My Story: Christopher Parker
July 12, 2010 | 
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Before Goodwill Industries® found me, I was a mess. I was lost, I was confused, and I didn’t know what I was going to do day in and day out. I’ve been through a lot, but one of the biggest things that I’ve been through was losing my mom at the age of 15. She raised me right, and she was my best friend—nothing compares to her.
From ages 15 to 19, I lost my focus. I lost hope. I was raised in church, but I wasn’t walking on that path. My two options were either jail or death. When I was 19, I had a daughter, who is now three years old. She brought me back my focus, but she wasn’t my main priority starting off, just because I was confused and I didn’t know what I was living for.
One day, my elder called me and said that she had seen a TV program about a Goodwill Industries Serving Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa youth partnership program dealing with young adults ages 16-21. She told me to check it out and find out what it was all about.
I went down there and went to orientation, and it was just like I belonged. They explained to me, “Our goal is to help you achieve your goals. If you have any dreams, anything you’re passionate about, we’re here to help you accomplish it. But we can’t do the work—it’s all up to you.”
I became part of the partnership program and started opening some doors. They got me some on-the-job training as a plumber and are helping me prepare for my schooling. They helped me revalue what my life goals were and what was important to me in my life. They brought me back to my path.
Now, I’m a role model — not only to my daughter, but to my cousins and my sister. I’m a positive man. I’m recently married, and I’m on the right path. I’m doing the right thing because of Goodwill Industries. I had to do my part, but they showed me they believed in me. They said, “As long as you believe in yourself, we believe in you. And so whatever you want, you can achieve.”
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Chris, what an inspiring story! Our prayer is that you stay on the path of rightousness and peace. Keep doing the right thing!