GOODWILL Success Stories
Jerrica is “happy to be able to smile again”
Jerrica was born with Stickler Syndrome – a group of hereditary conditions characterized by a distinctive facial appearance, eye abnormalities, hearing loss and joint problems. Her childhood was riddled with surgeries, and her 18th birthday was tainted by more...
Three Frankfort Goodwillers advancing in and out of work
Our Frankfort store, located at 121 Arrowhead Court in Frankfort, was recently honored as one of our “Fab 5” stores for the second quarter of 2021, meaning it was among the top-five stores in its region for the quarter. Each of Frankfort’s amazing Goodwillers...
Regina’s “life was so dark,” but she found her second chance at Goodwill
Regina was a nurse for 25 years before she found herself addicted to pain relievers and lost her license. It was then she turned to street drugs. “I used meth for two years straight,” she said. “My life was so dark. I lost my mom. I lost my home. I lost custody of my...
Tara overcomes her past with help from Goodwill
Tara struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for 20 years. During that time, she was charged with driving under the influence five times and was in and out of jail as a result. She also had three children, but because of her addiction, she hasn’t always had custody of...
With Goodwill, Brandy says she has “a purpose”
Brandy grew up a standout student in Lexington and went on to attend the University of Kentucky on scholarship. But as a freshman with almost no support system, she struggled, and eventually, she chose to leave Lexington for Brooklyn, New York. There, she said she...
From being “set free” to hitting “rock bottom,” Regional Manager Joshua Jones’ story of pride
If you're familiar with our Bowling Green stores or our nonprofit organization in general, you may be familiar with Joshua Jones, our regional manager of retail for the west region. What you don’t know is his story of pride and perseverance that led him where he is...
Cory “lost everything,” but Goodwill helps him feel “reborn”
When you walk into our stores and interact with our employees, you see friendly faces, smiling underneath their masks. What you don’t see are the stories behind those friendly faces. If you’re dropping off donations at the Shively location in Louisville, Cory will...
Betty connects with SCSEP to find the right fit for her
Betty, a Lincoln County resident, originally entered Goodwill’s Senior Community Service & Employment Program (SCSEP) in March 2018. The program is designed to connect older job seekers with local agencies for paid, on-the-job training. Betty was job trained for...
Billie is finally “loving life” again
Billie Wise had worked her entire adult life and found value in being employed. In 2003, her life took a turn for the worse. She experienced a loss of a family member and was injured while working, which lead to disability. She then lost her daughter to a catastrophic...
All Laura needed was a second chance
All Laura needed was a second chance. After being released from prison in November of 2019, she wasn’t sure she’d ever get one. As a result of her addiction, she lost nearly everything she had, including custody of her children. That was before she got a job at the...
Lory found employment through SCSEP
For nearly three decades, Lory and her husband owned their own business on the east coast. When her husband unexpectedly passed away, Lory knew she couldn’t afford the cost of living in their current home. She purchased a mobile home and relocated to Barbourville. “I...
Story Behind the Stores: Shannon
All Shannon wanted was a chance. Having endured the hardships that come with cerebral palsy her entire life, Shannon has gone through her share of ups and downs. She often got bored sitting at home, so she turned to Goodwill. She completed our Soft Skills Academy in...
Story Behind the Stores: Lukas
Lukas has struggled in many ways despite being gifted with an off-the-charts IQ level. He lacked interpersonal skills, and as a result, his personal and working relationships suffered. “I could do anything, but I couldn’t keep a job,” he said. A native of Lexington,...
Story Behind the Stores: Dathan, Fairview
In addition to celebrating women’s history, March is also National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness for the inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities. At Goodwill, we pride ourselves on breaking barriers individuals...
Story Behind the Stores: Lisa, Scottsville Road
After being released from prison in January of 2016, Lisa was eager to prove herself but worried she wouldn’t be given a second chance. But less than one month after her release, she began her new career at our Scottsville Road location in Bowling Green. Since being...
Story Behind the Stores: Tina
When asked how long her jail sentence was, Tina replied, “Which time?” For 30 years, Tina struggled with substance abuse, which resulted in decades of criminal behavior. When her son started to go down the same road, she knew it was time for recovery. “I had to make a...
Story Behind the Stores: Zenobia
Zenobia, a 56-year-old Lexington native who comes from a background of poverty and domestic abuse, has spent more than 40% of her life in jail. She was released from her most recent stint in April of 2020. She was breathing but said she felt lifeless. Zenobia was...
Story Behind the Stores: Claudette Collins, Power of Work
Some people are inclined to believe everything happens for a reason. Claudette Collins, a participant of the Power of Work program, is one of those people. A 49-year-old Lexington native, Claudette was introduced to one of her many reasons while working toward a...
Story Behind the Stores: Charles
Previously a greeter at Walmart, Charles was laid off and in search of a new employment opportunity. He was referred to the Senior Community Service & Employment Program (SCSEP), operated by Goodwill. Through SCSEP, Goodwill matches eligible individuals age 55 and...
Story Behind the Stores: Kevin
For 40 years, Kevin read the classic novella, A Christmas Carol, but could never relate to the protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge – until 2018 and 2019. In those two years, he buried five people he cared about. “I went from a $40,000 career to destitution in one day,”...
