When Stephanie Carney was sentenced to 18 months in prison, she knew that she needed to make a change in her life.
After separating from her husband of 10 years, Samantha Russell turned to drugs in an effort to cope with the stress and anxiety she was experiencing.
When Teresa Smith joined Goodwill Commercial Services in 2009, she was re-entering society and the workforce after a period of incarceration. Her history with the criminal justice system made it difficult to secure a job, but she approached the opportunity at Goodwill with a focus on improving her professional skills and rebuilding her life.
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.
Trelles Evans, Director of Mission Advancement for Reentry and Disability Services at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, discusses her role and the people served by the programs she oversees.
When Jesse Hendrickson first walked into Goodwill for his court-ordered community service in 2016, he was homeless and recovering from a decade-long drug addiction that had isolated him from his family.
Life looked much different for Kimberly Lewis eight years ago.
Angel Beyersdorfer struggled with drug addiction for a decade before she finally hit rock bottom. She lost her home, car and driver’s license and couldn’t hold down a job.
As a small city in rural, southern Indiana (population <7,000), Scottsburg has the same challenges larger cities have but fewer resources available to address them. Of the 12% of Scottsburg residents who didn’t graduate from high school, an astonishing 44% over the age of 25 live below poverty level. Other common barriers include criminal history, addiction and homelessness.
Greg Perry beamed with pride as he stood at the podium at his graduation from Goodwill’s New Beginnings program, recounting the experiences that led him to prison as well as those that changed his life. New Beginnings is a six-month, re-entry program that helps those who were recently incarcerated adjust to society after their release.