Category: Success Stories

When Noah Baker was young, his mother noticed that he was a little behind in his development of coordination. “I think I was in denial, said Karen. “I think my philosophy was if I ignore it maybe things would just balance out.” But it didn’t balance out and while in junior high school Baker was... Read more »

“Miami Valley Works has had an astounding impact on me and has catapulted me into a different frame of mind. The program turned me around, through mentorship, job search and job readiness training, and all the support services.” – Monica Smoot “My life had always been tumultuous, one crisis after another. But, the final straw... Read more »

 “Goodwill gave me a purpose again. GESMV helped with my PTSD and depression. The people of Goodwill are always there for you; being able to talk to them really helped.” – Michael “Mac” McBride Michael “Mac” McBride has not had your typical life. Mac is a United States Air Force Veteran. He enlisted in the... Read more »

“I feel like Goodwill is a good fit… I enjoy helping others and working with a great staff. I feel honored that Tom gave me the chance!”  – Lysandra Wilbert Twenty-one year old Lysandra Wilbert came to Goodwill like many people feeling some anxiety. But, her goal was to secure long term, full-time employment. Lysandra... Read more »

Almost 20 years ago, Vic Ketring died. Last week, his family and colleagues celebrated the much-loved GESMV employee’s retirement from the organization he says brought him back to life. Ketring, lead maintenance worker with the Maintenance department, came to the agency in 1997 as a participant in the vocational rehabilitation program. A near-fatal wreck that... Read more »

I have been in the GoodGuides program for more than four years, as both a mentee and a mentor. This program has been very beneficial in every area of my life. The Goodwill GoodGuides program is important because of the personal and influential impact it had on me. I have accumulated knowledge of life lessons,... Read more »

From a childhood filled with communication difficulty to flourishing as an assistant at a local farmer’s market, January 2017 Participant of the Month Jamie Kirk is a young man on the move. Jamie’s mother, Lisa Kirk credits this to years of hard work and the support of many professionals along the journey. As a child,... Read more »

Aggie Parrish, our 2016 Independence Award winner, lives alone, in a quiet, tidy apartment. It was the GESMV HOME Choice program that helped Aggie make her dream of independence a reality. Before she moved into the apartment last June, Aggie had spent the last 23 years in a nursing home. Life hasn’t been easy for... Read more »