When Melissa Lebo started her career at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana in 2015, she had been out of the criminal justice system for four months. As she reentered the workforce, she was unsure of how far she could go in her career and personal life. Little did she know, Goodwill’s wraparound services and programs were ready to help her achieve her goals.

In 2018, when Richard Ramsey enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, he didn’t know that he was taking the first step toward meeting his future fiance. 

Imagine being denied a basic education unless you pledge allegiance to political beliefs that you do not ascribe to. This is what Rizan Hajji Mohamed faced when he was forced to flee his home country of Syria. 

When Johnny Manson joined Goodwill in October 2016 as a part-time donation attendant, he had been struggling to secure employment due to past legal issues and a lifelong history of depression. 

After separating from her husband of 10 years, Samantha Russell turned to drugs in an effort to cope with the stress and anxiety she was experiencing. 

There are more than 447,450 working-age Hoosiers who lack a high school diploma. Prior to The Excel Center, Goodwill’s unique high school for adults, there were few options for people like Dontre Smith who wanted to earn one.

A criminal record in Indiana can follow you past any time served, creating barriers to securing housing, finding employment, obtaining custody of children, achieving professional licensing, and more. In 2011 Indiana passed an expungement law allowing those with a criminal record who meet qualifying criteria to get those records sealed, but the eligibility requirements and process to file for expungement can be a challenge. 

When Edward Rickenbach first joined Goodwill in 2009 as an assistant site leader, he was struggling with homelessness and severe depression — a diagnosis he had first received in college but learned would be a lifelong battle. In just 18 months, he worked hard and was promoted to site leader, where he was responsible for managing the store and all of its employees.

Audrey Land has been working for Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana for the past four years and shows incredible drive and dedication — both individually and professionally — as she follows her career goals at Goodwill.