Alameda Goodwill Manager Celebrates 30 Years with Store

From Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay:

OAKLAND, CA – Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay is honored to celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of its leading store managers. Ms. Elsie Zamora began her career with Goodwill in 1985. Ms. Zamora’s path with Goodwill exemplifies our mission.

“The mission of Goodwill is to provide training for people that do not have the experience or education they need to succeed. We train them right here, in our Alameda Store,” said Ms. Zamora. “I am very proud because we are giving them a chance, just like me. I started at Goodwill 30 years ago as a job trainee, was promoted to several positions, and now I have been a store manager for more than 20 years. It is a true honor to work with Goodwill and give back,” she added.

Ms. Zamora began as a job trainee in Goodwill’s Hayward Store in 1985. She was promoted to a sales lead position in one of our Oakland stores and became the plant supervisor for our Oakland processing facility in 1989. In 1994, she was promoted to the store manager position in Oakland. In 2002, Ms. Zamora transferred to the Alameda Goodwill Store and has been leading it ever since. In addition, she trains new store managers at our sites in Alameda County.

“We are very proud of Elsie. She not only manages her store very well, she is an exemplary trainer for those coming to us to get the work experience they need to gain competitive employment,” said John B. Latchford, President & CEO. “When you donate to our Alameda Goodwill, you are helping your neighbors, people just like Elsie was when she first arrived. Our social enterprise transforms donated goods into job training that helps our community’s most vulnerable gain the support and skills they need to succeed.”

Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay has operated its Alameda Goodwill Store at 2319 Lincoln Avenue for the past 18 years and just completed a renovation of the store. Headquartered in Oakland, just over the Park Street Bridge, Goodwill has many employees from Alameda. Virginia Robbins, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Senior Vice President for Retail Operations, is a long-time Alameda resident. “We are all very proud of Elsie, as she runs a wonderful store and has been instrumental in helping so many people in the community. If you haven’t visited lately, check out our local store – the Alameda Goodwill has some great stuff!”

All of the generous donations brought to Goodwill are put to immediate use in generating earned income to support our job training, placement, and support services. Our mission is to provide disadvantaged and disabled people with the work experience, life skills and skill training they need to achieve self-sufficiency in their lives through Work. We do this by focusing our business opportunities on providing training opportunities and by operating financially-sound, community-based businesses that provide vital vocational services to our community. Goodwill helps those facing barriers to employment such as limited education, history of incarceration, a lack of work history, and disabilities. In addition, Goodwill’s collection of donated goods has a significant impact on the environment as we divert nearly 15,000 tons of material from landfill each year through resale and recycling. For every $1 spent at Goodwill, 92 cents is dedicated to helping people gain self-sufficiency.

For more information about Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay, please visit our website at www.eastbaygoodwill.org or contact us at (510) 698-7200.

Photo via Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay: Elsie Zamora outside of the newly-remodeled Alameda GoodwillStore at 2319 Lincoln Avenue.