For Amanda Witham, a Site Lead at the Goodwill store in Clarksville, Indiana, her past and trauma followed her like a shadow. Her journey is a profound testament to the fact that experiencing homelessness is not where a story has to end, but a season that can be overcome with resilience and the right support system.

In the heart of Franklin, Indiana, the local Goodwill of Southern & Central Indiana retail store is more than just a place to find a hidden treasure or a vintage sweater. For Carly Stevason, it’s the place where the blurry edges of her world finally came into sharp focus.

In honor of Military Appreciation Month, we pause to honor the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedoms. At Goodwill Commercial Services, we are especially proud to share the story of James Brown, affectionately known by his colleagues as “JB.” For 24 years, JB has been a cornerstone of the Fort Benjamin Harrison Commissary location, bringing the same discipline and heart to his role today as he did during his decades of military service.

Life has a funny way of taking us on detours. For Wendi, that detour started early, when she was just 16 years old and she dropped out of high school.

For many individuals leaving the justice system, the road back to stability isn’t just uphill, it’s often a dead end. But at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, a transformative initiative called Goodwill New Beginnings is proving that with the right support, the cycle of incarceration can be broken for good.

Goodwill New Beginnings is Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s reentry program, offering resources, wraparound support and intensive case management services to those who have been impacted by the criminal justice system. This program not only helps program participants secure healthcare and housing, but also helps them develop the skills and preparation they need to progress professionally.

When Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana and Per Scholas officially partnered in late 2022, they shared a simple but powerful goal: to open doors to opportunity through education. Per Scholas, a national nonprofit that provides no-cost technology career training and job connections, especially for individuals traditionally underrepresented in tech, moved into Goodwill’s corporate offices on West Michigan Street in January 2023. By March, the first cohort of learners had begun, bringing new energy, hope, and possibility into the space.

March is Indiana Disability Awareness Month, a time to recognize the many ways people with disabilities strengthen our workplaces and our communities. It is also a moment that reminds me why the work we do at Goodwill matters so deeply.

Excited to learn more about having a healthy birth and breastfeeding, Desiray Graves enrolled in Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP), a maternal-child program that pairs registered nurses with first-time families. Until participants’ children turn two, nurses walk alongside their parents and deliver trusted information so they can provide the very best start during the earliest, most developmentally critical years.

When Sarah walked into the Goodwill Outlet on Washington Street in 2019 to apply for a job, she was carrying the weight of her past, the uncertainty of recovery and the urgency of starting over. Newly sober, navigating the impact of criminal history, and living in transitional housing after completing a rehabilitation program, she knew finding employment wouldn’t be easy. She also knew it was necessary. What Sarah couldn’t have known that day was just how deeply that decision would change her life.