Evergreen Goodwill temporarily closed its job training and education centers in Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Bremerton on Monday as part of a reworking of programming it said was motivated by shifts in the job market.
Goodwill’s leaders plan to reopen centers at these locations in the future once the service organization works out a new curriculum, said spokesperson Alyssa Grigg. “Our intention is not to abandon those communities.”
Classes will resume in October at the nonprofit’s Seattle and Everett centers after a summer pause. Students outside of those areas can participate remotely, Grigg said. Staff are calling students previously receiving Goodwill services individually to refer them to other resources.
When classes resume, the nonprofit will focus its education efforts on high school completion and “industry-recognized credentials,” as leaders believe these are the paths most likely to lead to jobs, Grigg said, noting changes to work following the introduction of artificial intelligence and more employers requiring post-secondary (college or training) credentials.
Evergreen Goodwill’s reach in Northwest Washington spans King, Kitsap, Snohomish, Whatcom and Skagit counties. Its programs have provided adult basic education at no cost, including computer and English as a second language classes.
In 2022, the nonprofit’s Bellingham location hosted a job fair for immigrants and refugees. A Goodwill “digital equity bus” has also brought adult education to east Whatcom County, serving as a mobile classroom.
Evergreen Goodwill has reported net losses in tax filings since 2023, including a $9.3 million deficit this year. Grigg acknowledged the nonprofit has laid off staff in recent years, but said this consolidation is “fundamentally different” from previous cutbacks.
“This is not about trimming the fat to meet a budget,” she said. “This is about a very intentional pause and restructuring of our entire program offering.”
For at least one former employee, however, the move feels like a continuation of past trends.
Marie, a staffer at the Bellingham location laid off with the closure this week, said employees have known for at least a month that the organization was facing a budget shortfall. Pointing to previous terminations, she said she assumed that could mean layoffs. She asked to be identified only by her middle name for fear that future employers would view her comments unfavorably.
She believes it will be harder for people from marginalized communities to find jobs without the support the centers provided. Marie added other agencies offering similar services may become overburdened.
With these closures, “rural places are being even more underresourced,” Marie said.
To find referrals to free or low-cost resources in your area, enter your ZIP code at the bottom of the webpages for the Whatcom and Skagit job centers: evergreengoodwill.org/locations/job-training-education-center-whatcom-county/ or evergreengoodwill.org/locations/job-training-education-center-skagit-county/.
Sophia Gates, covering rural Whatcom and Skagit counties for Cascadida Daily News, is with the Washington State Murrow Fellowships, a local news program supported by state legislators.
