For Valarie, Goodwill has been more than a workplace—it’s been a place of new beginnings and second chances.
Valarie grew up facing many challenges. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she eventually went to live with her grandparents. Later in life, she struggled with addiction, and lost contact with her mother.
Eventually, Valarie went to prison for a while, and regained contact with her mother once she was out. She let her mother know about her new job at Goodwill, and then didn’t hear anything more.
Then one day, everything changed. While at work, Valarie was called to the front of the store. To her shock, it was her mother standing there. After 29 years apart, the two reunited in the very place Valarie now calls home. Nervous, Valarie admitted the truth about her struggles and past mistakes, but her mother didn’t turn away. Instead, she was proud of her daughter for her honesty. Their reunion has provided an opportunity to repair and rebuild their relationship and make up for the years they lost.
Since that day, Goodwill has become a place of more unexpected reunions for Valarie. She recently reconnected with another dear friend while at work one day, as well as a former manager who now plans to visit her there often. To Valarie, “Goodwill is the get-together place.”
Her journey with Goodwill began when she first walked into the store looking for interview clothes. Charlee, a Goodwill staff member, offered to personally buy her anything she found in the final 10 minutes before closing. The kindness of that moment touched Valarie so much that she went home, cancelled her interview, and instead applied at Goodwill.
Now, she shows up to work early to complete her recovery classes online. She works hard, always finding something to do even after her tasks are finished. “Goodwill has been such a blessing to me,” Valarie said. “I really love everyone I work with.” Her coworkers praise her dedication, and that support motivates her to keep moving forward.
She recently celebrated 18 months of sobriety—something she never thought was possible. “But now I am doing it, so I know I can do it,” she said. “I can’t say I’m ashamed of my past because everything in life has led me to where I am today. And if I can help just one person with my story, then it was all worth it.”
Valarie knows that her grandmother, who helped raise her, would be proud of where she is today. In November she moves out of transitional housing and into her own space, with dreams of helping others by sharing what she’s learned in recovery and in life. And for Valarie, life now is about learning to live again, and as she said, “it feels great!”
