Goodwill of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas

Success Stories

Debbie Boyd - In January of 2008, Debbie Boyd was referred to Goodwill's Retail Community Based Training Program to complete a work assessment at the Sahara Goodwill Superstore. Prior to her assessment, Debbie had 6 years of previous work experience as an Assistant Manager for City Stop, a local convenience store. After experiencing a stroke which left her significantly disabled, Debbie needed assistance with getting back into the workforce. Debbie came to her work assessment with so much enthusiasm to work that she was immediately recognized by the Sahara Store Manager and Employment Trainer. Before her participation in the Goodwill CBT Program, Debbie feared that she might never be able to work again. Throughout her assessment, Debbie demonstrated an ability to complete the tasks when the appropriate accommodations were made to address her physical needs. She said that the training program gave her the opportunity to reestablish her previous work skills. Debbie's interactions with her trainer, co-workers, and customers helped increase her speech ability, which was limited due to the stroke she experienced. Additional stroke-related limitations with her right arm and leg were addressed by her a very supportive Sahara Store Team who always came up with the alternative ways of completing daily tasks to help Debbie succeed. At the completion of her work assessment, she was hired on as a Part-Time Stocker for the Goodwill Sahara Store. According to Debbie, Goodwill's CBT Program taught her a new way of thinking and working. She would not be able to build the confidence to get back to work without having this experience, which is a stepping stone for future employment. Above all, Debbie loves her job with Goodwill and we are happy to have Debbie on our workforce.

Sharon Thompson was referred to Goodwill's Office Training Program in March of 2008 to acquire computer skills necessary to increase her employability. Although she has 3 brothers and 3 sisters, it was difficult for her to maintain close family relationships because they were raised in separate foster homes. Later instances of adult victimization have caused Sharon to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression. In 2007, Sharon realized that her life was not improving and that she needed help in order to turn her life around. She approached the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation and other social service agencies in the Las Vegas metro area. Consequently, Sharon got accepted into a home that encourages a positive, clean, and sober life style but she also wanted to obtain training to get a good job. Having an extensive work background in shipping and receiving, she decided that Goodwill's Office Community Based Assessment would be an ideal place to start. Her limited experience with computers prevented her from being considered for shipping and receiving positions. To overcome this barrier, she entered Goodwill's training to gain a position of permanent employment. With her positive attitude and strong learning potential, Sharon mastered the Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint Programs nearly twice as fast as it was expected of an average client in Goodwill's CBT Program. During the last week of her assessment with Goodwill, Sharon learned about the job opening at Steelman Tools. Her success during an interview was a direct result of the confidence that she had gained during her training at Goodwill and Sharon was immediately hired as a Full-Time Shipping and Receiving Clerk. Needless to say, the company was looking for people who had a working knowledge of the programs that Sharon had just completed during her assessment. And the overall Office Training at Goodwill gave her the edge needed to respond in an articulate manner when asked questions concerning her abilities. Sharon attributed her ability to do so to the “wonderful” experience in the Office Training. Her employer is very happy with her and Sharon is very happy to utilize all of the skills she learned in her training. Sharon believes that she has found an area of employment that she can build into a long lasting career.

Nicole Duis went through the Retail Training Program at the Goodwill Cheyenne Store in August of 2007 while still a student at Centennial High School. Despite not having prior experience in a real world working environment, Nicole possessed many of the qualities desired by the local employers. She always arrived on time and she was motivated to work the minute she arrived on site. Nicole only participated in the assessment for 7 days, but learned all of the retail tasks very quickly. Her proactive approach had a positive influence on her peers, improving the general upkeep and appearance of the Cheyenne Goodwill Store. Nicole's determination to become employed was rewarded within the two months after her exit. In the fall of 2008, she obtained a job as a Courtesy Clerk at Albertson's. Nicole combined her job with school and has graduated from Centennial High School, while continuing to work toward an Option One diploma. Nicole is scheduled to obtain an Option One diploma from Centennial in June of 2008. Once she receives her diploma, she hopes to go to work full time in her current position. Nicole enjoys her position at Albertsons and especially likes the opportunity it gives her to interact with customers. Nicole is also planning to save money to get a driver's license and buy a car. We have seen first hand that Nicole has continued to work toward her goals in a purposeful manner that tends to be quite rare in her age group. Nicole's verve and determination make us confident that she will accomplish all of her future goals.

Tami Wilkerson was referred to Goodwill's Community Service Worker Program by the North Las Vegas Municipal Court in May of 2007. With her outgoing personality, we offered Tami an opportunity to complete 120 community service work hours in our Department of Workforce Development and Volunteer Services. After finishing her first assignment, Tami returned to Goodwill to complete additional 265 community service hours. In early September of 2007, Tami successfully completed 385 community service hours, assisting us with a variety of clerical projects such as filing, typing and copying. The time spent at Goodwill was very special and unique, Tami said, because she was not treated like a felon or a criminal. Instead, she was treated with dignity and respect by everyone she encountered. While at Goodwill, Tami learned about the Vision Seminar that was introduced to Goodwill by one of the Board Members, and she decided to enroll despite having limited financial means at that time. But the gains were substantial; the seminar helped her began addressing the feelings of shame resulting from her difficult and turbulent past. After completing community service, Tami was referred to Goodwill's Career Connections to receive job search and job placement assistance. Tami worked one-on-one with an Employment Specialist who helped her with updating her resume and provided her with fifteen job leads. After only several weeks, Tami landed a Full-Time Food Server position at Cosmos Restaurante. Today, she likes the people she works with and she appreciates having daily contact with customers. She enjoys making someone's day by just being friendly and wearing a smile. Tami is still searching to identify her long-term career goals and she knows that Goodwill's Good Neighbor Center will always be there as an important community resource. Participation at Goodwill's Community Service Worker Program was one of the pillars towards my sobriety and I will never forget this experience, Tami said. She added, this is a relationship for life and I am planning to return to Career Connections in the future.

Sharin Sprangel participated in Goodwill's CBT Program in March of 2006, completing a Retail Assessment at the Sahara Store to assess her current work skills and readiness to re-enter the workforce. Throughout her assessment, Sharin was able to demonstrate excellent customer service, work ethic and organizational skills. Although Sharin is deaf, her disability did not stop her from interacting professionally with both her co-workers and Goodwill's customers. With her excellent ability to read lips, Sharon always responded promptly to the needs of the customers and got the attention of her trainer or other coworkers for customer inquiries when she was unable to assist. Sharin was simply a joy to be around, coming in to work with a smile, positive attitude and readiness to engage in any task presented to her. Sharin was highly recommended for Job Placement at the completion of her training and received a Care Taker Position at the Kids Quest inside of the Santa Fe Station in June 2006. Sharin's innate ability to work well with others made this position the perfect match for her abilities. She received a raise shortly after accepting the position. In August 2007, she transferred to 24 Hour Fitness to work at their daycare division, which pays her more money and is closer to her home. Sharin is very excited to continue on her current career path.

Ann Gallegos was referred to participate in Goodwill's Office Training Program in December of 2006. In Office Training, Ann learned valuable computer skills and has shown the ability to provide excelle nt customer service. In March of 2007, Ann put these newly acquired skills to use when she obtained employment as a full-time Customer Service Representative with Sitel, a Call Center supporting Verizon Wireless. Her major job responsibilities included taking inbound calls, helping the customers with their bills, adding more features to their service, suspending service when necessary and transferring calls. Ann's job search lasted two months from the time she left Goodwill's Community Based Training Program to being offered employment with Sitel. She stated that her biggest obstacle to finding employment was the stigma attached to her disability, Spina Bifida, and encountering employers who were not willing to accommodate her. Ann stated that Goodwill's Office Training Program sharpened her typing skills along with computer skills in MS Excel, Word, Outlook and Power Point. Ann's ability to maintain employment at Sitel throughout the last 10 months showed her true potential and ability to grow. This line of work was quite new to her, but she was able to pick up several new transferable skills. In January of 2008, Ann obtained a part-time position with the Safe Nest Program, where she is assisting with donation calls. This is the type of position and organization she has always hoped for in her professional endeavors. It is with honor that we present Ann this year with the 2008 Office CBT Trainee of the Year Award.

Latasha DiPietro began her relationship with Goodwill back in 2001 when she was referred to participate in the Retail Community Based Training Program at the Sahara Goodwill Store. This would be Latasha's first experience in a working environment. She demonstrated a natural ability to work hard in her assessment and was recommended for job placement at the completion of the program. Her efforts at the store did not go unnoticed as she was presented with the Goodwill CBT Transition Student of the Year Award in 2003. Latasha was given the opportunity to pick up valuable cash register a nd organizational skills in her assessment which she would utilize later to find employment working in different retail settings. Knowing Latasha's potential to succeed, Goodwill partnered with the Desert Regional Center to provide Latasha with Follow-Along Job Coaching Services. In 2003, Latasha chose to embark on a career path in retail and she has successfully maintained employment in this type of work setting ever since. She worked as a Sales Associate with Rue 21 from 2003 to June 2007. Last summer, she took the initiative to seek out better work opportunities while still employed and approached the manager of DC Shoes to discuss employment opportunities. Her request for employment was granted and Latasha has been working as a Sales Associate with DC Shoes for the past 7 months now. Latasha could not be happier in her current position, which allows her the opportunity to receive more work hours and a competitive working wage. Latasha enjoys interacting with her co-workers and supervisors and they have nothing but positive feedback regarding her work ethic. She receives feedback on how to improve her work performance eagerly and uses it to produce results. Latasha is a true example of one that can take their skills and abilities and use them to fi nd meaningful and lasting employment. We honor Latasha this year with the 2008 DRC Client of the Year Award.

Christopher Abagat was a student of Cimarron High School when he was referred to Goodwill's Community Based Training Program in August of 2007. Christopher entered the Sahara Retail Assessment location with no previous work experience, but had a natural eagerness and willingness to learn work skills. He quickly picked up the routine and appeared determined to excel in all tasks he was assigned to do throughout his assignment. Christopher was a natural team player while working at the store. He demonstrated a strong work ethic and a determination to succeed. He was recommended for job placement at the completion of his assessment. Christopher received assistance from a job developer assigned to him by his Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and was assisted with filling out job applications for various positions. Within two months of his job search, Christopher successfully obtained his first job as a Sales Associate with Target. Christopher's job duties include stocking, zoning and customer service. Christopher stated that he really enjoyed Goodwill's Community Based Training Program because it assisted him with transitioning into work in a retail environment. Christopher states that Goodwill "helped build skills like stocking, go-backs and using the pallet jack." Christopher really enjoys working for Target and particularly appreciates how nice everyone is to him. He values the way the other employees treat him and hopes to be with the company for a long time to come. Goodwill is honored to recognize Christopher this year with the 2008 CBT Transition Student of the Year Award.

Vunita James was referred to Goodwill's Community Service Worker Program by the North Las Vegas Municipal Court in December of 2006. With many years of customer service and customer relations experience in the mortgage industry, we offered Vunita an opportunity to complete her community service work hours in our Department of Workforce Development and Volunteer Services. Having been out of the workforce for nearly 15 months and having been evicted during that time, Vunita was determined to stand on her feet again and we responded by giving her a hand up. Between December of 2006 and April of 2007, Vunita successfully completed 270 hours, assisting us with a variety of clerical projects such as filing, typing, copying, proofing, computing, entering data and working on special projects. What we noticed about Vunita is that she was very diligent about her assignments. She enjoyed working in our office because this experience has not only allowed her to practice her existing skills but also to acquire new hands-on experience in a nonprofit environment. Despite her personal hardships, Vunita never got discouraged in the process. Upon completing community service, Vunita was referred to Goodwill's Career Connections to receive job search and job placement assistance. In Career Connections, Vunita updated her resume, conducted independent Internet job searches and was given several job leads by her Employment Specialist. Although the declining housing market made it hard for Vunita to return to the previous line of work, Goodwill's Employment Specialist helped Vunita identify new vocational goals, secure temporary employment throughout the summer and land a part-time Sales Associate job at Banana Republic in November of 2007. She is currently completing diploma training for dental assistant, expecting to graduate in April of 2008, and hopes to assist in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery field following her graduation. Vunita is a living testimony reminding us that all struggles pay off if we stay determined and reach out for support. For this achievement, we recognize Vunita this year with the 2008 Community Service Worker of the Year Award.

Marci Showalter moved to Las Vegas in 1997 after working in the Food and Beverage Industry for a total of 30 years. She spent the following 6 years working in the Casino Industry, but began having difficulties with her legs due to Diabetes. Having undergone two knee replacement surgeries in 2003 and 2004, Marci was no longer physically able to maintain employment in the food and beverage industry. Devoting 36 years to a profession only to realize that she would have make a drastic career change late in her life was devastating. She requested the services of the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation in 2005 to assist her in her search for a new professional beginning. To accommodate Marci's need to work in a position more sedentary, Marci was referred to Goodwill's Office Training Program for an assessment of her skills. Marci's ability to provide top level customer service made her the perfect candidate for the program. The assessment was geared primarily toward teaching Marci skills on the computer, which was an area very new to her. Marci exceeded expectations in her assessment by not only being referred to Job Placement at the program's completion, but by being offered the Workforce Development and Volunteer Services Assistant position which became available at Goodwill shortly after her completion of the program. Marci has been a vital asset of the Workforce Development Team since May 2005 and her role has since been expanded to include conducting 274 intakes with clients referred to Goodwill's Community Based Training and Job Development Programs last year alone! She is also regularly called upon to assist with filling in to teach the same Office Training Program which she was once a part of. Once a client seeking employment herself, Marci is now providing those same vital services to others interested in seeking employment and obtaining a career as well. Marci's unwavering smile, light hearted sense of humor, and stellar work ethic might sometimes cause one to forget that she has a disability which causes her to struggle with physical pain on a regular basis. Marci often works through the pain she experiences and has never allowed her disability to keep her down. She effectively advocates for herself to ensure that her workspace is accessible and accommodating to meet her needs. Marci is so committed to the work that she is doing at Goodwill and in carrying out its mission that she hopes to continue working for Goodwill until she retires. Marci's dedication, determination and ability to turn a new career into a professional success story, is a true example of achievement. It is with honor that we awarded Marci the 2007 Goodwill Achiever of the Year Award.

Elizabeth Hydrusko was referred to participate in Goodwill's Office Training Program in January of 2007. Elizabeth demonstrated excellent work ethic by completing all days assigned to her and always showing up to her assessment early and eager to learn new skills. Elizabeth's enthusiasm to learn and work was apparent with the way that she approached each assignment given to her. Elizabeth successfully completed her 15-day Office Assessment and was highly recommended for Job Placement. Elizabeth obtained employment with the Laboratory Medicine Consultants (LMC) in May of 2007 and has been working as a part-time Lab Tech ever since. Elizabeth's major job responsibilities include signing for specimens, scanning images into the computer, answering phones from the doctors calling in for images, and filing slides. She is making a competitive wage that meets her needs and is excited about the prospect of being promoted to a full time position in 2008 given the increase in business that has recently occurred. Elizabeth has stated that she absolutely enjoyed Goodwill's Community Based Training Program. She credits the program for sharpening her keyboard and filing skills. Working in an office environment was quite new to her, but has been extremely exciting. It took Elizabeth approximately 3 months from the time she exited Goodwill's Office Training Program to find her current position and she has hopes of staying with the company for the years to come. For this achievement, we are honoring Elizabeth with the 2008 Graduate of the Year Award.

James DiFrancisco was born and raised in New York and is a Veteran of the Navy. He attended college in Texas before moving to Las Vegas. He worked at various jobs after moving to Las Vegas, with extensive experience in the fast food industry from 1991 through 1998. James began to experience declining health problems and was not able to retain employment starting in 2004. This changed after he sought out help in finding employment through the Veterans Administration and the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. His BVR counselor referred him to Goodwill's Retail Training Program for an assessment of his work skills in February of 2007. James did very well while participating in his assessment at the Cheyenne Goodwill Store and proved to be a conscientious worker. He was very team oriented and always wanted to stay busy on a task. James was able to successfully complete every task offered to him within the time allotted for his assessment. His positive attitude while going through his assessment, and later while searching for employment, were instrumental in James being able to find employment with Wal-Mart in May of 2007. James worked in the Maintenance Department of Wal-Mart until the end of August. The store had to release 5 employees at that time and James was unfortunately included in that number. However, he did not get discouraged and continued to look for work. His efforts were rewarded and James was able to return to work at Wal-Mart in December of 2007. James' new position is that of stocking shelves at a store that is within walking distance of where he lives. James has recently started to learn how to load trucks, which is a task he enjoys very much. James is excited about his being able to constantly learn new aspects of his job and the prospect of being employed on a permanent basis. For his persistence and never giving up, Goodwill is presenting James with the 2008 Perseverance Award.