Each year, International Mentoring Day is observed on January 17. This observance is an opportunity to recognize mentors and the impacts they’ve had on their mentees. For those who we employ, educate and serve at Goodwill, coaches often act as mentors, providing the essential guidance to employees, students and program participants who want to increase their independence and reach their full potential.

Last year was a big year for Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana as we educated, employed and served more individuals than ever before. Since launching our Strategic Plan three years ago, we’ve made significant progress on our objectives and goals, resulting in life-changing impact in our communities.

The staff at Goodwill Commercial Services embraced sweater weather with Holiday Sweater Day.

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.

Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP) pairs first-time, expectant parents with a registered nurse for ongoing visits to support families so they can provide the very best start for their children during the earliest, most developmentally critical years. 

Indianapolis Metropolitan High School (Indy Met) is a free public school offering a high school education to students in grades 9-12 that is operated by Goodwill Education Initiatives. It is a best-fit school for students experiencing circumstances that may present a barrier to education and places an emphasis on ensuring students enroll in college or enter into a career that offers a living wage post-graduation. The school recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. 

Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP), a maternal-child program that pairs registered nurses with first-time parents, celebrates its 13th anniversary in 2024. For over a decade, Goodwill NFP nurses have partnered with families to deliver trusted information to achieve a healthy pregnancy, birth and early childhood.

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.

Every year, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana hosts Goodwill’s Education and Mission Conference (GEM), a one-day professional development event. Mission and education professionals throughout Goodwill’s central and southern Indiana network have the opportunity to learn from one another and share best practices in their work through presentations and panel discussions.