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Success Stories Marion Goodwill Industries is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and helping them lead successfully employed lives. Below are success stories of local community members who have overcome their individual barriers to employment through the aid of Goodwill’s programs and services. Help tell the Goodwill story Has Goodwill Industries touched your life in some way? We're looking for people who have gone through our job training programs, as well as former Goodwill staff and volunteers, to share their experiences. Contact info@mariongoodwill.org to tell us how Goodwill has touched your life. Arlene  Arlene, a native of the Philippines, came to the U.S. in 2005 and began working for Goodwill in 2006. Initially, Arlene had a lot of
barriers to face at work trying to take on both a new language and
currency system. She found herself easily frustrated, and she lacked
confidence. The Goodwill employees have worked with Arlene to break down
those barriers and make her feel more comfortable and capable in her
surroundings. Since her employment, Arlene has grown by leaps and
bounds. She is a determined, hard worker, who is always smiling and very
flexible. Arlene has progressed from her original duties of cleaning and small wares processing to hanging, sorting, and pricing. She aspires to be a cashier, and she continues to practice with money to achieve that goal. When asked what her favorite part of working at Goodwill is, Arlene simply stated, “Everything, I love everything.” Working on the floor and greeting customers has aided Arlene in learning English. She explains, “I didn’t speak English very well. I learned a lot from Goodwill. I know how to count the money; before I didn’t know how to count . . . I’m so proud of me.” She is very grateful for her experience with Goodwill and says, “Working at Goodwill is like a family.” When she is not working, Arlene spends her time with her husband. She enjoys cooking and cleaning, and studying to get her driver’s license, which her coworkers are very excited about, as it has been a long term goal of Arlene’s. Finally, Arlene continues to support her family in the Philippines and hopes they can visit soon! Kevin  Kevin was referred to Goodwill by a counselor for Bureau of Services for
the Visually Impaired (BSVI). Kevin is legally blind, but has his dog
Marta to help him get around. Prior to coming to Goodwill, Kevin
volunteered in a clerical position at Ohio Heartland for three years.
Ultimately, Kevin wanted to find employment. The BSVI connected him with
Doris Turner of our Workforce Development program. Doris helped Kevin
with his resume and cover letter and set him up with a job coach.
Together, the job coach and Kevin actively looked for a job opportunity.
The search was not easy, and very few places were interested in hiring a
legally blind employee. I was able to find him a position in our
Industrial Contracts department. For over two years now, Kevin has been
a faithful and dedicated employee here at Goodwill. He comes in three
days a week and folds papers and rolls graphs. Kevin and Marta enjoy
coming into work and earning a paycheck.Renee  Born with cerebral palsy, Renee has had to face struggles her entire
life. For eight years, she worked as a reader for a blind service
representative. Renee was let go after her representative left the
agency. After over a year of trying to find a job, the
job vendors. She chose Marion Goodwill Industries. Initially, Renee was a
consumer. She then worked her way into a job coach position working with
the Workforce Development Program. As a job coach, Renee observed the
work ethic of others, evaluated their performances, and gave suggestions
for improvement. For the past year, she has been the receptionist at our
Corporate Office in Marion. She is an asset to our organization, and we
depend on her to make our daily operation a success.Michelle  For nearly five years, Michelle has been working for Goodwill. She has
been deaf all her life, and has had to face many challenges in the work
front as a result. Originally, Michelle came to Goodwill, because she
did not qualify for disability and was eager to support herself through
employment. Recently, Michelle has been gradually losing her sight, and
she has developed problems with tunnel vision. Despite these obstacles,
she remains a dedicated Goodwill employee. She hangs clothes in the
store and says she really enjoys her job.
Jamie  A great work ethic seems to come naturally to twenty-one year old Jamie
Perez who has been working since age sixteen. His first job was with the
YMCA. He was placed at Goodwill through Ergon in Delaware. Jamie mostly
works in the back cleaning and sorting items, but he also enjoys talking
to customers and coworkers. He is the proud recipient of the 2009
Community Employee of the Year Award, which he earned as a result of his
unmistakable devotion to doing his best at work. Overall, Jamie says,
“Goodwill is pretty cool.”Jamie has an extremely mature attitude about work and its value in his life. He strives for perfect attendance and works to his full potential his entire work day. He is very helpful to customers and coworkers. He has a great sense of humor and works hard to be a team player. After a long day at work, Jamie likes to “just chill at home.” Coworkers eagerly noted his affection for listening to loud music. A true Ohio sports fan, Jamie enjoys following the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Blue Jackets, and of course, from his alma mater, the Olentangy Patriots. Robert  Goodwill first met Robert in March of 2006 through the Workforce
Development Program. After years of a stable work history, working
mostly in factories in the Mansfield area, he suffered a three year span
of unemployment before his mother’s friend told her about BVR (Bureau of
Vocational Rehabilitation). Robert participated in a four week Work
Adjustment Program at the Galion Goodwill Store, and his work ethic and
work skills earned him a part-time position.
An accommodation was made to allow Robert to sit part of his shift. During this time he cleans small wares and checks electrical appliances. He also maintains cleanliness throughout the store and tends the donation center. Robert continues to work two days each week. He is a very dependable and faithful employee, never coming in late and missing only one day of work in three years! Coworkers say he knows his job very well and can be depended upon to do it right. Robert enjoys his job and is proud to tell others that he works at Goodwill. Robert likes watching his favorite Ohio sports teams, especially the Cleveland Browns, and spending time with his dog. Harold  After facing personal issues, Harold was having a hard time finding
employment. He was living out of his truck. To complicate his
problems, Harold's truck broke down, and he could not travel to
employment interviews. Harold went to work at Goodwill as a merchandise
processor. To address his immediate needs, Harold lived in one of
Goodwill’s rental properties and purchased a car through Marion
Goodwill's Wheels-to-Work program. Harold states, “I don’t know where I
would be without Goodwill. They have always been there for me.”Alberta  Alberta used the Marion Area Transit System to get to and from her work.
After she had been working long enough, she was able to afford a small
car through the Wheels-to-Work Program.“Ryan Payton and the Goodwheels-to-Work program were very helpful in helping me get a car I could afford. They were helpful, courteous, and professional in their assistance. You cannot understand the tremendous help it is to get a car when you have no credit or savings or anything else to depend on. Goodwheels-to-Work helped me out without making me feel bad in any way. I thank God there are people out there willing to help when you are down, to help lift you up and keep going.” Kim  Kim had been injured on the job at a local manufacturing plant and was
assigned to light duty work through Holland Employment. They arranged
for her to work at Goodwill Marion East for about eight months.
Kim’s hard work and dedication impressed Store Manager Scott Wilson. She genuinely enjoyed working at Goodwill, so they decided to make it a permanent arrangement. Kim has been with Goodwill East for over four years now and is one of the Assistant Managers. Kim’s hearing disability is something both she and Goodwill strive to make work on both sides. Goodwill was instrumental in helping Kim get hearing aids and learning to use a vibrating phone. By working together, Kim and Goodwill know her hearing difficulties will never overshadow her numerous skills and the many contributions she has made. Randy  Coming to Goodwill’s Marion Store through Workforce Development, Randy initially met Store Manager Scott Wilson in a practice interview. Later,
through the efforts of Goodwill Job Developer Emily Thissen, Randy was
hired. Randy began as a tagger – tagging prices onto clothing – and now works all over the store helping to set up merchandise, taking out the trash, and any other tasks that need done. Scott said Randy has become part of the Goodwill family and has a reputation for smiling all the time. He was chosen to represent Goodwill and to collect the donations at the Elder-Beerman store during a spring promotion and did an excellent job. Randy is proud to have achieved two of his goals by obtaining both a driver’s license and a vehicle … a silver Olds Alero. A big sports fan, Randy follows the Buckeyes, Bengals, Cavs, and Reds. He was excited to have attended a Bengals game in Cleveland several years ago (the Bengals won!). Randy also enjoys surfing the internet. |
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