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: 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.
Every year at about this time I start to really miss greenery. Although I can see plenty of trees from my windows (the cold generally keeps me inside), their dreary, skeletal branches do nothing to refresh me. So, in an effort to enjoy some greenery, the winter months tend to introduce new plants into my home. With a busy schedule and my black thumb, I need to choose plants that don’t require a lot of care. Enter the super popular succulent!
For policy wonks like me, 2016 is off to an exciting start. Congress wrapped up 2015 without shutting down the government, a threat of falling off a “fiscal cliff” is no longer looming, and there is a new speaker of the House. Of course this year there is a presidential election and a number of lawmakers have announced their retirements at the end of this congressional session, providing an opportunity for Goodwill® advocates to make new connections with policymakers.
READ MORE from Get to Know Goodwill’s® Legislative Priorities and Become an Advocate
For policy wonks like me, 2016 is off to an exciting start. Congress wrapped up 2015 without shutting down the government, a threat of falling off a “fiscal cliff” is no longer looming, and there is a new speaker of the House. Of course this year there is a presidential election and a number of lawmakers have announced their retirements at the end of this congressional session, providing an opportunity for Goodwill® advocates to make new connections with policymakers.
READ MORE from Get to Know Goodwill's® Legislative Priorities and Become an Advocate
As we enter a new year, it's important to reflect on where we are as an organization and whether our efforts are as effective and far-reaching as they could be. With that in mind, it's my pleasure to introduce you to our new blog, Social Good. Goodwill® has been devoted to social good for more than 113 years with a core focus on providing employment services to local job seekers. Moving forward, we want to ensure that we continue to be a leading voice and a force for change on a grand scale, bringing the issues that are important to Goodwill to the forefront of a national dialogue.
READ MORE from Introducing Social Good: Our New Digital Series Promoting Big-Picture Social Change
It’s the first day of a new year. 365 days stretch out before us with all the shimmering promise of good intention. In a few weeks, you may find yourself hitting a wall and slipping back into old habits no matter how much you swore you would do better this year to work toward your goals (whatever they may be). To help you combat that mid-January battle to keep your resolutions, we’ve got a few tips.
Goodwill Industries of Tenneva (Kingsport, TN) program participant and employee Matthew McCurry shares how his life has changed since being introduced to the organization.
Here are some career and financial advice articles published this month—read each piece, share your thoughts, and join GoodProspects to take advantage of everything at Goodwill’s online career navigation portal!
READ MORE from Career and Financial Advice for December 2015
Last week, as Hollywood celebrated the much-anticipated film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, people in Washington, DC (or as I like to call it, “Hollywood for Geeks”), celebrated the end of the year’s Congressional session with the passage of a $1.1 trillion spending bill along with a tax extenders bill. Having just purchased my tickets for The Force Awakens, the DC geek in me can’t help but feel as though the credits are rolling on the second part of a three-part Congressional trilogy.
ForTheFit.com, a company that designs, manufactures and sells short men’s clothes (under 5’9”) and tall men’s clothing (over 6 feet, slim to big), recently donated 1,400 pairs of new athletic pants to Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan (Traverse City). The pants, which are made of heavy fleece and jersey, regularly retail for $53,200 — or $38 per pair.
READ MORE from ForTheFit.com Donates 1,400 Pairs of Athletic Pants to Traverse City, MI Goodwill