It’s hard to believe that it has been a full year since the merger of the central and southern Indiana Goodwills. One of the primary motivations for the merger was the desire to increase the pace with which we could deliver mission services to southern Indiana.

Courtney McCowan did not expect to drop out of high school only three months away from graduation. However, when she became pregnant with her first child, her health became her top priority.

After experiencing a traumatic brain injury, Aaron Yates has trouble storing long-term memories. In 2016, he started working with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Disability Services team to find a job.

When someone struggles with being in and out of the criminal justice system, it can be difficult to break the cycle. For many of these individuals, education becomes a solution to make that happen. Cortez Adkins, 23, enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, in 2017 seeking a change in his life.

Goodwill Foundation of Central & Southern Indiana has been selected from more than 2,000 charitable organizations across the country to compete among 64 Indiana nonprofits for a chance to win $10,000. Brackets For Good is an Indianapolis-based 501(c)3 charitable organization that pairs corporate and nonprofit sponsors to host online bracket-style fundraising tournaments. Goodwill needs your support to advance in this single-elimination fundraising tournament by making a donation. 

For adults, returning to high school can be a difficult task especially when life’s obstacles arise. However, with the right support, they can still thrive in a high school setting to reach their ultimate goal—graduation. Paige Mallory, 28, learned about The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, after she saw a flier. In fall 2016, she decided to enroll to better her life and her children’s lives.

Ella Morris is 63 years old, a mother of four and a grandmother of five. Throughout her life, she has valued education and dreamed of becoming a college graduate. Being a 2017 McClelland Scholar will bring her that much closer to achieving her goal.

It has become a tradition to send the Goodwill marketing interns to the Goodwill Outlet for their first shopping experience, requesting they report back with any tips, tricks and noteworthy findings.  This past summer's intern, Scott Crabb, went to visit one of our Goodwill Outlets. We armed him with gloves and the ever-important rule of "don't touch anything until all the bins are together." 

Goodwill stores may not be the first thought in your mind when Valentine’s Day rolls around, but it should be up on the list. Your local store location easily offers date-worthy wear, even if it’s just comfy sweats for a night in. The donation door makes an easy drop-off for a long-procrastinated box of former Valentine’s things that no one wants to claim any longer, and the shelves are full of potential ambiance makers and supplies for sweet DIY gifts.

Erik Caldwell moved back to Crawfordsville three years ago to help his dad through some difficult life circumstances. He applied for a job at the local Goodwill store, expecting it to be temporary, but remains a valuable associate today, staying longer than he ever planned.