Rising Above: Janice’s Journey to Independence

 Janice has blossomed since coming to Goodwill after high school. She joined the Skills Development Adult Day Program because she wanted to work, and the program allowed her to earn a paycheck in the contracts division while learning job skills. She was reserved, rarely smiled, afraid of change, and lacked self-confidence. Eventually, she opened up. She tried new jobs, made friends, and was excited to come to work. Janice worked hard on every task assigned and became a leader within the program. Her confidence soared.

As Janice’s skills developed, so did her desire to be challenged. She stepped outside her comfort zone and joined the Goodwill Mobile Crew – traveling to stores to help with sorting, inventory rotation, and cleaning. Here, she learned the valuable skills of dependability and teamwork. Then, she applied for and was hired at Project SEARCH – Cintas, an internship program for adults with disabilities.

She continued to develop her self-confidence and was able to interact more with the community. After graduating from the program, she realized she did not want to leave her Goodwill family, so she accepted a part-time job at a Goodwill retail store.

Janice has learned many skills and fills several different job roles. The store is where her friendly, sassy, go-getter personality shines! She does everything from sorting, greeting customers, taking donations, testing electronics, and her least favorite job, cleaning.

Janice loves to stay busy and is eager to learn new things. Janice’s coworkers say she is an important part of the team. Her upbeat, ornery, bubbly personality is a morale booster and is a joy to be around. Her hard work is noticed and appreciated.

She has had an amazing transformation that has given her the confidence and motivation to continue her independence. Janice continues to work on cooking, budgeting, and reading to improve work options. She recently moved into her apartment and stays active through bowling, softball, and basketball along with recently taking Zumba classes at the local YMCA.