York

For 28 years, York has been a fixture at Goodwill and an example of the power of its mission. York, who has Down Syndrome, is part of a group of about 20 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who work together hanging clothes and processing donations at the Rivergate Goodwill in Madison. They are affectionately known as the “A-Team.” As the group’s founding member, York has his own nickname — “Ladies’ Man,” based on his fondness for blowing kisses. Though a man of few words, York loves joking with his co-workers and discussing sports and the weather. Mention rain to sun-loving York, and you’ll likely hear, “Not today!” York’s mother, Elizabeth, recalls that when he turned 18, he no longer wanted to attend school. He worked briefly in other settings but never seemed settled until he took a job at Goodwill in 1989. The job has given him a sense of purpose and accomplishment all these years, she says, adding “It’s the people at Goodwill and their caring and encouragement that’s made all the difference.”

Lynn

Lynn was in her early 30s when a car crash sent her life careening off course. She drove head-on into a metal pole in clear view. Although she was uninjured, she scheduled a visit with an eye doctor. Lynn learned diabetes was destroying her vision. After two failed surgeries, she was completely blind. Lynn could no longer perform the duties of her job of 11 years. After that, she could not find work for a year. Making matters worse, friendships that were strong before Lynn lost her sight began to fade. She found herself increasingly isolated and without purpose. “To be honest,” she says, “I wanted to die.” In 2016, Lynn went to Goodwill for help. She was hired as a greeter at the Mt. Juliet Goodwill store. Now, at 39, Lynn’s world is coming back into focus. Her job allows her to talk to dozens of new people every week and fills her with a sense of accomplishment. “I feel like I have a life again,” she adds. “I love this job.”

Byron 

The shotgun slug that tore off one of Byron’s legs and badly injured the other ultimately saved his life. “No doubt about it,” he says, “I know that was God intervening for me.” Byron grew up in Nashville. For decades he ran with gangs, addicted to drugs. One day in 1997, he stumbled into the wrong neighborhood and got shot. Three years later, after surviving a coma and surgeries and getting treatment for addiction, Byron was referred to Goodwill. There he met Karl Houston, who is now Goodwill’s senior director of marketing and community relations. Houston took a chance on the desperate man. “He didn’t know I had something to prove to myself,” Byron recalls. He has been with Goodwill ever since. Today, Byron supervises Goodwill Donation Express Centers in the Nashville area. He is married with four children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is a deacon of his church and ministers weekly to the homeless at Nashville’s Room at the Inn. “I’m a prime example of what Goodwill does,” Byron says.

Saini 

Saini wears a ring, given to her by her oldest daughter, on a chain around her neck and a tropical flower in her hair. Other memories of her native American Samoa — and her family there — fill her heart. But in 2016, Saini traveled with her son from the U.S. territory in the South Pacific to Tennessee, where she now lives with a childhood friend in Clarksville. The mother of three left her own mom, her husband and two children behind in hopes of finding a job to better their financial situation. She needed money for another reason as well: to end her 67-year-old mother’s long wait for kidney surgery. Despite limited English and poor mobility because of knee problems, she found a job at Goodwill. She learned to sort electronics and other goods, and her English improved. Today, Saini is a star performer, beloved by her co-workers whom she calls family. And her mom is healthy after a successful operation. “Goodwill made my dreams come true,” she said.

TOTAL RECEIVED =
$72,162,284

TOTAL GIVEN =
$69,994,239