Please
support Goodwill’s efforts
to train and find employment for
people with disabilities or disadvantages
by making a cash contribution today.
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The
2nd Annual
Fashion of
Goodwill Runway
Show &
Gala was a
Huge Success!
On
Saturday,
September
9, Goodwill
celebrated
its mission
of providing
job training
and employment
services
to people
with disadvantages
and disabilities
while also
showcasing
the quality
merchandise
available
at its 9
area retail
stores at
the Fashion
of Goodwill,
2nd Annual
Runway Show
& Gala.
 The
formal affair
attracted
almost 400
Goodwill
supporters
and the
area’s
most influential
business
leaders.
The
silent auction
included
a 100 year
old framed
edition
of the New
York Times,
trips to
Las Vegas,
Lake Tahoe,
The Cayman
Islands,
St. Maarten,
San Francisco
and more,
as well
as rare
antiquities,
autographed
sports memorabilia
and hundreds
of other
unique items.
The
fashion
show was
a sight
to behold
and showcased
the quality
fashions
available
at Goodwill
Retail Stores.
This was
highlighted
even more
by the huge
crowd that
bought hundreds
of items
at our on-site
retail store
generating
thousands
of dollars
in sales
to support
our mission.
 However,
the highlight
of the evening
wasn’t
the fashion
show, the
dancing
or the silent
auction.
It was the
introduction
of our 2006
Goodwill
ambassadors.
The 18 ambassadors
were all
recent Goodwill
graduates
and were
hand picked
by our career
trainers
for their
dedication
to the Goodwill
mission,
their leadership
skills and
their successful
transition
into the
workforce.
Each graduate
sat at a
sponsor
table and
shared their
stories
with our
supporters.
It
was an incredible
evening
for everyone
in attendance,
and plans
are already
in motion
for our
next Fashion
Show &
Gala!
Thank
you again
to all our
sponsors
including
Deloitte,
Fannie Mae
Foundation,
Bank of
America,
Sage Communications,
Absolute
Printing
and Capitol
File Magazine!
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Join
Us for
Our Upcoming
Graduation
Ceremonies
Arlington
Career
Campus:
October
27th
(Hospitality,
Bank Skills)
For upcoming
training
programs
at this
location,
click
here.
Washington,
DC Career
Campus:
October
27th
(Environmental
Services,
Construction
Pre-apprenticeship)
For upcoming
training
programs
at this
location,
click
here.
Laurel,
MD Career
Campus:
TBD
(Retail,
Environmental
Services,
Construction
pre-apprenticeship)
For upcoming
training
programs
at this
location,
click
here, |
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Economic
Growth and Spending
Slows During Second-Quarter
According to estimates
released by the
U.S. Department
of Commerce’s
Bureau of Economic
Analysis, U.S.
economic growth
slowed more than
expected in the
second quarter,
as consumers,
businesses, and
the federal government
scaled back on
spending. Despite
the second quarter
slowdown, the
nation’s
gross domestic
product (GDP)
increased 3.5
percent from a
year earlier,
a result of increased
consumer spending
for services and
nondurabbles,
business investment
in inventories
and nonresidential
structures, U.S.
exports of goods
and services,
and state and
local government
spending.
Over
the April –
June period, the
GDP expanded at
a seasonally adjusted
annual rate of
2.5 percent, less
than half of the
5.6 percent rate
reported in the
first quarter
but better than
the 1.8 percent
rate during the
final quarter
of 2005. Private
analysts, who
had predicted
GDP growth of
around 3.1 percent
in the second
quarter, said
the drop in business
investment was
unlikely to be
repeated and the
economy should
rebound slightly
in the third and
fourth quarters.
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CBO
Reports Medicare Growth
Rate Slowing
A
new report released
by the Congressional
Budget Office (CBO)
suggests Medicare growth
rates have slowed in
recent years. According
to a CBO healthcare
analyst, the rate of
growth in the Medicare
program slowed considerably
during 1992 –
2003, compared with
the 1975 – 1983
period. The results
could be problematic
for the administration
which is expected to
conduct a 2007 effort
to restrain the cost
of the health insurance
program for senior citizens;
however, the paper does
not examine recent developments
such as the prescription
drug benefit enacted
in 2003.
CBO
found that excess growth
in 1975 – 1983
– when Medicare
stabilized, due in part
to Congress instituting
new hospital payment
controls, averaged 5.5
percent annually. From
1992 – 2003, when
Congress imposed a new
measure to control spending
on physician services,
excess growth declined
to 0.9 percent. The
report noted that the
1997 balanced budget
law was a contributing
factor.
CBO
estimated in its January
budget outlook, that
Medicare growth would
reach 8.9 percent by
FY2016. In addition,
CBO predicted that a
combination of Medicare,
Medicaid, and Social
Security would represent
56 percent of all federal
spending by that point.
In its FY07 budget request,
the White House proposed
cutting the growth of
Medicare by $37 billion
over five years and
$138 billion over the
next decade through
a variety of cost-cutting
measures.
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Goodwill
of Greater Washington would
like to recognize its Employee
of the Month for August. This
award is given to the Goodwill
employee who has demonstrated
his or her ability to provide
the best in customer care and
dedication to the Goodwill mission.
Goodwill
of Greater Washington's Employee
of the month for August 2006 are:
Contracts - Vongphachanh Souuky
Retail - Juana Amaya
Production - Richard Jefferson |
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GOODWILL
OF GREATER WASHINGTON'S MISSION
Goodwill
of Greater Washington's mission is to educate,
train, employ and place people with disadvantages
and disabilities, creating a stronger workforce
and a more vital community while building
dignity for the people we serve through the
removal of barriers to personal success.
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