My Story: Dammond Devon Steen, Jr.
Eventually, raising four kids became too much for my 19-year-old mom, and I landed in foster care. Even then, I did okay in school. I was on track to graduate. But that never happened. I got into a fight at school – with a police officer. I was arrested. If I would have stopped for one second to think about it, I wouldn’t have gone to jail, but I didn’t think. I acted. The result was a year in prison. Adult prison, not ‘juvie’.
Express Yourself with Goodwill
Madonna topped the charts in 1989 with her hit song “Express Yourself” in which she urged her listeners to find a partner in life who is open and honest to create a healthy relationship. Although that was nearly 30 years ago now, the call to communicate our inner workings still resonates within our culture. This message echoes not just in our relationships with others, but throughout the rest of our lives, too, to help us create our own happiness in all aspects. Let me explain how with some help from a few other Goodwill enthusiasts!
Help Someone Earn Financial Freedom by Supporting WIOA
It was two years ago near July 4, that Congress showed a rare form of bi-partisanship and passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the law that establishes job-training programs and vocational rehabilitation services. The following year, around this time, the agencies responsible for overseeing the law’s enactment released the proposed regulations for implementation. Just prior to the holiday this year, the final rules were made public.
Celebrate Independence Day with Goodwill
When I think of the 4th of July, I envision our glorious flag (and what it represents), booming fireworks, and a laid back happy vibe. No matter where you are celebrating or how many people are involved, those are the top three things, I think, on everyone’s Independence Day celebration checklist. The problem with party planning for an event like this, though, is that when you’re the host sometimes the details can overtake your ability to actually enjoy the free-spirited mood of the day. We don’t want you to miss out on the fun, so here are a few tips to help you capture the atmosphere of the holiday without missing out on the good parts.
Proposed Payday Lending Rules Seek to End Abuses
The average payday loan carries an annual percentage rate (APR) of 391 percent. Are you or someone you know affected by these often debilitating fees? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed new rules that would reign in many of the most egregious abuses of payday lenders and car title loan businesses. This long awaited effort follows on the efforts of many states to bring order to the nearly unregulated small lender marketplace.
Career and Financial Advice for June 2016
In June, GoodProspects covered tips for first-time job seekers, interview considerations for people with disabilities, ways to build a friendlier workplace and how to get started in a career in loss prevention.
Shop at Goodwill: You Never Know What You Might Find (Part 2)
Last winter we shared a post exploring a few quirky, cool, and unexpected things that thrift shoppers have found in Goodwill retail stores. It was so much fun for me to look into your unusual discoveries and since the possibilities truly are limitless, I felt like the time was right for me to compile a part two. So hold onto your second-hand hats, my friends! It’s time to see a few more fortuitous and funky thrift store finds.
Give Fathers a Second Chance after Incarceration
For Father’s Day, many of us spent time with our dads or remembering them in various ceremonies. We bought our dads really bad ties, took them to dinner, or did the chores they would normally do so they could sleep in late or watch a game. But there is one group of dads who experienced Father’s Day very differently this year: those who are currently incarcerated.
My Story: Tieausha Thomas
I was raised by my single mother of five children who struggled with drug addiction. What can I say? Life was extremely hard. We always seemed to lack the basic necessities.
Say Hello to Summer, Thrift Style
With warmer weather comes the urge to be outside all day every day. From the moment that those first sunbeams reach out in the dewy morning well past when the sun retires at night, I find myself looking for excuses to get outdoors. Today I’d love to share a few of those excuses with you, just in case you’re a summer-lover like me. Read on for more!
Flag Day Evokes the Spirit of Unity
Our country celebrated a bittersweet Flag Day earlier this week, as a nation in mourning. This June 14 marked the centennial of this observance, first proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson. Congress later enacted a statute officially recognizing Flag Day in 1949. The flag is a symbol of leadership and is what unites us. Yet every flag flown at half-staff was a reminder to me that it is a symbol of our democracy and emblem of our freedom, in good times and bad.
Put Dad First This Father's Day
“Parenthood is the hardest job you’ll ever love.” This sentiment shared with me by my mom has been echoing in my head since she said it about a week ago. I know I’m not the only one to agree because my husband and I have had similar, perhaps less eloquent, conversations on the topic. The nights can sometimes feel never-ending, and the days, just as exhausting, so I know how lucky I am to have a partner with whom I share all of the diapers, giggles, tantrums and snuggles.