Goodwill Mission Stories

For the past seven months, Chris W. and Jerome R. have been spending their Tuesday afternoons at the Urban Ecology Center located within Milwaukee’s Washington Park. At the Urban Ecology Center, Chris and Jerome are preparing themselves for jobs in the community by gaining experience volunteering through Goodwill’s Community Access Program. Jerome likes to focus on office work and customer service while Chris enjoys keeping the Urban Ecology Center nice and tidy by helping out with various cleaning tasks throughout the afternoon.

Meet Heather B. Heather recently completed her job-readiness experience with the Community Access Program and is now working with Supported Employment, which helped her quickly get a job at the Wisconsin Athletic Club.  

In September of 2014, an art exhibit featuring the voices of Milwaukee elders opened at City Hall. The “Islands of Milwaukee” combined three-dimensional art, audio recordings and live performances in a unique exhibit that shed light on the topics of isolation and human connection. One of the seniors highlighted in the exhibit was Angie, a recipient of Home Delivered Meals, part of Goodwill’s Community Services Program.

Given the harsh economic realities, it is not surprising that recent graduates are pessimistic about their ability to achieve the American dream. Many of them believed that getting a college degree was the ticket to success in the knowledge economy. And, compared with the college graduates of 10-or-20 years ago, recent college graduates are carrying higher debt levels due to the rising cost of a four-year degree.  Meet Sara. After earning a Healthcare Administration degree in 2013, Sara was unable to bridge the gap from college to career.

Sarah is proud to say how much Goodwill has helped her on her journey to community employment and how Goodwill’s Supported Employment program continues to support her. Recently hired at the Best Western Plus Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Conference Center as a dining room attendant, Sarah's job includes serving breakfast, setting tables, and cleaning the dining area, among other things.

When he came to Goodwill, Chris was shy, only sharing a word or two when people would talk to him. Though excited to work, he was nervous about meeting new people and being in his new environment.

The Goodwill mission inspires Jason.

Jason is the kind of person that any company would want as an employee. He is hardworking, dedicated, always striving to do his best and willing to help out his fellow employees.  

My name is Denise, and I want everyone to know that I love Goodwill! I graduated from Greenfield High School in 2004, and I liked how busy I was. I took classes, had friends and even had a small job as part of my special education program. But after graduation, there were no more activities for me.

Mike, a young man with Down syndrome, knows first-hand the importance of having a job, and the sense of pride and responsibility it creates, especially when your family is depending on you for financial support. While living in a challenging family situation, Mike came to Goodwill through the Work Services program for on-the-job training and classroom instruction while being encouraged to strengthen his social and teamwork skills in a supportive environment.