Comments From the Interim President/CEO, Bill Hyland

    In this modern society, the pace of change is coming at us in an ever increasing rate. Often, all we can do is try to keep up. Our Goodwill is no exception as the rapid change of our landscape in the business of doing 'good' can be daunting. Here at Goodwill, we do our very best to keep up with this ever changing world. With that thought in mind, the Ashtabula Goodwill has recently announced a new 'conductor' for their 'train,' and that person is me, William “Bill” Hyland. I officially took over operations with the title of Interim Director on March 2, 2018. Let me tell you that I am extremely excited because Goodwill is truly a dream company. There are so many wonderful people who work, shop, and donate here everyday.I love everything that Goodwill stands for, as they have always been a quality company, through and through. Goodwill never, ever stops listening to it's heart. In a business world that has become more and more callous, a decent company like Goodwill is almost impossible to find. At their core, Goodwill is here to help others. You can feel the 'good' vibe just by walking into one of our six retail stores. I can see it as I watch people working in our production areas. The feeling of 'good' fills the air in everything Goodwill touches, and believe me, Goodwill touches so many lives in a day. I feel blessed just to be a part of the Goodwill team! My role of  being the 'conductor' of this 'train' is special to me and is something that I will take with the utmost of care and diligence. I look forward to seeing each and everyone of you on our Goodwill 'train.' God Bless!

Budding Entrepreneurs ‘Wow’ Judges With Bold New Products: By Mary Murray

    The promise of successful entrepreneurship isn’t limited to the select few who submit to being grilled by “Mr. Wonderful” on the ABC hit show “Shark Tank.”  Emerging young leaders are sharpening their business skills right here in Northwestern Pennsylvania, and, in the process, developing some pretty promising products. Watch out Kevin O’Leary for these young “sharks’ might be nipping at your fortune.

    Students in at least a half dozen schools in Erie County have been introduced to the world of entrepreneurship through classroom instruction focused on basic business principles such as product development, cost of goods, profit, marketing and distribution channels, thanks to Goodwill instructors Angela Murosky and Mary Murray.

    The teachers also coaxed their students to think about concepts such as branding, the psychology of color to best represent their product, a logo, company name and tagline for their product. The results were amazing.

    One team at Seneca High School developed Slurp Juice, an energy drink, while another at Fort LeBoeuf High School crafted a customized fidget spinner that would allow customers to personalize it with their names and their favorite color.

    At the Erie County Transition Center, a crowd attended the mock Shark Tank event, complete with a boisterous team of “sharks” recruited to judge the student entries. The students had to pitch their product, discuss sales and forecast projections to win the judges over.

    One team developed “Woof and Meow” a customizable dog or cat collar with lots of bling! The slogan: “We make pets fancy” was created by Michael, who also came up with the company name.  Armed with her erasable white board, team leader Maria guided the team with tasks – Moni was in charge of customer service and marketing, Scott handled sales and Zach was the chief financial officer.

    Vying for the judges’ attention was a second team that turned the fast-food industry on its head. This group created “Healthy Belly” a drive through restaurant with only healthy offerings. Makayla led the team, Zach developed the name, Nate was the design consultant and Sam was in charge of operations and hiring. This team carefully designed a “green’’ building to further reflect its approach to food and its clientele. A carefully curated menu included energy drinks, healthy salads, signature wraps and yogurt. No greasy fries or artery-clogging burgers were to be found.

    The good-natured judges bantered with each other, made side deals, and cajoled the students to buy their products. They scored each team’s presentation, delivery and content. Besides honing their business skills, the students practiced their public speaking and learned how to advocate for what they believed in.

    A small reception followed, with, surprisingly, dollar-sign sugar cookies. “Mr. Wonderful” would be proud!

Saying Goodbye (To Goodwill): By Harry Corbissero

    I never planned any of this, did you? What I mean is that I never planned to occupy the particular niche in life that I do but, here I am. I wonder if each soul who comes into the existence we share on this earth is preordained to a certain destiny. I don’t believe there is any expert who can answer this question; the only way to brooch it is through the laboratory of our own experience. The inquiry becomes more visible when one attains elder-hood.

    It’s only natural that as one ages he attains a higher perspective. He can more readily see the life he has lived from the vantage point of an overview, those events which have transpired in his life leading up to whatever height he has obtained in his present circumstance. In such a way he can actually fathom where his destiny has brought him thus far.

 It also seems to me that as one attains such an overview as I describe, he can better assess certain defining moments in his life that have functioned to give shape to his destiny, although he was possibly witless to this fact when such events transpired.

My own plan had been to be an artist, an activity which I actually pursued with great diligence for a number of years. Yet, now from my overview, I can more readily grasp, that art for me, was a means to an additional ends, and here I am putting a cap on a career as an instructor of life skills at an area rehabilitation facility. One of my main objectives at  this pursuit, has been teaching people – who may not do so for any number of reasons – to value themselves. As I see it now, this had perhaps been my mission right from the start; to teach people to see themselves as “masterpieces in progress,” utilizing principles that I originally formulated as an artist. But I never knew that back then.

    Possibly, the initial defining moment I am attempting to reflect on here, is one that transpires from the soul dimension, is such exists, prior to our entry onto the earth plane. Maybe our destiny then, is actually cast in the stars, in accord to some master plan in which we all have had a hand. Through we may or may not ever know the veracity of this possibility from the station we presently occupy, perhaps when we return to soul substance, the answer will be made clear.

    I was extremely fortunate to find an agency that embodies these values as a facet of its mission when I started to work at Goodwill thirty years ago. If I didn’t know it way back then, I certainly do now; that constancy has been what has sustained my service here all this while. It will be the very reason to attract others of a similar persuasion to carry on. There will be a lot of new avenues of service yet to come.

(Harry Corbissero’s final contribution to the InFocus newsletter as he retires from Goodwill in April 2018 after 30 years of service.) 

Savvy Shoppers Create Fun, Nutritious Meals On Budget: By Mary Murray

    Shoppers at the Aldi store on upper Peach Street nodded approvingly and smiled knowingly as they watched the students compare prices, count slices of bread in a loaf and negotiate what they’d put on the table for dinner that night.

    Under the leadership of Lesa Scalise, the beloved teacher at the Erie County Transition Center, 11 students and five instructional staff, including the Goodwill instructor, descended upon Aldi’s with blank shopping lists and meal-planning sheets to learn how to create nutritious meals and stay in budget -- not an easy task for the most seasoned parent.

    The goal of the outing was to teach students independent living skills and to give them the opportunity to make decisions about finance and food. Armed with clipboards and pencils, each of the three groups was given an envelope with a separate budget for groceries and staples – items such as cooking oil, toilet paper, cleaning products and sandwich bags for packed lunches. The budgets were quite modest – ranging from $30 a week for groceries and $25 for staples, to a high budget of $50 for groceries and $35 for staples. Students negotiated and weighed in on food choices and a mostly democratic process emerged. One teacher laughed as a student named Sam lamented, “Do we have to eat that every day?” Nate, the leader of one group, kept a tight rein on the budget. When teachers repeatedly tempted him to buy snacks  -- cookies and chips – for the ‘house’ he firmly replied, “We’ll see what we have left.”

    Students employed a variety of methods to plan 21 meals for the week, along with 7 snacks.  Although they did not physically put items in a shopping cart, one group ‘bought’ a block of processed cheese with the plan of making grilled cheese sandwiches and a kid favorite – mac and cheese – while another group ‘bought’ boxed mac and cheese. Students were creative in their breakfast planning. Two of the groups decided French toast would allow them to stretch their dollars, but they both passed on the powdered sugar and one group opted not to buy syrup to stay in budget. The groups seemed to be on the same page when it came to dinner menus. They all opted for spaghetti and two groups planned to make tacos or wraps with a portion of their ground beef purchase while saving the remainder for burgers or pasta.

    In comparing notes after the shopping spree, students shared choices and options for stretching their food dollars. And while all of the groups stayed in budget, moms would be happy to know that they all remembered toothbrushes and toothpaste. Toilet paper as well!

Happy Birthday Edgar J. Helms (Our Founder): By Sarah DiPasquale

     Rev. Edgar James Helms was born 155 years ago this year on January 19th. Helms didn’t know it then, but he was going to forever change the way society thought about charity. Helms dabbled in law and publishing before he decided ministry was his true calling. In 1889 he enrolled in Boston University Theological School and was appalled at the conditions that the poorest communities in the city faced. His commitment to helping others and business innovation led him to Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods, where he went door-to-door asking for donations of clothing and household goods. He hired people to repair the goods, and then resold or donated them to the workers in exchange for their labor.

    If only Helms could see his legacy today. At the time of his death, in 1942, there were a little more than 50 local Goodwill organizations.  In 2018, there are 161 independent, local Goodwill® organizations across the United States and Canada, with a presence in 12 other countries. The Goodwill network hasn’t just grown in size – Goodwills have developed a sophisticated donated goods retail business model and enhanced mission services. Job placement and training services include technology, healthcare, hospitality and more, along with family-strengthening and other community-building programs. Helms may also be surprised to discover that mission delivery has expanded beyond traditional in-person services to include virtual training and digital resources. The collective Goodwill network placed more than 300,000 people into employment last year. 

     Helms pioneered the first social enterprise and today Goodwill is a globally-recognized brand. Consumers have ranked Goodwill as the #1 brand doing the most good in the world for two consecutive years.

     Thank you, Edgar Helms, and happy birthday! (Article by GII Executive Research & Communications Specialist, Sarah DiPasquale)

A portrait of Goodwill Industries founder Dr. Edgar J. Helms was created by renowned portrait artist Steven Penley on commission from Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA, which owns exclusive rights to the painting.

Positive Energy Translates to a Magnetic Personality: By Mary Murray

     You can’t help but notice Tasha, the team lead in textiles at the Goodwill Summit Towne Centre store. With a dazzling smile accentuated by bold lipstick and polished attire, she brightens up the production area with her positive aura.

     It’s no surprise that her kindness and warm smile propelled a teenager to show her appreciation after a recent visit. Kiara, an Erie High School student, returned to the Goodwill store the following week with a hand-drawn card to present to Tasha. 

     “It made my day,’’ Tasha recalled. It should come as no surprise that Tasha would be recognized by others.  She listens to spiritual messages, she said, and blocks out the negative. “When someone can feel a positive vibe or good spirit, people notice it.”

     Tasha admits she hasn’t always been this way, but has worked diligently to create her positive bubble. No doubt, her three teenage children have a lot to do with it. As a single mother, Tasha proudly showed pictures of her children decked out in their Christmas finery.

     Getting back to Kiara, Tasha remembers that Kiara said she loved her bright fuchsia lipstick even though Kiera was not working directly with Tasha, but at a nearby station in the production area. The next week, Kiera arrived and presented Tasha a card that read: “You’re beautiful.” Not surprisingly, both Tasha and Kiara were both wearing the same red lipstick that day!

     Tasha greets students with a cheery hello when they volunteer at the store, and she often rewards those working with her with a ‘high-five’ for a job well done. Her kindness extends to the store employees as well. She took it upon herself to decorate the employee lunchroom for both Halloween and Christmas just to make the environment more festive for her coworkers.

     Tasha’s light shines brightly and her energy and spirit are part of what makes Goodwill a special place.

Eliminating Barriers & Leveling Up: By Jewel Chappell

     The Workforce Development team in Lake County, adopted the theme “LEVEL UP” for the 2017-2018 program year of the Comprehensive Case Management & Employment Program (CCMEP). LEVEL UP is a term that we use to describe any positive step that our clients take toward reaching self-sufficiency. Each participant that enters our program has barriers or challenges preventing them from gaining sustainable employment. These barriers may include a lack of transportation, housing, mental health challenges, or lack of childcare, employment history, or an educational credential, such as a high school diploma or GED.
     The Employment Case Manager works with each participant to identify their unique barrier(s) and assists them in eliminating them. Program staff work with participants to develop their job readiness skills, life skills, social skills, self-awareness, workplace etiquette, and literary/math skills. In addition, participants receive assistance with resume building, interview skills, and career development. The Job Developer solicits Lake County businesses that allow participants to work in their establishments for a specific amount of time to gain experience and on the job training.
     The Job Developer works to match the participant in the career field of their choice, and the participant’s wages are paid through CCMEP funding. The desired outcome of this program is for employers to be so satisfied with the performance of the participant, that they decide to hire them full time at a sustainable wage. The CCMEP staff have seen considerable success with the paid work experience program, and these participants are wonderful examples of what it means to LEVEL UP!
     One participant, in particular, is currently attending Lakeland Community College, majoring in Business. They entered the program with a goal of obtaining employment in an administrative assistant-type position. This participant was matched and placed with American Family Insurance in Mentor, OH and successfully completed 12 weeks of paid work experience. On January 15, 2018, she started her first day of full-time employment as an Administrative Assistant. The owner, Angela Caswell, recognized this participant’s potential to be a successful insurance sales agent. With the assistance of the Goodwill program staff, this participant has enrolled at Hondros School of Business to support her goal of obtaining her property & casualty, and life licensures. She is a prime example of what it truly means to level up!
     When we level up, we are making continuous steps toward our goals, eliminating barriers, and achieving great accomplishments on the way up. No matter what point we are at in our lives, we can apply this concept because there is always room for growth. I challenge you to be intentional about identifying the barriers in your own life, and working diligently to remove them. In doing so, you will create endless opportunities for yourself and the people you hold dear. Here’s to LEVELING UP!

Living The Dream ( No, Really!): By Mary Murray

     Not many 18-year-olds can say they’ve lived the dream, but don’t tell Christian that. Unlike most teenagers his age, the Harborcreek High School senior couldn’t wait to give up his Friday nights, back-to-back Saturdays and occasional Sundays to work.

    Inside the cavernous Erie Insurance Arena, just blocks from Erie’s waterfront, Christian dug right in, powering up computers, flipping switches and pushing buttons on a large console. Soon the 218,000-square-foot arena came to life with the swoosh of skates cutting effortlessly through the ice amid the cacophony of thousands of diehard fans, and the authoritative boom of the announcer calling the game.

     Christian got the rare opportunity to marry his two loves – media production and hockey – as a media production intern for the Erie Otters, which is part of the Ontario Hockey League. “I don’t consider this work, “Christian explained in an interview on the eve of his final weekend on the job. “I consider it a passion for something I love to do. When I go there (the arena), it doesn’t feel like work.”

     He recently completed 90 hours of employment in the Work-Based Learning Experience program run by Goodwill’s Erie staff, under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Job coach Andre Lyons joined Christian on the journey, shadowing Christian as he learned the ropes of producing a live professional sporting event under the Otter’s game day operations guru, Andrew Schacht.

     A standout high school cross-country runner, Christian is accustomed to working hard, training hard to reach a goal. Last summer, Christian set the stage by earning his USA and Hockey Official Level 1 certification, which has allowed him to officiate games. He also fine-tuned his video and audio production skills through job shadowing opportunities at MenajErie Studio and CATV-Erie, both arranged by Goodwill’s Erie office. 

     In a fitting conclusion to a successful work experience, the Otters came from behind to win the Sunday night game that marked Christian’s final day of employment with the team. He now has his sights on a camera operator position that has been posted. With his eye on the finish line, much like a cross-country race, Christian is focused on making his future happen. 

A Closer Look: By Megan Myers

    The programs provided at our Ashtabula Goodwill can make a huge impact on the way people interact and behave in the workplace. Each program is individualized based on the needs of the participant, but the end result is the same: building self-sufficiency through the power of work.

     The Job Development program assists the individual with job leads that are consistent with their vocational goal. They are also assisted with interviewing, job seeking skills, and post-employment support.

     The Work Adjustment program provides a supportive, realistic work experience at Goodwill or at a community employment site to persons who need minimal adjustment and work experience in order to enhance their potential for competitive employment.

     The PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Developing Employment) program focuses on the reduction of barriers that stand in the way of gaining and maintaining unsubsidized employment by using applied work activity to develop practical work-related skills.

     The yO! (youthOpportunities) program is for youth 21 and under and offers a wide variety of educational and work-oriented options to assist the youth in being successful in school and in life.

Goodwill Expands Mission Services in Erie Area: By Hanni Nazario

   Goodwill’s Workforce Development team worked to spread the mission of “building self-sufficiency through the power of work” throughout Erie County in 2017. The team of instructors and job coaches, including Andre Lyons, Coji Maddona, Angela Murosky, and Mary Murray brought instruction to students in 14 Erie County schools. The Goodwill team instructed over 300 students, ages 14 to 21, in job readiness, self-advocacy, and independent living skills. A highlight of the springtime classes included Corry High School’s study of dressing for success in the workplace, which incorporated a fashion show put on by students. An additional highlight included Erie County Technical School’s study of work-life balance, which culminated in a “hobby day” allowing students to learn more about a myriad of recreational pastimes. The fall saw seven groups of students making weekly trips to the Goodwill stores in Summit Township and Harborcreek for hands-on work experience.

     Goodwill job coaches were also hard at work providing career exploration and practical work experience with employers throughout the area. Accompanied by job coaches, clients learned to stock shelves at retail stores, practiced safe food handling at restaurants and bakeries, cared for animals at area shelters, operated sound and cameras at outdoor concerts, landscaped at a local botanical garden, and even interned with the marketing team for a semi-professional hockey team.

     In 2018, Goodwill hopes to continue offering the same classroom-based and hands-on experience to clients, while also offering new services to students. With a customer service training program slated to launch in the spring and more industry-specific training programs in development, the Goodwill team will continue “building self-sufficiency through the power of work” in Erie County.

Donated Goods Retail, Moving Forward in 2018: By Chris Oleski

     The Donated Goods Retail team is excited about the possibilities that 2018 brings!  Despite the weather, we ended 2017 on a positive note and hope to continue that momentum into 2018. Our stores are well staffed, and our management teams have never been stronger. We continue to look for efficiencies in our processes and have developed new reporting and analytical tools for 2018 that should give us a narrower focus on where our opportunities lie.
     The end of 2017 saw the expansion of new goods assortments in our stores, continuing into 2018. In addition to the winter hats, gloves, and thermal socks, look for a new line of undergarments for men, women, and boys as well as leggings and yoga pants for women. 
     We’ve also begun to offer a line of organic soaps and an assortment of candles in many scents. Tech items are also newly available, beginning with wireless cords and batteries. We’ve even successfully begun offering Coca-Cola products and Utz chips in our Summit Towne Center location and we will continue to look for other new goods to enhance the customer shopping experience in 2018 and beyond.
     We kicked off 2018 with our 6th annual Donate to Win campaign with our sponsors, Marybeth and Todd Nassief from Nassief Auto Family. This is a very exciting time for our customers and donors, as someone will have the opportunity to drive off in a brand new 2018 Toyota Corolla in May of this year! We treasure the partnership we have with Nassief Auto Family and are so grateful for this program that helps us maintain donations in this usually slow donating period.
     Here’s to a successful 2018 in our Donated Goods Retail department! We wish everyone a very happy and healthy year!