In 2015, James Hayes was diagnosed with a vision impairment called low-vision, caused by glaucoma and other deficiencies. At the onset of this diagnosis, James was employed by Indianapolis Public Schools but left due to the disease’s progression.

As his vision continued to diminish, James learned to adapt to his new circumstance as best he could by working with other not-for-profit organizations that assisted those with vision impairments. One of those agencies referred him to the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana. 

This year, Derrick Powe celebrates 10 years of employment at Goodwill, beginning as a groundskeeper and now working as a janitor for Goodwill Commercial Services.

When much of the world shut down in March due to the pandemic, a lot of people were left without jobs, or income to be able to pay their bills.  For those who were unable to collect unemployment benefits, there were few options available to stay afloat. One of those people was Goodwill Guides participant Rizan Hajji.  

(Photos taken prior to  the onset of COVID-19)

What does a program like the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) mean for its participants? For James Maxey (“Maxey”), it means having less stress about money. 

There is no doubt that high school can be a time of transformation and change for students. For students experiencing circumstances that may present a barrier to their education, such as homelessness, involvement in the criminal justice system or teen pregnancy, getting through high school can feel like an impossible feat. 

Haley Ring, 27, decided to return to high school as an adult because of something her eldest daughter, who is 11 years old, once said to her.

Goodwill’s implementation of Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) has always relied on key supporters; both inside and outside Goodwill. NFP’s Community Health Advocate and Specialist Team is no exception. This past July, the NFP Community Team was celebrated and honored for staff milestones in addition to the invaluable contributions they have made to the program.

Nearly half of 25-year-olds with autism have never had a paying job and only 16% of persons with autism ever live independently, so when twin brothers Andre and Austin Archer connected with Goodwill Disability Services in 2016 and said they were eager to do both, our team got to work.