Get on the Bus 2009 Presser part 1

Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit and its partners today announced
the start of the 2009 Get on the Bus campaign. The monthlong effort
concludes October 31 and will help individuals throughout Metro Detroit
overcome one of the most daunting barriers to employment
transportation.

For many Metro Detroiters, simply getting to and from the workplace is
the greatest obstacle to securing or holding a job, said Lorna G.
Utley, president and CEO, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit.
Goodwill Industries is the only organization solely dedicated to
helping the people of Southeast Michigan conquer this and other
barriers to employment. Our Get on the Bus partners and the generous
people of this region will make it possible for many in Metro Detroit
to get to work.

Every $49 collected through Get on the Bus enables a Goodwill
Industries client in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb county to ride the bus to
or from work for an entire month. Donations also will help Goodwill
Industries provide aid to those in need of other employment-related
transportation assistance, including gas cards and automobile repairs.

Michigan residents can help their unemployed or low-income friends and
neighbors get to work through October 31 by purchasing Pepsi products
from any Michigan CVS/pharmacy location or by donating directly to the
campaign. Those wishing to donate may call (888) 380-GIVE or visit
http://www.giveabuspass.org.

Get on the Bus partner Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional
Transportation (SMART)will match all donations on October 12, designated as Get on the Bus Match Day in Metro Detroit. SMART will match individual $49 donations with up to 150 Get A Job, Get A Ride monthly bus passes.

CVS/pharmacy and Pepsi Bottling Group, also campaign partners, will donate 50 cents to Get on the Bus for each 12-oz. 8-pack Pepsi product purchased at any Michigan CVS/pharmacy location during the month of October, up to a total donation of $10,000. All 236 CVS/pharmacy Michigan store locations will feature in-store displays supporting the campaign. Comcast also has agreed to support Get on the Bus by promoting the cause through public service announcements to Southeast Michigan customers. News/Talk 760 WJR also is a partner in the campaign.

A single bus pass can be a ticket to a better life for a family, said Steve Brown, SMART Interim General Manager. Having a regular ride to work can make or break someones future. SMART is committed to helping the people of Metro Detroit get to where they need to go.

In just the past two years of the organizations nearly 90-year history, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit has placed more than 2,500 Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county individuals into new jobs and provided education, training and career assistance to thousands more in the region. Goodwill Industries is the only organization in Southeast Michigan solely dedicated to helping local individuals overcome barriers and secure employment.

For more information on Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroits Get on the Bus campaign and other efforts to help Metro Detroit residents overcome barriers to employment, follow the organization on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/goodwilldet), become a fan on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/goodwilldetroit) or visit http://www.goodwilldetroit.org.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Goodwill
• Industries
• Greater
• transportation
• unemployment
• barriers
• Detroit
• bus
• SMART
• transit
• WJR
• Comcast
• Pepsi