Category: Success Stories

Michael “Mac” McBride

 “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 »
learn more

Lysandra Wilbert

“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 »
learn more
Older white man with glasses, moustache and ball cap. Is smiling.

From participant to retirement

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 »
learn more
Young Black woman is GoodGuides mentor, standing at podium, wearing yellow high school graduation gown and cap.

Meadowdale valedictorian is GoodGuides success

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 »
learn more

Participant of the Month: Jamie Kirk

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 »
learn more
Aggie is an older white woman with a shy smile

Aggie Parrish

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 »
learn more