Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from September 15 - October 15! In accordance with this celebration, Goodwill recognizes current staff across our organization with Hispanic heritage. Marina Plata has served as a Life Coach at (Meadows) for nine months. Marina has an extensive background in Spanish and International Studies and celebrates this month each year as an opportunity to display how the Hispanic culture has and continues to impact the United States. Marina’s students describe her as knowledgeable, empathetic and a great listener. Read on to learn more about Marina and her heritage!

The last full week of September is National Employ Older Workers Week, a period to recognize and increase awareness about the essential older workers in our workforce. Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana is proud to highlight the older workers who contribute to our mission of changing lives through education, health and employment daily.

Tammi Burrus had her high school experience cut short when she became pregnant at the age of 16.

Khalilah Palmer, school development director for The Excel Center national office, has had a busy summer supporting the opening of two new locations of The Excel Center, Goodwill’s high school for adults. Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, located in Baltimore, Maryland, and Palmetto Goodwill, located in Charleston, South Carolina, will open The Excel Center this fall.

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana announces The Excel Center's and Indianapolis Metropolitan High School’s first day of school for the 2023 - 24 year. Doors open on July 31, 2023, for all 17 central and southern Indiana campuses. 

Thanks to your support, lives are being changed in your community. In addition to significant growth in our Retail, eCommerce and Commercial Services divisions over the past year, we currently employ nearly 5,000 Hoosiers – 61% of whom have barriers to employment, like a disability, criminal history or lack of a high school diploma. 

In 2012, Carlton Foster enrolled at The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s high school for adults, to earn his diploma and expand his career possibilities. He would go on to be the first graduate of The Excel Center’s Anderson, Indiana, location while also earning multiple industry-recognized job certifications.

Lizbeth Cruz Gonzalez, 36, has constantly been striving for the best opportunities in her life, even at a young age. Originally from Mexico, Lizbeth wanted to pursue her education, but it came with challenges.

At the age of 13, Katie Reigelsperger learned she was expecting a child. Lacking a support system as her parents struggled with substance abuse and alcoholism, Katie's parents withdrew her from school. While her friends were applying to college and attending prom, Katie was caring for her baby, changing diapers and working a series of low-paying jobs that lacked advancement and had little financial security or benefits. Then she learned about The Excel Center®, Goodwill’s tuition-free high school for adults, and her career path and life were forever changed.