Stories of Impact: Jessica’s Story

Play Video A single decision to step outside her comfort zone and attend a career fair changed everything for Jessica, now an Assistant Manager at Goodwill Southeast Georgia. “I was already about a year into my sobriety,” Jessica recalls. “I’ve struggled with addiction since I was 15 years old, and Goodwill was my second chance.” After speaking with a regional manager and store manager, Jessica was offered a job. From the very beginning, she felt something different-acceptance. “When I came in here and everybody was so accepting, so welcoming– there was no judgment,” she says. “I was not Jessica before I started working at Goodwill, I was only the Jessica that was here and now.” At Goodwill, Jessica found a workplace where she felt safe opening up. Whether at work or home, she knew she had people supporting her recovery journey. “(Before Goodwill) I’ve always been very shielded about how people react. There’s none of that (at Goodwill), you just see this happy, healthy woman trying to make a fresh start for herself and her child.” Jessica is excited about the future. Her son will turn three in November, and she’s working toward her next goal-becoming a store manager. “I just love the idea of being able to take what I’ve gone through and what I’ve learned and be able to help other people,” Jessica reflects. “Goodwill has literally turned my life around like I mean full like 180 –I came here, I had no job, I had nowhere to live. I just had a kid, I was living with my mom. And now I have a job, I have a home. My kid is happy, he’s healthy.”

“Goodwill has literally turned my life around like I mean full like 180 –I came here, I had no job, I had nowhere to live. I just had a kid, I was living with my mom. And now I have a job, I have a home. My kid is happy, he’s healthy.”

Jessica encourages others to push past their fears, just like she did when she walked into that career fair three years ago. She knows firsthand that taking that first step can lead to something life-changing. “I honestly just couldn’t have asked for a better place to work. If I had never walked into that career fair, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t know where I’d be,” Jessica shares. “You can come here in-store, you can come here to the Opportunity Center here – it doesn’t matter what you’re looking for, we’ll find a way to make sure you get what you need.”