I was born with hydrocephalus, a condition that caused pressure on my optic nerve, and I have been visually impaired most of my life. As a young man in the late 1970s, I enrolled in a work training program at Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa (Des Moines). I was hired as a dishwasher at the Iowa State Capitol, where I worked for 14 years. I later worked for the Iowa Department for the Blind for two years. But then I did not work for a period of about 10 years.
Category: My Story
My Story: Travis McCausland
Travis McCausland is a Recognition Programs Associate at the Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. He is also a graduate of the Good Careers Academy at Goodwill of San Antonio (TX).
My Story: Virginia Finster
Looking at how I could move forward in life and what my next step was, I knew that education was something that had to be done. As far as what I could do, I wasn’t sure. I knew that I had little money and I had little time, but I needed something that would catapult me into a career where I could support my children and move forward in life.
My Story: Martha Lugo
Martha Lugo is a graduate of Goodwill of San Antonio’s (TX) Good Career Academy. Prior to joining the program she was a Class B truck driver, but lacked the confidence to obtain a Class A license. Below she shares the experience, which led her to Goodwill and on a path toward home ownership.
My Story: Erin Starnes
Erin Starnes is the director of workforce development for Goodwill Industries of Tenneva (Kingsport, TN). She also worked closely with Matthew McCurry was recently featured on the My Story blog.
My Story: Matthew McCurry
Goodwill Industries of Tenneva (Kingsport, TN) program participant and employee Matthew McCurry shares how his life has changed since being introduced to the organization.
My Story: Lee Ann Hannaford
Lee Ann Hannaford is the winner of Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut's (Bridgeport) 2015 Spirit of Inspiration Award, She discusses how she has recently been able to overcome living with a debilitating brain injury and hopes for the future.
My Story: Justin Hon
Justin Hon was able to use his self-presentation skills in conjunction with additional job training from Goodwill Industries of Southern Oregon (Medford) to find work after facing challenges related to his criminal history. As a result of his job placement, he is now able to be more involved in the lives of his children. Read more and watch as he shares his journey to self-sufficiency.
My Story: Patricia “Pachi” McLeod
My name is Pachi McLeod. As the Hispanic Services Manager [at Goodwill Industries of Southern Rivers (Columbus GA)], I get to provide services for the community, but I also get to support the bilingual staff at their different locations, and I get to be a kind of the bridge between the Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike.
My Story: Josh MrKvicka
Despite some challenges stemming from a intellectual disability, Josh MrKvicka completed high school and looked forward to the next step…a job! Josh needed help tackling the job search. After trying another agency with no luck, Josh and his family gave Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas (Kansas City, MO) a try. He and Goodwill employment specialist, Jane Siela, went to work. He now works at Freddy’s Restaurant in St. Joseph, MO as a "Lobby Guy".
My Story: Tina Bouatic
At age 14, my parents got divorced. They were both drinking and fighting a lot. I started hanging with the wrong crowd. I started cutting school, cutting classes and began to smoke cigarettes. Eventually, while doing drugs and drinking – I went out, stayed out late. I basically stopped going to school. I got pregnant.
My Story: Cassandra Rolle
Cassandra Rolles came to Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont (Charlotte, NC) in 2013. The Goodwill helped her gain employment skills and experience through a variety of temporary positions before connecting her with a temp-to-perm position in the county government.
