YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries Inc. has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for its A Good Start: Recovery to Work Job Readiness Program. 

The funding will provide Goodwill with the ability to expand the program to reach more individuals in need. A Good Start provides job readiness and industry-specific workforce training to individuals in recovery from substance use disorder across Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. 

The program takes a three-phase approach, offering general job readiness skills, specialized workforce training and direct connections to employers committed to hiring individuals in recovery. Goodwill is partnering with local recovery organizations, employers and training providers to ensure participants receive both the skills and the support needed to succeed. 

Through the program, Goodwill anticipates serving 168 workers and trainees by helping them secure employment or advance into further training. In addition, 10 local businesses are expected to benefit from hiring program participants, gaining reliable employees while strengthening the regional workforce.  

“We are grateful for this opportunity to expand our mission in a way that addresses one of our community’s greatest needs,” Goodwill CEO Shelley Murray said. “By taking a holistic approach that combines recovery support with workforce development, we are equipping individuals in recovery with tools and opportunities to achieve long-term success for themselves and their families.” 

The funding is part of ARC’s Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems Initiative, which awarded $11 million to 32 projects in nine Appalachian states this year. Inspire projects are designed to address workforce gaps caused by substance use disorder and to strengthen local economies by supporting recovery-to-work programs. 

“In order to have a healthy Appalachian economy, we must make sure we have a healthy Appalachian workforce,” Gayle Manchin, ARC federal co-chair, said in a statement. “I am so proud of the way ARC’s Inspire initiative empowers Appalachians in recovery to gain the training, resources and support they need to succeed.” 

Pictured at top: Shelley Murray, CEO of Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries.