Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee far exceeded its mission goals for 2014, providing free employment services and job training to 28,159 people and helping 9,558 land jobs. Goodwill’s goals for last year were to assist 20,000 people and to place 6,000 in jobs. Those benchmarks were...
For 38 years, James worked in the funeral home business. He was there for people in their hour of need, consoling their sorrows. But when James lost his job in 2011, it appeared that no one would be there for him. He applied for jobs at...
It was a Christmas gift, a joyful surprise, a random act of kindness. When representatives of a Mt. Juliet church walked unannounced into that town’s Goodwill store on Friday, they chose an employee with a big smile and a sweet personality and handed her $100...
They are six days that make a difference in thousands of lives. Each year from Dec. 26-31, the number of donations at Goodwill Donation Express Centers skyrockets. In 2013, donations of clothing and household goods during that period rose by 80 percent compared to other...
Goodwill ranked No. 11 this year in an annual survey of America’s most inspiring companies – surging past ubiquitous and revered brand names such as Disney, Apple and Starbucks, according to Forbes magazine. The survey was conducted by Atlanta consulting firm Performance Inspired using 3,300 online...
For Laurie Gagliano, Goodwill's stock of gently used sweaters is a godsend. Or part of a godsend, anyway. After years as a schoolteacher, the pastor's wife and mother of seven found herself in a new role: as stay-at-home day care provider to her grandchildren. "I really prayed...
New Site Behind White House Heritage High School(Middle Tenn.) — Donors in White House will now have a new place to drop off their gently used items. Goodwill will open a Donation Express Center on Monday, Dec. 15, behind White House Heritage High School at...
Floyd had been living the street life for more than 10 years. "I had a drug and alcohol problem, and I kept going to jail," he said. In 2008, Floyd reached an all-time low and decided it was time to turn his life around. At the time,...
Many of us can still recall the days when it was necessary to carefully turn a dial on your television or adjust the antenna to tune in some stations and get a clear picture. For decades, the donation of these analog TVs to Goodwill filled our...
After a car accident left her with serious injuries to her back, knee, ankle and foot, doctors told Marvelous she would never walk again. “I spent four months in a hospital bed,” she said. “My foot was shattered, but I was determined to prove my...
Richard had spent most of his life changing tires on tractor trailers. After a while all that heavy lifting took a toll on his body. “I have a bad disk in my back, and I just couldn’t do the job anymore,” he said. Over the next...
One of the best resources for job hunters today is the job fair. At a job fair, potential employers come together to represent their companies and industries, and meet with those who are seeking employment. If you can impress a representative at a job fair,...
When Cindy came to Cookeville in 2003, she had reached an all-time low in her life. “I had lost my home, my family and my life as I had known it,” she said. “It was all because of my drug addiction.” Cindy had spent the last...
When Stephen started working at the Columbia Goodwill store in 2005, he was quiet and shy, but you’d never know it if you met him today. “Stephen never meets a stranger, and he never forgets a name,” said Becky Kelly, the manager at Goodwill’s Columbia store....
Father’s Day, June 15 Father’s day is less than a week away. If you’re still searching for the perfect gift, here are some ideas that won’t break the bank. Are you looking for a cute and creative idea for dad? How about a custom Father’s Day photo print!...
