Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast (GESGC) is a nonprofit agency serving 12 counties in the Alabama-Florida Gulf Coast area. The agency provides programs and services to help individuals and families overcome challenges due to disabilities or other barriers that impact economic well-being, self-sufficiency, and quality of life.
Apportion of UDF’s investment was used to renovate the existing building at 2440 Gordon Smith Drive. The list of additions, upgrades, and improvements include a new roof, offices, and classrooms, as well as site improvements to parking, driveways, and fencing. These enhancements make it possible for the newly-named Mitchell Building to offer GED testing, a computer lab, e-commerce listing and shipping, electronic recycling, job development services, and administration offices.
The remaining allocation of funds was used to construct a new building at 2448 Gordon Smith Drive, which is known as the McMaken Community Center. This building houses the GESGC Child Development Center and is named for a late local judge who was dedicated to and an important part of the GESGC community. UDF provided loans totaling $9.1 million for this project. Subordinate financing was contributed by UDF at advantageous terms, including interest-only for the 7-year terms, below-market interest rates, and lower-than-standard origination fees.
Without the NMTC, the project was unable to fill the funding gap needed to complete construction. UDF lent the necessary funds to finish the development at terms that were unavailable from other lenders. The property is located in an especially distressed area with 15.7% poverty and a median income of 66.8% of the benchmark. Unemployment in the census tract is almost 20%.
Serving 12 counties in the Alabama-Florida Gulf Coast region, Goodwill Easter Seals provides programs and services to help individuals and families overcome challenges due to disabilities and other barriers that impact economic well-being, self-sufficiency, and quality of life. GESCG has five main areas of service, which include: Children & Family Services, Education Services, Employment Services, Support Services, and Business Services.
In 2015 GESGC was able to change over 11,000 individual lives through programs and services; the biggest reach to date for this organization. GESGC financials show .91 of each dollar spent goes toward the people that need it most. Any family in need of services receives help whether it entails finding employment, obtaining a GED or literacy skills, helping with parenting a special needs child, or helping find space for an adult family member who isn’t able to stay home alone.