Goodwill Mission Stories

Sandrae is a smart, hardworking young woman who felt hopeless going from job to job with no real sense of satisfaction.

Watching the journey of our participants through Goodwill’s programs is something we are so fortunate to be a part of. 

Meet Molly - a fun, active and social young woman who attends Goodwill’s Waukesha Day Services program. Summer is always busy for Molly and Goodwill proogram members, as their days are filled with outdoor activities like Garden Club, sailboat excursions on Lake Michigan and trips to the Milwaukee County Zoo (one of Molly’s favorites!)

Goodwill launched EmpowerOne in 2017, with a goal to provide a network of services that would allow individuals with disabilities to follow their own path to employment in the community.

Steven Morimoto served in the military for six years as a combat medic. However, like many Veterans, Steven found it very challenging to transition to civilian life. Then he found Goodwill.

Daane Hoffman enlisted in January of 1999. Before getting orders to Naval Station 32nd Street in San Diego, he completed his basic training and Radioman A-school at Naval Station Great Lakes. Now 20 years later, Daane has returned to the base, but this time as an employee of Goodwill.

Barriers to employment can take many forms. For some, child care or transportation issues can make it difficult to find or keep a job. For others, it may be a language or literacy issue. Serving people with disadvantages is a part of the Goodwill mission, and Keishla is an example of what happens when barriers are broken.

hile living in Puerto Rico, Keishla graduated with degrees in forensic science and chemistry but was unable to obtain meaningful employment and was struggling to support herself. Faced with fear and limited career options after graduation, Keishla was determined to move her life forward and made the difficult decision to leave her family in Puerto Rico and move to Wisconsin for a fresh start.