Robert Ford and his two children all work with Goodwill’s retail division at different locations. His adopted son, Avery Ford, works as a Sales Floor Associate and his step-daughter, Kelsie Carter, works as a Team Lead.

June 19, or “Juneteenth” as it’s commonly known, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved Black residents in Texas learned from Union soldiers that they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years before. 

Goodwill’s education division proudly celebrates over 300 new high school graduates this month! Indianapolis Met High School celebrated their newest class of graduates on June 5, and The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s free high school for adults, will recognize its Class of 2021 across 15 ceremonies this weekend. 

Bobetta Wright was one of Indiana’s 7% of teenage girls to get pregnant while she was in high school. Due to circumstances surrounding her pregnancy, Bobetta was told to leave her high school and never returned to finish. Without a high school diploma, Bobetta and her husband were unable to find employment, leaving them unable to secure stable housing. Her family bounced around from place to place for several years, even having to spend one winter out in a tent.

Madison Stevenson, 20, has big goals that include earning a PhD and pursuing a career in engineering. Yet, there was a point in time that Madison believed she might not earn a high school diploma. 

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana is proud to congratulate the Children’s Learning Center (CLC) on upholding their status as a nationally accredited child care center! The National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA) announced earlier this spring that the Children’s Learning Center by Goodwill joins a select group of early childhood care and education programs nationwide and internationally which have shown an exceptional commitment to professional and programmatic quality.

In honor of Educators Appreciation Week, Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana is celebrating educators who continue to change lives, like Kennedi Walker! Kennedi is a life coach at The Excel Center® on Michigan Street and has been with Goodwill for four years. Originally starting as a Manager of Office Administration, visitors in her building would often comment on how warm, energetic and welcoming Kennedi made them feel. Read below to learn more about this compassionate and dynamic leader!

Educator Appreciation Week is celebrated in schools across the country May 3 - 7. However, at Goodwill, we strive to celebrate our educators throughout the entire year.