ambassador winter 2014

Ambassador WINTER 2014

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker Tours Goodwill’s Nashville Headquarters

Goodwill Sweaters Warm Woman’s Heart & Hobby

Goodwill Impact Luncheons Award High Achievers

GOODWILL HELPS OVER 8,600 TENNESSEANS FIND WORK IN 2014, AND COUNTING

HELPING DRIVE DOWNUNEMPLOYMENT

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AmbassadorWINTER 2014

Ambassador Winter 2014 1

President and CEO Matthew S. Bourlakas

Publisher Karl HoustonSenior Director of Marketing & Community Relations

Editor and Writer Chris FletcherPR & 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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Goodwill Success StoriesGoodwill Surpasses 2014 GoalsFirst Career Solutions center in LebanonClarksville Police Honor Career SolutionsGoodwill’s 2014 Impact Luncheon - Middle TN

Goodwill’s 2014 Impact Luncheon - West TNEmployee Receives Wheels-To-Work

Lower Your Taxes, Help Goodwill Create Jobs

I Got it at Goodwill

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Board of Directors

DIRECTORSWoodretta AllenJ. B. Baker Bryan L. BeanSteele Clayton David L. CondraGary W. CordellAndrew DavidsonChris DunnRobert W. DuthieDave M. Fentress

James B. FoleyKathryn S. GibsonChad M. GroutPhilip 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 People Officer: Betty J. Johnson

Give A Kid A Book, Change The WorldU.S. Sen. Corker Tours Goodwill Headquarters12

12 Kristian Bush: Give It Away to Goodwill13 Goodwill Sweaters Warm Woman’s Heart & Hobby14 I Change Lives - Sandy Hickey

2Ambassador Winter 2014 2giveit2goodwill.org

Do you have some fabulous finds in your

home or closet that you purchased at

Goodwill? Share them with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter,

and we might feature them in our next

edition!

GREAT FINDS AND DEALS FROM GOODWILL SHOPPERS

igotitatGoodwill

#

Post your great finds:

#igotitatgoodwill

Tracey wrote: Bought this beautiful piece at Goodwill in Union City, TN. I love it.

Jane Wrote: New pillows from the Goodwill $1.99 each. They go perfect with my blue $10.00 couch my Mom got me for my craft room.

Ben wrote: This is the pea coat I’ve always wanted,” he said. “I’ve had others, but none like this. You can’t find a pea coat like that in a standard retail store. It was a great deal.”

BougieThrifter wrote: I scored some shoes of course but some really great ones: #NineWest #RalphLauren #ChelseaCrew

Our business is changing lives.Ambassador Winter 2014 3

give determination“I spent four months in a hospital bed,” she said. “My foot was shattered, but I was determined to prove my doctors wrong, and I did.”

give courage“I can get up every morning with a smile on my face because I have a job that I love.”

give peace“I told my career counselor I was tired of running the streets, and I really needed a job.”

GOODWILL

SUCCESSSTORIESOCTOBER - DECEMBER 2014

After a car accident left her with serious injuries to her back, knee, ankle

and foot, doctors told Marvelous she would never walk again. “I spent four months in a hospital bed,” she said. “My foot was shattered, but I was determined to prove my doctors wrong, and I did.”

Marvelous would continue to push herself. A year after the accident, she accepted a position as a dietary cook at a nursing home, but after 13 years, she had to leave the job she loved. “I could no longer do the heavy lifting the job required because I was in so much pain,” she said. “Arthritis had set in.”

Marvelous had a hard time finding another job that would meet her needs. After six months of unemployment, she moved from Indiana to Tennessee to live with her daughter and granddaughter. “I went through struggles, but my daughter was there to help me.”

When Marvelous stopped by the Goodwill Career Solutions center in Clarksville, she had been out of work for three years. “I never gave up. I was determined to find a job.”

Her determination paid off. Goodwill offered Marvelous a job as a clothing processor at the Clarksville store on Ft. Campbell Boulevard. She was excited to get a job offer, but concerned she wouldn’t be able to do the job. “I didn’t think I would make it through one day.”

Now, seven years later, Marvelous is still going strong. “Goodwill gave me a chance to work again, and I am grateful for that,” she said. “I love my job, and I love my Goodwill family.”

Marvelous

– Marvelous

– Linda

– Floyd

Ambassador Winter 2014 4giveit2goodwill.org

Floyd had been living the street life for more than 10 years. “I had a drug and alcohol problem, and

I kept going to jail,” he said.

In 2008, Floyd reached an all-time low and decided it was time to turn his life around. At the time, he had been unemployed for two years. “It got real tough, and I made up my mind that I didn’t want to live like this anymore.”

So, he left Jackson, Tennessee, and headed to Music City for a fresh start. Floyd had been on the job hunt in Nashville for three months when someone told him about Goodwill. The very next day he stopped by the Career Solutions center on 8th Avenue. “I told my career counselor I was tired of running the streets, and I really needed a job.”

One week later, Goodwill offered Floyd a job as a dock associate. After six months unloading trucks in one of Goodwill’s downtown Nashville warehouses, Floyd’s supervisor promoted him to a lead position. Then in 2012, he joined Goodwill’s community relations department as a truck helper. Floyd now spends his days picking up donations for Goodwill and interacting with our donors, which he thoroughly enjoys. “I like meeting people, and I really like my job.”

This month, Floyd celebrates his fifth anniversary with Goodwill, and he’s pretty happy with the way things have turned out. “Working for Goodwill makes me feel good inside,” he said. “I’m at peace now.”

FloydThe company Linda had previously worked for went under in 2008. Despite 23 years in

customer service, she couldn’t find another job. “It wasn’t a good time to be looking for work,” she said. “No one was hiring.”

When Linda visited the Goodwill Career Solutions center in Rivergate, she had been out of work for three years. “At that time, we were about two months from losing our home,” she said. “I told them I needed a job and I was willing to do anything.”

Three weeks later, Linda got a job tagging clothes in one of Goodwill’s downtown Nashville warehouses. After seven months, she was promoted to assistant supervisor in the warehouse. “I love helping people and encouraging people, and this job allowed me to do just that.”

Linda’s second promotion and current position allows her to help even more people. As a Goodwill job coach, she travels to different locations and works one-on-one with Goodwill clients who have a disability. “It is such a rewarding job,” she said with a smile. “When they master a task, I get excited, too.”

Linda said working for Goodwill has changed her life. “It has restored my faith and given me courage,” she said. “I can get up every morning with a smile on my face because I have a job that I love.”

Linda

Ambassador Winter 2014 5 Our business is changing lives.

oodwill has an enviable problem: trying to set lofty-but-achievable annual

goals when the nonprofit’s success at fulfilling its mission continues to zoom past expectations.

Take 2014, for instance. Based on the prior year’s performance, Goodwill’s leaders set goals of assisting 20,000 people with disabilities or other barriers to employment with free job training and placement services. From those, the hope was to place 6,000 people in jobs.

Those milestones were passed in September. By Nov. 30, the goals – which had seemed ambitious when they were set – appeared naively conservative. With a month left to go, nearly 26,700 people had been served at Goodwill Career Solutions Centers and more than 8,600 had found jobs.

“It was a remarkable accomplishment,” said Matt Gloster,

senior director of Goodwill Career Solutions.

Gloster said the reasons for 2014’s success included the hard work of career counselors to deepen and expand connections with employers and the refinement of administrative processes to track clients. Increases in the number of job fairs held at the Goodwill Career Solutions Centers centers and the number of people attending those events propelled exponential statistical gains. The 29 centers now collectively host about 100 jobs fairs per month.

The job placement numbers show the effort is paying off for Goodwill clients. And employers who partner with Goodwill are also realizing increased benefits.

“Goodwill is my cornerstone,” said Debby Bynum, manager of HG Staffing in Shelbyville which hires for Jostens Inc. in that city. “Without them to assist me in my hiring needs,

I don’t know how I would manage the day-to-day operations of hiring the proper candidate.” The impact on the region’s workforce and economy is also being recognized.

“Goodwill serves a hard-to-serve population that is in desperate need of assistance and training, and they do it at a scale that nobody else in Middle Tennessee does,” said Paul Haynes, executive director of the Middle Tennessee Workforce Investment Board.

The effect of three new Goodwill Career Solutions centers in thriving markets will start to be felt in 2015, further adding to the momentum, Gloster said. And making it all that much more difficult to decide on goals for the coming year. n

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MISSION POSSIBLE

TOGETHER WE CHANGED LIVES

GOODWILL SURPASSES 2014 ASSISTANCE, PLACEMENT GOALS

6,000

8,600

26,600 PEOPLE ASSISTED

8,600 PLACED IN JOBS

and

AS OF NOVEMBER 30TH 2014

6Ambassador Winter 2014 Our business is changing lives.

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FIRST CAREER SOLUTIONS CENTER LAUNCHED IN LEBANON

CLARKSVILLE POLICE HONOR GOODWILL CAREER SOLUTIONS

oodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee celebrated the grand opening of its first Career Solutions center in Lebanon on November 12, with a ribbon-cutting, open house and multi-employer job fair.

Dignitaries in attendance at the 1031 W. Main St. site, adjacent to the Goodwill store, included State Rep. Mark Prody and Lebanon Mayor Philip Craighead. Goodwill President and CEO Matthew Bourlakas and Vice President/Chief People Officer Betty Johnson gave brief opening remarks.

Eleven employers hoping to fill more than 500 positions in Wilson, Davidson and Rutherford counties participated in the job fair. During the three-hour event, they met with 65 job-seekers.

Courtney Bush said he attended the fair because he had recently moved to Lebanon from Memphis and had been out of work for a month.

“This has been very helpful,” he said. “It gives me guidance as far as where to go.”

Jason Wilkerson, who represented employer Staffmark, said he was pleased with the turnout.

“I got 11 good candidates today, and I’m thinking we can get them placed,” he said. “There were good folks coming in who brought their resumes and were well-prepared.”

The center’s new career counselor, Glenn Brown, and administrative assistant Catherine Clark, are longtime employees who have served Goodwill’s mission in several capacities. n

oodwill was honored by the Clarksville Police Department on Oct. 15 for its role in a project

designed to improve life for residents in the city’s New Providence area.

As a partner in Operation Defiance over three years, Goodwill Career Solutions assisted more than 5,500 people with job training and employment services, placing 455 people in jobs.

Police Chief Al Ansley presented a certificate of appreciation to Goodwill’s Vice President and Chief People Officer Betty Johnson, Career Solutions Centers Manager George Carlson and Career Solutions District Manager Lisa Baggett.

The Clarksville/New Providence Career Solutions is located in the New Providence Community Policing Center, 640 Providence Blvd. Neighbors may visit the center to receive help with education and GED, employment, computer training and family support. n

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GOODWILL HONORS HIGH ACHIEVERS IN MIDDLE TENNESSEEOutstanding Clients, Employees, Employers & Community Partners Recognized

Goodwill honored 11 employees and Career Solutions clients, three employer partners and a community partner at its annual Impact Luncheon on Nov. 21 in Nashville. News Channel 5 anchor Rhori Johnston (Pictured Left) emceed the event, and motivational speakers H.K. Derryberry and Jim Bradford shared Derryberry’s inspiring story. Derryberry, who is blind and has cerebral palsy, has ridden a horse, driven a boat and even flown a plane with the help of his mentor Bradford. Derryberry praised Goodwill for helping many people with disabilities.

Pictured L to R: Channel 5 anchor Rhori Johnston, Goodwill Industries CEO Matthew Bourlakas, Keynote speakers H.K. Derryberry and Jim Bradford.

Joey loves his job at the Dollar Tree store in Shelbyville. He enjoys stocking the shelves and greeting customers. When Joey, who has a learning disability, came to Career Solutions in July of 2013, he had never been employed before. He got job readiness training and practical experience through Goodwill’s Transitional Employment Services Program. He encouraged others in the program.

As he did, Joey went from being very shy to very confident. After nearly a year of hard work, Joey landed a position at Dollar Tree. Joey’s example shows what hard work and determination can do.

This award is named in honor of two women who were loyal supporters of Goodwill, Madaleine LaVoi and Elsine Katz. The award is given to a Career Solutions client who has made outstanding progress in their program at Goodwill.

LAVOI-KATZ AWARD

Joey

Callers to Goodwill’s Nashville headquarters would be interested to learn that the professional, friendly voice who answers belongs to someone who has only been on the job for five months. But they would be surprised, indeed, to learn that Call Center employee Terrell is blind.

Terrell uses special software to scroll through over 900 pages of information that are read aloud to him through his headset. It took six weeks of intense training, but Terrell’s hard work has paid off for him and paved the way for others. He credits Goodwill for answering his call for help.

This award is given to a Career Solutions client who has succeeded beyond all expectations in their new job.THE 110% AWARD

Terrell

NOVEMBER 21ST 2014

8Ambassador Winter 2014 giveit2goodwill.org

GRADUATES OF THE YEAR AWARD The recipients of this award have achieved great success since enrolling in Goodwill Career Solutions.

EMPLOYER PARTNER AWARD

COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARD

was a skilled handyman with a troubled past. Goodwill Career Solutions and its job fairs led him to a position he enjoys with HotelPro as an exterior cleaner.

YOUTH GRADUATE OF THE YEAR

Several businesses were recognized at the luncheon for their enthusiastic support of Goodwill’s mission. Speedway, Lowe’s and Waffle House, were honored for contributing to the success of Career Solutions through their employment practices and hiring of numerous clients.

moved to the U.S. from Thailand. Despite a degree, she struggled with language barriers. She trained with Goodwill in Shelbyville and is now a office administrator.

brought his family to the U.S. from Egypt. Cultural barriers brought him to Goodwill. He obtained a maintenance job at the Saint Cecilia Motherhouse.

a registered nurse who had been a stay-at-home mom for 20 years, refreshed her skills with Goodwill. She is now an RN case manager for St. Clair’s Senior Center.

lost everything in the 2010 Nashville floods. After training at Goodwill, he founded the Edgehill Bike Club, which mentors to children and has given away over 400 bicycles.

feared her age would prevent employment. But the former stay-at-home mom joined Goodwill’s Beyond Jobs program and is now a retail assistant at our Antioch store.

had been unemployed for three years. She completed training at Goodwill and was hired at a Murfreesboro store. After two promotions, she is assistant manager.

had hopes for a military career but they were cut short by injury, and he struggled to find a civilian job. After a Goodwill job fair, he landed a spot with Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

participated in Goodwill’s Youth-Building Program, which led to a job with Crossroads Campus, a non-profit connecting people with pets.

which works to promote peace and improve life in Gallatin’s Clearview Community, was honored for a decade of work with Goodwill to further the missions of both organizations.

The Shalom ZoneStefanie

Terry Marcia Myrel Dallas

BrendaAmgadEveWilliam

Businesses Honored

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NOVEMBER 7TH 2014

GOODWILL HONORS HIGH ACHIEVERS IN WEST TENNESSEEOutstanding Clients, Employees, Employers & Community Partners Recognized

When Tiffany first enrolled in Goodwill’s transitional employment training program to be a housekeeper in October of 2012, she was terribly shy and withdrawn. As her training continued and she was hired as a housekeeper at the North Jackson Career Solutions Center, Tiffany began to blossom. She helped out at job fairs, strengthening her communication and customer service skills. Tiffany completed several Goodwill computer classes and is now enrolled in the West Tennessee Business College Medical Billing Specialist program.

This award is given to a Career Solutions client who has succeeded beyond all expectations in their new job.THE 110% AWARD

REGIONAL PARTNER, COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYER PARTNER AWARDS

Several organizations were recognized for their support of Goodwill’s mission. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology was recognized as Regional Partner of the Year, while Bethel University and the Obion County Joint Economic Development Council were named Community Partners of the Year. Advantage Staffing, Cox Oil and Max Trans, were honored for their employment practices and hiring of Goodwill Career Solutions clients.

Tiffany

Organizations Honored

Goodwill honored five Career Solutions clients, three employers, two community partners and one regional partner at its Impact Luncheon awards ceremony in Jackson on Nov. 7. WBBJ-TV morning anchor Bart Barker emceed the event.

Pictured above: WBBJ-TV Morning anchor Bart Barker (Center) with Impact Luncheon awardees pictured Left to right: Tiffany, Jeffrey, Tonia and Lisa.

NOVEMBER 7TH 2014


L ife’s bumpy road will be a little smoother for a West Tennessee Goodwill donations attendant

now that he is riding in a reliable car he received for free.

Raymond, who works at Donation Express Centers in both Lexington and Jackson, is the beneficiary of Goodwill’s Wheels-to-Work Program, which was established to help Goodwill employees and clients who need reliable transportation to get to work. Goodwill President and CEO Matthew

Bourlakas presented Raymond with the keys to his “new” car — a 1999 Honda Accord — during a ceremony Nov. 7 at the Goodwill Career Solutions Center on West University Parkway in Jackson.

Raymond said the car is a huge step up from his 1992 Chevrolet Lumina. He fought a losing war to keep the old car on the road, being forced to make expensive repairs, such as replacing the water pump, head gaskets and the engine. “Now I can get to work and church without needing to get towed

and having to call somebody to pick me up,” he said. “It’s a big deal to me.”

Raymond moved to Tennessee in 2009 to look for work after losing his job in Wisconsin. He visited a Goodwill Career Solutions office for help and was hired as a donation attendant. Raymond’s supervisor says he is an excellent and reliable team member. n

WEST TENNESSEE EMPLOYEE RECEIVES WHEELS-TO-WORK

The recipients of this award have achieved great success since enrolling in Goodwill Career Solutions.

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first came to Goodwill in April after the company where she worked in human resources relocated, leaving her unemployed. Job readiness training at Goodwill helped the single mom find a new job as human resources manager for Jones Plastic and Engineering. She now has a new home, and her company hires directly through Goodwill.

was laid off from her job in May 2013. The single mom had a chemistry degree, but her resume and computer skills needed refreshing. She got help at the South Jackson Goodwill Career Solutions Center. She now teaches math to eleventh- and twelfth-graders at Jackson Central-Merry High School.

was left with few resources after her divorce. She had not worked for several months and needed a place to live. At the South Jackson Goodwill Career Solutions center, she completed digital literacy and Microsoft Office training. She received multiple job offers and took a position as an administrative assistant with Hamilton-Ryker staffing company.

moved from St. Louis to Jackson to live with his son after his work hours were slashed, but he had no luck finding employment. In October of 2013, he came to Goodwill for job readiness training. Two months later, he was hired part-time by Krystal Restaurant. He recently got a second job and moved into his own apartment.

JeffreyLisaLatorriaTonia

GRADUATES OF THE YEAR AWARD


hen a class of Martin Methodist College students in Pulaski, Tenn. envisioned creating a library for the local Boys & Girls Club, they set a goal of collecting

500 books. Then they reached out to Goodwill for help.

Professor Kerbe Lee said he only hoped a Goodwill store would give his students a good deal on books for the club’s at-risk children, many of whom lack books at home.

But when Mike Eisenbraun, Goodwill’s senior director of production, heard about the request, he put a team of employees to work on the class project. They sorted through unsold books to find ones appropriate for the club, and then arranged to transport three huge boxes they had filled to the Pulaski Boys & Girls Club.

During an Oct. 21 ceremony, the college students unveiled the new library to the club. Inside were 19 bookcases filled with more than 5,200 books. Lee said the results exceeded his students’ highest hopes. “It’s just amazing what Goodwill was able to do to help us.” n

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GIVE A KID A BOOK AND YOU CHANGE THE WORLD

Find a Donation Express Center near you, visit: www.giveit2goodwill.org/locations

hey are six days that make a difference in thousands of lives. Each year from Dec. 26-31, the number of donations at Goodwill Donation Express Centers

skyrockets. In 2013, donations of clothing and household goods during that period rose by 80 percent compared to other days of the year.

Donations fund Goodwill’s mission of providing employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities and others who have trouble finding and keeping jobs. The end-of-year donation rush is prompted in part by people cleaning out their closets, attics and garages to make room for holiday gifts. But donors also are seeking last-minute tax deductions.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when donating:

• Donors wishing to claim a tax deduction should request a receipt from the attendant when dropping off their donations. The IRS allows a deduction for each item, but it is up to the donor to estimate each item’s value.

• Prepare an inventory of your items before donating.

• Please remove hangers from clothing.

• If you have a single donation worth more than $500, you will need to complete IRS Form 8283. You will also need a qualified written appraisal.

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LOWER YOUR TAXES, HELP GOODWILL CREATE JOBS

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KRISTIAN BUSH TO FANS: ‘GIVE IT AWAY FOR GOODWILL’Kristian Bush has hitched his country music star power to Goodwill’s mission of transforming lives through the power of work.

The Knoxville-born musician, half of the platinum-selling duo Sugarland, recently announced a partnership with Goodwill Industries International. Their “Give it Away” campaign was inspired by

Bush’s Top-35-and-climbing hit, “Trailer Hitch,” which includes the lyrics, ‘I may not have that much, but I don’t mind spreading it around.’

At his concerts, in interviews and through social media, Bush is encouraging fans to donate to Goodwill to fund its mission. n

U.S. SEN. CORKER TOURS GOODWILL’S DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE HEADQUARTERSU.S. Sen. Bob Corker toured Goodwill’s downtown Nashville facility on Nov. 6 and saw for himself how donors’ gently used clothing and household items are turned into employment and training opportunities for thousands of Tennesseans each year.

Corker met with Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee employees including President and CEO Matthew Bourlakas, Board Chairman Donna Yurdin and Vice Chairman Fred McLaughlin for a video and discussion of Goodwill’s operations and mission before touring the facility. Bourlakas explained how money raised in Goodwill’s stores through the sale of donated items is used to provide numerous types of employment training, certifications and job placement services at Goodwill’s 29 Career Solutions Centers. As of Oct. 31 those centers had served nearly 25,000 people and placed more than 7,700 in jobs.

The senator’s tour followed the path taken by donated clothing as it moves through the plant, from the dock, down an array of conveyors and past row upon row of employees who sort, tag and package the textiles for allocation to 34 Goodwill stores. About 450 people work at the plant, while total employment for Goodwill of Middle Tennessee tops 2,200.

One of those workers, Grace, had been out of work for three years before being hired as a production associate at Goodwill.

“I didn’t have a job when I came to Goodwill,” she told the senator. “They gave me a chance to take my life back, and I love them for that.”

Corker concluded his tour by shaking hands and posing for photos with a group of plant workers who have disabilities. They presented him with an autographed picture of themselves.

“I am proud of the inspiring work Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee is doing to impact the lives of so many Tennesseans, and I enjoyed touring their facility in Nashville,” Corker said. “When most people think about Goodwill, they think about donating clothes, and while that’s certainly important, the work Goodwill is doing for local communities goes so much further.

“I was particularly touched by their work to provide opportunities for the disabled and individuals in need to find and maintain jobs,” he added. n


or Laurie Gagliano, Goodwill’s stock of gently used sweaters is a godsend. Or part of a

godsend, anyway.

After years as a schoolteacher, the pastor’s wife and mother of seven found herself in a new role: as stay-at-home day care provider to her grandchildren.

“I really prayed and asked God if he would give me something while I was at home, because I didn’t want to go out of my gourd while just watching kids,” she recalls.

One day she found the answer to her prayer lying on the ironing board in her sister’s home -- a beautiful pair of handmade mittens. She grilled her sister about how the mittens were made and learned that the exterior parts were cut from wool sweaters and then stitched together on a sewing machine. A fleece lining prepared in the same fashion made them toasty warm.

“I fell in love with the mittens and the wool sweaters immediately, and the love is still there,” Gagliano says.

Finding the materials for her new passion proved easier and cheaper than she could have hoped. A veteran bargain-shopper, Gagliano was familiar with the Goodwill store near her home in Springfield, Tenn. When she learned that a large selection of sweaters was among the inventory Goodwill marks down to 99 cents on Wednesdays and Sundays, her new routine was born.

“The minute the door opened I would be there, trying to snatch up all the wool sweaters I could find,” she explains.

Gagliano’s hobby snowballed from there. She can now produce a pair of adult women’s mittens in 20 minutes. Ornate children’s mittens, in animal shapes like owls and foxes, take an hour. In total, she makes about 450 pairs per year.

She sells her mittens in several resale stores. The proceeds allow her family to enjoy some extras, such as holding a large Christmas party for widows who attend her church. She also recently donated about 40 pairs of her mittens, and 15 hats she bought at Goodwill, for missionaries to distribute to needy villagers in a remote part of Alaska.

The mittens have also brought Gagliano a bit of notoriety. In May, she was chosen for a “Cheapest of the Cheap” award by Mary Hance, better known as Ms. Cheap, a columnist who writes about saving money for The Tennessean in Nashville.

Three years after Gagliano began making them, her mitten mania shows no signs of subsiding.

“The sweaters inspire me,” she says. “I find a sweater I love, and I can’t wait to turn it into a mitten.” n

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GOODWILL SWEATERS WARM WOMAN’S HEART AND HOBBY

MITTEN SMITTEN:

“I really prayed and asked God if he would give me something while I was at home, because I didn’t want to go out of my gourd while just watching kids.”


What brought you to Goodwill? The opportunity to serve others and advance my career. I was in health care a long time and was ready for a positive change. This was a brand new field for me, but the basics are the same. You take care of clients and serve others.

What are the duties of your new position? Guiding other career counselors and maximizing their potential to serve their community and the surrounding areas. Also, I love talking with our business and community partners about Goodwill’s mission and how we accomplish it.

What are some of the challenges you face? Getting the word out about what Goodwill does. There are so many areas -- not just cities -- where high unemployment persists that have a need for our services. We want to reach out to the outlying communities as well with job fairs, training and employment services.

What has surprised you most in your time at Goodwill? It just astonishes me how much we’ve grown. At the Union City Career Solutions Center, we went from 100 clients placed in jobs at this point last year to 515 this year. Those aren’t just numbers, they are people who got paychecks, fed their families and paid their bills.

What do you enjoy most about your job?I enjoy meeting all the new people, hearing their stories and finding them jobs. Our clients call all the time to say, “Hey, I got a job!” It never gets old. Many of these are people who had nowhere else to turn, and we offer them life-changing opportunities.

How do you change lives?

Simply doing my job and following Goodwill’s mission helps me to change lives. I make sure that everyone I contact is my priority. I take the time to talk to them, to see what their job skills are and help give them hope. Every day, if I treat people with respect and dignity, it makes a difference.

Sandy HickeyCareer Solutions District Manager

Sandy Hickey is a district manager for Goodwill Career

Solutions, overseeing the job training and employment

services provided at centers in Jackson and Union City.

She ensures that policies and procedures are followed and

assists staff members with any issues they may encounter.

CHANGE LIVESi

Helping people has been Sandy Hickey’s lifelong passion. After studying accounting at Illinois’ Lake Land College, Hickey moved to Tennessee and spent 17 years in the health care industry. She became a certified nursing assistant and eventually an executive director. Two years ago, Sandy’s life was at a crossroads. That is when she applied for an administrative assistant position with Goodwill’s Career Solutions Center in Union City. She was hired, and after eight months in that job, she was promoted to career counselor. A year and a half later, Sandy was promoted again -- this time to district manager over West Tennessee’s three busy Career Solutions centers. She’s served in that role for about two months.

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ambassador winter 2014

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