In the shoes of a Goodwill employee

I-Witness (second from right) with officials and staff of Goodwill Industries.

by Barbara White (I-Witness)
"Just because you start at the bottom does not mean it will take you longer to get to the top."--Iyanla Vanzant

"In My Shoes," is a yearlong series dedicated to giving visions to those seeking opportunities to strive for a better quality of life. The series will appear once or twice a month in the "Milwaukee Community Journal," featuring I-Witness doing various jobs throughout Milwaukee County to show the different career opportunities out there.

Through the series, you will get a peak into the different types of careers, job and business opportunities available. We will also provide a few "how to get started"--type guidelines that, hopefully, will allow readers to get the feel of what it is like to work in different jobs and the type of training or educational requirements needed for those jobs. I-Witness will also show you how to prepare for or obtain the information to begin that new career.

Many of you who have kept up with our series know I-Witness has been a firefighter, a special agent with the FBI and the best "fry girl" McDonalds has ever had, Holla!

In the coming months look for I-Witness as she continues to explore job and career opportunities as a construction worker, an apprentice seeking certification in the trades, a barber, a radio jock, an auto mechanic and a host of other jobs that provide family supporting wages.

You, our readers, are invited monthly to join us in this new venture of changing lives, bringing hope and helping to create dreams.

This month, I worked at a place where most folks never want to personally to, where challenges were many, but abilities were unlimited. It is a place where I saw nothing but miracles and I believe in miracles!

The place was Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, where I-Witness discovered she had a huge fan base of loyal readers, at least 3,500 or so Goodwill employees across Southeastern Wisconsin, according to Dorothy Buckhanan, vice president of human services for Goodwill.

Y’all know they made my day. I was invited to join them for a day of "In My Shoes." It was an opportunity I could not pass up.

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin is a quasi corporation with nonprofit and for profit components.

Goodwill serves 23 counties throughout Wisconsin and Illinois, serving as an employer, service provider and business partner.

Their mission is to provide training, employment and supportive services for people with disabilities or disadvantages who want greater independence.

As I-Witness found out, many of those challenges can create barriers to work opportunities or skill development.

There are over 3.2 million disabled persons in the United States. Disabled is defined as a physical or mental handicap, especially one that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or from holding any gainful employment, anything that disables or puts one at a disadvantage:

Goodwill Industries has mastered serving a rich and diverse group of individuals with varied life experiences, skills and interests. Goodwill’s vision is to be a recognized leader in helping people with disabilities and other barriers to employment develop work and life skills, find work and successfully perform that work. Goodwill helps advance communities and transform lives through the Power of Work.

All Goodwill participants strive to overcome barriers to employment. Regardless of disability or disadvantage, Goodwill’s objective is to develop or secure work opportunities that fulfill every individual’s personal and professional goals while providing wages that maintain self-sufficiency.

Meet Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin

My day started at 7:30 a.m. at Goodwill Industries on 91st Street. Not sure if I was to enter through the store or not, I just followed the employee road where I saw an entrance that everyone was entering.

There were many Laidlaw Transportation mini-buses lined in a row that had just dropped off many of the workers to begin their day.
As I walked toward the door, I saw two people assisting a man from a car and into his wheelchair. He was urging them to hurry up. "I don’t like being late for work," I heard him say.

Once situated in his wheelchair, the man began pushing himself to the door, wishing the two individuals who assisted him a good day. Watching that scene, I began to get a feeling I was in for some surprising things.

I then entered the facility with the other employees, still not sure where I was going. I followed the workers to the desk where they clocked in. I gave my name and was greeted with a big smile by the receptionist.

"You’re I-Witness," the receptionist said. "We were told you were coming. Just one moment and we will get someone to assist you."

As I waited, I could see people working. Many of them had disabilities you could visibly see. Some were without limbs. Others were in wheelchairs or walkers. Others were blind, or physically or intellectually challenged. Nevertheless, they were all doing work at their numerous stations.

I was taken to Bob Schneeberg, (Schneeberg, in German, means "snow hill") who greeted me and appeared excited that I was there. Though he had a meeting to attend, he took time to introduce me to those who I would work with that morning.

I was given my work schedule, which was so cute. It said: "Goodwill Welcomes Ms. Barbara White," and it had my "In My Shoes" logo on it. I loved it!

My schedule gave an overview of my day: 8:30 a.m.-9 a.m.--A mini orientation.

From 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.--Skill Development and Artistic Enhancement Assistant and Management Program Services. I was shown this program by Geri Gage.

It also encompassed a tour of each department and lunch with Buckhanan.
From 12 noon-1:30 p.m.--Work as an Employment Specialist, job coaching with Tom Gauthier.

From 1:30-2 p.m. Transition/Travel Time

In the Retail Department, I was to work as a Retail Store Assistant at the new Goodwill Store on North Palmer and Capitol Drive. Assisting me was Renata Smith, an assistant manager.

I-Witness was greeted so warmly by many of my co-workers during that part of my day. Anna, an African American woman on a walker who was about 4 feet tall, with long hair, big brown eyes and one of the widest and friendliest smiles I have ever seen, came up to greet me. She asked if I was coming to work. I told her yes.

I fit right in! I was wearing the Goodwill Industries uniform, which consisted of a Polo shirt and slacks, just like everyone else.

Most people think Goodwill Industries consists of nothing more than second-hand stores where we go find that special thing we have been looking for, or just to shop.

Well, let me correct that image right now, because Goodwill is much more than that. Goodwill Industries is a nonprofit and a for profit corporation, which provides many good things to our community, as well as surrounding communities such as human services, job training programs, employment services, vocational and work services, community support programs as well as its commercial services. And then there are the stores where all of us find our treasures.

My orientation presenters were Mark Kysely and Loretta Kobriger, case managers in the skill development section. They gave me an overview of how everything works from the referral of a client to a client coming aboard. Most of the clients are referred by Milwaukee County or the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR).

The case manager’s job is to meet the clients needs, take care of any problems they may have such as transportation services, setting goals and objectives, working with their care givers, medication needs, getting to work on time, etc.

The client has a major say in the planning of their goals and in what way they would like to improve themselves--at least those who are capable. Many, as I have stated, are challenged physically or mentally and are either on SSI or Social Security. Others were injured in accidents or on other jobs and are being rehabilitated.

As I watched the employees’ work, I could see they take great pride in their job. Many employees are hourly workers and others do piece work. For many of them, money is not the issue. It is them having independence. They also want to enjoy those material things that most people want. But more importantly, they just want to continue being productive citizens taking an active part in society.

Due to health challenges, many are unable to get employment in the broader community. Insurance is a big issue, coupled with the stigma placed on those with disabilities. Most corporate atmospheres are not disability-friendly and do not like to hire persons with disabilities. Many sight the cost of accommodations, loss of days at work, etc.

Many Goodwill clients aren’t able to hold a job in the community because of physical or mental challenges or due to medications that make them tired, requiring them to take more breaks than other workers.

Goodwill Industries pays all those who work in the commercial end of their corporation. In addition, their choice of work is unlimited. Goodwill Industries has contacts with the "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel."

The inserts we receive in the plastic bags with the newspaper or in the mail are done by workers at Goodwill Industries. The corporation has major contacts with Briggs and Stratton. Workers at Goodwill Industries do a portion of their piecework in the assembly of lawn mowers.

They have commercial contracts and partnerships with the Brady Corporation, Miller Brewing, Veterans Administration and Frodert Hospitals, as well as the Kelch Corporation, which is a division of Bemis Manufacturing in Menomonee Falls. They have been partnering with Goodwill Industries since 1922.

Goodwill Industries prides it self on delivering quality contract services such as packaging, assembly, rework from foreign sources and returned goods processing for nationally and locally known companies.

They work with manufacturers of consumer package goods, small engines and engine parts, tools, paint products, food items and plastics. The corporation operates in three locations in southeastern Wisconsin, two in Milwaukee and one in Racine with over 200,000 square feet of industrial space.

Goodwill Industries is highly regarded for its high quality and quick response at competitive prices.

Goodwill Industries emphasizes the "Power of Work" to provide value to its customers, changing lives and improving the communities in which they operate.

Goodwill Industries biggest partnership is with the US Navy in Great Lakes, Ill. A partnership that has lasted for over 25 years where Goodwill Great Lakes provides good employment opportunities for those individuals with disabilities who face employment barriers.

Great Lakes Goodwill provides food service, laundry, and administrative and logistic services to both the sailor and the recruit. The Goodwill staff serves over 8.5 million meals, processes over 1.6 million pieces of laundry and has issued over 39,000 uniforms to recruits.

When we talk about Goodwill Industries, we are not just talking about a few retail stores where people with disabilities are employed with busy work.

We are talking about citizens who just happen to have a few challenges in their life, but are trained and given opportunities to handle big jobs with responsibility. Goodwill is a giant that is successful in touching individuals in all walks of life, occupations and lifestyles. Helping to fulfill the dreams of those who didn’t know they could dream. I-Witness sat with a few of the workers who were stuffing sale inserts into plastic bags for the "Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel."

This is piecework that those employees with some visibly physical impairment do well. As I continue to chat and ask questions of my host. I could clearly see that repetition was good for many of them. I asked how much are they paid. Loretta stated it varies. The hourly rate is anywhere from $3 to $7 an hour.

Many times there is an issue as to how much the workers can make. Some can make too much money and risk having their SSI benefits cut, as well as other supplemented programs they qualify for, such as healthcare or housing grants. Therefore they must carefully manage their work schedule.

The way I see it, a lot more disabled people could be in the workforce living productive lives and contributing to society if it weren’t for governmental guidelines that provide no incentives for working people with disabilities. Many sit home and do nothing but feed into hopelessness when there is a whole world out here for them to dance in.

Perhaps our congressional folks need to re-examine the guidelines and revise them in order to provide incentives for those with life challenges who want to work without being penalized for it. I personally find people who chose to live life inspite of their challenges to be heroes. And since when do we not celebrate and provide for heroes.

Next Week: Stay Tuned for Part 2 of "In My Shoes" at Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin when we chat and work with the employees and participate in some of the programs.