Meet the Skills Trainers-Chasity

Hello! My name is Chasity. At Goodwill I have a dual role. I am the skills trainer and the employment specialist in Sioux Falls. As a skills trainer I teach participants the soft skills needed to be successful in the competitive work field. We teach them how to be on time, how to clock in, how to engage properly with their coworkers, and how to stay on track amongst other things. We also teach them how to approach management if they have questions or concerns. Any issues that come up we tackle them together. We are a team. What I love most is when you see the confidence build in the individuals. It is truly amazing to help be part of someone else’s positive personal growth. It’s so neat to be part of their support team. When you see the participant complete the program and move on to search for competitive employment its very rewarding. I am very lucky to have been given this opportunity to work here. I love what I do at Goodwill.

Who is your hero?

Hero: Charles Alderton: Creator of Dr Pepper OR Leslie Knope (Parks and Rec, played by Amy Poehler)

What is your biggest fear?

Not being a successful parent to my children.

What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving! Because it is all about family, friends and food.

Deana’s Journey to Reaching Her Dreams

Social anxiety is a condition where an individual has difficulty feeling comfortable interacting with people. Deana had been dealing with social anxiety for years and she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the comforts of her house. Unfortunately, her husband lost his job due to the plant shutting down. There was no income coming in, so they had to do something to put food on the table and a safe home for their goddaughter who they just received guardianship for.

Deana and her husband went to the Department of Human Services to receive assistance during this difficult time. They applied for Food Stamps and they helped her husband get a job. However, to receive this assistance Deana had to enter a Goodwill program. Deana started the Employment Skills Training Program through the South Dakota Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Deana’s work site was provided through Goodwill.

Deana was nervous about working at Goodwill and didn’t know what to expect. “My first day in the door I didn’t know what to think of these people. I was shy and quiet,” Deana said. After about 3 days into this 6-week program Deana fell in love with Goodwill and the culture. She knew that this was where she was meant to be. After the 6-week period, Deana and the staff knew that she still had areas to improve upon. The program was extended to 12 weeks. Deana didn’t have a problem with this though. She said with positive attitude, “I had nowhere to go but up.”

Family is an important part of her life both at home and at work. “We are a strong family at Goodwill,” Deana said. Deana believes that coming to work with a great team is everything to her. Deana’s family extends to her customers also. “We laugh and pray together,” Deana stated with joy.

Deana is now in the LEAP UP program working towards receiving her High School Diploma. The LEAP UP program has been a challenge for Deana because she has a learning disability, but Deana is determined to work towards her goals. Deana said gratefully, “I have great plans for my life that I never would have achieved had it not been for Goodwill.”

A chance to succeed is a crucial part of the Goodwill mission. At Goodwill, we give people the resources to create a better life for themselves and their families. Our philosophy at Goodwill is we give people “a hand up not a handout.” We believe that if people are given the resources to succeed they will be able to become self-sufficient. We serve many people like Deana who need some assistance with developing job skills. Making a monetary donation is a vital role that you can play in supporting Goodwill programs. These donations are not only tax deductible, but you are helping individuals find employment to reach their goals.

A Forever Home and Family Found at Goodwill

At the age of 12, my Grandma who raised me died and I had no place to go. Seeing that I was headed for the Boys’ and Girls’ home, a kind lady that Grandma knew adopted me. She was a cook at the Goodwill summer camp; hence I spent my first summer with her at camp. I loved the experience and the people that worked there. I met other children who had unique life situations and it was a very meaningful experience for me.

I attended camp each year after that as a counselor and would pop in to the Goodwill main offices after camp was over and do volunteer typing for them. I also began attending the Church of All Nations, operated by Goodwill, in the poor community known as “the South Side.” These folks were immigrants from all over; they spoke different languages, but all got along great together; it was an eye-opening experience for me as I grew up among them.

I did not live in that area but would take the bus every day after school to Goodwill and participate wherever I was needed. In the midst of that little community was the Goodwill store that served the clothing needs of these wonderful people; some worked in the store and some in the plant sorting clothes for sale. The rest all worked in packing houses. I was adopted into the community and accepted as one of the Goodwill family.

I married, had 5 children of my own, and left Iowa for ten years. Came back in 1971 and got a job working for a company that closed for two weeks at Christmas time. I went to the Goodwill and said, “what can I do for you for two weeks?” I started stuffing envelopes and performing odd jobs. When it came time for me to go back to my job, I did not go. Goodwill hired me, and I have been here ever since. 47 years! And loving EVERY MOMENT of my time here. I feel like this is my family and love everything Goodwill stands for. To me, it was a GOD THING.

Bring Good Home

When you put an awesome find in your Goodwill® cart, you’re not just thrifting. You’re being a local hero.

Last year, more than 2 million people engaged in face-to-face services at Goodwill to help prepare for and gain a good job, build their financial assets and advance in their careers. More than 36 million people connected with Goodwill online to access education, training, mentoring, learning services, virtual career fairs and employment opportunities offered by Goodwill organizations. Together with our donors and shoppers, Goodwill helped more than 300,000 secure jobs and start their journeys to a brighter future.Collectively, more than 87 cents of every dollar spent in Goodwill stores is reinvested in communities to support job training programs, onsite and virtual skills training and provide community support services for job seekers — such as child care, financial education, free tax preparation, transportation, and career mentoring. Here’s how that happens:

People donate clothing, household items and more to local Goodwill nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and Canada.
Goodwill sells the donated items in more than 3,300 stores, providing the critical revenue that helps fuel our nonprofit mission that helps people find, earn and keep good jobs and create better futures for themselves and their families.
People who buy unique finds from Goodwill stores and online at shopgoodwill.com use their items with pride. And, shopping at Goodwill gives their communities a reason to celebrate because purchases support Goodwill’s nonprofit mission of providing job training, education and more to people in local communities.
People build their skills and find employment, with help from Goodwill.

Give your community a reason to celebrate!

The Story Behind The Stores

Aaron Our retail stores provide individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities the opportunity to learn specific, job related skills. When you walk into our South Sioux City store you will see our mission in action. Our goal is to prepare participants to eventually integrate into community employment. Participants learn all aspects of the job and what it takes to keep employment whether at Goodwill or in the community.

“Everyone works right alongside each other,” explains Deb Moore, South Sioux City Store Manager. “There is no barrier, or jobs that only some employees can do. We treat everyone the same and train everyone at their own pace.”

Over the years we have had several individuals train within our stores with an end goal of employment and self sufficiency. After successfully completing Goodwill’s habilitation programming, Aaron got the courage he needed to move out on his own and take control of his future. The next stepping stone of moving to competitive employment in the community was Pre-Vocational Training at Goodwill.

“I learned how to work through my anxiety and improve my social skills while on the
clock,” said Aaron. Over the course of 9 years, Aaron has received the training and support needed to become self sufficient. Aaron now lives on his own, is learning all aspects of a retail job and aspires to become a store manager one day. It is through donations and shopping in our retail stores that Goodwill funds the programs that help individuals gain community employment.

Please consider a donation by visiting our website: www.goodwillgreatplains.org.