Most people know Goodwill for its retail stores that sell everything from gently used clothing to home furnishings.

Not enough people know that those stores are the face of a sophisticated job-training and placement organization that helps thousands of people of all abilities break into the employment market and contribute to the Massachusetts economy.

This job training and placement work over many decades has earned Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries of Boston the 2016 John Gould Education and Workforce Development Award from Associated Industries of Massachusetts. The award will be presented before 750 Bay State business leaders at the AIM Annual Meeting May 13 at the Westin Waterfront hotel in Boston.

Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries helps more than 8,200 people prepare for jobs each year ” 7,700 people through Boston Career Link, the one-stop career center it operates, and another 560 people through its job training, including the First Step Job Readiness Program and the Human Services Employment Ladder Program. Goodwill’s mission is to help individuals with barriers to self-sufficiency to achieve independence and dignity through work.

“Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries plays a central role in matching qualified job candidates with companies across industries such as retail, health care and banking that require large numbers of entry-level employees,” said Richard C. Lord, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIM.

“The work done at Goodwill not only provides hard-working people a pathway into the job market, but also meets the need of employers to address the most prevalent challenge they face in a growing economy ” finding good employees.”

Goodwill collaborates with hundreds of employers to promote and facilitate the hiring of the individuals it serves. The organization’s business partners include Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Citizens Bank, Northeastern University, Stacy’s Pita Chip Company, and the TJX Companies. Many of those employers participate in on-site recruitment events, industry briefings, and career fairs at Boston Career Link, which connect businesses to qualified job seekers.

The Human Services Employment Ladder Program prepares individuals for entry level positions in the burgeoning human services field. The program’s business advisory council is made up of eleven employers, including Pine Street Inn, Vinfen, and Walnut Street Center.

“Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries and all our partners are honored to be recognized with the 18th annual John Gould award from AIM,” said Joanne Hilferty, who has served as president and chief executive officer since 1995.

“It’s fitting that Goodwill receive this award from a business association, since our collaborations with hundreds of Massachusetts employers brings trained, dedicated employees to the workforce, and helps people move to economic self-sufficiency. The award honors every staff member, partner and participant whose hard work makes all this happen.”

The Gould Award was established in 1998 to recognize the contributions of individuals, employers, and institutions to the quality of public education and the advancement, employability, and productivity of residents of the commonwealth. In 2000, the award was named after John Gould, upon his retirement as President and CEO of AIM, to recognize his work to improve the quality of public education and workforce training activities in Massachusetts.

Goodwill’s headquarters and the Career Link one-stop center are in Boston. The organization also operates  job training centers in Boston and Salem;  a distribution center in Boston;  and stores in Boston, South Boston, Allston/Brighton, Cambridge, Worcester, Somerville, Quincy, South Attleboro, and Hyannis. The organization employs 375 people.

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