In July 2017, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana awarded nearly $60,000 in scholarships to 22 employees, graduates and program participants to help them overcome barriers to pursuing higher education. One recipient, Nina Sharp, had enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, after dropping out 17 years earlier.

Recently, Jeff Bezos tweeted to the world a “request for ideas…” and has received more than 43,000 responses.

It is no surprise to any philanthropic individual that Mr. Bezos may be conflicted about which organization is most deserving of his donation. Like any good investor, he would like his investment to have meaning . In his tweet he talks about his desire to help people in the “here and now” as well as “the short term,” but at the same time wants his investment to have a lasting impact. Therein lies the struggle

I have a proposal for altruistic individuals such as Mr. Bezos— looking to satisfy that desire for helping in the here and now, but with a lasting impact. Give adults the chance to earn their high school diploma and a certification, empowering them to secure a living wage, and breaking the cycle of generational poverty.

Thirty million adults in the U.S. lack a high school diploma and more than 3 million people drop out annually. This persistent problem leaves a significant portion of the population unprepared to succeed in the 21st-century workforce and increasingly difficult to earn family-sustaining wages. Nearly two-thirds of adults who do not complete high school are living in poverty. This population is more likely to require government assistance and is eight times more likely to be incarcerated than high school graduates. These difficulties not only affect the individuals, but also their children, families and communities.

The Excel Center is a unique, tuition-free public high school, providing adults who previously dropped out the opportunity to reengage in their education.Students complete a rigorous curriculum to earn a Core 40 diploma, and receive future-focused guidance and support toward a postsecondary education or career-enhancing certification.The Excel Center operates on 8-week terms, accelerating the pace of coursework - creating quick wins and fast completion of course requirements. Open enrollment periods several times a year allow adults to begin pursuing their diploma sooner rather than later.

To you, Jeff Bezos, we extend an invitation to explore our proposal. Determine if changing the trajectory of a family’s future through education is a good fit for your own philanthropic activity.  You help the here and now by providing an adult the opportunity to graduate high school and gain a better career.In the long term, you’re helping set their children on the path of higher education and higher earnings, effectively making a generational impact on the world you live in, not to mention, increasing the purchasing power of your future Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers.

Goodwill Young Leaders is comprised of professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences who support and promote Goodwill's mission services in central and southern Indiana. They receive in depth tours of Goodwill behind the scenes and learn what Goodwill does and why it is so much more than a Goodwill Store. One of our newest Young Leaders is Gita Turnbull. We took a moment to ask her a little about her experience so far.