Facebook Pixel

Mission Possible: Ripple Effects

Our Goodwill has come to view ripples, and the circles that follow as a drop falls into the water, as something of a company mascot, not as exciting as a bear or tiger, perhaps, but meaningful for us nevertheless.  The significance is the spreading impact of a single event, and for us, that event is a job.

Each day we have the privilege of working with people who may have believed a job was beyond their reach.  Sometimes their reasoning was elusive, at other times the impact of joblessness was all too familiar.  And, for whatever reason they were without work, the symptoms and outcomes were very similar, and very distressing.  It may have been utility bills that were unpaid, rent that was in arrears, food that was in short supply, children who didn’t have all they needed in the way of clothes, school supplies or toys.  Even more devastating have been the instances we have witnessed in which a family was destroyed by a parent’s leaving the home and, the heartbreak when children were removed from a home.

However, a job becomes the pebble dropped into the water of a life, and the ripples begin to spread.  Having money to spend after receiving a paycheck for work, provides an individual with a sense of liberation, of self determination, and self respect that cannot come from being economically dependent on others, whether it’s family, charity or through government services.

Thanks to the generous donations of used, but still useable clothing and household goods by the people in the areas we serve, Goodwill has the privilege of seeing the ripples form around a job and spread to benefit individuals, families and communities.  Every day that goes by we see the value of a job and resulting economic independence in the lives of our employees and clients.  And every day, we are grateful to our donors, shoppers, employers and employees who make our work possible.

Have you calculated your impact?

No Comments

Post A Comment