This Goodwill Week, we are proud to honor volunteers who continue to give their time, care, and heart to our mission. One of those people is Erik Clausen, our Volunteer of the Year. Erik used to work at Goodwill as an Employment Specialist. During that time, he also worked closely with the Group Supported Employment (GSE) team. He built strong […]
Serving Others in Moses Lake Read More »
For many years, Trisha struggled with addiction and homelessness. She moved between the streets, treatment, short periods of recovery, and relapse. When she left treatment, not having a place to live or money made it hard to stay on track. The last time Trisha completed treatment, she knew she wanted something different. She reached out to Goodwill’s
Trisha: Graduate of the Year Read More »
During Goodwill Week, Goodwill Industries of the Inland Northwest is proud to celebrate Helping Hands Ministry for the care and support it gives to people in need. Helping Hands works closely with Goodwill to help people feel welcomed and prepared as they start new chapters in their lives. Lupe, who started Helping Hands Ministry, works with Goodwill to support people who
Helping Hands Ministry: Making Houses Feel Like Home Read More »
Before coming to Goodwill, life was not very exciting for Danny. After high school, he spent most days watching TV and going to church on Sundays. He felt bored and lonely and wanted something more meaningful to do. Danny needed a place where he could feel useful, make friends, and build a better life. That
Danny: Achiever of the Year Read More »
Before Jill came to Goodwill, she felt stuck. She said that life felt “boring and meaningless.” She felt like she was missing out on having fun. She wanted her life to feel more exciting and purposeful. Jill wanted more for herself. When she started working at Goodwill through the Extended Employment Program, Jill focused on
Jill Found a Lifetime of Meaning Read More »
Did you know Goodwill has a program that helps people apply for disability benefits when they cannot work? It is called SOAR, which stands for SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery. Two SOAR Specialists, Tonie Schmidt and Don Morrison run the program. People are referred to SOAR through other Goodwill programs, such as Housing and Essential
SOAR: Helping People Find Security Read More »
Kylan and his family spent a long, difficult year trying to get him approved for social security disability insurance benefits. Kylan, who is autistic, faced many setbacks. After an attorney failed to help them, and agencies caused confusion and frustration instead of help, Kylan and his mom became discouraged and overwhelmed. He wondered if the process was worth it at all. When Goodwill’s SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach Access Recovery) program stepped in, things began to change.
Kylan’s Fight to Win Stability and SSDI Benefits Read More »
Alicia’s life turned upside down when she left an abusive relationship. She and her 7-year-old son didn’t have a home, and she didn’t know what to do next. Every day was a battle to find a safe place to sleep and enough food to get through the day. Alicia wanted to take care of her
Alicia’s Journey: Turning Struggle into Strength Read More »
Josh first came to Goodwill in 2014 through Vocational Rehabilitation, where he started job training. He had been in other programs in high school, but Goodwill was different. It gave him his first opportunity to earn a paycheck. He worked as a participant at Goodwill until 2020. When the pandemic started, he had to find
Josh’s Journey: Participant to Job Coach Read More »
At the beginning of the year, Timothy had to leave his home with his three-year-old daughter after his significant other became violent. He left in that person’s car but because that car was not his, he had to return it. That left him without any transportation. So, he went to a
A Fresh Start: How Goodwill Helped Timothy Rebuild His Life Read More »
