Nicole Castro learned to be independent at a very young age. As a child, her parents faced severe legal trouble. In an effort to remain undiscovered, they pulled Nicole out of school at just seven years old. At 16, after years of instability and moving from place to place to avoid the authorities, Nicole decided to strike out on her own. While her peers were planning for prom and school sporting events, she was preparing to start a new life. Soon after, she met and married her now-husband, and they started a family together.
It’s not every day that you meet someone who can say they are still in love with their career after more than two-and-a-half decades. Then again, it’s not every day that you meet someone like Felicia Harrison.
After 14 years of missionary work overseas, Tim Hudson returned to his hometown of Indianapolis to take care of his parents and provide them with the daily and nightly care they needed. When they passed in 2019, Tim had trouble finding another occupation that could help with expenses. He regularly applied to job opportunities, but his lack of recent work history and age were constant barriers to achieving employment with a life-sustaining wage.
When Dea'Jenay Reid discovered she was pregnant with her first child, she was 23 and finishing a rigorous nursing school program. While the idea of parenting brought a lot of feelings of excitement, it also brought many uncertainties and feelings of anxiety. When she learned of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Nurse-Family Partnership® program during a prenatal visit with her doctor, she was eager to enroll.
This fall, Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, Goodwill’s best-fit school for students in grades 9-12, took the entire student body on their first College Visit Field Trip Day.
Hired in October 2011, Marilynn was the first nurse home visitor to be a part of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Nurse-Family PartnershipⓇ (NFP). She learned of Goodwill’s Nurse-Family Partnership from a former colleague, Mary Webber, who supported NFP coming to Indiana. Mary encouraged Marilynn to join the program, thinking she’d be a great fit. As for Marilynn, she found her passion conducting home visits while working at Indiana University. She applied to the NFP position hoping to turn that passion into a career.
James Traylor is familiar with second chances. Since 2011, he has served The Excel Center®. Goodwill’s high school for adults, as a life coach, providing individualized barrier-removal support to students who are pursuing a Core 40 high school diploma.
At 19 years old, I am proud to say that I am on the way to achieving my dreams of becoming an elementary school teacher. While trying to balance school and work responsibilities, I was so excited to learn about The Excel Center, a free high school for adults owned and operated by Goodwill. Their supportive environment, accelerated courses, and flexible schedule empowered me to make progress toward my goals.