Goodwill Great Lakes Federal Services

Great Lakes Federal Services

While you may not expect to find a Goodwill operation on a military base, Goodwill Great Lakes provides food service, administrative, logistic services, and laundry to both Sailors and recruits at the Navy's only boot camp— Naval Station Great Lakes in Great Lakes, IL.

The U.S. Navy, Goodwill, and SourceAmerica are partnered at Naval Station Great Lakes through the AbilityOne Program, providing employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities. Our trained professionals work closely with individuals with significant disabilities to provide meaningful employment with a comprehensive career ladder enabling them to become independent and self-sustaining individuals who contribute to their communities.

In the calendar year 2020, Goodwill staff served 10 million+ meals, handled 4 million+ pieces of mail, issued 2.7 million+ uniform pieces to Sailors and Recruits. This relationship of more than 45 years has been repeatedly recognized and honored by multiple organizations as a stellar example of a partnership at its best.

U.S. Navy and Goodwill Missions Aligned

U.S. Navy Mission:

The mission of the U.S. Navy is to maintain, train, and equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas..

Goodwill Great Lakes Mission:

To provide training, employment, and supportive services for people with disabilities or disadvantages who seek greater independence.

SourceAmerica Mission:

Provide employment choices for individuals with disabilities through the nonprofit agency community. 

Partnered for Success

A partnership between the U.S. Navy, Goodwill Great Lakes, and SourceAmerica makes sense because the missions of each are aligned and integrated.  Naval Station Great Lakes’ mission is to train and supply the Fleet with Sailors; Goodwill’s is to provide work experience and training for people with significant disabilities and high-quality services to the Navy. For Goodwill, the installation means employment for 600 people with disabilities including visual, hearing, and physical impairments; developmental disabilities; and mental illness.

The partnership also allows those unable to join the military the chance to serve their country by supporting every man and woman that enters the U.S. Navy.

Food and Logistics Services

In February 1998, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin was awarded a food service contract under the AbilityOne Program. Since that time, the U.S. Navy, Goodwill, and SourceAmerica have partnered at Naval Station Great Lakes through the AbilityOne Program, making this one of the largest service contracts providing employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities. Our trained professionals work closely with individuals with disabilities to provide meaningful employment with a comprehensive career ladder enabling them to become independent and self-sustaining individuals who contribute to their communities. In addition to food service, Goodwill provides record-keeping, facility support services, environmental services, uniform issue, postal service and warehousing for the Sailors and Recruits at Naval Station Great Lakes. 

Administrative Support

Since 1996, Goodwill has provided administrative services at Naval Station Great Lakes. Our presence at the base provides a range of administrative support services to include medium and high-level clerical duties.

Laundry

Goodwill’s laundry service began in 1974. Naval Station Great Lakes was our first customer and, today remains a valued one. Every load, from pick-up to delivery, is processed within 48 hours.

Customer Service

Goodwill operations focus on customer service, embracing continuous process improvement, including the practices of Kaizen and other process improvement tools. We continually identify ways to improve the work process and customer service, all with employee participation.

Awards

• Catholic Charities 2019 Collaborator of the Year Award
• Lake County Organization Award to Reduce Recidivism
• NorthPointe Resources "Certificate of Appreciation" during National Disability Employment Awareness Month
• NISH Certificate of Achievement Award (to provide employment and training to Americans with significant disabilities)
• Quality Work Environment—Gold Level Achievement Award
• American Culinary Federation Achievement of Excellence Award
• North Chicago Community High School Pathways to Professions, (Employer Advisory Group) Certificate of Recognition 
• Allendale Association’s Vocational Education Program Certificate of Appreciation 
• SAFER Foundation Recognition of Dedicated Service May
• Chicago Commission on Human Relations Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs Certificate of Appreciation for supporting veterans with disabilities (presented by Mayor Daley) 
• Thresholds employer award for hiring people with disabilities
• American Legion, Department of Illinois, Employer of the Year
• American Legion, National Employer Certificate of Recognition
• Racine Friendship County Clubhouse, Employer Certificate of Recognition
• Naval Station Great Lakes, "Shining Star" award to John VanB for "Outstanding Support to the Transition Assistance Program Workshops" 
• Lake County Coalition to Reduce Recidivism, Employer of the Year 
• Haymarket, Employer of the Year 
• Employer Award, Illinois Department of Employment Security
• Jewish Vocational Services, Employer of the Year 
• Anixter Center, Employer of the Year