Theresa Samuels, 33, is a wife, mom, soon-to-be accountant and fervent believer in the power of education. Growing up, however, Theresa’s household did not place much emphasis on the value of schooling.
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana is celebrating the opening of its newest store in Floyds Knobs on Tuesday, January 12, at 9 a.m. Located on 810 Highlander Point Drive, the store has nearly twice as much selling space as our previous location in Floyds Knobs and features 8,367 square feet of clothing, housewares, toys, books and more. Store hours are Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Seeking new opportunities, Sophia Lan moved to the United States from China. After her arrival in January 2014, she was informed that her high school diploma and bachelor’s degree were not recognized. While working full time and caring for her 6-month-old daughter, Sophia knew she had to go back to school to make a better life for her family. In 2018, Sophia learned that The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, had a campus near her in Lafayette, Indiana, and enrolled right away.
In the Fall of 2018, Josh Yoder joined a team of instructors at a recently opened location for The Excel Center, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s tuition-free high school for adults, in Muncie Indiana. As a math instructor, Josh brought expertise and passion for math into his classroom each and every day. In addition, he immediately discovered the ability to engage with and use technology in his classroom in a way that would benefit his students.
Cynthia Coles has faced trauma and adversities throughout her life. In addition to being the sole provider for her young son and working full-time, Cynthia became the legal guardian of one of her nephews and assists with the care of her other nieces and nephews after the unexpected and tragic deaths of two of her sisters. In addition, Cynthia also provides stable housing for family members and friends who are experiencing homelessness. No matter the circumstance though, Cynthia always kept moving forward.
For Faith Oberting, becoming pregnant with her first child in 2016 brought many uncertainties, questions, and anxieties. Through word of mouth, she learned about Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Nurse-Family Partnership, a program that provides a free personal nurse to moms less than 28 weeks pregnant with their first child, and decided to enroll for the extra support and guidance the program offers.
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) has remained steadfast in finding innovative ways to provide valuable learning opportunities to its participants. Through a partnership with Five Star Technology Solutions, SCSEP participants are able to attend weekly computer classes in a socially distanced computer lab to help build their digital skills.
When Hotel Tango contracted with Goodwill Commercial Services to label their signature bottles, and later to bottle hand sanitizer, it was the start of a great partnership. Because of the special shape of the bottles, it was difficult to get the labels in the correct position every time — until Willie Burroughs got involved.
Lily Howell began her journey with Goodwill in 2018 when she enrolled in The Excel Center® Clarksville, Goodwill’s high school for adults, and accepted a position as a part-time associate at the Goodwill retail store down the street. She also met her Guide, Chris Wass. Serving our retail employees, students and other program participants, Goodwill Guides work to identify strengths and challenges and help develop paths to success that involve setting career and financial goals.