Why iStyled.me?

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a brief interview with Lisa O’dell, INVEST chairman at Martin Luther King, Jr. Academic Magnet High School in Nashville

Hi Lisa! What is INVEST, and what is your role responsible for?

I am in charge of raising funds that the Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) uses to pay for financial voids at the school. The money is used for continuing education and seminars for the teachers, expensive supplies and technology for the science, engineering and math departments, supplies and materials for other classes including subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal and The Economist, tutors, ACT and SAT prep classes, etc. The istyled.me event is part of the INVEST campaign and we are hoping to raise at least $3,000.

How did you decide on a fashion show?

Raising money is not easy and can be a real chore. I thought a fashion show would be a fun way to raise money and to allow students to be creative and show off their unique styles.

Why partner with Goodwill?

Looking good and owning your style is very important to high school students, but not everyone can afford to shop at J. Crew or Abercrombie and Fitch. I’ve been shopping at Goodwill for years and I introduced my daughter to the concept when she was in middle school. Now that she’s in high school, and at a school that does not mandate standard school attire (SSA), she revels in the opportunity to showcase her own style. As part of that, she shuns most popular stores because of the cost and her fear that she will go to school wearing an outfit that someone else has on. Goodwill allows her to create a unique style … and one that doesn’t break the bank. The event is a tribute to my daughter and the fun we have together and to Goodwill, an organization we support and one that in turn, creates many necessary jobs in Middle Tennessee.

When I shop at Goodwill, especially on the First Saturday of the month, I see students from all types of schools – public and private and from many of the local colleges. I know the great deals you can get at Goodwill and so do they.

Interested in participating in the iStyled.me challenge? Here’s how it works:

Meet Penelope

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“Everyone has the same goals—to feel important and appreciated.”

It was a slow and gradual transition from light to darkness for Penelope. Over the course of many years, retinitis pigmentosa robbed her of her eyesight. Without her sight, Penelope had to move on from her career as a medical technician working with cardiac patients to a job where she could regain her independence. She found just that at Goodwill, where she is a member of the hanging team.

Watch and learn more about Penelope:

Gearing Up for the Gala

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We are gearing up for our third annual Goodwill Wedding Gala — and you should be too! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 17, and assemble your Goodwill Wedding Gala team. The sale will be held from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Rivergate Goodwill store, located at 2101 Gallatin Road North in Madison, Tenn. Finding your dream gown for less can be a fun experience for grandmothers, mothers, bridesmaids, sorority sisters or friends. (Dads and fiancés, too.) There will be food, cupcakes and giveaways galore.

A few key tidbits to help you plan:

  • Plan to arrive early. Last year brides started lining up Friday night to get their chance at having the first pick of the dresses.
  • It’s not just about bridal gowns. We also have a large assortment of bridesmaid dresses, mothers’ dresses, and flower girl dresses. Some of the designers include Alfred Angelo, Maggie Sottero, Casablanca and Mori Lee.
  • All wedding gowns will be priced under four hundred dollars.
  • We also have a large selection of accessories including jewelry, headpieces, veils, skirts and shoes.

All items sold at the gala benefit the mission of Goodwill, which is to provide employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities and others who have trouble finding and keeping jobs. Your purchases help people right here in middle Tennessee. Not only can you get a great bargain on your wedding gown but you are also helping us put people to work!

Thank You!

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A Message from Goodwill’s President and CEO, David Lifsey

It may seem strange to some employees of other businesses, but among the things for which I know many of us are grateful this holiday season is the opportunity to continue working with our Goodwill and with each other. We are a business changing lives for the better, and that gives each of us an opportunity to rejoice. And while being grateful may seem like a lost art sometimes, I hope during this season each of us has the opportunity to tell someone we are grateful for them whether they are family, friends or co-workers. We are especially grateful for those of you who support our Goodwill whether you donate your gently-used items, shop at our stores, have taken advantage of the services we offer through Career Solutions or have hired one of our ready-to-work graduates. We say thank you for all you do to help others. What better gift to give at any time of year!

He not only found a job, he found much more. Meet Jose Ortega …

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There is patience and kindness in his voice as he works with clients trying to master their computer skills and need help with their job search.  “All you need to do is register on this log-in page,” he tells a woman in the computer room in the Spring Hill Career Solutions Center, “and then you can begin your search.”

Jose Ortega was once one of those who needed help finding a job.  As he rolled in to meet with prospective employers he had more than one say they didn’t have a good fit for his skill set.  Ortega says he believes all they saw was someone in a wheelchair.  What they didn’t see was the talent just waiting to be tapped.

When Jose and his family moved to the Nashville area to escape the mean streets of south central Los Angeles in 2004 they thought they were leaving the violence behind.  And after a violent encounter almost took his life, Jose came to Goodwill for the help he needed to find a job.  He not only found a job, he found acceptance, success and reward.  Watch why Jose Ortega was named the recipient of the 2011 Goodwill 110% Award.

Every Day is Cyber Monday on onlinegoodwill.com!

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by Anne Marie Sisk

Shop Till You Drop Without Ever Leaving Home!

Gift giving can lead to the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat depending when you do your shopping.  Finding a parking space at the mall may be the biggest victory, but not finding the right color, size or style of an item for someone you’re shopping for might feel defeating.  So why not stay home?  Forget the fight for a parking space.  Don’t worry about the jostling.  Instead, log on to onlinegoodwill.com where you can bid, browse and buy and check off every name on your list.

Onlinegoodwill.com has more than 1000 items from the most sought-after brands to the rare collectible.  Not only that, but we list as many as 300 new items daily.  Talk about shopping!

So, find those special gifts for the ones you love, while helping change lives by shopping on onlinegoodwill.com.  The proceeds from the sale of every item on the site go towards our Career Solutions programs.  By the time 2011 ends, our Goodwill will have provided free training and job services to more than 11,500 Tennesseans.  Thank you to our onlinegoodwill.com shoppers, our donors and those who support Goodwill’s brick and mortar stores.

Find great gifts for incredible prices:

Nikon D3000 18-55VR Camera Kit NIB item 9005179 ends 12/5.

Wilson Leather #8 Dale Jr. Jacket size M item ends 12/6.

Happy shopping!

Saying ‘Thank You’ Just Doesn’t Seem Adequate.

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Saying ‘thank you’ just doesn’t seem adequate.  How can I, how can all of us at Goodwill, thank you enough for all the donations you give?  Without you, our donors, Goodwill could not fulfill its mission of providing free employment and training services throughout Middle and West Tennessee.  Without you we could not serve the more than 11,000 Tennesseans who will visit our 17 Career Solutions Centers for help with their job search.  Without you we could not employ 1,600 Tennesseans who work throughout the 46 counties served by our Goodwill.  Without you, lives could not be changed.

Just how do your gently-used items help Goodwill serve its mission?  The items you donate are immediately put to good use.  They are processed and transported to each of the 30 Goodwill stores in Middle and West Tennessee.  More than 85 percent of the revenue from the sale of each piece of merchandise is used to provide mission services.

To read about some of the people who’ve been helped because of the generosity of you, our donors, and to calculate what your donations mean to others, please visit our website.  Add up what each piece of clothing, every household item or electronic donation means in terms of free job services.  You’ll see that you really do change lives.  And for that we say, “Thank you.”

Growing Your Skills While Serving Others

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Debbie Grant, Development Director

We often hear people say things such as, “I like helping others, or “I really want to help but don’t know how” and “I just wouldn’t know what to do.”

If you really enjoy helping others and have a desire to work in the health care field, Goodwill has a great deal for you.

Did you know that Nashville has 56 health care companies located here? Did you know that the labor market has a shortage of skilled nurse assistants who can provide home health care and care at medical facilities? At Goodwill, we are able to help the labor market by training individuals to provide non-medically certified and certified medical care.

Goodwill Career Solutions offers a basic training program called, Health Care Initiatives, with a certified trainer who teaches basic medical terminology, how to take vital signs, and when you graduate you become certified in CPR and first aid. The training is free to our students and takes four weeks to complete. Our graduates have found entry level positions and began earning a paycheck within days of graduation from the training.

But Let’s Not Stop There!

Some of Goodwill’s students want to move up the career ladder in a health care occupation. By enrolling in a five- week certified nursing assistant’s (CNA) training program, you can become a certified nurse assistant and work in a hospital, rehabilitation center or other medical facilities managing patients’ long-term care or acute care.

Our first class is currently engaged in the clinical portion of their training at a local long-term care facility. By early December they will be ready to take the state certification test and earn a credential allowing them to work in a medical facility.

We have employers who have already contacted the program and want to interview our graduates for employment. We have a case manager who will help you with your application process and work with you on other concerns you might have related to training and work. She will help you with your job search, preparing a resume, learning how to complete the job applications and support as you practice your job interview skills. She will provide you with encouragement and stay in touch with you to help you feel supported as you start your new job.

Once you start to work you can identify other jobs in health care that might interest you and begin preparing yourself for taking that next step.

Get started in the medical field today, grow your skills, and help yourself to a better life while you help others.  If you are interested or need more information, call Sharonda Parks at Goodwill’s Career Solutions Center in Nashville at 615-346-1688 and get started on a successful career.  It’s never too late to grow your skills while you help others!

Career Scoop: Do You Really Need a College Degree?

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AJ Helms, Career Counselor

I have clients ask me this all the time…. do I really need a college education to succeed? The short answer is YES. Not that you won’t succeed without one, but in a struggling economy and a tight job market what better way to make yourself stand out from the pack? There are a lot of variables to think about when considering college. How will I find the time? How will I pay for it? I don’t have four years to devote to school, is there a shorter program?

Not everyone is a traditional student so why would you look for a traditional college? Many people are discovering the advantages of career colleges. Career colleges offer many one-year and two-year programs to get you on your feet and moving in the right direction fast. One of the fastest growing fields is Healthcare, and career colleges are offering courses right now in your area such as Medical Assisting, Medical Office Administration, and Medical Billing and Coding, just to name a few. A Certified Nursing Assistant is another in-demand position and most of the programs only take 4-6 weeks!

Career colleges tend to be more flexible and understanding of the needs of the student as well. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd of a big university, but if you need that little extra of one on one attention, smaller class size, or even tutoring career colleges are there. There are financial aid officers to help you with all of your financial needs from tuition to books and supplies.

So what are you waiting for? Go make yourself stand out! A college degree is not as hard to come by as you might think. Go speak to an Admissions Representative today from the career college of your choice to see what they have to offer. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Learn about the training programs at Goodwill Career Solutions that will help you stand out in the job market.

 

 

D Movement: The Final Days of Project Organize

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Enter Project Organize by September 30!

As we approach the final days of the Project Organize contest, I started thinking about the reason we created the contest. Most people have a hectic schedule with work, kids and social activities. Getting organized can be overwhelming at times and some people may feel like it is an impossible task. I wanted a fun way to encourage people to clear the clutter in their homes, offices or garage while offering them an incentive for doing so. I was actually at home cleaning my own closets and I wished that I had some help getting things organized. I also thought about how wonderful it would be to have someone else clean after everything was neatly put away. And that was how the idea of working with a professional organizer and cleaning crew was born.

Project Organize offers great prizes; a three-room makeover by Complete Organizing Solutions, a five hour cleaning by Angel Maids, as much as five hundred dollars worth of products from the Container Store and a one-hundred dollar Goodwill gift card.

I encourage all families, whether you win Project Organize or not, to create your own campaign to clear the clutter in your home. Encourage the kids to donate clothing they can no longer wear or toys they no longer play with. Go through the kitchen cabinets, closets and the garage. Donate any usable items that your family no longer needs to Goodwill. Not only are you creating a clutter-free environment in your home, you are also helping Goodwill fulfill our mission of providing employment and training opportunities to people in the community.

If you could clear the clutter in three rooms in your home, what would they be?