Robert

When he was younger, Robert’s family moved from Georgia to Ohio. As the new kid at school, he was often bullied. That’s until he learned a bit more about boxing and fighting. When he fought back, the bullying stopped.

The experience inspired Robert to take boxing a bit more seriously. By the age of 14, he was training professionally with boxing legends like King Brookins and Bill Douglas. These men were some of Robert’s earliest mentors in life. He admired how much they had going for themselves and wanted to live as meaningful a life as they did.

Everything changed when Robert was 18. When his friends convinced him to drive the getaway car as they held up a convenience store, he was sent to prison for the first time.

This was the start of a darker phase in Robert’s life. Drug addiction kept him away from his family, and he was in and out of prison periodically.

While he was incarcerated, Robert was watching the television and discovered some heart-wrenching news – his son was killed during a drug deal. The loss weighed heavily on Robert and became a catalyst for change.

He wanted to make a positive change in his life but door after door was closed on him. He was continually turned down for employment due to his past. As he describes it, no one wanted to give him a second chance to prove his worth.

That’s when Robert came to Goodwill Columbus (OH) looking for a job. Goodwill was able to open a new door for Robert when he became part of the custodial team. In this new role, he started to see the fruits of his labor.

Robert has proven himself over his past 20 years with the organization. Now, Robert continues to be a crucial member of the Goodwill team. If anyone needs something fixed, he’s the go-to man for the job.

Robert firmly believes that Goodwill was instrumental in helping him turn his life around. This fixer at heart was able to fix his own life with the support that Goodwill provided.

How Your Donation Helps the People in Your Community

When you donate new and used items, such as boxing gloves, you help someone like Robert find a job.

Local Goodwill organizations sell your items in stores and online to fund valuable employment training and job placement services for people in your community.