Through Goodwill's microenterprise program, Monique found the encouragement and training she needed to launch her own cookie company, MLA Gourmet.
Category: My Story
My Story: Katlyn Napier
Katlyn expected to find a job right out of high school, but found employers were looking for people with more experience. After connecting with Goodwill, she gained the training and support she needed to land a job and enroll in college.
My Story: Pamela Johnson
Pamela, a lifelong track-and-field athlete, joined the Army's World Class Athlete Program after missing the Olympic team by two spots. Following her time in the military, she faced more than a year of unemployment and struggled to find a match between her military skills and civilian positions. After connecting with Goodwill, she was hired as an employment specialist and later promoted to program manager, where she now helps other veterans get back on their feet.
My Story: Donald and Jennifer McGrath
Diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, OCD and a mild intellectual disability, Jennifer McGrath had limited job skills when she was referred to Goodwill. Her father, Donald, shares how she blossomed in the program and. "To see my daughter working at Goodwill has been like a miracle. I didn't expect that she would be able to come so far, so fast."
My Story: Diane Joiner
After her son was murdered, Diane turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. She was arrested for drug possession in 2010 and went to jail, where she decided it was time to turn her life around. Through her connections, she connected with Goodwill. "They gave me a clean slate, they didn't look at my background and they didn't judge me," Diane says.
My Story: Rosa Barbarito
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Rosa was entrusted with top secret information and served her country for three years. After becoming pregnant, she left the military and embarked on a retail career. She found her way to Goodwill, where she's worked for the last four years. "Seeing people's lives change is what makes me happy," she says.
My Story: Hong Nguyen
As a young adult, Hong stayed at home a lot and felt she was lacking direction in life. After connecting with Goodwill in Seattle, she became involved in the Green Corps Program where she learned how to maintain trails and took classes in workplace and life readiness. Today she feels she has a purpose and is headed to a career where she can support her family.
My Story: Sebastian Pires
Sebastian, who has Asperger syndrome, had been unemployed for five years and living with his parents before coming to Goodwill. The program helped him get comfortable meeting new people and entering new situations -- to the point where he was able to find a job in December 2012. He now works in a commissary stocking shelves and is happy because of the independence and freedom he's gained.
My Story: Shawn Walters
Shawn was a recovering addict who encountered difficult finding gainful employment. Through a friend, she was able to find temporary employment. But, during that time, Shawn's life transformed and she finally put away savings for a rainy day. Shawn now celebrates a life that has a sense of direction and purpose.
My Story: Darrell Mallard
As a young man, Darrell made poor life choices and ended up living in an environment filled with violence, drugs and alcohol. Although he got his life back on track, a bout with cancer caused him to have to leave the job he loved and regress back into substance abuse. The job he found at Goodwill gave him the stability he needed to progress in life and support his family. "Today, I am a better man, husband and father," he says.
My Story – Keith Buckley
When Keith came to Goodwill, he brought a history of substance abuse and a criminal background with him. He embraced the chance to make a change in his life, rising through five promotions to be an assistant director of plant operations. Today, he says he enjoys the opportunity to give new people the same chance he was given to succeed.
My Story: Jia Fang Deng
Jia Fang Deng was diagnosed with a degenerative condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis Arthritis. After his friends and family started to remove themselves from his life, Jia recognized he needed to make a change. Jia received training and learned skills that made him employable. Now, he works with students with disabilities to teach self-sufficiency to others.
