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!...
In 2007, Cindy lost her husband. A year later, she lost her job. “It was a very difficult time,” she said. Cindy had been out of work for a year and a half when she stopped by the Goodwill Career Solutions center in Jackson for help....
Goodwill Week is an opportunity each year to focus on matching our clients and other individuals with jobs throughout Middle and West Tennessee. Whereas we hold 50+ job fairs each month, Goodwill Week is an intensified opportunity to connect individuals with new businesses and more...
On May 1, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee’s Goodwill Cares program once again activated its disaster partnership with the Nashville Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. A tornado swept through the area on April 28, destroying dozens of homes in Lincoln County. Goodwill set up...
After serving three years in prison, Kenneth went to work for a local company. Thirteen months later, his past came back to haunt him. “The company knew I had a felony, but when new management came in, they ran a background check and let me...
Joel spent 52 years in the household moving and storage business, relocating people worldwide. He was in his seventies when he finally retired, but he soon realized retirement life wasn’t for him. “It lasted about two years, and then I just decided I wanted to...
The Wedding Gala is Goodwill’s largest event of the year. It’s also one of the most exciting. This year was no different. The first bride showed up nearly 13 hours before the sale even began. Not only had brides come early, but some had traveled hundreds...
Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee just kicked off an exciting new program aimed at helping youth and young adults receive the tools they need to succeed. “Youth Building Goodwill” will provide educational, vocational and financial training to 17 to 25-year-olds who are out of school...
A stay-at-home mom, Dorothy had been out of the workforce for over 30 years. “I wanted to stay home and take care of my two children,” she said. “Then, when my children were teenagers, my sister passed away, and her three year old son came...
[caption id="attachment_1008" align="alignright" width="100"] Matthew Bourlakas, President and CEO[/caption] A woman barely escapes the harsh reality of living on the streets, a young man’s dream of playing soccer ends abruptly, and a mother’s son feels the desperation of a life unfulfilled. These are the stories...
