Goodwill adds nearly $40M in wages to economy

BRADENTON/SARASOTA — Goodwill Manasota, one of the largest nonprofit employers in the Sarasota-Manatee region, increased its employment base 34% in 2013 over 2012.

The organization, with facilities in Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto counties, also added $39.3 million in wages to the area's economy last year, the release states. In total it had 750 employees in 2013. The employees, the organization says, are a mix of youths, adults, veterans and seniors, many with disabilities or were previously unemployed. Goodwills across Florida provided or helped individuals find more than 40,000 jobs in the state last year, according to the release.

“By operating our social enterprise, employing people who otherwise would be unable to secure an occupation and placing hundreds of people into competitive employment, Goodwill helps individuals gain independence while providing a very tangible economic impact to our communities,” Goodwill Manasota President and CEO Bob Rosinsky says in the release. “With our agency's growth and strategic plan for 2014, we anticipate that we will see significant expansion of our impact in the community this year.”