For 23 years, Ben Burris has been a familiar and friendly presence at the Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center. Employed by Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s Commercial Services division through the AbilityOne program, his role focuses on maintaining the federal center’s gym. This is a bustling space in the building, where employees come to recharge and unwind. Ben takes great pride in keeping the gym clean, ensuring it remains a welcoming environment for all who use it.

When Melissa Cotton left high school her senior year, it was after enduring years of bullying by her peers for a learning disability. 

When Angela Gregory enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults, she was a single parent to her three-year-old son and struggling to secure stable, long-term housing. She also has autism. Her primary motivation for completing high school was her son.

As a high school senior, Ryan Keith Harding (Keith) had it all figured out: he would attend college at A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he was awarded a scholarship. After graduation, he would do a stint in the Marine Corps before settling into a career with the North Carolina Highway Patrol. 

Every October, the United States Department of Labor recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This period celebrates the value and talent workers with disabilities add to America’s workplaces and economy.

Observed each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the value and talents of workers with disabilities. It’s a time to reaffirm Goodwill’s commitment to creating access to quality employment for individuals with disabilities and promoting a more equitable workplace. This commitment is central to Goodwill's mission.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed as individuals without disabilities, significantly limiting their ability to live independently. As one of the largest employers of persons with disabilities in the state of Indiana — one-third of the more than 5,000 Hoosiers we employ report a disability — Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana highlights the extraordinary work of these individuals all year long.

For the past 25 years, Labcorp has partnered with Goodwill Commercial Services to generate hundreds of jobs for individuals with employment barriers here in Indianapolis, while impacting health across the globe. 

When Richard Wagoner was 24 years old, he was involved in a car accident that left him with lifelong paralysis of his lower body. For nearly 30 years since, he has navigated life in a wheelchair. 

Born with autism spectrum disorder, John Thompson did not begin speaking until he was eight years old. He was homeschooled and had no prior experience with public school before enrolling at The Excel Center® in Shelbyville, Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults. As a result, he lacked experience socializing in an academic setting and worried that his peers might not accept him.