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.”

AWhen 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!

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