My Goodwill Story – Belen

In the U.S., every May is Older Americans Month. This celebration highlights the achievements and contributions of older adults. At Goodwill®, we support more than 200,000 seniors every year to find employment or advance out of low wage work.  

That support can look like digital skills training, résumé preparation or career navigation. It is often done through our Goodwill Opportunity Accelerator® (OA), a framework that helps people grow and build in-demand skills tailored around their interests and talents.   

Belen first found out about the services offered through Goodwill Industries of South Texas (Corpus Christi) when she was in her local AARP office. She was looking for a job, but found that she needed to improve her digital skills.  

The Goodwill career coach used the OA to guide Belen through every step of the process. Despite personal and logistical challenges, Belen successfully completed digital skills training through Goodwill.  

More importantly, she gained confidence in her ability to use technology, learned new skills that will help her in a future position and pushed herself beyond what she once thought was possible.  

When reflecting on her experience, Belen said, “I want to tell others that I have been in their shoes. There is a lot of support and resources out there, and Goodwill is one of them. This program is helpful, welcoming and accessible to anyone who needs help building skills or getting back on track.” 

“I am so grateful for the guidance and encouragement I received,” she continued. Belen’s determination and resilience were a testament to her personal growth and drive.  

If you are an older worker who needs support like Belen, connect with your local Goodwill career center.