Read Sandra's Amazing Story:

Mission Moment

Sandra has had a lot of jobs in her lifetime. At age 10, she worked alongside her parents and siblings in Texas, picking fruits and vegetables. Sandra attended school sometimes but most of the time her parents needed her out in the fields to help provide for the family. Sandra says, “Times were very hard and it was all about survival.”

Sandra remained a farmworker until her early 30s, when another family member invited her to move with her to Florida. Sandra, along with her young children, made the move to Bradenton, hoping for a better life.

Sandra worked many jobs in her new community. She worked on an assembly line at a food manufacturing plant but the monotony of the job reminded her too much of her farm working days. She got another job with a family-owned cleaning company in Sarasota. When the owner passed away, the business closed.

By then, Sandra had a new grandbaby and she stayed home to care for her so her daughter could go to work. Once her granddaughter was old enough for daycare, Sandra was ready to go back to work but she was at a loss as to what type of work she could apply for. She had some barriers that she knew might make it difficult to find a new job. She was an older worker with little formal education. She was self-conscious about her English skills and did not want a job dealing with the pubic.

She knew she would need to find an employer who had jobs she could do. She also knew the job would have to keep her busy working at a variety of tasks—she had already had her share of dull, monotonous work. She wanted a job that felt like something new each day.

Sandra heard that Goodwill was opening a new store, so she applied there. Despite the barriers that she was sure would get in the way of employment, Sandra had an interview and a job offer before the week was out! Sandra tried a few different positions at Goodwill. She was honest with her manager about the jobs she liked and the jobs she did not care for. She was delighted that her manager listened to her and worked with her to find exactly the right spot where Sandra would be the most comfortable. Sandra became a pricer. She loves this job because it keeps her very busy and really does feel like something new every day. There is nothing dull or monotonous about THIS job!

Sandra says she has learned a lot working for Goodwill. She gets the training she needs to do her job better and with that comes growth and a feeling of self-worth. Her manager is very complimentary about Sandra, especially about the fact that she has never called in sick or even been late to work. Sandra is always willing to help others when asked. The knowledge that her manager appreciates her makes Sandra’s job even more meaningful. She hopes to continue working full-time at Goodwill until her body suggests that she shift to part-time.

Sandra is thankful that she found an employer who provides her the opportunity to work at a place where she can do a job she loves and continue to grow and excel. 


Changing lives through the power of work!