“I just need someone to believe in me.”

When Mark Daniel first walked through the doors of Goodwill, he wasn’t sure of his future. He was a man in recovery, living in a halfway house, clinging to sobriety, and just hoping for a chance to start over. That chance came in the form of a part-time job at a Goodwill store.

“The day of my interview, I told the store manager: ‘I just need someone to believe in me, today.’”

Fast forward to 2025, Mark proudly serves as Goodwill Kentucky’s vice president of retail operations. But more importantly, he is living proof that second chances transform lives.

This year alone, because of supporters like you, over 3,000 Kentuckians gained employment with help from Goodwill, 470 learners enrolled in The Excel Center, Kentucky’s only tuition-free high school for adults, and more than 20,000 individuals accessed reentry services, job training, and barrier-removal programs through our Opportunity Centers. Behind each number is a story like Mark’s: a story of resilience, healing, and hope.

“It’s one conversation, one donation, one person at a time. I want Goodwill to be here for the next Mark Daniel that walks through the door.”

Although it is impactful, Mark’s story is one of thousands we serve at Goodwill Kentucky. With your donation, we can help many more like Mark who find themselves needing assistance to create their pathway out of poverty. Your gift can change a life. When you give to Goodwill, you do a lot of good.