“I was already attending classes at Central Piedmont Community College when I decided to try Goodwill’s Career Leadership Academy for Youth (CLAY). CLAY helped me to be brave and confident in my abilities.”

Wanda had been out of the corporate world for over 14 years and needed help finding sustainable employment. “My age and gender were always in the back of my mind. I thought to myself, ‘Who is going to ever hire me?’”

“I moved to Charlotte from Baltimore, M.D. with my two children. I didn’t have a real plan. And let me tell you that’s scary, particularly for a parent,” said Cassandra. “After trying to make a better life for myself on my own, I realized I needed some help, and this was when I learned of Goodwill.”

Angela came to Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont at a time in her life when she didn’t know where she was going to sleep each night. Angela was transitioning out of a local homeless shelter and needed help finding a job so that she could secure permanent housing.

When Nadia came to the Goodwill Job Connection in Gastonia, N.C. in August 2013, she was in desperate need of permanent employment. She had moved from New York as a single mother with her three children, but lacked a high school diploma or GED, which made finding a stable job challenging.