Before I came to Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers, I had just lost my job. I was making about $65,000 per year living in Midland, GA, doing sales for Xerox. I thought I was doing really well initially and then I lost my job due to layoffs, as well as business-to-business sales and the economy being “off.”
They closed the office here in Columbus, GA, and shortly after that I started to go through a divorce, which was not helpful. I lost two forms of income and, therefore, I lost my house and a rental property I couldn’t pay for either.
I had known Andrea, a Goodwill® career services manager, for three years and she told me about the organization. So, I came in and registered, looked at some of the jobs and applied for a couple of them.
Andrea had called me one day and told me that someone had just called her and said that they were looking for a restaurant manager. At that time, I was working two jobs. I never had any time for my kids or myself; all I was doing was working and just barely making it.
I went and interviewed with him and got the job. Now I feel like things are going forward. I am making enough money and work decent hours. I get to spend plenty of time with my kids which are very important to me.
And now, I’m also being an employer myself. I use Goodwill for quite a few things. I send my employees over there for doing their taxes and taking English classes. If I need new employees, I go to Goodwill to find them and pre-screen them for me. I am very thankful for everything that Goodwill and Andrea have done for me. I look forward to staying a partner with Goodwill as long as I can.
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