Success Story

Tommie

“I like coming here and making their day.”

In 2004, Tommie was involved in a serious automobile accident resulting in a closed head injury. Unable to resume the responsibilities of his previous employment, Tommie was referred by his insurance company’s vocational rehabilitation case manager to Goodwill’s Work Adjustment Program.

Goodwill’s Work Adjustment Program is specifically designed to help people overcome injury-related barriers to employment. This transitional training helps individuals toward their optimal level of vocational development.

Working one-on-one with a Goodwill rehabilitation counselor, Tommie began a 3-month enrollment at Goodwill for skills evaluation and work reconditioning. Tommie’s insurance company wanted Goodwill to determine if Tommie could handle competitive employment on at least a part-time basis.

Tommie indicated an interest in retail, and began training at Goodwill’s superstore on Sherman Blvd. in Muskegon by assisting customers at the donation “drive-thru” and helping sort donations. Tommie proved to be a dependable, hard worker, and excelled at customer service.

After completing the program, Tommie applied for an open retail worker position at the Goodwill store and was hired as a regular employee in December. He is happy with his job and works well with supervisors, co-workers, and customers alike.