Living with a disability can be hard. It can hold you back in many ways and make it difficult to do things like find a job. This is what Shawna was experiencing when she came to Goodwill. She has Dyslexia, a disability that makes it hard to read and write. It made staying with a job very difficult. It also made it hard to look for new work. So, knowing that Goodwill helps people find jobs, Shawna came to get help.
She fit right in at Goodwill’s Career and Resource Center (CRC), which is a place for people to start if they don’t know where to get help. James, the CRC Specialist, helped Shawna search for jobs and fill out applications. That led to a job offer in the field Shawna wanted – healthcare. But she needed new work clothes and shoes in order to start her new job, so Goodwill helped with that as well.
“[Goodwill] helped me with a set of scrubs and comfortable shoes to work in. With the new tools for work, I was placed immediately in a client’s home and began working.”
With her new job and new tools, Shawna was able to start providing for her son again. She said, “It’s great to show my son that even though his mom doesn’t read well, she can still work in a good job that is not fast food or manual labor. I like showing him that even if you have challenges in life, you can still do the things you want!”
Goodwill’s help didn’t stop there. James later connected Shawna with an employer that was excited to hire her into a job to train as a CNA (certified nursing assistant). The employer gave her free training and all the support she needed to make the most of her new journey.
If it weren’t for Goodwill’s help in Shawna’s life, she feels like she would be stuck working low-paying jobs, and she wouldn’t be able to afford what she needs. She said, “With Goodwill, I have a chance to have a good job with a good wage to support my family!”
We are proud of the hard work Shawna has done to accomplish her goals, and we are glad to have been able to help her in her journey.