Working to Develop Others: By Willie Sims

          Most of us have a reason that moves us to work in service-oriented professions. That is no less true for our new Curriculum Developer Willie Sims. If you were to ask him what his motivation is, he’d say, “I’m a PTSD survivor.” Yes, he is a veteran. Yes, he was injured during a recon mission, but that’s not what he means. Willie discovered his father dying when he was eight, and as the fourth of five sons, he had to grow up from that day forward and care for household responsibilities, while his mother and three older brothers worked.

          Willie and Goodwill Industries have had a long history. At age 15, he was the master of ceremonies for Urban Youth Action, Inc. held in the Gold Room of Goodwill on Pittsburgh’s South-side. He attended Grove City College every summer from 1970-1972 during High School, and CCAC for Architecture in 1974 & 1975. Post Military Service, in 1980, he graduated with a Fit Fitness Certification, worked the Jesse Owens games and the Special Olympics annually, and gave the City of Pittsburgh’s its first Bodybuilding Contest.

           From 1990 onward, Willie has worked in the field of Human Services. From 1991 through 2009 he worked for the District Attorney of Allegheny County in DUI & Drug Court, as the Director of the Act 152 Project at the Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh, as the Self-Sufficiency Program Manager and also with Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic.  He is a Professional Trainer for the PA Department of Health as a PA Client Placement Criteria Trainer and a Competency-Based Trainer for the Child Welfare League of America.

           In 1996, he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioral Sciences and Industrial Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. He is licensed as a Chemical Dependency Counselor in both Ohio and Pennsylvania.

          The irony of all of these seemingly glowing accomplishments has been plagued by the ramifications of the severe abuse he suffered from his father from ages four through seven, culminating in the discovery mentioned at the outset of this article. In Mr. Sims’ own words, “The cancer that I battled for the past ten years cannot compare with the torment experienced by a child who forever wonders, “What was wrong with me? Why didn’t my father (parent) love me?”

           Extending ourselves to assist others with feelings of worthlessness, to develop self-esteem, worth, value and skills that raise their level of self-sufficiency, is a work Willie lives for and accepts whole-heartedly. This is what he hopes to accomplish here at Goodwill.