On Tuesday, September 27, Goodwill Southern California (GSC) will host a health and wellness fair to celebrate the grand re-opening of their newly renovated Valley Campus, which includes a new Bank of America Job Service Center, on Tuesday, September 27 in Panorama City (14565 Lanark Street, Panorama City, CA 91402). The festivities begin at 10 am when local dignitaries, donors and community partners gather for the official ribbon cutting ceremony, and the event will open up to the public at 11:30 am and conclude at 3:30 pm. The health and wellness fair will include a variety of interactive workshops and presentations including free health screenings.
Attendees may enjoy giveaways and raffles and savor complimentary offerings from popular Southern California food trucks. The theme of the event is anchored by GSC’s four cornerstones: empowering individuals, advancing businesses, enriching communities and caring for the planet. The Cal Fresh truck will be onsite as well as several community partners offering information and resources about health and wellness. Some of the free services offered include: body mass index measurement, glucose check, blood pressure check, disaster preparedness, heart rate check, dental, vision and hearing health education, and first aid demonstrations.
Participating partners include ACI Specialty Benefits, American Medical Response, American Red Cross, Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc, Dental Wonderland, Glendale Memorial Occupational Medical Group, Hear PO, Kaiser Permanente and LA County Department of Public Health. Free workshops include Living Green, presented by Waste Management and Studio DNK, Financial Literacy, presented by Bank of America and Preparing for Employment, presented by GSC Work Force and Career Development. There will also be a 1916 Detroit Electric Car on display courtesy of the Peterson Automotive Museum.
The multi-million dollar renovation and expansion will open the doors to a brighter future for thousands of people in need every year. The enlarged space and added amenities will allow Goodwill to significantly increase retail revenue, provide a variety of additional programs and services not previously offered, and directly employ over 45 additional staff. The new Job Service Center was named after Bank of America to recognize the bank’s ongoing support of Goodwill Southern California. Goodwill has added 24,000 square feet, enlarging the facility to 51,000 square feet, including a larger outlet space, an enclosed auction area, and a job service center with eight computer work stations.
In keeping with GSC’s commitment to care for the planet, the new facility was built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) specifications and utilizes a solar energy system, and the facility is compliant with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards. “We are very grateful for the generous capital donations and community support that made this renovation possible and look forward to opening the doors of opportunity to more individuals with disabilities and vocational disadvantages than ever before,” said GSC President and CEO, Doug Barr. Charter donors include The Ahmanson Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Weingart Foundation and The Rose Hills Foundation.