Ambassador Summer 2014

Ambassador SUMMER 2014

A FAMILY TRADITION

Goodwill Week

Partnering with the Red Cross

MT. JULIET GRAND OPENING

Gift Ideas for Dad

Kim and Kaylee Davidson Shopping for Bargains

contents

AmbassadorSUMMER 2014

Ambassador Summer 2014 1

President and CEO Matthew Bourlakas

Publisher Karl HoustonSenior Director of Marketing & Community Relations

Editor and Writer Jamie BerryPR & Communications Manager

Art Director EJ Kerr Manager of Creative Services

Ambassador is a quarterly magazine published by Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc., 1015 Herman Street, Nashville, TN 37208.

For the nearest retail store, donation center, or Career Solutions center, please call 800.545.9231 or visit www.giveit2goodwill.org.

Ambassador provides readers with stories of the events, activities and people who support the mission of Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee. We are pleased to provide you this information and hope you will share our publication with others. Please note that the opinions expressed in Ambassador do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official position of management or employees of Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc.

The Goodwill Mission We sell donated goods to provide employment and training opportunities for people who have disabilities and others who have trouble finding and keeping jobs.

Our business is changing lives.

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I Got it at Goodwill

Last Minute Ideas for Dad on Father’s DayGoodwill Success StoriesGoodwill WeekMt. Juliet Grand Opening

Goodwill’s 5th Annual Wedding GalaTeaming Up To Help In Times of DisasterCollege Students in the Giving SpiritI Change Lives

Did You Know? 2013 By The Numbers

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Board of Directors

DIRECTORSWoodretta AllenJ. B. Baker Bryan L. BeanSteele Clayton David L. CondraGary W. CordellAndrew DavidsonRobert W. DuthieDave M. FentressJames B. Foley

Kathryn S. GibsonChad M. GroutJeffrey A. Hoffman*Philip G. HullDecosta E. JenkinsRobert B. KennedyR. Craig LaineRyan R. LoydRobert McNeillyTy H. OsmanChristine E. Skold

Todd A. SpaanstraJohn W. Stone, III*Kathryn I. ThompsonJohn C. Tishler*John Van MolJeff Young*Ex Officio

TRUSTEESFred T. McLaughlinRobert B. KennedyRobert W. Duthie

OFFICERSChairperson: Donna B. Yurdin Vice Chairman: Fred McLaughlinSecretary: Julie F. WilsonTreasurer: Dave M. Fentress

Legal Counsel: Christopher S. Dunn & Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLPGoodwill President and CEO: Matthew S. BourlakasGoodwill VP and Chief Operating Officer: Tammy B. GlassGoodwill VP and Chief People Officer: Betty J. Johnson

2Ambassador Summer 2014 2giveit2goodwill.org

Our business is changing lives.Ambassador Summer 2014 3

Follow us at

giveit2goodwill

Thrifting Nashville wrote: I found this at the Brentwood store for $1.99. It still has the $42 Nordstrom tag on it!

Do you have some fabulous finds in

your home or closet that you purchased at Goodwill? Share

them with us on Facebook or Twitter,

and we might feature them in our

next edition!

Dana wrote: I got all of this from Goodwill for $10. The bug zapper alone retailed for $14.99.

Amanda wrote: Forget #MeltingPot. I just scored this amazing fondue set at Goodwill for $9.99! Now where is the gruyere?

Austin wrote: $115 for everything! I’m still in shock! #deals #bargainhunters

Bethany wrote: Today we knocked out some summer reading purchases for Miss Lauren at Goodwill. We got all five for $5.

igotitatGoodwill GREAT FINDS AND DEALS

FROM GOODWILL SHOPPERS

Felicia wrote: Goodwill find! Brand new Coldwater Creek tweed blazer with the $99.95 tag still attached. I paid only $4.

Ambassador Summer 2014 4giveit2goodwill.org

Father’s Day is just days away. If you’re still searching for the perfect gift, here are some ideas that won’t break the bank.

• • • Does Dad like to tee it up? You can score some great clubs at Goodwill. You can get a great driver, putter or sand wedge for as little as .99¢. A whole set of clubs at Goodwill starts at $12.99.

• • • Why pay department store prices when you can purchase Dad a designer tie at Goodwill for $1.99. You can find a wide variety of ties at the Goodwill store nearest you.

• • • Are you looking for a cute and creative idea for dad? How about a custom Father’s Day photo print! How great would it be to recreate this idea each year to show how much the kids have grown and changed. Frames at Goodwill start at 99¢.

• Not sure what to get? You can always purchase a Goodwill gift card and let your dad pick out his own gift.

DadLAST MINUTE IDEAS FOR

Ambassador Summer 2014 5 Our business is changing lives.

Give confidence

GOODWILL Success StoriesKenneth

Give potential

Cindy

Joel

Give purpose

Joel spent 52 years in the household moving and storage business, relocating people worldwide. He was in his seventies when he finally retired, but he soon realized retirement life wasn’t for him. “It lasted about two years, and then I just decided I wanted to go back to work,” he said. “I kind of had a plan on what I wanted to do, and I thought Goodwill would just be perfect.”

So Joel’s job search started with a visit to Goodwill Career Solutions in Franklin. “I had written out my resumé, and the administrative assistant at Career Solutions graciously typed it up for me.”

After serving three years in prison, Kenneth went to work for a local company. Thirteen months later, his past came back to haunt him. “The company knew I had a felony, but when new management came in, they ran a background check and let me go,” he said. “Actually, I got promoted to a dispatcher on Thursday, and they dismissed me on Saturday.”

For the next two years Kenneth applied for dozens of jobs, but he couldn’t find work. That’s when Kenneth turned to Career Solutions for help. Three months later, Goodwill offered him a job.

Kenneth worked as a material handler in one of Goodwill’s

In 2007, Cindy lost her husband. A year later, she lost her job. “It was a very difficult time,” she said.

Cindy had been out of work for a year and a half when she stopped by the Goodwill Career Solutions center in Jackson for help. Just a few months after enrolling in the program, Goodwill offered Cindy a job as a donation attendant at the Goodwill store in Humboldt where she worked for about a year until the store closed.

Before the store closed, Cindy’s district manager lined up an interview for her with Goodwill’s donations supervisor in West

6Ambassador Summer 2014 Our business is changing lives.

Success Stories “I don’t have to depend on others to take care of me,” she said. “I can actually make a living for myself, which I couldn’t do before.”

During his visit, Joel expressed his interest in working for Goodwill. “They called a manager over from the store, and the manager interviewed me that day. I was really thrilled to get the job.”

That was three years ago. Today, Joel is still working as a sales associate at the Franklin store on Murfreesboro Road. He spends his days running a register and interacting with others. “Goodwill has given me a purpose for

getting up every morning,” he said. “I love my co-workers and my customers.”

Joel celebrated his 83rd birthday on April 4, and he says he will continue to work as long as he is able. “Goodwill has changed my life considerably, and I think working here has actually extended my life,” he said. “I now feel like I have a few good years left in me, and I’m happy that someone can utilize them.”

downtown Nashville warehouses. After two years, he was promoted to assistant supervisor. “Someone saw my potential,” he said with a grin.

Kenneth’s supervisor, Dollie Lillard, said she saw his potential right away. “He is honest and dependable, and he goes above and beyond to get the job done,” she said. “One Saturday, several co-workers were having difficulty getting to work because of bus issues. He piled as many people as he could in his car and drove them to work.”

Kenneth says it’s nice to be able to help others the way Goodwill has helped him. “When I lost that job five years ago, it dampened my spirits, but Goodwill has uplifted me and given me another chance at life,” he said. “I can now provide for my family.”

Five years ago, Kenneth was unsure of his future. Today, he is excited about what lies ahead. “Because of Goodwill, I have a better life.”

Tennessee. At the time, Brian Martin needed to fill a donation attendant position in Jackson.

On the day of the interview, Cindy’s car broke down, but she was determined to get there on time. “When the Medina police chief stopped to help Cindy, she talked him into driving her 15 miles to her interview in Jackson,” said Martin. “This is what sold me on her ability to get things done and overcome obstacles.”

Cindy said having a steady job at Goodwill for the last five years has allowed her to become independent. “I don’t have to depend on others to take care of me,” she said. “I can actually make a living for myself, which I couldn’t do before.”

The job has provided Cindy with more than a paycheck. “Working for Goodwill has raised my self-esteem,” she said. “I am now a confident person. I can walk around with my head held high.”


ow can you assist nearly 1,900 people in their search for work in one week? Celebrate Goodwill Week by hosting job fairs, workshops and classes all geared

toward helping people find work.

Every year during the first full week of May, Goodwill agencies across the United States and Canada celebrate the power of work through local events and promotions. For the second year in a row, Governor Bill Haslam supported that endeavor by issuing a state proclamation declaring the first full week of May as Goodwill Week in Tennessee.

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee participated by hosting 78 events, including more than 50 job fairs, at the 26 Goodwill Career Solutions centers across Middle and West Tennessee. “Goodwill Week is an intensified opportunity to connect job seekers with employers,” said Matt Gloster, senior director of Career Solutions. “The number of job fairs we would typically host in a month, we do in one week.”

Goodwill Career Solutions kicked off the week by hosting 12 events on Monday, May 5. Two of those events were held at the downtown Nashville Career Solutions center on Herman Street. The first was a job fair success workshop followed by a job fair featuring more than 20 employers.

Marquisi Weston attended both of the events in hopes of finding a job, but that has been a struggle for him. “It’s been hard. I have a lot of physical limitations due to my size and lack of transportation,” said Weston. “I’ve been out of work for over two years, and I was even homeless for a while.”

West is currently staying at the Nashville Rescue Mission. On April 25, he graduated from the Mission’s life-recovery program. After graduating from program, he decided it was time to take that next step. Weston said, “I needed a job, and I figured that job fair success workshop would be a great place to start.”

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EVENTS IN 5 DAYS

1,860

PEOPLE SERVEDMAY5th-9th

“It’s been hard. I have a lot of physical limitations due to my size and lack of transportation. I’ve been out of work for over two years, and I was even homeless for a while.” - MARQUISI WESTON Hired by Greyhound

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The purpose of the workshop is to teach job seekers how to stand out at a job fair. For Weston, it was that and more. “It was enlightening,” said Weston. “I learned how to sell myself in an interview, and it made me more confident.”

Weston put those new skills to the test just 30 minutes later at the job fair, and it paid off. Greyhound offered him a position later that week. “My first day was May 16,” said Weston. “It feels good to work again. It’s a blessing.”

Weston wasn’t the only one who found fast success. Fifty-nine job seekers were hired on the spot by one of the more than 200 employers who participated in Goodwill Week. Many more received a job offer later that month. “This is how we define success,” said Gloster. “When someone gets a job, they are not only changing their life but the lives of their family members and all those around them.”

For the second year in a row, Governor Bill Haslam issued a state proclamation declaring the first full week of May as Goodwill Week in Tennessee.

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HIRED ONTHE SPOT

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EMPLOYERSPRESENT

Weston put those new skills to the test just 30 minutes later at the job fair, and it paid off. Greyhound offered him a position later that week. “My first day was May 16,” he said. “It feels good to work again. It’s a blessing.”


MT. JULIET

GRAND OPENINGA FAMILY TRADITION

t was a grand opening that drew quite a crowd. Bargain shoppers started arriving at the brand new Goodwill store

in Mt. Juliet an hour before the celebration got underway on May 22. While shoppers waited outside, Goodwill employees were inside making sure everything was ready for the grand opening.

The new facility is one of only a handful of stores Goodwill has built from the ground up. With more than 28,000 square feet, the new store is twice the size of the previous Mt. Juliet store. It also features a covered drive-thru for donations and Wilson County’s first Career Solutions center.

At 8:45 a.m., the Mt. Juliet / West Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, Mt. Juliet Mayor Ed Hagerty, approximately 80 Goodwill employees and more than 200 shoppers gathered outside for the grand opening.

The grand opening celebration continued when doors opened at 9 a.m. with the first 500 shoppers receiving a Goodwill tote bag. Those bags were gone by 10:15 a.m. Guests could also register for a chance to win several Goodwill gift cards and an iPad mini.

Kim Davidson and her two daughters, 19-year-old Shelby and 16-year-old Kaylee, came all the way from Jamestown to shop at the new store. After a two-hour drive, they arrived minutes before the grand opening celebration got underway. “I’ve always loved Goodwill,” said Kim Davidson. “I grew up going to Goodwill with my momma, and I’ve continued that tradition with my daughters.”

Kaylee Davidson was showing off her Levi’s sandals she purchased during a previous shopping trip to Goodwill. “I love finding cute stuff, especially shoes. I love shoes,” said Kaylee Davidson. “You can find some great clothes too. My sister and I both have found Miss Me jeans for $7.99 at Goodwill. They retail for as much as $100.”

Shelby Davidson’s reason for shopping at Goodwill is a bit different than her sister’s. “I’m a unique person, and Goodwill is full of unique items,” said Shelby Davidson. “You also save a lot of money when you shop at Goodwill.”

Once inside, the Davidson’s were impressed with the new store and the selection. “We really love this store. It’s big, well organized and very clean,” said Kim Davidson. “We’ve been to several Goodwills in many states, and the Middle Tennessee stores are some of the best.”

By 9:30 a.m., the Davidson’s had already filled two shopping carts. “We have a lot of clothes in here, and a few other items,” said Kim Davidson. “Most of our clothes are from Goodwill.”

The Davidson’s finally made their way to the register around 10:30 a.m. “We got everything for $97,” said Kim Davidson. “It was well worth the trip.”

Kim Davidson was one of 1,120 people who made a purchase on grand opening day. What a great day for Goodwill and for all those bargain shoppers.

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“I’ve always loved Goodwill,” said Kim Davidson. “I grew up going to Goodwill with my momma, and I’ve continued that tradition with my daughters.”

GRAND OPENING INCLUDES JOB FAIRGoodwill Career Solutions celebrated grand opening day by hosting a job fair for several employers looking to fill more than 1,000 positions. Eleven employers were present including Staff Management | SMX, Holiday Inn and Goodwill. Openings ranged from management positions to general warehouse and clerical positions. Nearly 50 job seekers attended the four-hour event.

Goodwill Career Solutions provides free one-on-one job training and placement services to people who need help looking for, finding and keeping a job. Each of the 27 Career Solutions centers is staffed with a career counselor who provides assistance with job searches, job applications, resumés and interviewing skills. There are also six computer programs, plus several certification and training courses including Call Center Training, Document Imaging Training, Custodial Certification and Forklift Certification.

In addition, Goodwill Career Solutions centers regularly host job fairs for its 1,300 employer partners. These job fairs connect job seekers with employers looking to hire.

Kim, Shelby and Kaylee Davidson

GOODWILL’S 5TH ANNUAL WEDDING GALA

DRAWS ARECORDCROWD


hey came from Florida, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and all across

Tennessee, and they came early. The first bride arrived at Goodwill’s Rivergate store nearly 13 hours before the doors opened on March 15, for the fifth annual Wedding Gala. By 10 p.m. the night before, there were more than 40 people in line.

Trinity Waters was one of them. She, her mother and her two sisters arrived around 9:30 p.m., after a three-hour drive from Stantonville, Tennessee. “Our plan was to get a hotel room and arrive the next morning,” she said. “But when we saw people lined up outside the store, we decided to skip the hotel room.”

While Waters and other anxious brides-to-be waited outside, employees and event sponsors worked inside to prepare for Goodwill’s largest event of the

year. This included the delivery and set up of 1,500 brand new designer dresses donated by area bridal boutiques. More than 700 of those were wedding gowns worth as much as $6,000, all priced under $400. All other dresses including prom, bridesmaid, flower girl and mother’s dresses were priced under $30.

When the doors finally opened at 6 a.m. on March 15, more than 500 people were lined up outside the store. For Waters and the others who camped out overnight, the wait definitely paid off. “Being in the front of the line gave us an advantage because we were able to grab as many dresses as we could hold.”

Waters tried on more than a 60 wedding gowns, and she narrowed it down to three. Her family helped her pick the one. “It’s just beautiful,” she said. “I feel like a princess.”

When Waters finally made her way to the register, she had her wedding gown, her bridal slip, her rehearsal dinner dress, four dresses for her bridesmaids and her mother’s dress. The price for everything came to $490. “The prices were just great,” said Waters. “It was an amazing experience and well worth the drive and wait.”

Waters wasn’t the only bride-to-be to find her dream dress. In just two days, 699 dresses were sold. That’s a record number. A large assortment of jewelry, veils, belts, shoes and other accessories were also purchased.

The Wedding Gala items purchased during those two days brought in enough revenue to help nearly 90 people in their search for work. What a great event for Goodwill and for all of those brides on a budget.

Waters purchased her wedding gown, bridal slip, rehearsal dinner dress, four dresses for her bridesmaids and her mother’s dress for $490.

TRINITY WATERS

699 DRESSES SOLD

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THE GOODWILL WEDDING GALA ISN’T JUST FOR BRIDES-TO-BE

Erica Meredith arrived at the Goodwill store 11 hours before the doors opened. Unlike most of the women who had arrived before her, Meredith would not be walking down the aisle in her big purchase, but across a stage. The pageant beauty said competing is expensive, and one dress can cost thousands of dollars. Meredith purchased three dresses at the sale for under $450 dollars, including the two pictured here.

Tessa McKinnon first came to the Goodwill Wedding Gala in 2013 when she was looking for a prom dress. She found the perfect one for under $30. She said her grandmother told her the dress was made for her. When it was time to shop for a prom dress this year. McKinnon knew she would once again find something unique and special at the Gala. And that she did. The high school senior found this pink princess dress for under $30.

Waters purchased her wedding gown, bridal slip, rehearsal dinner dress, four dresses for her bridesmaids and her mother’s dress for $490.

The Wedding Gala items purchased during those two days brought in enough revenue to help nearly 90 people in their search for work.


TEAMING UP TO HELP IN TIMES OF DISASTER

On May 1, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee’s Goodwill Cares program once again activated its disaster partnership with the Nashville Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. A tornado swept through the area on April 28, destroying dozens of homes in Lincoln County.

Goodwill set up a donation trailer in the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly on Huntsville Highway in Fayetteville, and the community responded. In just four days, more than 260 people dropped off donations at the site. In exchange for the donations, Goodwill provided the Red Cross with more than 80 Goodwill Cares gift cards which were given to their clients. “So many Lincoln County families lost everything that day,” said Natisha Moultry, community relations manager for Goodwill. “These Goodwill Cares gift cards will allow them to purchase the items they really need right now.”

Disasters create a wide range of emergency needs, more than any one organization can meet. The partnership, which was formed in April 2013, allows both organizations to better serve the community during a crisis. Moultry said, “When we work together, we can truly make a difference in the communities we serve.”

COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE GIVING SPIRIT

LANECOLLEGE

12 BINS | 10 PLASTIC STORAGE UNITS

5 REFRIGERATORS | 5 LARGE RUGS | 2 FUTONS

2 BOOKCASES | 2 IRONING BOARDS

19.5 BINS 2 REFRIGERATORS

11.5 BINS 4 REFRIGERATORS

4 BINS

4 BINS

7 BINS

3 BINS

2 BINS

1 BIN

College students didn’t even have to leave their dorm to make a donation to Goodwill. During the final two weeks of the spring semester, Goodwill placed donation containers in the lobbies of residence halls at 10 Middle and West Tennessee colleges and universities. This gave students a convenient place to drop off the items they no longer needed before they headed home for the summer.

In just two weeks, students donated enough items to fill 89 large bins. We’re talking thousands of donations including clothing, linens, shoes, books and accessories. Goodwill also received two futons, two televisions, nine refrigerators, five large rugs, two bookcases, 10 plastic storage units and two ironing boards.


What brought you to Goodwill? After working most of my life, a series of health problems prevented me from finding work for two years. I contacted Goodwill after seeing one of the commercials. That was in 2012, and I’ve been working here ever since.

Did you go through Career Solutions? I did. I was enrolled in Goodwill’s transitional program in 2012. Just two months later, Goodwill offered me a job as a part-time receptionist. After a few months on the job, I was promoted to full-time receptionist.

What does your current job consist of? The majority of my job is interacting with the public, whether that’s on the phone or in person. My job also requires a bit of security. I make the employee name badges, and I have to make sure that every person entering the employees only area is an employee, and I do that by looking for their name badge before I buzz them back.

What do you enjoy most about your job? This job is perfect for me because I enjoy interacting with the public. I love that I get to see some of the same faces every day, as well as new faces. I’m also grateful that I get to use some of my previous security experience in this position.

Why is your job important to Goodwill’s mission? My job is to make sure every person who calls or visits our corporate office receives the best customer service. I help provide that great experience by making sure they are greeted with a friendly voice over the phone and a smile when they walk in the door.

How do you change lives?

I give my very best every single to day to make sure every person that walks through our doors feel welcome. When I’m on the phone with someone, I want to make sure they feel like they have my undivided attention. Being friendly can make someone’s day, and to me that’s how I change lives.

Ramona JohnsonFront Desk Receptionist

As a front desk receptionist on Goodwill’s corporate campus,

Ramona Johnson is often a guest’s first impression of Goodwill.

Johnson politely greets each and every person as they walk through

the door. She also answers approximately 60 calls a day. Johnson’s

position also involves security, which is something she had done

previously for many years.

CHANGE LIVESi

Ramona Johnson spent 14 years in security and more than 25 years in the nursing field. During her time in health care, Johnson dealt with a series of health problems. In a ten-year span, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, tore her meniscus and suffered a vertebral compression fracture that left her paralyzed from the waist down for three months. But it was a shoulder injury that changed everything. Johnson lost her job, her home and her hope. For two years, she would remain unemployed.

Things started to turn around when Johnson found Goodwill in 2012. She was offered a part-time position that same year. Then in 2013, Johnson was promoted to full-time, and she became a recipient of Goodwill’s Wheels-to-Work program. Johnson will celebrate her two year anniversary with Goodwill later this year.

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Ambassador Summer 2014

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