#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.”