Festival Style with Goodwill

On hot summer days, festival style prevails! That’s because the trend itself was inspired by long days in the sun that necessitated light layers and wide brimmed hats to keep shady and comfortable. Whether you’re actually attending an outdoor concert series this year or just trying to stay cool while looking cool, hop on the boho bandwagon to seamlessly blend summer attire in with summer adventures.

The GOP Platform and Goodwill’s Priorities (Part One)

I watched my first national political convention in 1976. I was in high school at the time, but watching the gavel-to-gavel coverage and listening to speeches and commentary somehow captured my attention. Now it’s 40 years later and with decades of policy and political experience, those speeches come across to me a lot differently, and, for most part, not for the better. Maybe it’s cynicism; maybe it’s knowing that the issues are more complicated than the kind of sound bite, red meat rhetoric solutions you hear at these conventions.

Fixer Upper Style: Farmhouse Chic

The HGTV show Fixer Upper has inspired people across the country to embrace DIY home projects from organizing their own “demo day” to repurposing second-hand goods. I love watching designer Joanna roll her eyes at her husband Chip as they stroll through a thrift shop in search of décor elements to punctuate a recently renovated space. Since she creates such beautifully polished rooms, I often find myself asking “What would Joanna do?” when contemplating a furniture move or bland-looking corner in my own home. The answer that usually pops into mind then is: thrift! If it’s good enough for Chip and Jo, then it’s good enough for me.

Make the Disability Vote Count

This week, a national effort is underway to make the disability vote more influential. The American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD) has designated July 11-15 as National Disability Voter Registration Week. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, people with disabilities play an important role in our democracy and should be able to have as great a voice in the political process as anyone else who exercises their Constitutional right to vote.

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.