GOODWILL Success Stories
Doors opened for Corey with help from Goodwill expungement
Corey was looking for self-support resources earlier this year when he learned about Goodwill’s Louisville Opportunity Center at 909 East Broadway. When he arrived at the Center, he found so much more than he expected. “I came to Goodwill because I wanted to get $300...
Goodwill, Cars to Work program were “the game-changer” for Victoria
Victoria began using drugs when she was 16 and was in active addiction for 22 years. When she realized she needed to change, she didn’t know how. A Letcher County native, Victoria’s journey led her to long-term treatment in Somerset. Despite a relapse, she completed...
Alexis got where she wanted to be at E’town Opportunity Center
Alexis had trouble finding a job because of her justice-involved background. While volunteering at Community Action in Elizabethtown, she was referred to Goodwill Industries of Kentucky and its Opportunity Center on Dixie Avenue in Elizabethtown. At the Opportunity...
Kim gained confidence through Goodwill’s SCSEP
Kim relocated to Kentucky from Florida where she last worked as a housekeeper. She faced many barriers that needed to be addressed – specifically emotional challenges that left her nearly paralyzed – before becoming employable. Because of these challenges, she...
Jose demonstrated strong work ethic through SCSEP
In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month and on the heels of National Employ Older Workers Week, we want to feature one of our program participants and employees, Jose! In March 2022, Jose was referred to our Senior Community Service & Employment Program...
Tim “can still be somebody” with help from Goodwill job-readiness programming
When Tim was living in an addiction recovery center, he didn’t know where his life was headed. He didn’t have a job or any connections to resources. He considered turning back to alcohol. But once he connected with the Louisville Opportunity Center and the many...
Michelle’s powerful second chance
After serving a five-year prison sentence, Michelle left incarceration to stay at a faith-based transitional home – having only $60 and one pair of shoes to her name. “I knew it was going to be a hard road,” Michelle said. “I am in my mid-50s. It is hard to start over...
Savanna found her motivation, “success” at Goodwill in Louisville
Savanna was sentenced to 20 years in prison before she had the chance to grow up. When she was released, she had to start from square one. While bouncing around treatment facilities, she noticed others benefitting from the services provided at Goodwill. But the...
Donna found a second family in the Paducah Goodwill
Donna was an addict by age 13. A year later, she dropped out of ninth grade. Without a strong support system, she spiraled and ended up with a Class B felony on her record. After Donna was incarcerated, she relapsed while on probation but was given a second chance by...
Tremayne went from prison to published author with help from Goodwill
Tremayne grew up in poverty, and as a result, he was raised by the streets. According to him, he was taught he could do anything by himself. However, after three stints in prison, he realized he needed help becoming a valued member of society again. After an...
Berea Store Manager Amy has made the most of her second chance
In 2011, Amy was convicted of a felony. Because of her record, she found it hard to find and keep a job. She also lost custody of her children. Four years after her conviction, she began working at a Goodwill store in Ohio and learned about the mission behind...
Goodwill’s Another Way program opened doors for Mary
Earlier this year, Mary served nine months in jail for shoplifting. She was married with three children, but when she was released, she was put out on the street by her husband. “I was at my rock bottom,” Mary said. “Been arrested, got out, no home. I had no place to...
Dorlese needed Goodwill – and Goodwill needed her
Dorlese, a Louisville native, has spent much of her life searching for a job that was the best fit for her. She said she felt “lost.” “I never had a problem with authority,” she said. “But if you told me to go right, I wanted to go left.” That was until she found out...
Celebrating Beatrice and Chance, Congo refugees
Six years ago, Beatrice, her husband and five children relocated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Kentucky. The family decided to relocate because of violence in their native Africa and to better support one of the children, Chance, who has a disability....
Tammy hasn’t looked back since becoming sober, starting at Goodwill
Almost eight years ago, Tammy’s addiction took control of her. At the time, she had a job and a 5-year-old daughter. “My mom got custody of my daughter. I was out in the madness, running around for about three years,” Tammy said. “Then, in 2017, I got locked up in...
The power of second chances: Jessie’s success story
“I have been involved with drugs and alcohol my whole life,” Jessie said. “As a baby, there was whiskey in my bottle.” Jessie has served installments in prison – totaling 26 years – for drug-related charges before being released on parole. He transitioned to Second...
Older Americans Month: John’s Success Story
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]John worked full time at a processing plant before an existing mobility issue became debilitating, and he began to use a wheelchair to remain productive. That did not deter John, and he remained a vibrant worker, but his current...
Sandra got a “start and an opportunity to move forward” thanks to SCSEP
Goodwill is celebrating Older Americans Month and recognizing the contributions older workers (ages 55 and up) make both inside and outside the workforce. At a time when employers need to build resilience, older workers can play a critical role. They bring experience,...
Jenni found her perfect fit at Goodwill
Jenni was recently diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND), a medical condition that affects how the brain and body send and receive signals. At times, the condition causes her to lose control of basic functions like moving and speaking and could even...
After 15 years of being a felon, De’Shauna reaches new heights as store manager
In the mid-2000s, De’Shauna was a certified nurse assistant studying to become a licensed practical nurse when she was arrested for drug trafficking. De’Shauna struggled to find a job when she was released from prison in August of 2008, even though she had plenty of...
