Patriece Fountain was on move number seven when she and her family came to Hampton Roads in October 2017. As a military spouse, this was nothing new. While constant relocation was something she could manage, the effect it had on her employment was beyond her control.
READ MORE from Goodwill Job Search Comes Full Circle for Military Spouse
Grandberry relies on his military training every day working at Goodwill. As the Regional Facilities Manager for the Hampton Roads region, he oversees 15 retail stores and six attended donation centers.
READ MORE from 20-Year Navy Veteran Brings Leadership Skills to Goodwill
At age 52, Timothy Zarzecki has found a place — and a purpose — through his job in food services at a military base in Virginia Beach, VA. Born with a physical disability and diagnosed with depression, he was out of work when he connected with Goodwill® at a career fair. The Goodwill team helped place him in a position he loves, and since his first day, he has demonstrated a positive attitude, a willingness to tackle any task and natural leadership ability. For those reasons, Goodwill Industries International honored Zarzecki as its 2018 Achiever of the Year.
When Jeremy Johnson first came to Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, he started out in facility-based contracts and then transitioned to the S.T.A.R.S. program when it was launched in March 2016. S.T.A.R.S. is a unique day-habilitation program for adults with significant disabilities that recreates daily living scenarios to give participants a chance to learn real-life skills to overcome their disadvantages and achieve maximum independence. Despite the limitations to his muscles from cerebral palsy, Jeremy got the opportunity to work in e-books, a division of Goodwill Industries Fort Worth’s e-commerce department, because of his level of participation in the S.T.A.R.S. program, his willingness to work and his personal goals.
Retired Nurse Pursues a Second Career. Paula Buford was a Qualified Medication Aide for 25 years, working primarily in nursing homes. In 2000, she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder resulting in varying degrees of paralysis. She went from working in a nursing home to living in one for seven months, receiving intense physical and speech therapy.
I have found my career after many turns, and I have worked at Goodwill Hamina in Finland for a while now. At first, I studied IT in vocational school, but after graduating, I couldn’t find a job in that field. After that, I was unemployed. I worked on some short-term contracts and continued my studies.
When Nancy Ramos-Sanchez was 16, she and her family went to Mexico on a summer vacation. She spent most of that summer with a boy she met there and decided that she would run away with him right before her family was due to return to the states. As her family left for Texas, Nancy
Derrick Powe has been with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana for nearly six years, beginning as a groundskeeper and now working in Commercial Services as part of the Janitorial Services Program. Derrick is a valued member of his team, proving his dependability through his punctuality and work ethic. He constantly seeks to improve his skills and has earned a reputation for being an employee to watch for excellence.
Marcus came to Southern Oregon Goodwill through a work experience program at Veterans Affairs Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics, was hired as a full-time employee, and rapidly advanced to be a key figure in Southern Oregon Goodwill operations. Marcus is building on what he learned in four years and is now a field service mechanic for a trucking company.
When I was young, my parents were plagued by addiction and I had to live with my grandparents. I was 17 years old and was working for my grandfather’s landscaping company until I became a father. Unfortunately, I acted immaturely and decided to supplement my income with drug dealing. From 1999 to 2008, I was
Not many people would be ecstatic to spend their 50th birthday on the job, but considering a year ago Paula doubted she would ever work again, this day marks a major accomplishment. When her probation officer pointed her to Goodwill of Central Iowa’s skills training programs, she had no idea the journey she was bout to embark on.
Trials and tribulations are no stranger to Ulrica Plummer, but she uses those experiences to help others persevere and reach their goals at Goodwill.
