Category: Success Stories

Jessica was born 4½ months prematurely — she’s lived with visual impairment all of her life. With a diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Jessica came to Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley (GESMV) after high school graduation to prepare for her continued journey to attend Wright State University (WSU). “I began working with GESMV before... Read more »

Robert Bryant was homeless and afraid on the streets. In fact, Robert would trade his own shoes for someone’s street weapon so that they could not hurt him or anyone else. Robert was stuck in a continuous cycle of drug addiction and mental illness. One day, while Robert was at Eastway Behavioral Healthcare searching for... Read more »

Cherri attended Dayton Public Schools and was an average high school student. However, she was a self-described “unruly child” and was unable to graduate due to behavioral issues. Cherri attended an alternative school for a short time before officially dropping out.   Cherri attempted to receive her GED. She was studying for her first test... Read more »

Tiffany left Harrisburg, VA last year in search of a better life for her and her daughter. When she left Virginia, she was pregnant with her second child. She left her home and moved to Dayton, Ohio with her dad and brother. Once she arrived in Dayton, Ohio it was difficult for her to find... Read more »

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 »