Joshua’s life took a turn after the death of his stepfather, which strained his relationship with his mother. Having spent nearly 40 years in active addiction, he found himself isolated and dependent on drugs to cope, which led to legal trouble and a four-month sentence at the Fayette County Detention Center.
It was there that Joshua made the decision to change his life. After paying his debt to society, instead of returning home, he asked to be sent to rehabilitation.
“I was always in the middle of drugs,” Joshua said. “I would rather sell drugs [than work] because it was easier; it was keeping my lifestyle going. That’s what the disease of addiction is. It wanted to convince me that I was OK so that I would continue killing myself. It’s very real. Now, I take responsibility and ownership for my actions.”
After experiencing multiple treatment programs, Joshua learned about the services offered at Goodwill Kentucky’s Lexington Opportunity Center. Fresh out of treatment, he enrolled in Goodwill’s RISE program, where he earned a stipend, a Chromebook, and gained new skills. After completing RISE, he began working at Goodwill’s Mapleleaf location.
Joshua, who struggled with transportation barriers, recalled a specific moment that made him realize the network of support he has at Goodwill, which includes his career coach, April, and store manager, De’Shauna.
“My commute to Mapleleaf was three to four hours,” Joshua said. “So, I talked to management, and they transferred me to the Hartland store, which is a 30- to 40-minute walk, just a stroll. That saves me hours out of my day. It was a really healthy connection.”
Today, Joshua serves as a team lead at Hartland, is one-and-a-half years sober, tobacco-free, newly married, and caring for his family, including his mother. He also took advantage of the GoodSmiles program, which offers employees $5,000 for dental work on top of their insurance coverage, to gain a brand-new smile.
“I turned Goodwill into my career choice,” Joshua said. “They helped me out a lot. I mean, well over $1,000 in stuff that I earned, and also bus passes, vouchers, and stuff like that to get me moving. And I’ve been here ever since. I’m just slowly but surely making sure I’m doing the best I can.”