Category: Goodwill Success Story

Goodwill Success Story Cynthia – Making the Most of Her Second Chance

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We want to introduce you to Cynthia, who graduated from Goodwill’s Second Chance Program.  One simple promise that she kept changed her life.

Here is Cynthia’s success story, in her own words:

Cynthia, a Goodwill Success Story

“I had a good childhood; some may even say I was spoiled.

As a teenager I started to rebel against my parents and would sneak out to experiment with alcohol. I started to spin downward and at age 15 I was expelled from school due to a chain of events from fighting to skipping school. After having 2 babies very young and years being in an abusive relationship, I found myself addicted to prescription drugs. It got to the point that I didn’t know who I was anymore. I hit rock bottom and was eventually arrested.

I had nowhere to go and had burnt all of my bridges with my family and friends.

On July 7, 2015, I made the first promise that I would keep in years. I told my mother I would get help. I went to a halfway house and was referred to Goodwill. When I started, I didn’t like myself and had no self-respect. I stayed at Goodwill until I had to face my past and was sentenced to prison.

While there, I entered a program called GRIP (Guiding Rage Into Power) and I did everything I could to work on myself with counselors. I was tired of running; and we dealt with issues from my past.

When I was released, I came to Goodwill to start fresh and begin a new journey.

Goodwill gave me opportunities and helped me make the right decisions.  Through the Second Chance Program, I learned how to make sure I got to work on time and to manage my personal life so that it didn’t interfere with my job.  They also taught me how to budget my money.  I came to Goodwill to start fresh and begin a new journey.  I was tired of running and needed to deal with the issues of my past.

Today I can stand before everyone and say that I love myself.”

Cynthia, we are so proud of you and admire your hard work!  

Congratulations on your success!

Overcoming Hearing Loss – Annette’s Success Story

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Goodwill Industries of Michiana assists those with barriers to employment. You’ve all heard that statement a million times. The truth is we are all one “thing,” one “tragedy” away from having a barrier in our lives that seems to make gainful employment impossible. Those road-blocks might be incarceration, job training or a disability. This month’s Goodwill Success Story Spotlight tells that story in a powerful way.

Being born with Bilateral Hearing Loss forced Annette to face many challenges. One of those challenges was gaining employment. Although she has always been a hard worker with a stable work history, she had a hard time finding full time employment that allowed her to utilize her skills in customer service.  She was also looking for a schedule that allowed her to care for her two young children with potential for advancement and benefits to support her family.

 In July of 2013, Annette came to Goodwill Industries of Michiana through the Vocational Rehabilitation Program. Her goals were simple: a full time job with benefits. With the assistance of her Case Manager, Mary Ellen, and her Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Robert, a plan was developed to help her achieve her goals.

Weekly appointments with Elizabeth, her Employment Specialist, helped Annette begin to learn new skills and new ways to apply those things she had learned in previous jobs. She perfected her resume, enhanced her job interview skills and attended job fairs. During this time, her employment specialist suggested a job opportunity working with the South Bend School Corporation as a teacher’s assistant. This opportunity seemed to fit all of the things Annette dreamed of in her perfect job scenario.

Annette was granted an interview. While waiting to interview with human resources, she was stopped by a former teacher who had assisted her during school with sign language services. This teacher had thought so highly of Annette, she suggested that Annette apply for an opening in the Special Education Department as an Educational Interpreter. Annette was soon hired at a primary school as an Educational Interpreter.

Annette continues to work with The South Bend Community School Corporation. She has overcome many challenges in her life and is an inspiration to her family and to other children born with the same challenges she has faced.

 Congratulations, Annette! You have worked so hard for everything you have achieved, and are a powerful role model to so many. We can’t wait to see where your career takes you!

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Goodwill Success Story

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For as long as we all can remember we’ve dreamed about what we would do “when we grew up”. This month’s Goodwill Success Story Spotlight has also been dreaming about this notion since she was a young girl. Her dreams were a little different than most of ours. She didn’t dream about being a nurse, teacher or actress; her dream seemed simple, to make the world a better place. This kind of a dream can lead someone down a very interesting path, as it did for Katie.

As unconventional as Katie’s path was, at 19 she decided to join the military. She left the South side of Chicago, her family and all she knew to be familiar. Her military career took her all over the world, and gave her experiences most only hear about in news reports. After an 8-year career, Katie’s dreams took another jog along her career path. She became an English teacher, and eventually a Disease Intervention Specialist for the state of Indiana.

Although these “jobs” were contributing to her dream of making the world a better place, she was feeling she hadn’t yet found that place where she belongs. Through her pursuits of finding that place she belongs – the proverbial path she was on took a dark turn.

In Katie’s words, “Perhaps my longing for fulfillment made me susceptible to suggestion. I was lost in the dark. I stumbled through the next few years suffering a greater loss with each tumble. I lost my spirit, my independence, my sanity, my family and, ultimately, my freedom.“ 

After a few short months of meeting a man who was disguised as a knight in shining armor, he convinced Katie her life was meaningless; that her family, children and society would be a better place if she was not a part of it. An unsuccessful suicide attempt took her back to a pseudo-life with this man that eventually ended with Katie outside of herself, looking in and seeing herself as someone with an addiction to meth.

Her addiction led to incarceration and again to questioning her life, her purpose and her dreams. In April of 2014, she was given a referral to Goodwill. She thought it was a referral for a job at a Goodwill store. She was unaware of the many programs Goodwill Industries of Michiana has to offer individuals just like her. Katie entered the 2nd Chance @ Work Program in September of 2014, and began working at the Mishawaka Community Career Center. A few months later, she became a facilitator for the Workforce Development Skills Training Program.

Katie’s Goodwill Case Manager, Omeria, was able to really listen to Katie’s story. She saw in her potential, her heart for wanting to make a difference, and her passion for bettering her life. According to Katie, “Sometimes you have to lose everything to find out what is really important. I feel I am where I belong right now. I am happy, and I have the good-will of Goodwill to thank for helping me get back on track.”

We are so proud of you, Katie…
you are fulfilling your dreams!
You are making an amazing difference in the world!