Progress, Partnerships and Potential: How GESMN Is Building Minnesota’s Workforce Future

We’re over a month into the new year and 2026 is a year of progress, partnerships and potential for Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota (GESMN).

With a changing economy and uncertainty affecting many people we serve, our vision, a world where everyone experiences the power of work, is more important than ever. We are fortunate that our store proceeds help fund our services and programs. 

Minnesota is resilient and making national headlines for standing up for her neighbors. Our commitment to serving the community remains the same: ensuring people have access, opportunity and support. We’re laser focused on the people we serve and growing in several areas to meet community needs.

PROGRESS

We opened a new Career & Services campus in St. Paul that represents a bold investment in the future of Minnesota’s workforce. It expands our capacity to provide industry-specific training, clean technology education, digital literacy programs and personalized career support to nearly 6,000 Minnesotans annually. Read more.

In January, we opened a new Goodwill store in Waconia, joining a vibrant lakeside community and adding jobs to the local economy. Mayor Tim Litfin, Board member Stephanie Albert, city officials and hundreds of customers warmly welcomed us despite freezing temperatures.

PARTNERSHIPS

Our MN Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator, in partnership with the Minneapolis Regional Chamber, St. Paul Area Chamber and Twin Cities Urban League, offers training to expand hiring pools to attract and retain talent. Check out these upcoming sessions with our partners across the Metro area. 

Over 100 guests gathered to honor our employer/community partners that help us create career possibilities together. Employer partners expand our services and offer more opportunities for people to accomplish their career aspirations. Read about the event. 

POTENTIAL

The new year brings new potential and new programs. We’re launching Goodwill Clean Tech Accelerator^TM and solar installer training will host its first class in February to meet the demands of a changing workforce. Learn about our new clean energy programs. 

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her joined MN state representatives and industry leaders at an open house to celebrate our new training facility. The MN Department of Labor presented GESMN with apprenticeship preparation certification and Mayor Her stated that together we’re, “building the workforce for the future we want in Minnesota.” 

Ultimately, GESMN is about the people we serve and our core value of recognizing their tremendous potential. Wyatt built a new construction career and secured a job at Cennox. Anthony found encouragement, career tools and a sense of clarity when he connected with FATHER Project in St. Cloud and is now giving back to other dads. 

People do amazing things when given the respect and resources to help achieve their career goals. As we enter our 107^th year of serving the community in 2026, progress, partnerships and potential will lay the groundwork for serving even more people in the years to come.

Goodwill-Easter Seals MN (GESMN) CEO & President Dr. Michael Wirth-Davis (center) was joined by Waconia Mayor Tim Litfin (second from right) and several GESMN board members, staff and Waconia city officials to open the new Goodwill Waconia store on Friday, January 23, 2026.

President & CEO Michael Wirth-Davis; St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her; Becky Rink, GESMN Career Training; Jeremy Park, MN Dept of Labor; Sarah Whebbe, MN Solar Energy Industries Assoc.; and Gregg Mast, Clean Energy Economy MN.

Becky Rink and Jeremy Parker, from MN Dept of Labor