Hi, my name is Justin Newbern and I work at ABVI-Goodwill (Rochester) in Geneseo, NY. I work in the wares department and at the donation door and I love my job! I learned how to pull and push items in the store, take out the garbage and do recycling. Running the donation door is my
Category: My Story
My Story: Sandra Collins
Hello, my name is Sandra Collins. I’m a new homeowner and the manager of Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainer Region (Tacoma)’s new outlet store in Olympia, WA. My life is fulfilling and very different from just eight years ago.
My Story: Steve Hennessey
Steve Hennessy began with Goodwill Omaha more than 37 years ago. For 35 of those years he has worked in Lincoln, NE as a custodian.
My Story: Traynece Chatmon
Prior to coming to Goodwill eight years ago, I worked for a group home for displaced teenage boys. The group home closed and I found myself unemployed, facing eviction from my place and facing homelessness. Eventually, I found myself living in a homeless shelter with no possible work prospect. The feeling of not having anywhere to go or turn to was a scary and daunting feeling.
My Story: Lew Davis
My name is Lew Davis and I have been associated with Goodwill of Monocacy Valley (Frederick, MD). Prior to coming to Goodwill, I was struggling with intellectual and learning disabilities and dealing with my father’s illness. I am a very shy person and it takes me awhile to open up to people.
My Story: Gail Brown
My name is Gail Brown and I have been a Veterans Affairs (VA) operator with Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana (Shreveport) for the last five and half years. I have post-polio syndrome. I am also a Hurricane Katrina survivor.
My Story: Antoinette Watson
My life fell apart when my job suddenly ended and the unexpected death of my mother made everything seem worse. Everything that I had worked so hard to achieve had just slipped away. This was the lowest point in my life and I felt I had nothing to live for.
My Story: Mark McNie
I came to Goodwill Industries of St. Clair County (Port Huron, MI) in September, 2014 via a situational assessment from Michigan Rehabilitation Services. In 1996 I went into anaphylactic shock after being prescribed an antibiotic I was severely allergic to that put me out of commission for close to three years.
My Story: Christina Banfield
I was introduced to Goodwill Industries of Southern Oregon (Medford) through the Make Parenting a Pleasure class. The classes provided me with opportunities to make my family stronger, especially during some pretty difficult times in our family history. It was an intimate setting and I felt safe and empowered. Then, after having been unsatisfied with my progress in other available job search programs at the Department of Human Services (DHS), I requested to participate in the Goodwill Jobs program.
My Story: Kim Lowes
I initially came to Goodwill Industries of St. Clair County (GWISCC) via a situational assessment from Michigan Rehabilitation Services in 2007. I was a single mother of three children at the time of entry. Prior to arriving at Goodwill I was having an extremely difficult time making ends meet, could not find a job and had no idea where to begin. I felt frustrated and defeated.
My Story: Alan Gottschalk
My story is similar to many Americans today who consider themselves long-term unemployed. I remember watching television and the news anchor spoke about the high employment rates and those who were considered long-term unemployed. They described how hard it was to re-enter employment after experiencing a layoff or a permanent shutdown. I felt like the news anchor was talking about me, which added to my anxiety and depression.
My Story: Racheal Acklin
My name is Racheal Acklin. I have a reading learning disorder, and I suffer from depression. My life has been met with many challenges.
