2016 July Newsletter – 60703 GSC – Outer – PMS 285 & Black

342 N. San Fernando RoadLos Angeles, CA 90031-1730

goodworks!Enclosed: Your lastest issue of

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June 2016 | Volume 2 | Number 2

Letter fromKathleen 2

What’s inside… 3 4

Navy VetFinds His'Angel'

SouthernCaliforniaEdison

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Christopher’s life changed when he walked in the doors of our

Homeless Veteran Employment Program in Riverside.  Christopher, a United States Navy veteran, was on his way to a promising career as an Electronics Systems Organizational Career Maintenance Technician when he was honorably discharged in 2012. He found it difficult to transition into civilian employment, and had given up hope of ever finding a job. Unemployed and close to losing his home, Christopher heard about the Goodwill program in Riverside and its assistance to veterans.

Christopher’s life changed dramatically from that day onwards. He enrolled in our program and joined our Solar Photovoltaic Installer Training course free of charge. Christopher worked diligently to complete the course and his hard work paid off. He graduated from the course and was one of the first in his training group to obtain employment. 

Christopher’s transformation through employment was only possible through generous investors like Southern California

Edison – thank you! Since 1976, Southern California Edison has supported our work in the community to bring hope, jobs, and brighter futures to the most vulnerable

job seekers in our region. Most recently, Edison’s

partnership with our Homeless Veteran Employment Program enabled us to help our nation’s heroes, like Christopher, who have loyally served our country, but are now unemployed and some even homeless. We are grateful.

In 2015, Goodwill served 2,620 veterans across its territory, trained 227 in new careers, and placed 390 in good jobs. We hope you will join us this centennial year in our commitment to make a positive difference in the lives of military service men and women through employment. For more information on how you can support this worthy cause or to visit any of our programs, please contact Rebecca Reyes at (323) 539-2034. 

Blindness no longer an obstacle to work

Santiago Meza was born blind, but

neither his family nor Goodwill

Southern California let that keep

him from enjoying the benefits of

work and a fulfilling life.

“I am the youngest of 13 brothers and

sisters,” Santiago told us. “My family pushed

me, teaching me how to do things since

I was a kid. I remember them telling me,

‘Santiago, now you will clean the patio.’ I told

them, ‘I cannot see! How do you want me to

do that if I cannot see?’ And so they showed

me how to do it. Because they loved me,

they were forcing me to do things.”

Santiago took the determination he

learned as a child into the workplace, first as

an organist and then as a salesman. While

unemployed, he was considering what else

he could do. Then he heard about Goodwill on

the radio. “I heard they help disabled people,

so I came here looking for a job. I started

working here at Goodwill on March 31, 1987.”

“I started off sorting clothes. With each

new supervisor, each department that I

worked in, I learned different skills.” And

Santiago received an extra blessing from his

work at Goodwill – it’s where he met his wife.

“I had started as a switchboard operator

at the time and Gloria was a telephone

operator. We met in 1988 and got married

in 1993. We have been married 23 years!”

NAME

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342 N. San Fernando Rd.Los Angeles, CA 90031-1730goodwillsocal.org

Please charge my gift to my credit card.

Please contact me/us about remembering Goodwill Southern California in my/our estate plan. Please contact me/us about signing up for Partners of Hope. I/we want to help Goodwill today! Enclosed is a gift of: $50 $75 $100 $_____________

I’m helping others write stories of hope through Goodwill.

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SIGNATURE 342 N. San Fernando Rd.

Los Angeles, CA 90031

888.4.GOODWILL (446.6394)

goodwillsocal.org

Over the last century, Goodwill Southern California has served hundreds of thousands of people in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Our familiar logo welcomes people to 81 retail stores, 44 attended donation centers, three campuses, and a network of 8 career resource centers and mission programs.

We are so thankful to you for your support – through Partners of Hope, our monthly giving program, your donations to and purchases from our stores, and your generous gifts that make the work of Goodwill possible.

Thank you for standing with us as we celebrate our Centennial. We look ahead to the next 100 years, and celebrate every man, woman and youth who has gained work skills to open doors to a better future.

Stepping into the Next 100 Years

“Goodwill gave me the opportunity to learn new things.”

Please make your check payable to Goodwill Southern California.

Santiago continued on page 3

THANK YOU,

Southern CaliforniaEdison

Visit Us Online at www.goodwillsocal.org

2016 July Newsletter – 60703 GSC – Newsletter – Digital 4-color 2016 July Newsletter – 60703 GSC – Newsletter – Digital 4-color

11:00 Shotgun

Mark WalbergTV PersonalityMaster of Ceremonies

Wilshire Country Club301 N Rossmore AveLos Angeles 90004

For more information, sponsorship opportunities and early reservations, please contact Camille Guerrero at 323.539.2185 or cguerrero@goodwillsocal.org.

Habakuk left active duty in the Navy to enroll in the UCLA International Medical Graduate

program. His dream was to pursue a residency in Family Medicine so he could better serve the families of the U.S. Armed Forces.

But balancing 60 hours of school a week left Habakuk frustrated, disappointed – and out of money. “I wanted to give up my goal to be a licensed family physician,” he says.

Fortunately, he was invited to an orientation session at Goodwill where he met staff from the veteran program who “had a plan to put me on the right path,” he recalls. “They referred me to a Goodwill Veteran Navigator who was

– and still is – my ‘angel.’”About to be evicted, Goodwill

kept a roof over Habakuk’s head by helping pay his rent for four months, providing gas, groceries, and even a Thanksgiving meal for his family. “They made me feel proud of having served in the military,” he told us. We also helped him get assistance to cover the exam fees so he could begin the UCLA Family Medicine Residency Program.

“I am very thankful … and would like to pay it back somehow,” Habakuk says. “I promise to provide good quality medical care to our veterans and their families through my medical career, and will be available for every suffering person I encounter.”

Dear Friend,Santiago. Habakuk. Christopher. Three people – one with a disability, and two

who proudly served in our military. All three have a story of hope because Goodwill Southern California was there when they reached out and asked for help.

There are many other stories I could share with you, because it is Goodwill’s passion to help veterans, those with disabilities, youth and individuals finding their way back into society after serving a prison sentence. They all have one thing in common – they want a chance to find dignity and become self-sufficient through employment. We are privileged

to help them learn new skills and become part of our hard-working Southern California communities.

I hope you feel privileged, too, because your gifts transform lives. Your donations are invested in our mission to train, educate, employ and place

people with disabilities or disadvantages into careers that transform their lives.You are critical to these stories of hope being written through determination and

tireless effort. Thank you for everything you do and share to ensure Goodwill is always Transforming Lives Through the Power of Work.

Grateful for your support!

Kathleen Johnson Chair, Board of Directors

from KathleenLe

tter You “paid it forward” so

this Vet can pay it back

Stories of hope are being written through determination and tireless effort.

It’s our 100 year anniversary and Goodwill Southern California has an outstanding opportunity that will allow you to invest every year in perpetuity in the mission of Goodwill with a named endowed training scholarship!

With a cash gift of $50,000 (payable as $10,000 a year over 5 years) and a bequest to Goodwill Southern California for $50,000 in your will or trust, we will create an endowed training scholarship in your name that will give our most vulnerable job seekers like Santiago and Habakuk more than charity...a chance.

The scholarship will be used to assess skills and train

job-seekers for life-long careers in any number of in-demand occupations in high-growth industries.

Your gift will make it possible for these individuals to live productive and purposeful lives with the enhanced ability to support themselves and their families. Every year forever, your name will be linked with transforming a life through the power of work.

Interested? Please contact Theresa Farrell, Director, Major Gifts at 323-539-2110 or email tfarrell@goodwillsocal.org.

How Does Your Legacy Live on Forever? Establish a Named Endowed Scholarship.

"I am greatly thankful … and would like to pay it back somehow."

Santiago can’t even imagine where he’d be without Goodwill. “Goodwill gave me the opportunity to learn more and apply myself. It’s not only donations that you are giving to Goodwill – it is opportunity that you are giving.”

“I learned right here at Goodwill,” Santiago continued. “I have a secure income to support my home. Goodwill is a great organization and is doing good things for disabled people.”

Thank you for supporting Goodwill Southern California so we can help people like Santiago by transforming lives through the power of work.

Santiago continued

2016 Planned Giving Newsletter – 60703 GSC – Detached Remit – PMS 285 & Black

Goodwill Southern CaliforniaP.O. Box 541101Los Angeles, CA 90099-9380

Please charge my gift to my credit card.

CREDIT CARD #

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GIFT AMOUNT $ PHONE #

NAME ON CARD

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Please make your check payable to Goodwill Southern California. Give online! goodwillsocal.org/donate-money

Please contact me/us about Partners of Hope, your monthly giving program. I/we have remembered Goodwill Southern California in my/our estate plan.

"I'm glad to be part of Goodwill's success story!"

Sample A. Sample1234 Main StreetP.O. Box 12345Anytown, ST 12345

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$AA $BB $CC $_____________

Kathleen, I want to help Goodwill Southern California help more people write their own stories of hope because of the power of work. Enclosed is my gift of:

2016 Planned Giving Newsletter – 60703 GSC – Detached Remit – Black

I am interested in Partners of Hope, Goodwill’s monthly giving program. Please tell me more!

Please send me more information about including Goodwill Southern California in my estate plan.

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