Erica Webb’s first major barrier to achieving independence was becoming a mother at 17 years old. Although she successfully graduated from high school, a series of setbacks negatively impacted her ability to provide for her growing family.

When people hear Goodwill, they often think about our retail stores, where Hoosiers can donate the items they no longer use, and shop for great deals and unique finds. Most also know we provide employment opportunities to people with disabilities, criminal histories and other barriers. Some even think that’s where Goodwill’s mission ends, but it’s actually where it begins.

When you donate and shop at Goodwill, you’re not just supporting jobs for people with employment barriers — you’re also giving an adult a second chance at a high school diploma, new moms regular visits with a registered nurse and so much more. Thanks to people like you across central and southern Indiana, thousands of lives are being changed every day.

That’s why I’m excited to introduce Achieve, our new semi-annual publication, where you’ll see how your support for Goodwill helps people increase their independence and reach their potential.

Martha Moraga worked hard to raise her four children while earning a high school diploma at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults. She strives to be a role model for all of her children - with the goal of becoming a medical assistant - and her teachers believe she already sets a great example.

It is possible to get out of debt and gain control of diabetes, meet Bryan Gilbert

At 17 years old, many teenagers are focused on things like prom and hanging out with friends. Sarah Siegel’s teenage years were spent a little differently, however, when she suddenly found herself living on her own during her sophomore year of high school.

Referred to Goodwill’s New Beginnings program by his parole officer in 2017, Christopher Holifield was determined to make a change, for himself as well as his children.

In 1929, Helen Krebs Barth boarded a trolley in New Albany, Indiana. She was headed to Louisville, Kentucky to see a speech by Rev. Edgar J. Helms, the Methodist minister who had founded Goodwill in Boston nearly 30 years earlier. Rev. Helms was spreading the message of Goodwill and encouraging people to develop operations in their own struggling communities.

The Excel Center®, a tuition-free high school that provides adults the opportunity to earn a Core 40 diploma, celebrated over 300 graduates at its winter graduation ceremonies on February 14 and 15. Since opening its first location in 2010, The Excel Center has seen consistent growth, including the expansion to 14 locations throughout central and southern Indiana.

DeShawn Minor reflects on his early youth as a difficult time. He didn’t fully understand how his actions impacted those around him, especially his mom and younger siblings. He describes how he had anger issues and “goofed off” a lot at school, resulting in several suspensions and finally, expulsion. He was placed into a group home as a teen and an alternative school in another city.