Leanna struggled with homelessness until she got help from Goodwill’s Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) program. She was so thankful for Goodwill’s help getting her into stable housing. She felt like her life was heading in a better direction and she wanted to take advantage of this new opportunity. She was inspired to enroll back in school to finish her degree.
Having hope
But Leanna ran into some difficulties. Getting a higher education has become so digitally driven. And she didn’t have a computer. She tried to use her cell phone to enroll in school. But it was a struggle to work on such a small screen. She felt defeated but didn’t give up hope.
She turned to Goodwill once more to see what support she could get to start her education. She was pleased to find out that there is a program that specifically helps people get connected to the internet: The Goodwill Connect program. Leanna learned that this program helps people find a computer or device and get personal help using it. And the program helps people find affordable and quality internet services.
Finding the right tools
So she connected with a program navigator after calling their hotline (844-GWCONNECT). She told the navigator about her struggles and concerns. Leanna couldn’t afford to buy a new computer. Her income was reserved for keeping her housing and staying financially stable. The program navigator asked Leanna some financial questions and discovered that her income level made her eligible to receive a free laptop computer.
Leanna felt like things were starting to look brighter for her future. She was thrilled to find out that she qualified for a free computer. So she signed up for the device gifting event that the navigator told her about. When she met with the program navigator at the event, she was given a free computer. And she was shown how to set up and personalize it.
The brighter future she hoped for
Since getting help from Goodwill, Leanna has hope for her future. She’s excited to enroll back into school and finish her degree. She feels like her goals are reachable and her future looks “brighter on the other side.” She said “[Life] is a lot easier now that I have Goodwill in my corner.”