Meet Caroline Costa

Dreams and goals are great, but when you can’t afford the steps to get there, they can seem unattainable. Caroline Costa was feeling that way about her own future when she moved back in with her mom in 2016. Pregnant, unemployed and financially unstable, Caroline had left an unhealthy relationship and made the difficult decision to place her son up for adoption.

“I felt I wasn’t in a good position to financially give my son everything he needed.” Caroline said, while speaking about that difficult decision.

Angel Beyersdorfer struggled with drug addiction for a decade before she finally hit rock bottom. She lost her home, car and driver’s license and couldn’t hold down a job.

Erica Webb’s first major barrier to achieving independence was becoming a mother at 17 years old. Although she successfully graduated from high school, a series of setbacks negatively impacted her ability to provide for her growing family.

Martha Moraga worked hard to raise her four children while earning a high school diploma at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults. She strives to be a role model for all of her children - with the goal of becoming a medical assistant - and her teachers believe she already sets a great example.

It is possible to get out of debt and gain control of diabetes, meet Bryan Gilbert

Success stories at Goodwill are more than a stamp of “this story is done.” Instead, they acknowledge that the individual reached their goals, overcame their challenges and launched into their next chapter. Johnny Manson is just such a success story. He demonstrated tremendous growth in education, employment and financial goals.

Kamila Gulban is originally from Afghanistan. When she arrived in the United States nearly thirteen years ago, she struggled to find her place in this new world. Her inability to speak English, lack of a driver’s license and limited support system made it difficult to find employment. A family friend of Kamila’s was familiar with Goodwill and shared the mission along with the many resources that Goodwill provides its employees. This immediately caught her attention, and she applied for a job.

Dequan Bennett is a great example of someone making huge strides toward reaching their goals after being given the right tools and support. He just celebrated one year as a Flooring Installer Apprentice at Jack Laurie Group, one of Goodwill’s employment partners. At Jack Laurie Group he is learning the finer points of floor installation — which tools to use, what detailing cuts for what measurements, and more. Dequan is also taking control of his finances using tools he learned from working with his Goodwill Guide.

Jessica Posadas was finishing her senior year at Crispus Attucks High School when she learned she was pregnant with her son Byron, now one year old. She was one of only two students selected for a Simon Foundation Scholarship. Jessica kept her sights set on her goals and leveraged her support systems to ensure she stayed on track with her education.

Mohammed Alhamwi’s journey to The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, begins more than 6,000 miles away in his home country of Syria. Like many Syrians, his family was forced to flee as a result of the country’s civil war. As refugees in Jordan, they weren’t permitted to pursue employment or education which left them unable to build a life there. It seemed as if Mohammed’s family was in a perpetual limbo. They connected with Exodus Refugee Project and steadily worked for a more permanent placement. After several years in this limbo state, they received word that they were being placed in the U.S.