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Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love. At Goodwill, we’re highlighting two couples who now share not only a life together but also a passion for Goodwill’s mission. This Valentine’s Day, we’re taking a moment to celebrate these duos who bring teamwork, support, and a whole lot of heart to their roles every day.

Erin and Herc Petmezas

Erin and Herc Petmezas

Erin Petmezas has been Goodwill’s Visual Design Manager since 2015, using her creativity to bring beauty to our stores and events. Herc, her husband, recently joined the Goodwill family, transitioning from a Donation Handler at the Idlewild store to a Risk Management Specialist.

When asked what she loves most about Herc, Erin found it hard to narrow it down—but she shared some highlights:

“There are so many things about Herc that I love, but here are just a few: he’s well-read (and has a very impressive library), his high moral compass and compassion for all living beings, the delicious meals he cooks with love, his creativity and ability to collaborate, intellect, sense of humor, and the many things he does to make my life easier and enjoyable.”

Herc, equally in awe of Erin, shared his admiration for his wife’s strength and spirit:

“There are so many things I love about Erin. The way she creatively solves problems and her overall tenacity and grit. She has a passion for life and learning. Her kindness and empathy inspire me every day to be the best version of myself. I am truly fortunate that the universe brought us together and look forward to living this life with her by my side.”

We LOVE their love! Erin even found her wedding gown at one of Goodwill’s annual Bridal Pop-Up Sales.

Sydnei & DeJaun (DJ) Neely

Sydnei & DeJaun (DJ) Neely

Sydnei has been with Goodwill since 2018 and is now the Store Manager at the Indian Land location. DJ joined the team in 2024 as a Tractor Trailer Driver. Their love story began at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, though they still playfully debate whether they first met at the student union or another spot on campus. Regardless of where it began, their connection was undeniable from the start.

DJ describes Sydnei as a beautiful and intelligent woman who listens without judgment. He cherishes her as his best friend, always admiring her radiant smile and recognizing her as a hardworking, phenomenal woman. He adds that her skills as a mother and cook make their home not only loving but full of warmth and comfort.

Sydnei, equally in love, describes DJ as a sweetheart—caring and loving in every way. She values his dedication as an amazing father and the unwavering support he brings into their lives. Their journey together is a testament to the power of love, friendship, and mutual respect.

This Valentine’s Day, we celebrate all forms of love—romantic, platonic, and community-driven. And to Erin, Herc, Sydnei, and DeJaun—thank you for sharing your love with us.

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is pleased to announce the promotion of Haley Smith to Director of Real Estate and Facilities. Since joining Goodwill in December 2021 as a Construction Manager, Haley has been a driving force behind our Donated Goods Retail growth. Before her time with the nonprofit, Haley brought her expertise as a Project Manager in residential construction and retail construction for Goodwill Industries of San Diego. 

Haley’s dedication to professional growth is evident as she pursues her Project Management certification and Commercial Real Estate license. She has been instrumental in managing key projects, including the recent opening of the Gastonia Career & Employment Center, and will now lead Facilities, Events, and Real Estate for Goodwill, along with her expanded team.  

Congratulations, Haley! 

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is pleased to announce the promotion of Lee Bond to Director of Corporate Compliance, recognizing his more than 17 years of exceptional service and leadership at Goodwill. Lee has been pivotal in advancing Risk Management, Safety, Loss Prevention, and Business Continuity initiatives. His guidance during the challenges of COVID-19 and disaster recovery planning underscored his invaluable expertise.

Lee’s commitment to growth includes earning the V-Legal Certificate from Vanderbilt School of Law and certifications in Environmental Health and Safety and Loss Prevention. Lee also served as a Detective Sergeant for more than 20 years in command of the Homicide and Robbery division for a Hampton Roads police Department in southeastern Virginia, before his tenure at Goodwill.

Congratulations, Lee!

2025 marks a monumental milestone for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont as we celebrate 60 years of service and impact in the Greater Charlotte community! Over the past six decades, we’ve worked to create opportunities that change lives, and this year, we’re taking the time to honor our history, celebrate our growth and envision an even brighter future.

As we count down to our official anniversary in May, we’re reflecting on the transformative journey that began in 1965. Back then, Goodwill was a small but determined organization with fewer than 20 employees, serving just 49 community members in its first year. Fast forward to today, and we’re proud to be a 21st-century leader in regional workforce development, employing more than 1,200 people and having empowered more than 255,000 job seekers to achieve their career goals over the last 60 years.

This would not have been possible without the steadfast support of our community. Your donations, purchases and partnership have helped make these achievements possible, changing countless lives along the way.

Stay tuned as we share stories, milestones and highlights from our history in the months leading up to our 60th anniversary. Together, we’ll celebrate this incredible journey and the impact we’ve made together, paving the way for the next chapter of Goodwill’s legacy.

Here’s to 60 years of making a difference – and to the future we’ll build together!

Yes, to the dress! It’s the words brides are hoping to say when they find their dream dress. But for many brides, the thought of finding a bridal gown without breaking the bank, can seem nearly impossible.

“No, I didn’t have $2000 to spend on a dress,” said Cynthia Pettyjohn Jones.  

Jones found her dress at a fraction of the cost at Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s annual Bridal Pop-Up Sale. 

She heard about the event through her niece, who saw it promoted on social media. Not long after, she heard the event mentioned on the news.  

Without even going to a boutique to try on dresses, she rallied her “I do” crew to attend the event with her, hoping to find the dress of her dreams. 

“The last dress that I tried on, which was at the top of my budget is the one that I purchased,” Cynthia explained.  

She paid $500. Her dress was brand new with tags on it and retailed for $1,200. 

“It was very exciting, you know, to find a brand-new dress at a fraction of the cost,” Cynthia exclaimed. 

According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, which surveyed nearly 10,000 U.S. couples who got married in 2022, the average wedding dress cost in 2023 was about $2,000. 

In addition to the cost of the dress, there’s other costs for brides to consider – veils, alterations, shoes, jewelry and more. Cynthia was lucky enough to find her veil and a belt to accessorize her dress at the pop-up at reduced prices.  

While brides save money for the big day, they also are doing good for the community. Sales from the Bridal Pop-Up event help to support Goodwill’s mission of providing tuition-free job training and career services to members in the Charlotte region.

While Goodwill is not a bridal boutique, the nonprofit works to make the event feel special for brides.  

“I thought it was just such a nice event. I thought it was just going to be go stand in line, hope you get in, hope you find something. But they made the event really nice,” Cynthia explained of her experience as she waited in line the morning of the event. “They had a DJ out there. They had coffee, hot cocoa, chocolate covered strawberries and pastries,” she added. 

Brides who attend this year’s event can expect flower walls with props to take photos, refreshments, shared dressing rooms and even giveaways.  

For brides who plan to attend this year’s event Jones has a few suggestions for you. She says, “Bring some people with you, because you’re going to need help grabbing dresses. And wear comfortable shoes.” 

The bridal sale returns for its sixth annual event Saturday, March 8, 2025, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, located at 5301 Wilkinson Boulevard in west Charlotte. Most bridal gowns will be priced from $99 – $499, and select designer dresses that are new with the original tags still on will be priced up to $999. Special occasion, prom, and bridesmaid dresses will be priced $49 each, or 3 for $100. Shoes will start at $9.99. For more information, click here.

ADJUSTED HOURS ON FRIDAY, 1/10, AND SATURDAY, 1/11

As winter weather impacts our region, the safety of our team members, shoppers, donors, participants and partners remains our top priority. Our leadership team is connecting regularly and making decisions as we learn more on the impact of inclement weather on our area. We continue to closely monitor the official forecasts and potential impacts of this storm across our region.

We are making the following operational changes at this time: 

[As of Friday, 1/10 4:00PM]

Stay safe out there! We’ll update this post in real-time as changes to our operations are announced. Please check back regularly for the latest information.

“I just know I’m in a position of power to change people’s lives. I think Goodwill is in a position do the same thing, and they’re doing that through this program.” 

Ryan Jor El, Vice President, Store Manager at TD Bank is paying it forward in his new career in the financial industry, but it wasn’t long ago he was working in another industry himself. 

“I spent 20 years in the fashion industry, so banking is not my background, but because of my years of fashion, retail, hospitality and customer service, I was able to transition into banking,” Jor El explained. 

Earlier this year, Jor El became involved with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont when he helped the nonprofit with BankWork$, one of its tuition-free training programs. Jor El speaks with classes, informs of banking trends and offers his services to assist with mock interviews, in addition to hiring participants that graduate from the class. 

“I think the work that Goodwill is doing to get people equipped for the banking industry through the Bankwork$ program, especially in the second largest banking capital in the nation, is not only helping the community, but it’s helping them individually,” Jor El said. “You’re giving them the skills and the characteristics they need to work for a bank in a banking capital.” 

BankWork$ is an eight-week immersive career training program delivered by Goodwill that gives people the skills, access, and coaching needed to succeed and grow in banking careers—from understanding the financial services workplace to bank regulations, bank products, cash handling, and processing customer transactions. Graduates are prepared for roles such as: Associate Banker, Branch Banker, Client Services Representative, Lead Teller, Member Service Consultant, Personal Banker, Relationship Banker, Teller, and Call Center Representative. 

Since its launch in Fall 2023, the nonprofit has helped 42 participants from four cohorts achieve employment, 30 of those jobs in the banking industry. Leaders in the financial sector like Jor El are helping the nonprofit work toward its bold vision of providing meaningful employment to 15,000 individuals by 2029, and together the organizations are creating a new talent pipeline to address the critical issue of economic mobility in the Charlotte region. 

To date, TD Bank has hired two participants from the program and hopes to continue the trend. Jor El has gone beyond just hiring talent, he regularly signs up to speak with classes, attends employer roundtables and helps with mock interviews to make sure participants stand out when applying for jobs. 

“I’m able to come to the BankWork$ program because part of my role is people development and business development,” Jor El explained. “It’s not just about the money. We really do empower our people. If there’s a cause that you want to get behind, something that’s special to you, you can use company time to do that.” 

For Jor El, who is from south Charlotte, and grew up in the Roseland neighborhood, TD Bank’s commitment to community is one that aligns with his own personal values. He knows that programs like BankWork$ not only help with economic mobility but can make a difference in the community.   

Transition can be difficult, especially in a professional setting, but Jor El brings a personal and relatable experience to the classroom when speaking with participants. “I know certainly for your program; this is a pivot. Maybe they [participants] were doing something for so many different years and they want to try banking, or maybe they got laid off and they want to try banking,” Jor El explained when speaking of some of the participant stories he’s learned. 

His involvement with the program has helped him to find and hire great talent like Dominique Dantzler, who works as a Retail Banker II for TD Bank. While attending a City of Charlotte hiring event at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus in March, she met Employer Engagement Specialist Julie Salinas who told her about BankWork$. Dominique enrolled and graduated from the program.  

“Having a training and development program to give you a kickstart is important. Obviously, every company is going to do training, but that person that’s been through a banking program in an interview for a banking job is going to have a leg up on the person who has no banking experience at all,” Jor El said. 

Tuition-free training programs like the one Dominique took are available to the community, thanks to shopping and donating at Goodwill’s 36 retail locations and more than 40 donation sites, in addition to corporate, community and philanthropic donations. 

Jor El hopes to see more financial institutions get involved with the BankWork$ program and hire the amazing talent it’s producing. “I would highly encourage the power of presence to show up to one of these sessions, one of these classroom trainings, one of these graduations,” he said. He finished with, “You can’t get experience if nobody ever gives you a shot.” 

The Charlotte region is home to more than 100,000 financial services jobs1, and it is the second-largest banking center in the nation. With no other workforce development programs dedicated to the finance industry in the greater Charlotte region, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, in partnership with The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and CareerWork$, expanded its training division to offer the BankWork$® program.

CARF International announced that Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont has been accredited for a period of three years for its Employee Development Services; Employment and Career Centers; and Employment Skills Training Services programs.

The CARF three-year accreditation represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows our nonprofit’s substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a three-year accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs, services, organizational leadership and governance practices are of the highest quality, measurable and accountable.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from CARF International, which highlights the hard work and dedication of our team in delivering high-quality programs and services to the community,” said Chris Jackson, president & CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “This accreditation affirms our commitment to partnering with individuals to build pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve, strengthening the workforce, and maintaining the highest standards of quality, innovation and measurable impact.”

About CARF

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process and continuous improvement services that center on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF International, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information about the accreditation process, please visit the CARF website.

THRIFTING & GIFTING

‘Tis the season for thrifting and gifting! Stop by your local Goodwill to browse its collection of holiday décor, festive accessories, gift wrapping essentials, and more! And remember, you don’t have to break the bank to SLEIGH the holidays this year.

HOLIDAY DECOR

FESTIVE FINDS

FEEL JOLLY

Every time you shop at Goodwill, you help someone in our community on their pathway to prosperity. That’s because the revenue we generate from selling items in our stores funds career training courses, job search support, family stability services and more – all of which we offer free of charge to thousands of people in our community each year, including our very own team members. Now that’s something to feel good about!

As we approach the season of giving and the close of 2024, the global movement of Giving Tuesday provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the power of generosity to transform lives. At Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, we’ve seen firsthand how acts of giving can open doors, build pathways and change futures.

At Goodwill, we believe that a job is more than just a paycheck—it’s a steppingstone to independence and a brighter tomorrow. But for many in our community, barriers like limited access to education, the challenge of re-entering the workforce in a competitive job market, and personal hardships make employment feel out of reach.

That’s where Goodwill steps in, offering tuition-free training programs, job search support services and unwavering support to help individuals find success and further their lives.

MEET RITU

Take Ritu’s story, for example. A talented IT professional, Ritu took a career break to raise her children. When she was ready to return to work, she felt overwhelmed, uncertain, and left behind in a field that evolves rapidly. Ritu found her way to one of Goodwill’s Advanced IT training programs, where she gained the skills and confidence to re-enter the workforce. Today, she’s thriving as an Operations Analyst at LPL Financial.

Ritu’s gratitude for the role Goodwill played in her life inspired her to give back with a generous donation. Her gift ensures others in our community can access the same life-changing opportunities she did.

This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to join Ritu in giving the gift of possibility. Your generosity fuels programs that provide:

EVERY GIFT CHANGES LIVES

Your support on Giving Tuesday will help individuals like Ritu overcome challenges, regain confidence and create new beginnings. Together, we can connect people to good jobs and empower them to build brighter futures for themselves and their families. You can read more Goodwill success stories here.

WAYS TO GIVE

Giving Tuesday is a reminder that small acts of kindness can create lasting ripples of impact. Your support ensures that Goodwill can continue to provide these resources needed for community members to thrive in 2025 and beyond.

This Giving Tuesday, your gift can be the bridge to a brighter future for someone in our community.