It’s workers who drive the Goodwill machine to success

by Barbara White
I-Witness has been profiling Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin for the last two weeks. The multi-multimillion dollar nonprofit/for-profit corporation, which for a century has been giving a hand up and touting the power of work.

Goodwill’s mission is to provide training, employment and supportive services for people with disabilities or disadvantages who seek greater life independence.

Over 1.4 million of you have donated nearly 59 million pounds of items to the organization’s retail stores. Those who didn’t provide an item probably donated their time as a volunteer, or made a cash donation.

And just who are Goodwill’s friends? They have many, such as Green Bay Packer Wide Receiver Donald Driver who has served as the primary spokesperson for Goodwill for over four years.

High powered companies like Microsoft, Wal-Mart, Johnson Wax, the Boston Store have also impacted greatly in extending this proud organization's outreach.

One of the great things about Goodwill is it doesn’t sit on its proverbial hands waiting for contributions from the public and corporations. It takes the initiative in creating its own opportunities, such as the retail stores and operating various other businesses, which has, kept them self-sustaining in order to provide human services to those who need it.

Over 87% of those served by Goodwill are economically disadvantaged with 13% having at least one recognized physical or mental disability. While their fiscal budget is in the millions, 91% of Goodwill’s total revenue goes into programs and services.

But revenues and corporate connections aside, Goodwill is first and foremost about its most important commodity, the ordinary worker, age 18 to 70-weather the disabled worker who faces many barriers in seeking meaningful employment due to physical and intellectual challenges, or simply looking for "a hand-up."

As a Goodwill employee for a day, I got a chance to view some of the programs and activities that many of the workers partake in. I was introduced to Steve, who I thought was Stevie Wonder. Steve is a blind piano player and singer who participates in the enrichment and wellness program. They sing, dance, exercise, cook etc.

Another program I visited was the Goodwill artistic enhancement program. Chrystal Gillon-Mabry is the art instructor and an artist in her own right.

This program is unique in that it is somewhat self-supporting. It’s in this program that all the beautiful Goodwill Christmas greeting cards and post cards are done. Artists with disabilities design the artwork.

Not only does the artwork grace the walls of offices and the general halls at Goodwill’s offices, many individuals and departments at Goodwill purchase their works, prices ranging from $2-$500. The artists’ works appear at numerous art shows and festivals where they are purchased sometimes for big bucks.

My stay was for an hour. Lisa C. was the only one in the classroom. The rest of the students were next door singing with Stevie Wonder--oh, I mean Steve.

The room’s atmosphere was made for artists: ’60s music blurred from the radio, arts and crafts were everywhere as Lisa C. and Chrystal worked on an abstract piece of art. Lisa has vision and motor skill problems but is mentally sharp. She picks out the color of her beads, determines how long she wants them to be and how she wants them to be laid. Chrystal lays them per Lisa’s direction.

As she worked, Chrystal shared with me, how she provides the every day things we use at home like pasta, buttons, flour, beads, rice, sand, dough for the artist to express themselves with.

The enhancement program helps build self-esteem and provides work and an opportunity for participants to feel a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. The artists design African masks, folk art and abstract wall art all signed by the artists.

Their works have been featured in galleries like the Bresler Eitel Art and Framing Gallery, African World Festival and art fairs. "Many were hesitant at first (about showing their art)," Chrystal said. "They wondered about the quality of their work. But after seeing our work, they (the viewers) were quite impressed."

Lisa is having a good time. She is singing the song on the radio, Stevie Wonder’s "Living for the City." She knows every song that comes on. I loved it! WKTI FM is her favorite station. It’s lunchtime and I’m having lunch with Goodwill Vice President Dorothy Buckhanan and Sylvester Campbell. Campbell has worked for Goodwill as a supervisor for 13-1/2 years and proudly stated that he has not missed one day of work. He is currently working in the Laundry Department.

Campbell has six children, 22 grandchildren, and a beautiful wife who works at WE Energies. "I am a people person and I like to see people succeed," Campbell said. "I show them the ropes so they can get to where they want to be. So call me a hard nose, but they come back and thank me. You cannot save everybody, but I do my part."

In the laundry, Campbell oversees 200 employees, some with language barriers. They are not stupid, as some would like to think. They just have a disability.

Campbell is all business when it comes to the laundry department and the work they do. "You do not have to like me, but you must respect me because I give respect. You like me for a day, but if you respect me, you will respect me for life."

He oversees the laundry operation for the VA and Froedert Hospital delivering over 13-15 million pounds of laundry a year. The department runs two shifts. "We are known for our quality of work," stresses Campbell. "Goodwill is an excellent place to work, a great corporation. They take care of their people. I know everyone from the president (of the company) on and the president, Mr. Miller, knows every client by name, I like that."

I was impressed everywhere I went in the facility. The place was clean and smelled good. Dorothy said Goodwill takes great pride in cleanliness. "It is a part of our (Goodwill) culture. Just because they are disabled does not mean we give them less. No matter where you go all Goodwill buildings will look the same and will be very clean.

"This is the largest Goodwill in the world," Dorothy continued. "We have a strong work ethnic, which supports families. We bring those work skills out as a team. Many younger, more progressive Black men are supervisors and our President and CEO, Mr. Miller, is on the cutting edge of social services.

"We serve more disadvantaged then disabled people. Folks fall on hard times and here we help people to better their station in life. We help people figure out how to do through support services or jobs and they are paid because they do real work for real companies.

I did meet Mr. Miller for a brief moment and he told me he really was not in charge, that Dorothy was the real CEO. In addition, he does know many of the client’s names and once they learn yours, you will hear it most of the day.

With my mind still thinking about our conversation at lunch, I kind of got turned around and went through the wrong door, setting off an alarm as I headed outside, Claudia Billing, one of the security persons, greeted me and showed me the right door to go out.

Outside were many food service workers taking a break. So, I joined Connie and Vera H. who told me they would be graduating on May 11 with a full certificate. Marcella J. who has worked in the retail store for about 11 years joined us as well.

A number of the staffers also have disabilities and with special accommodations work for Goodwill. Deb Werzel is a case manager. She told me she read my McDonald’s story on-line. She thought I gave a lot of good work rules and found them to be very helpful. She is a full-time employee assisting in developing good habits and skill development.

"We want participants to be successful," said Werzel, who also assists with the workers musical experience. Deb has vision loss. Goodwill provides special accommodations in order for her to do her job. She is provided a computer that magnifies and reads to her e-mails. She also has a magnifying machine to assist reading other things.

I am now beginning the second half of my day in career planning. Art Deans who suffered a back injury and had to find a new career, said Goodwill taught him how to run computers. "I am now in my fourth book of computer technology. I now teach computers to others to assist them with finding employment. This is a good program..." Art corrects himself and says, "no this is a great program, I have learned a lot."

Most of my afternoon was spent with employment specialist Tom Gauthier, who has been with Goodwill for four years and has been nationally recognized for his works by the President of the United States of America. "I have the best job in the world, Tom states.

"What I do is make everybody happy. When I do it right, the employer gets what they want and the employee gets what they want. It’s a win-win. Tom has successfully placed about 200 people in jobs with over 74 employers. He sites there are over 13,000 job titles that are recognized by the government.

"We have to match it to a government, state or community service, I work with adults and it is here I catch my passion. Instead of looking at the disability, I look at the abilities of a person, removing the barriers to employment; that is what I do.

"Three out of four jobs come from me networking, I build relationships with employers, presidents of corporations who I can sometimes call and refer a worker and they sometimes call me asking for employees. At Goodwill, we can pre-screen and we know what our client’s skills are. In employment services, they are really in tune to their client’s needs and will advocate for them as well."

Here, I-Witness was an employment specialist with Tom and our client today was Theresa, who is in a wheelchair and has multiple disabilities. She barely has use of her hands, but her mental abilities are strong. Tom asked her if she had any luck with Wal-Mart, she said no she was still looking for a job.

We were introduced and she began to share her dream job with us. She wants to work in a law office as a receptionist where she can be professional, wearing business suits and just greeting and meeting people. She says, "I love being out with people." Tom said it will be a challenge, "but we will get there once they see your skill level."

Theresa was born with birth defects back when families put their children in facilities to be looked after because they required so much assistance. She tells Tom and I that she has put in an application with Home Depot. She really is good in customer service. Tom smiles at her and says he just has to find that one connection. He looks at me and says she really could provide a great customer service.

"I know Theresa will get a job, she has that "go-get-it" attitude, in her. At that moment, Tom received a call. It was a company he had contacted about Theresa and they were sharing with him how they were looking into it for her and the possibility of her landing the job was looking very good.

I began to feel sheer excitement for her. Theresa has many abilities along with a great personality. Moreover, we know that with Tom’s help and her personality, the "Power of Work" is knocking on her door. Much success to you Theresa.