Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina has been named this year’s recipient of the Joel A. and Claudette B. Weston Award.
A panel of judges selected Goodwill after a highly competitive review process. Candidates were judged on the quality of their financial and personnel management, services to clients, program effectiveness, marketing and other significant achievements. Goodwill will receive $15,000 to support their mission. The United Way of Forsyth County managed the application review process.
Goodwill is a nonprofit organization that has served the Winston-Salem area community since 1926. Through the sale of donated items in stores, the organization funds employment and training programs that help people find hope, opportunity and jobs. Goodwill has been recognized nationally as one of the most efficient charities – channeling 90 percent of its revenues to mission and sustainability – enabling the organization to serve more than 33,000 people each year in northwest NC.
Goodwill currently owns and operates nine facilities that are certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s stringent LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, the national benchmark for high performance “green” buildings.
“Joel and I always believed in giving back to the community. The spirit of this award is to honor non-profits or social services organizations that enhance lives, but do so with the most efficiency,” said Claudette Weston.
Previously called the Joel A. Weston, Jr. Memorial Award, the bi-annual honor recognizes excellence in non-profit management at a local health, or human service organization. Joel A. Weston was a senior executive at the Hanes Cos. and an active member of the Winston-Salem community. He served as president of the UWFC Board from 1980-1982 and was responsible for the introduction of many innovative programs, all designed to strengthen the Forsyth County community.
Joel passed away in 1984 and in 1988 the award was established and endowed by his family and friends in recognition and honor of his vision and dedication to the Forsyth County community. Today, Joel’s widow, Claudette, continues the family tradition of community involvement and philanthropy through her involvement on numerous boards and organizations.