My Story: Bryant Childers
June 6, 2011 | By Jenni Baker | 
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I was earnestly looking for a job, and my reading disability kept me from getting one. A good friend of mine since childhood thought Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana might be a good start for me since they help people with disabilities in a lot of ways. I thought, why not? I couldn’t get a job any place else, so I thought I would try there.
I have been with Goodwill ever since — for 24 years now. I stock shelves in a military grocery store. It’s steady work. I put up 100 cases one day — I always try to keep a record on that. I stock shelves, and if a customer drops a bowl of jelly or mustard, then I go and clean it up.
I’m good with numbers so I started reading the numbers on the shelves and the labels. The numbers always match, so I read that and put them up on the shelf nice and neat. That’s how I learned how to do it because I can hardly read what’s on the label. That’s how I still do it today: I make sure the numbers are right so they are in the right place.
I rate myself pretty good! I am punctual and nice to customers. I get along so much better now. When I first started, I could hardly communicate and was so closed in.
Goodwill has helped me out in a lot of ways, from having nothing to actually having something to call my own. I was in a bad way — back then, I was living with my parents, and I didn’t feel real good. When you get to a certain age, you want to get out and live on your own. I finally got a steady paycheck where I could actually go out and do stuff like that.
I think I have gotten so much better in life. I had nothing before. Now I have a job, a car, nice clothes, and I have so many wonderful friends.
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Nice story Bryant, keep up the good work.
Bryant Childers keep up the great work at the commissary and the army reserves to. Great Job!!
What a great story. Bryant, I don’t know you, but I will keep you in my prayers. Good for you for success in life.
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