Goodwill Mission Coach Benjamin Hutto began his journey with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana in 2016 when he enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults. Previously homeschooled, Ben struggled to focus, which he later learned was related to undiagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.  But The Excel Center in Kokomo empowered him to earn the credits he needed to graduate at an accelerated pace.

Ben continued his education by earning an associate degree from Ivy Tech Community College in 2018, and his bachelor's degree from Indiana University Kokomo the following year. Then, in 2020, the pandemic happened. 

Due to his laser focus on his education, Ben had no work history, and he experienced barriers to finding a job after graduating. His Goodwill Mission Coach encouraged him to apply for a leadership position at a local Goodwill store, which led to the next step of his Goodwill journey as a Retail Team Lead. Although Ben was later promoted, he strived to do something beyond the scope of retail. When the opportunity to become a mission coach emerged, he jumped at the chance and applied. 

“I know it sounds cliche, but I really enjoy helping others,” said Ben. “I feel that, given my path at Goodwill, I’m uniquely qualified to help students and employees make those connections.”

In 2022, Ben was officially welcomed as the newest Goodwill Mission Coach. He now supports people with similar experiences, who have barriers to employment or education and can use a helping hand to reach their goals. As a mission coach, he connects Goodwill’s employees and students to a number of resources, like Goodwill New Beginnings, a reentry program for individuals previously involved in the criminal justice system, and The Excel Center – the first step in his own Goodwill journey.

“I really appreciate the chances Goodwill gave me,” said Ben. “They were willing to take a risk on me knowing that risks don’t always pay off. There are many companies that won’t do that, so when I’m working with our employees and students, I share my own journey to give them hope about what they can achieve at Goodwill.”

J’Shon Zeigler enrolled at Indianapolis Met High School, Goodwill’s high school for traditional-age students, his sophomore year. 

Goodwill New Beginnings, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s reentry program, was excited to celebrate its last graduation of 2023. Individuals who have experienced the criminal justice system were honored for achieving all of the requirements to graduate from the program and reenter their communities. 

Since 2011, Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP) has paired first-time, expectant parents with a registered nurse for ongoing visits so they can provide the very best start for their children during the earliest, most developmentally critical years. Over 12 years, Goodwill NFP has served over 7,500 families across central and southern Indiana.

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana is one of the largest employers for persons with disabilities in Indiana, with more than 1,600 current employees reporting a disability – 34% of our workforce. For 90 years, we’ve been employing individuals and providing job training to Hoosiers who experience barriers to employment. 

I’ve noticed that as I get older, the decor in my home gets a bit more “boringtasteful” — and Halloween is no exception. Gone are the gory Halloween displays that I helped create with my roommates in college.

Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP) pairs registered nurses with first-time parents for ongoing visits so they can provide the very best start for their children during the earliest, most developmentally critical years. Since its inception in 2011, 7,500 families have been served across Indiana – but how do NFP Nurses achieve such great success?

It’s officially fall — a great season to clean out closets and prepare for winter! Donating your gently used goods to Goodwill is easy and makes a positive impact right here in our central and southern Indiana communities. Here are three ways you can directly support local social, economic and environmental sustainability by donating to Goodwill.