Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida has received a grant of $10,000 from the United Way of Collier and the Keys to support the Opportunity Accelerator program. Opportunity Accelerator addresses skills gaps in the community by providing essential training to individuals who lack access to higher education and paid training opportunities. Goodwill Community Resource Center coordinators guide job seekers and career advancers through three phases: assess and plan, equip and connect, and launch and evaluate. This process helps uncover barriers and enables Goodwill coordinators to create a plan of action and establish milestones for the participant. Through training and support services, the job seeker gains the skills necessary to overcome the identified barriers and moves them into a better position for gainful employment and independence.