Goodwill gets Lakeland school contract

The Lakeland Board of Education has authorized Lakeland School System to enter into a contract with Memphis Goodwill Industries to provide janitorial and grounds services to Lakeland Elementary School for the 2014-15 school year.

The contract is being supervised by Community Rehabilitation Agencies of Tennessee, which provides employment opportunities for Tennesseans with disabilities who face significant challenges in the competitive job market.

Lakeland School System superintendent Dr. Ted Horrell described the partnership with Goodwill as an opportunity to give back to the Memphis community that will also benefit the students of Lakeland.

“If we can receive outstanding service for our school at a highly competitive price while also providing opportunities for individuals with disabilities to find productive work,” he said, “then this is a great outcome for all involved.”

Horrell said he was impressed with the professionalism and responsiveness of the Goodwill staff who worked with him in researching the possibility of working with Goodwill.

He also received rave reviews from current Goodwill clients such as The Soulsville Charter School.

“I know our parents and community members have high expectations for the appearance and cleanliness of our school. I am confident that they will be impressed by the service we receive from Goodwill,” Horrell said.

Horrell also noted that the small size of the Lakeland School System allowed him and the school board to think outside the box when considering options for services like janitorial and grounds.

“While there are some challenges to being a small system, there are also opportunities for approaches that might not be feasible for larger systems,” he said.

Memphis Goodwill Inc. was founded in 1927 as a territory of the nationwide Goodwill Industries movement. Today it employs more than 770 people in Tennessee and Mississippi, many of whom face significant barriers to employment. For more information about Goodwill in Memphis, store locations or hours of operation, call (901) 323-6221 or visit www.goodwillmemphis.org.