Goodwill Manasota hosts veterans services open house

In honor of  Military Appreciation Month, Goodwill Manasota presented a Veterans Open House at the Goodwill Veterans Services Center on Lockwood Ridge Road for veterans and their families on May 25. Veterans got the chance to learn more about the services that Goodwill and its partner organizations offer. The event also offered a first look at the newly renovated Veterans Services Center. The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation provided a grant of $50,000 to help update the facility. Renovations included restoring the roof and plumbing, a new sign to make the service center more visible and a Healing Room for mental health services.

“We wanted to show off the renovations to the public thanks to the Selby Foundation and have a happy event before we remember Memorial Day,” said Todd Hughes, Goodwill’s homeless veterans reintegration program manager. “We hope attendees come and learn about the services we provide. They can mingle and learn about these other services that our partner organizations offer and be able to network because it’s important in our veteran community to have those partnerships.”

The Veterans Services Program team is made up of mostly veterans who offer assistance in finding jobs, transportation and housing.