Goodwill of North Georgia celebrates Second Chance Month by announcing that it has placed over 15,000 returning citizens into employment over the last decade.

In honor of Second Chance Month, Goodwill of North Georgia is hosting multiple career fairs throughout its career centers to ensure those with justice backgrounds have access to a second chance. 

Second Chance Month is a national recognition that the path forward should be open to everyone, including the more than 70 million Americans living with a criminal record. 

“Our support to citizens with justice backgrounds isn’t new,” said Jenny Taylor, vice president of career services. Just over the past decade, we’ve helped thousands of people with reentry.”

In the past ten years, Goodwill of North Georgia has served 31,065 returning citizens, placing 15,024, nearly half into employment. 

Of those served, 65% are men and 35% women. Racially, 65.2% identify as Black, 28.7% as White, 4.5% Hispanic, and 6.1% as other. 

“Second Chance Month is a reminder that our mission is not just about putting to people to work; it’s about restoring dignity,” said Keith T. Parker, President and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia. “Every person we serve who has been involved in the justice system deserves a second chance, and we are proud to be an organization that provides that opportunity.”

Goodwill of North Georgia’s career programs are designed to help prepare returning citizens to enter some of today’s most in-demand industries, giving participants access to the credentials employers seek at no cost. The organization’s most popular programs for returning citizens include forklift training, welding, retail customer service, and highway construction. For women returning citizens, the top training program is Highway Construction.

Additionally, returning citizens who are not ready to enter the workforce immediately have access to a full continuum of wraparound services, from foundational job-readiness support, such as resume writing and interview coaching, to hands-on skills training.

“The range of people these programs reach is equally remarkable,” Taylor said. “The youngest returning citizen we’ve served is 17 years old; the oldest is 78. From a teenager taking his first step forward after a difficult start to a 78-year-old who refuses to believe it is too late, Goodwill of North Georgia is there.”

Behind every statistic is a person, and Christian Drawdy is one of them. He arrived at the Goodwill Career Center in Cornelia with 2 years of sobriety, no high school diploma, and a determination to build a better future for his family. A friend’s recommendation pointed him to the Certified Welder program, which he completed at no cost through Goodwill’s social enterprise. Within two months of earning his MIG welding certification, he was hired by Finger Lakes Fabrication in Homer, Georgia. 

“According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the unemployment rate for individuals with criminal records hovers around 30 percent,” said Parker. “That is more than seven times the national rate, and it underscores why investing in returning citizens is critical to communities across the region. For someone who has been incarcerated, getting back to work means restored dignity, rebuilt relationships, and a future that belongs to them. We are honored to have been part of that journey for more than 31,000 people over the past decade, and we are just getting started.”

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About Goodwill of North Georgia

Goodwill of North Georgia serves a 45-county territory with then 71 stores 45 donation centers, and 14 career centers with a mobile career center dedicated to providing no-cost job training and placement services. In fiscal year 2025, Goodwill of North Georgia was recognized for the sixth time as the number one Goodwill in the nation for connecting people to employment, helping more than 24,000 North Georgians secure jobs. Through its career centers and training programs, Goodwill supports veterans, people with disabilities, youth, single parents, the underemployed, individuals with criminal backgrounds, and anyone else seeking meaningful work. To learn more about Goodwill of North Georgia’s career services and job training programs, visit www.goodwillng.org