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...

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....

“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...

[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...

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 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...

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...

Robert is 62 years old and has spent more than two-thirds of his life in prison. He has six prison numbers, five state and one federal. He watched his children grow up through pictures. He was released from his most recent stint, a 10-year sentence, 10 months ago. He...

In Bobby’s early 20s, he was arrested and incarcerated for 10 years for breaking and entering in his hometown in McCreary County. When he was released, the only things he had to his name were his prison jumpsuit and $72 in commissary money. “I missed out on both my...

Chastity abused drugs for 28 years before seeking help at a long-term treatment center in Somerset. At that time, she was 45 years old. “I never thought I would get out of that life,” she said. “At that age, most people don’t even live.” Chastity was introduced to...

When Leon was incarcerated, he lost everything he owned. He was accepted into a sober living home while he was still an inmate, but a requirement was that he had to provide for himself. That led Leon to participating in our Reintegrating Individuals Successfully Every...

As one of our facilitators, Gina has a passion for helping others reach self-sufficiency – and that goes beyond her day job. Gina has been writing poems since she was 10 years old, and she had her first collection of poems, titled, “When Prayer and Poetry Collide,”...

Since her recovery date of March 9, 2013, Chandra has been passionate about helping others struggling with addiction. In 2018, she was working at a drug rehabilitation center when she realized she wanted something a little more hands-on. That led her to Goodwill,...

Alesha lost her job when the restaurant where she previously worked shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. That led her to interview with Goodwill, which she only knew as a reliable thrift store. She was hired at our Campbell Lane location just as the...

Four years ago, Terrell was shot and paralyzed by someone trying to steal his car. As a result, he lacked the independence he once had. After being introduced to Goodwill, Terrell applied for the Cars to Work program. He was matched with a car and had hand controls...

At Goodwill, we’re in the business of changing lives. And one way we accomplish that is through the many programs and services offered at our Louisville Resource Center. LeRoy Morgan, a participant of the Soft Skills Academy, GoodStart, Advancing Cities, expungement...

With a violent felony on her record, Samantha thought she would never find employment. “I would see why people wouldn’t hire me without talking to me,” she said. But as a requirement for drug court, Samantha had to have a job and work 40 hours per week. She applied to...

Mike grew up a product of divorce and addiction. Before he was 24 years old, both of his parents and his two brothers had passed away. An addict himself, Mike lost his only other support system when his wife filed for divorce after 25 years of him relapsing. The...

Austin had nothing but a prison jumpsuit, shoes and his family’s good graces when he was released from prison on Feb. 28, 2020. Ready to change, he went back where he grew up in Fletcher County, but no one was willing to give him a second chance. He tried moving to...

Jennifer said she gets emotional when she thinks about where she was just a couple years ago. As a result of her addiction, she was sleeping behind dumpsters on the streets of Louisville. After a stint in prison, Jennifer said she couldn’t find or keep employment even...