After finding the courage and the willpower to break away from an abusive relationship, Carolyn Smith was able to thrive with the help of her local Goodwill. She now works to provide care and hope for women who are recovering from a number of substance abuse addictions.
Category: My Story
My Story: John Moore
After finding himself unemployed and subsequently homeless after a series of unfortunate events, John Moore was able to persevere and regain all that he had lost with the support of Discover Goodwill's Rehire Program.
My Story: Emmetri Beane
Following a brain aneurysm, two strokes and an epilepsy diagnosis, Emmetri Beane found employment and a supportive team at Rappahannock Goodwill Industries (Fredericksburg, VA).
My Story: Carl Alexander
Carl Alexander was an NCAA football star and military veteran, but he found himself homeless and in need of a hand up. Goodwill helped him gain the skills he needed to launch a construction career and business.
My Story: Brianne Hoagland
Placed by Ohio Valley Goodwill’s Employment Services team in August 2016, Brianne has certainly made a positive impression on her new employer- being promoted within months of being hired. “I love my new job! Its been 8 years since I have been employed and I am very excited, It’s a dream come true!!
My Story: Alain Carrera
Before Alain Carrera received job training from Goodwill, he was supporting his wife and three children by working in a warehouse where he earned a nominal hourly wage. The wages barely covered the family's modest expenses. Eventually, he and his wife decided that it was time to make a change.
My Story: Derrick Glass
More than 20 years ago, Derrick Glass's vocational rehabilitation counselor referred him to Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont for a vocational evaluation to assess his work skills, seek services and programs that could help him become more independent, and learn the skills necessary to become a successful employee. Derrick has been diagnosed with high-functioning autism, but he thrives in his work environment by offering outstanding customer service and valuing the contributions of the individuals he encounters.
My Story: Sarah Pine
My name is Sarah Pine. I am a single mother of three children, a grateful recovering addict with six years clean, and I have a learning disability. I grew up in an alcoholic home and started using drugs with my mother when I was nine years old.
My Story: Lavar Edwards
"In 1995, at the age of 15, I was shot in the back and have been paralyzed from the waist down ever since, confining me to a wheelchair. Imagine being told you would never walk again and the impact that has to a 15 year old."
My Story: Thomas Hannan
"I was having a rough time. I didn’t live with my parents, I was “couch-surfing” and I didn’t have a home of my own or a parent providing for me. I would just go from house to house of friends I lived with, sleeping on their couches."
My Story: Gina Moore
"I relocated to Clarksville, TN a little over a year ago and needed to find work immediately. I had no resume, no high school diploma or GED, no transportation, needed updated computer skills and was unsure what to do or where to turn."
My Story: Jody Mooney
Within 90 days, I lost everything but my life. I lost my career as an executive with the Jacksonville (FL) Chamber of Commerce, my car and my apartment. I now see how mental issues plus my hedonistic, promiscuous lifestyle led me to this point. I struggled with addiction for a decade.
