As Stephen contemplates his next career move, he reflected on his time at Goodwill with fondness – realizing just how impactful Goodwill has been on his life. “It opened my eyes to a lot of things,” Stephen said. His journey to Goodwill began in high school when a teacher recognized Stephen’s interest in aviation and the ability Evergreen Goodwill’s Youth Aerospace Program could have in transforming a passion for flying and travel into a potential career.
There is strength in numbers, and this week included numerous opportunities for Goodwill Industries International to highlight some of our powerful partnerships and the good that can come when the public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.
Since August 2021, one such older worker named March has been helping visitors of the Warsaw Career Center discover career opportunities and resources. Beyond connecting participants to employment opportunities, she often finds herself lending a listening ear — something she recalls was offered to her during her time in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) through Goodwill Industries of Michiana.
Morning-Glory’s senior year of high school was cut short due to the pandemic. Unsure of what to do next, a family member referred her to Goodwill Hawaii for help and Morning met with program coordinator Siniva to learn more about their services. Within a few days, she was able to start a job at Burger King, but eventually she reached out to Siniva and told her that she wanted to do something more.
Sandra Campbell, came to Goodwill Industries of Kentucky (Louisville) seeking employment opportunities. Sandra was born with a disability, and she both lives with and supports her aging mother. Sandra has been successful helping her mother live independently by maintaining the basic chores of their home and maintaining a structured environment. Over time, however, Sandra has continued to strive for her own independence and financial stability and found she needed assistance to earn employment.
Charles Doddridge is an older worker who can’t help but laugh when he talks about his past. He is not hesitant to share the mistake he’s made, and he is proud of the work he has done.
Your support helps us achieve our mission, not just during Goodwill Week — but every day of the year.
Calvin worked throughout the pandemic as an Office Assistant with MedQUEST, the State of Hawaii's medical coverage program for low-income adults and families, however, his wife lost employment due to COVID-19. During this time, their infant son required regular medical check-ups which was a concern especially during the first year of COVID-19. Because of this, Calvin set a personal goal to complete his Google IT Certificate in order to gain more flexible, well-paid and remote work in the IT field.
On his first day in office, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government which directed the Federal Government to advance an ambitious whole-of-government equity agenda. As a result, over 90 federal agencies across the federal government, including all Cabinet-level agencies as well as over 50 independent agencies, recently released Equity Action Plans which outline steps being taken to improve equity and racial justice.
READ MORE from Biden Administration Releases Equity Action Plans
Unless you’ve been under a rock for a year, you’ve probably noticed everything is getting expensive these days. We’re all paying more for food, gas, rent, utilities– inflation is rearing its ugly head again and hitting us where it hurts. The one good thing about these tight times is that it often makes us rethink our priorities.
READ MORE from RETHINKING OUR PRIORITIES: EARTH DAY IS EVERY DAY
