#WHYGOODWILL CAMPAGIN INTERVIEWS #WhyGoodwill is a social media campaign (2016) in which employees throughout the numerous branches of Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA Area, Inc. are interviewed to provide the reader insight about their individual stories, how Goodwill has affected their lives, and the personal viewpoints that have guided them through times of hardship. I built and launched this campaign to foster positive public relations with the community, emphasize the importance of the human component of a company especially given Goodwill s focus on people and share the advice of individuals who have endured great trials with hope that it encourages and inspires others. The following are the interviews I have completed and posted by the conclusion of my internship under Goodwill KYOWVA s marketing director. In most of these cases, our conversation traversed far beyond the content of the final product in both breadth and depth, and I ended up establishing personal connections with these people. They are truly admirable and fantastic and I wish I had the time to share the story of every person employed by Goodwill KYOWVA. - Mack
JOSEPH MIKE FITZPATRICK Joseph Mike Fitzpatrick sits in an office chair just one of the thousands of donations that are also being held in Goodwill s e-commerce warehouse to be sorted and auctioned off online. He rests his folding cane in his lap and looks off elsewhere as he s spoken to but don t be deceived. He listens with attentive patience, and when he s decided it s his turn to talk, his words are polite and soft-spoken. When asked what brought him to work for Goodwill, Mike says, I ve been visually impaired for 11 years now, and I ve not worked ever since, later revealing that his condition resulted from a tumor in his head. I ve always heard Goodwill is good to work for. Plus, I think I ve been led here. My wife and her friend had worked here before, too. Mike enjoys working at Goodwill for several reasons. It keeps me busy and it gets me more out in the public. He reveals that organizations he d previously involved himself with didn t think [he] was part of the public and dropped him. Meanwhile, Mike has found a supportive community within e- commerce that he contributes to. There s been so many people that I ve helped. I ve helped them and I know they ve helped me too. When asked what advice he would give to anyone going through a situation similar to his previous one, he thought for a brief moment, then simply stated, Hm, just keep your head up.
MIRANDA MUNROE It s hard to not stumble over something when navigating the jewelry room inside of Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA s e-commerce headquarters. At a glance, it s chaos there are boxes, shelves, and tables everywhere, and they re all full with a variety of jewelry ready to be sorted and auctioned off online. However, to Miranda Monroe, there is a very precise method to the madness that only she understands. Sorting product is not her only responsibility at Goodwill s e-commerce, but when she explains her system to those interested, she does so with joy and enthusiasm. She is rightfully proud of the impressive detail she puts into her work. Miranda shows the same passion for Goodwill as a whole. This job is so much fun, she says as she continues to sort, It s so educational. There s never a dull moment there s always something different every day. We re always functioning as such a great team. She also says Goodwill allows her to show her personality in her work. I actually did not work for a very long time because I m on social security disability, but they started this program where if you work part time and stay within certain hours, you can still have your social security. I was bored just hanging around the house and doing only charity. I needed to do something, so I was referred by someone that I go to the synagogue with. Miranda reveals that when she was interviewed, they found her personality was so delightful that they found the perfect position for her in e-commerce. Miranda, who has now been at Goodwill for over a year, remains active in charity work and singing in the choir at her synagogue. When asked what advice she would give, she responds: Anyone who wants to work for Goodwill: it s a dream job!
NATHANIEL NATE OSBORNE We love our team! Each individual that works for Goodwill has a captivating story. Nathaniel Osborne opened our 9th Avenue location a year and a half ago with co-worker Jennifer Johnson. However, at the beginning of his professional career, Nathaniel worked as an EMT. That job kinda scars you a little bit, says Nathaniel, maintaining his peaceful demeanor and careful articulation, I was very young, and the tragedy I experienced it was almost like being in war, you know? The injuries I that I have seen people suffer and go through I really didn t want to do that anymore, so, I went out to LA to play music. I was pretty good at it pretty successful. I play drums. I still play, but I only play in church now. Nathaniel was in Los Angeles for 17 years before returning to his home in West Virginia for his family. He then returned to the emergency room scene at Cabell Huntington Hospital as a member of the 22½ cardiac stepdown unit. As a retired man with lifetime experience, what is Nathaniel doing at Goodwill? I needed something to do. I had become a doorman for my pets. His geniality has since made him customer favorite at our 9th Avenue location. When asked what advice he would give to people, he simply stated with a thin smile, Jesus.
JAMES RUSSELL If you owned a restaurant and you watched me walk through the door and tell you I wanted a job, you d say, Okay, I ll call you. But you re not gonna call me just because you saw me. I know it, and you know it, said James Russell, who is currently working at Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA Area s recycling center. James possesses seasoned expertise in physical labor and spent a very long time as a painter, that is, until his cerebral palsy literally forced him off the ladder. I looked for a job at a lot of different places. I have a lot of construction experience, but the thing is, says James, if someone didn t personally know him, they would disregard him for a position. So when I got hired at Goodwill, I wanted to learn everything I could learn. Everybody knows I absolutely worked my hind end off and they realized I was a good worker. One thing that made me decide that I m going to try to make a career out of working at Goodwill is that I didn t feel judged when I came here. The tattoos didn t matter. The fact that I have cerebral palsy didn t matter. None of that stuff mattered. They gave me a chance to show them what I was able to do. That is important to me and that s been a big hang-up for me in my life. I always felt like people were judgmental towards people. But I feel like I ll go somewhere [at Goodwill]. I m in the process of getting my GED and I want to go to Marshall for business management. Eventually, no matter how much I want to do this warehouse-type stuff, I m gonna have to find a job that doesn t require a lot of physical work. When asked what advice he would give to the world, James said: Probably corny, but it s very true: don t give up. No matter what, if you do the next right thing whatever it may be in your case if you just continue to do the next right thing, positive things will happen. I honestly believe it s true because it s happened for me.
MAXIMILIAN MAX WILSON Here at Goodwill, Maximilian Wilson works at our recycling center, but he is also well known as the man who often commandeers our Puffy G suit! I came to this job through the Work Adjustment Training program, says Max. I was able to learn how to do a job interview, how to fill out a resume, and how to work and behave in a work environment. It s a really good entry program to learn how to work in the workforce. And then through that, [Recycling] got to know me, and then they hired me. When reflecting upon his feelings after graduating high school, Max related with many young adults who are fresh on their own path. It s different, it s scary, and it s unusual it s the adult world. I think that we need more kinds of programs like this, so people are able to get some experience instead of just throwing themselves in the workforce. Chuckling, he adds, If you re not scared, there s something wrong. Some of the most prominent knowledge he s gained while working at Goodwill is working with people with different personalities and different disabilities. It s broadened my horizons. It lets you see people outside your own little bubble you know it brings different experiences and people into your life. And it makes you a better person. This correlates with the most important value Max s parents would always try to teach him when he was younger: to see both sides of the story. He advises other people to do the same as well. Try to see the situation through their eyes, their values, and their beliefs, rather than just trying to push your own agenda and your own beliefs on others. It s really helped me to understand other people s personalities and views on multiple issues and just their whole lives. Ask yourself, Why did they think this? Why did they say that? I think it certainly helps me to take a minute and step back rather than yelling at someone for the first thing that comes out of their mouth. If you stop and think, Hm! Well, they re angry, but maybe that s because they ve had a bad morning. Maybe they have an issue with a family member that they re dealing with. Maybe they re sick. Yes, it could be a million possibilities for one scenario, but just try to understand where they re coming from the best you can. You need to listen to understand, not listen to hear.