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Left to right: Broderick Smith, Board of Directors Chair; Daryl J. Campbell, President & CEO

A message from our President & CEO, Daryl J. Campbell and Board of Directors Chair, Broderick Smith

Breaking barriers. This is the work of Goodwill students. This is the work of Seattle Goodwill. We thank you for making the work of breaking barriers possible.

This annual report celebrates many successes and breakthroughs we’ve had this year. We have diversified our job training and education programs to enhance gateways to opportunity, resulting in over 1,400 individuals placed in jobs. We’re also excited to share that 378 students enrolled in further education, while another 256 students earned credentials, bringing them one step further to overcoming barriers to entering and advancing in the workplace. It’s through outcomes like these that we measure success delivering our mission – to change lives by providing quality, effective employment training and basic education to individuals experiencing significant barriers to economic opportunity.

And while the numbers are gratifying, we are honored to share a few success stories of Goodwill students, partners and donors that are representative of the work we do with and for thousands more. Stories of our courageous neighbors like Yonas, who came to Goodwill after escaping persecution and imprisonment, and completing a harrowing journey that spanned three continents. Today Yonas is following his dream to become an electrical engineer, and is among the more than 6,000 individuals that came to Goodwill to push through challenges and improve their lives.

We hope you will take the opportunity to read through this report and learn more about the experiences and accomplishments of people like Yonas and others in our Goodwill community. These stories are the true measure of our mission. As we step into 2020 together, Seattle Goodwill continues to advance our mission to empower individual growth and overcome barriers. Thank you for caring, and thank you for giving, but most importantly, thank you for your commitment to breaking barriers.

                                   

Daryl J. Campbell, President & CEO                Broderick Smith, Board of Directors Chair

 

PARTNERSHIP: Safeway

Safeway and Goodwill have an integrated partnership and work together to achieve the greatest benefit for Goodwill’s clients and the respective communities in which they live. In addition to fundraising for Goodwill’s job training program, Safeway also participates in job fairs and actively hires a significant number of people enrolled in the program.

“GoodWill is an invaluable partner as we seek for new employees because they provide English for Speakers of Other Languages courses, retail training and soft skill education, as well as the clothing and transportation necessary for their clients to get started in a new career,” said Sara Osborne, Director of Public Affairs for Safeway and Albertsons. In spring of 2019, Safeway and the Goodwills of Washington teamed up to kick off its first job training and education fundraising campaign. People who donated at Safeway supported Goodwill’s mission to provide free job training and education programs. These classes include Basic Computers, GED Preparation, Youth Programs and Retail and Customer Service. They help people in the community find jobs and become economically self-sufficient.

“Safeway has hired many Goodwill clients who are now thriving in management at our stores,” said Sara Osborne. “We strongly believe that our store teams should reflect and relate to the many different communities in which we operate, and Goodwill helps us achieve that mission. We are also a company in which almost all of our leaders started out in our stores as courtesy clerks, so with dedication and commitment from both the employee and our company, what may once have been an entry level job can easily become a meaningful career.”

 

BREAKING BARRIERS: Stephanie

When Stephanie dropped out of high school and became a busy mom of three daughters, she assumed her career aspirations were over. Stephanie came to the U.S. when she was 16 years old. She didn’t speak English, struggled to make friends in high school, and developed social anxiety due to the rigors of being immersed in a new culture. Although Stephanie enjoyed learning, the crippling effects of being bullied prevented her from graduating. More than 10 years after leaving high school,

Stephanie’s career goals had faded. However, her hope began to grow after she connected with the YMCA Casino Road Academy in Everett. The Academy is a partnership between Seattle Goodwill, the YMCA of Snohomish County and Everett Community College. It offers Adult Basic Education classes such as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course taught by Goodwill instructors.

 Stephanie enrolled in an ESOL class and discussed with her instructor her ultimate goal—finishing high school, getting a college education and becoming a child educator.

“My instructor became my mentor, not just my teacher,” Stephanie said. “He was so encouraging, so helpful. He said, ‘If you need any help with homework or don’t understand something, come to me, and I can help you.’”

What once seemed like fantasy suddenly became more real. Stephanie excelled in her ESOL class and was encouraged by her Goodwill instructor to complete her high school education. Within a year, Stephanie had enrolled at Everett Community College where she obtained her High School 21+ diploma.

“I didn’t know it was possible,” Stephanie said. “Once I started studying high school level classes, I saw it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Everything kind of opened up. All these possibilities were endless.”

Besides providing educational and motivational support, Goodwill provided Stephanie valuable support services such as payment for books so she could focus on her studies.

Stephanie didn’t stop at her high school education. As a youth, Stephanie always dreamed of being a childhood educator. She was able to gain childhood education experience by volunteering in the Academy’s daycare. She met with a liaison at the YMCA Casino Road Academy who helped Stephanie obtain financial aid for college. Now she’s working toward a college degree so she can one day open her own daycare.

Stephanie has worked tirelessly toward her goals and plans to be a first-generation college graduate. Stephanie has completed one year of classes at Everett Community College and constantly visits the YMCA Casino Road Academy to give back and motivate other students.

“Goodwill is giving you everything to get started,” Stephanie said. “It’s amazing the help that Goodwill gives. It’s like a huge push that they give you, and from then on it just gets easier.”

 

BREAKING BARRIERS: Lisa 

Lisa had been volunteering as an office assistant at Goodwill’s Skagit County Job Training and Education (JTE) Center for a year before she left to address health problems. Nine months later, Lisa returned to Goodwill, but instead of providing volunteer service, she began receiving help.

Lisa had been losing important numeracy skills from past head trauma. She couldn’t give the correct amount of change to a cashier. Lisa struggled remembering her phone number and address, too. She confided in Skagit County JTE staff and began taking Goodwill’s High School Equivalency (HSE) course, which traditionally paves paths for students to earn their high school degree of High School 21+ (HS21+) diploma.

Her instructor connected with her in a unique way, and Lisa’s numeracy skills slowly returned. Lisa, who was out of work, now feels confident she can soon return to the workforce.

“What Goodwill has done has made a huge difference to me,” Lisa said. “I also want to express how grateful I am that the people at the Skagit County Goodwill JTE Center were willing to take me on as a student. Every two weeks there has been something new I have been able to do. This year, I did my taxes by myself, which was the first time in three years. Knowing someone is going to be there for me who I can ask help from was very helpful for me. Meeting my objectives has made me realize something important — things that previously seemed insurmountable now seem possible.”

 

BREAKING BARRIERS: Yonas

As a child in Eritrea, Yonas did his homework by candlelight so that he could one day make positive change in the world.

“When I was very young there was electricity scarcity in my country,” Yonas explained. “I was really into helping the community and wanted to solve the problem. My mom would say, ‘OK, if you want to solve the problem, you have to go to school. You have to inspire people.’”

Yonas excelled in his East African school and was excited to begin his college career. Then, Yonas was arrested for practicing his religious beliefs.

“Eritrea is a very strict country,” Yonas explained. “There is no freedom of speech, freedom of religion or that type of stuff.” Yonas began an unfathomable, excruciating months-long journey that took him halfway around the world. After six months in prison, he managed to escape and fled to Sudan. From there, Yonas got a flight to Brazil and embarked on a perilous, 14,000-mile trek to the California border. “From Columbia to Panama, we had to stay for five days in the jungle without food or anything,” he recalls. After receiving religious asylum and staying in a Los Angeles-area detention center for eight months, Yonas traveled to Seattle to be with his sister. Soon after, a relative told Yonas about Goodwill’s resources.

With the help of Goodwill he earned his High School 21+ high school equivalency diploma. “Coming to Goodwill was very helpful,” Yonas said. “When I first came here, they were giving me bus passes and were trying to connect me with jobs. I was able to meet people, and I was inspired to go back to school.”

Yonas began volunteering in Goodwill math classes and enrolled at Seattle Central College. He works full time and is one year away from earning his associate’s degree. Afterward, he plans to transfer to the University of Washington, where he’ll pursue an electrical engineering degree.

“Goodwill I think is doing a very great job, especially for people who are hopeless and don’t see their future,” Yonas said. “They even do all the services for free. I recommend people to reach out to someone at Goodwill.”

 

BREAKING BARRIERS: Daniel

Daniel is determined to take advantage of what he’s described as his “second chance.” After serving in the Army during the mid-to late 1980s, Daniel returned home to Seattle where for years he was caught up in a cycle of homelessness and marijuana and alcohol abuse.

“That was kind of a difficult time, and I ended up on disability for mental illness,” Daniel said.

For over 20 years, Daniel struggled to find stable employment and keep his life on track. The tipping point came when a health scare resulted in surgery and a subsequent stay at a nursing home. Daniel eventually connected with an intensive outpatient treatment  program that helped him overcome his drug addiction. He began volunteering around the community as a means to stay busy and give back.

Daniel still needed to find work to provide for himself, and his previous role as a kitchen cook was too high-stress and taxing on his body.

“I wanted to be reliable and trustworthy and learn a little time management and thought, ‘Why don’t I expand on volunteering and seek out some education?’” Daniel said. “I had owed student loans, and I thought Goodwill was free.”

Daniel came to Goodwill in December 2015 and began taking classes a month later. He started with Goodwill’s Computer Basics course, enjoyed it, and after completion wanted to learn more. Daniel began taking just about every class Goodwill’s King

County Job Training and Education (JTE) Center offered. He started volunteering in classes, too.

“In the past, there wasn’t much to actually keep me at those places of employment,” Daniel said. “There wasn’t much interaction with people there. At Goodwill, it’s more like going to a family reunion or something where you feel at ease talking to people and getting to know them.”

Daniel donated countless hours of volunteer time, and just when he exhausted all the Goodwill classes he could take, he was alerted to a part-time Computer Lab Assistant job at Goodwill’s WorkSource Center.

Daniel interviewed and was hired for the position, and now he helps Goodwill students to craft resumes and job search. He takes great satisfaction from helping others and soon hopes to study technical writing so he can do philanthropic work.

“Goodwill’s saying is jobs change lives, but I think in my case Goodwill saved my life,” Daniel said. “I feel like I’ve been given a miracle, kind of a second chance, and I want to take it and grow with it.”

 

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Our Mission: To provide quality, effective employment training and basic education to low-income individuals with significant barriers to economic opportunity. Because jobs change lives. 

 

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Thank you for supporting our mission during fiscal year 2018 - 2019.