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* Background is here and here. Press release…
Land of Lincoln Goodwill has always been committed to our mission: providing people the skills and resources to become self-sufficient through the power of work. In the past year, Land of Lincoln Goodwill has counseled and supported over 100 at-risk youth, we have assisted 500 veterans and 1,050 ex-offenders in their transition to employment, and more than 7,000 individuals have taken advantage of our career centers and the employment training we provide there. Our Vocational Rehab program supports 50 individuals with intellectual disabilities. We have a long history of supporting people with disabilities. We have wrapped our arms around them and worked side by side with them. We have always honored their contributions and our ongoing support of their needs will always be at the heart of our mission.
The outpouring of comments regarding our decision to refocus the Vocational Rehab program and its impact on 12 program participants has caused us to take pause. While we must be good stewards of our nonprofit, we must remain sharply focused on our mission. Our recent decision regarding the Voc Rehab program and the resulting harm it might have caused falls short of living up to our mission and we apologize for this error in judgment. We are reversing the decision to realign our Voc Rehab program and those participants affected will return to their part time skills training program with pay.
As the leader of this organization, some challenges can be overwhelming to the point where the numbers, rather than those we are working to elevate, become the focus. Their challenges and their needs are personally near and dear to my heart. As the President & CEO of this organization, I want to apologize to our constituents, our clients and our faithful donors.
Moreover, Land of Lincoln Goodwill will continue to work with all stakeholders – our leadership and our legislative representatives to assure a living wage is attainable for all those willing to work. I am committed to exploring how the state’s new minimum wage law can help raise up those we serve as well as the 400 employees in our organization. Regardless of the business and financial challenges ahead of us, Land of Lincoln Goodwill will always, first and foremost, remain true to our ideals and our mission of helping others to help themselves through the power of work.
Thank you.
Sharon Durbin President & CEO
*** UPDATE *** Looks like Sen. Manar isn’t impressed by the apology and reversal…
Full review of LoL Goodwill’s taxpayer funded contracts by @ILHumanServices & CMS is needed.
I’m deeply troubled by anti-worker rhetoric from this not-for-profit agency that benefits from taxpayer funded contracts. That needs to stop. Starting w/ the Exec Dir.
We value workers!
— Andy Manar (@AndyManar) July 17, 2019
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:05 pm
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A resignation would be a nice addition.
Comment by JIbba Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:07 pm
…and there’s the update the National HQ ordered. Expect another update once the smoke clears a bit about the future of a couple of high ranking folks.
Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:08 pm
Two resignations
Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:08 pm
You forgot to attach your resignation
Comment by NotMe Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:08 pm
Maybe she should have acknowledged the her son works there and defend that in the context of the original decision to terminate these disabled employees. the reality is that the employees would have been fired if not for the negative publicity GW received after this was discovered. Unacceptable.
Comment by Threat level midnight Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:10 pm
And scene.
Except followed by more scenes where they keep looking into your org and you guys eventually resign because we all know how this is going to play out. National Goodwill isn’t going to want aaaaaaannnny part of this.
Comment by lakeside Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:13 pm
Dear Raunerites,
If you now “appear” and “applaud” or whatever…
Please don’t. It’s phony enough you were silent. Don’t embarrass yourselves further with *any* comment now.
Also,
The Durbin family doesn’t owe anyone an apology, but owes everyone resignationS… two of them.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:15 pm
Too much bad PR at the national level … plus nobody wants the national organization looked at too closely.
Over / under on 2 resignations in 58 hours? I’ll take under …
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:15 pm
Now the board needs to fire the Durbins.
The board needs to know
this doesn’t stop here.
The train has left the station
DHS inquiries are going to be held.
They need to fire the Durbins
to stop this.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:18 pm
===Over / under on 2 resignations in 58 hours? I’ll take under …===
Prime “Friday News Dump”?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:20 pm
===Now the board needs to fire the Durbins.===
I looked up some of the board members on Facebook. Let’s just say I don’t think that’s likely to happen.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:21 pm
Salaries? My salary? Son’s salary? Sssshhhhh. Crickets.
Comment by Langhorne Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:23 pm
===Let’s just say I don’t think that’s likely to happen===
There’s a reason that all this happened… and thinking “it’s fine”
The board is as it is. Things happen because folks know their boards.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:24 pm
RNUG
The Arrogant Privileged
The Callous Privileged
Like the Durbins
Do not have the integrity
to resign.
They’ve proven that by their actions.
Only the board
should be given the chance to resign
after they follow through with the firing and have stabilized management.
They are volunteers and should be afforded the courtesy due to service.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:26 pm
This is quite the 180 compared to her original comments/thoughts.
“Moreover, Land of Lincoln Goodwill will continue to work with all stakeholders – our leadership and our legislative representatives to assure a living wage is attainable for all those willing to work.”
Comment by Les Nesman Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:26 pm
-Honeybear- , I think if the story stays national, they will be forced out one way or another.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:28 pm
The pressure of resignation will only come from the outside, not from internal constraints or board members. Nope.
If the outside heat continues, resignations, not forced resignations, could be before the weekend.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:30 pm
Who are the ‘Privileged’. I need to know if I should feel better about myself. I hate that term as it’s applied so sweepingly.
Comment by Sayitaintso Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:35 pm
Don’t you just love the way some people can make a CYA statement and make it appear reasonable?
Comment by illini Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:35 pm
Thanks Rich,
Then pressure needs to be applied to the national organization to put the Land of Lincoln Goodwill into receivership.
I wonder if one of our good US Senators would be willing to place a call? Maybe our esteemed Emily Miller has some advice on how we can keep up the pressure. I think of all the great work she has done in the nonprofit sector. It’s her work and the work of all amazing private sector nonprofits that has been besmirched by the Durbins
obvious and odious
profitization of nonprofit work
We shouldn’t make an example of Goodwill
We should make an example of the Durbins
Who highjacked Goodwill
for personal gain
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:35 pm
A lot of words from Ms. Durbin when she meant to say “sorry, not sorry.”
Comment by Not a Superstar Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:37 pm
I dunno how individual Goodwill stores line up with the national organization but I’m guessing it’s like a franchise and the “trademark” name is licensed under terms and conditions. National Goodwill should be reviewing and see if they can bypass the Board.
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:41 pm
Oops, banned punctuation.
“Why should I resign? The people I laid off have apologized.”
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:42 pm
1) The National Office dictated the apology. Let’s all agree on that point. Durbin may or not have taken the words to heart, but they were not originally hers.
2) As far as apologies go, we have all seen far worse, although it should have acknowledged the harm it caused to the very people it is supposed to be serving.
3) I am mostly a witness to malfeasance here, the real victims are the people who had their joy and dignity ripped away, and if they are okay with the apology, so am I.
4) Illinois still needs to do its diligence on the contracts end employment practices and nonprofit governance, and there are reasonable questions about state employees in those boards for their directors and the Inspector General.
5) I am sure LoL GW will be adopting a new social media policy this week, also dictated by the national office, best summarized as “No more posting on FB for the Durbins.”
6) I’m in the “wait and see” column on the resignations. It could do more immediate or long term harm to the group than good.
Comment by Thomas Paine Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:50 pm
Does anyone have recommendations of organizations or companies that employ people with disabilities and do a better job of it than Goodwill? If possible, I’d like to support those employers.
Comment by Commander Norton Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 1:55 pm
Honeybear- , I think if the story stays national, they will be forced out one way or another.
Which is why I’m in a lather
pushing every button
Because national spotlight is fleeting at best.
I’m worried that the
“business decision”
people
Diana Rauner
Sharon Durbin
will survive to subvert the social service system
again
at the next opportunity.
Business Decision Executives
must be seen
as a liability
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:17 pm
Yes, exactly Sen. Manar
Exactly
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:38 pm
Sen. Manar will make the Raunerites look, at the minimum, silly as the silence they backed themselves into, now will be framed as either cowardly hypocrisy or the position of blatant Raunerism.
Not one HRaunerite or SRaunerite press flack could put out something before the reversal?
Saying nothing was better than choosing to side with disabled workers over … overpriced nepotism?
Seriously? It’s that hard?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:45 pm
Don’t be fooled by the Durbins’ anti-liberal, anti-government rantings and crocodile tears over the state’s financial condition. Like the former governor and pensions, they love themselves some public trough.
“Dear Raunerites”
Raunerite silence is enough to fill the universe. There was not a peep of outrage out of them over decades of public pension gorging and his willful financial damage to the state, nor will there be any now.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:46 pm
So… what’s the over and under that she resigns before the State has hearings on this matter???
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:46 pm
CMD Norton, Goodwill IS a wonderful organization.
I love my local Goodwill in Glen Carbon.
Don’t punish the organization
Push to punish the
perpetrators of profitization
The Durbins
Let the good Sen. Manar do his job
We do ours on the frontline by
fighting our corner
pressuring our representatives
to pressure the board/national org
to fire the Durbins.
The frontline should always take care
not to harm more workers.
Goodwill DOES and IS
all about giving a second chance to folks
by providing a decent job
That’s cool
That’s honorable
Sharon and Brian Durbin
violated that sacred duty
They shouldn’t get a second chance
They should
Never
sit in the corner office again.
They would do well
to get inspiration
from their own workers.
But keep going to Goodwill
Unless they refuse to get rid off the Durbins.
Then
Direct Action Gets Satisfaction
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:48 pm
Sigh…
CDR Norton
sorry
(somewhere CAPT Gianulis, USN Ret. is wondering why he suddenly feels the compulsion to quarterdeck a junior officer)
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:54 pm
Adam Jeffrey who is VP of security w/ Goodwill used to be married to Sharon Durbin’s daughter.
Comment by blueeyes Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 2:56 pm
Twelve workers? They did this to keep paying a little extra money to 12 people? An organization that pulled in north of $20 million?
Resignation is just the start. Hey, Kwame - aren’t you in charge of non-profits?
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 3:12 pm
When I watch tonight’s channel 20 news I better see one of the board members from LRS, Horace Mann, Bank of Springfield or other Springfield business leaders that have members on this board saying, “Durbins resign or I resign”
If not, they will being hearing from me and it will not be pleasant.
Comment by I Miss Bentohs Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 3:48 pm
Thank you Blueeyes. Be sure to get that info to Sen. Manar.
Wow…
Nepotism central over at LLGW.
Looks like the national organization needs to update THEIR OWN hiring policies.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 3:50 pm
I Miss Bentohs
Direct Action Gets Satisfaction
don’t wait
Make the call now.
They care about what you think
You have the power to
make the right thing happen.
I know you’re going to hate this but here’s a bit of Labor activist training.
Point of Agitation
That point at which you force the moral choice
IE.
Do you want the country to think that Goodwill has abandoned their prime mission for profit
or
That two leaders who besmirched that noble mission have been replaced by leaders that honor it as I do.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 3:57 pm
I Miss Bentohs
Do the right thing, make the call.
See, I just put Point of Agitation voodoo on you
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 3:59 pm
I would not go back to a place if fired. I would move on because I would not have any faith in the organization anymore
Comment by Till Tuesday Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 4:02 pm
Imagine if we didn’t have Mark Maxwell.
No one would know any of this occurred.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 6:16 pm
=I would not go back to a place if fired. I would move on because I would not have any faith in the organization anymore =
These folks don’t have a lot of options, though.
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 6:45 pm
Nice to see Manar raise his hand and speak up on it now that it’s a national news story.
Comment by Macoupin Manny Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 7:41 pm
===Nice to see Manar raise his hand and speak up on it now that it’s a national news story.===
Yeah? No? No.
Manar has been a voice on this since jump street.
Just check yesterday’s blog.
Thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 17, 19 @ 7:48 pm
Oswego Willard,
Story broke 7 days ago. Manar didn’t chime in until 48 hours ago when the story went National. I appreciate your input but your condescending mannar and emtpy argument isn’t helpful.
Those of us that have been dealing with Manar in Macoupin the past couple decades find it laughable that he would call out the executive director for hiring their son when he’s just as guilty of patronage. The hypocrisy is just to delicious.
Comment by Macoupin Manny Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 10:56 am
===Story broke 7 days ago. Manar didn’t chime in until 48 hours ago when the story went National. I appreciate your input but your condescending mannar and emtpy argument isn’t helpful.===
Your blissfully ignoring the silence of GOP legislators is fun to this too, LOL
Aw, you’re welcome.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 18, 19 @ 11:06 am