It’s hard to believe that it has been a full year since the merger of the central and southern Indiana Goodwills. One of the primary motivations for the merger was the desire to increase the pace with which we could deliver mission services to southern Indiana.
Erik Caldwell moved back to Crawfordsville three years ago to help his dad through some difficult life circumstances. He applied for a job at the local Goodwill store, expecting it to be temporary, but remains a valuable associate today, staying longer than he ever planned.
Edward Rickenbach, Manager of Goodwill’s Guides program, discusses how his team works with our retail employees, providing career and life coaching services to help them increase their independence and reach their potential.
When James Wilson was incarcerated in 1996, he was facing 42 years for conspiracy to deal drugs. He knew when he walked into the penitentiary at 37 years old that he needed to make changes in his life if he was going to turn things around. After 17 years, with a squeaky clean record as an inmate, Wilson appealed to the courts for an early release. His request was granted, and he was released – on house arrest.
Born with cerebral palsy, Nathanial Gregory credits his successful high school experience in part to accommodations that were designed to help him overcome his educational barriers. Upon graduation, he enrolled in college – the first in his family to attend – and found himself in an unfamiliar academic setting with little knowledgeable guidance.
When Patrick Gnall first joined Goodwill in 2013, he was hired as an associate at the Fishers store. Having recently relocated from another state, he didn’t have a large support system or a professional credential. He experienced social anxiety and lacked direction for his future.
Nurse-Family Partnership participants graduate from the program when their child turns two years old and then have the option to continue engaging with Goodwill programs through the NFP Graduate Program. Visits with a
The typical student at The Excel Center® – Goodwill’s high school for adult learners – is between 18-24 years old, but returning to school at the age of 47 isn’t the only characteristic that separates Brenda Leake from most of her classmates.
Chelsea Armistead’s educational path veered off course in junior high when she was diagnosed with a learning disability. At the time, to qualify for an accommodation, a student had to be failing all subjects or courses. Chelsea was only failing two. Rather than have her daughter continue to struggle without assistance or fail all her courses, Chelsea’s mother decided to home school her. After about a year of home schooling, her parents became too busy to continue, so Chelsea taught herself to be a better reader and writer but had trouble with math.