Steve had been a successful swine farm manager for over twenty-five years, before making some poor decisions put him in the position of having to start over. In the fall of 2010, Steve was in need of a job, when a leader in the Marion community referred him to Goodwill. At Goodwill, Steve was enrolled in the Opportunity Plus Program, where participants with employment barriers are given a chance to gain valuable work experience, develop a work history and current employer reference.
Steve worked at a Goodwill facility and, because of his positive work experience, he secured a part-time position in April of 2011. During that summer, he accepted a full-time position at the Goodwill Warehouse-Distribution Center and soon after was made a shift supervisor. In 2012, Steve was promoted to Distribution Coordinator and held that position until 2017.
One of Steve’s favorite movies is The Rookie. One line is the movie hits home with him, “We do what we have to do till we do what we were meant to do.” Because of the choices Steve had made in the past, he thought working in the pork industry, his “what he was meant to do” job was not possible. Steve was wrong. His hard work, dedication and determination gave him the opportunity to work in the swine industry again.
Through the support of many people at Goodwill and in the community, Steve felt he had grown mentally and emotionally and was ready to move on to another organization and take on the responsibility of a new position. Steve reflects, “I have been so blessed and am grateful to everyone I worked with while at Goodwill.”
Steve did not give up on his dreams and is now where he is meant to be.