“Today when I come home from work, I have a lot of things to be thankful for.”
Frank says that growing up poor, his parents did not have the opportunity for education themselves but always stressed the importance of learning to their children. Both of his parents worked hard to provide so he also learned from them, the value of hard work. When he was a senior in high school, he became a father. Even with the responsibilities of parenthood, he graduated from high school and began college. However, he decided that he wanted to provide a better life for his daughter and his deep-rooted work ethic kicked in. Frank dropped out of school and began working.
For many years, Frank worked in law enforcement, then logistics, and then as an electrician. He was thriving in his career when, suddenly, he became very ill and was diagnosed with kidney failure. He spent five hours a day, three days a week receiving dialysis treatment for four years until finally, a viable organ transplant became available. Frank underwent surgery and was quickly on the mend when he suffered a massive stroke. His arduous recovery took almost a year, during which time he was mostly bedridden. With hard work and dedication, he learned to speak and walk again. Unfortunately, he and his family struggled financially during this time so he also had one more goal – to get back to work.
Once he was able, Frank researched organizations that could help him find employment. He was unsure what he wanted to do now due to the changes in his health. He came to Goodwill when he discovered the breadth of programs Goodwill offered, especially those geared towards supporting people overcoming obstacles to employment. He registered with GSG Talent Solutions (GSG) for job placement assistance but also took advantage of career advancement training and digital literacy courses to refresh his professional skills. Frank not only faced challenges due to the changes in his mobility but he also had to overcome the time gap in his job history. His Career Case Manager provided one-on-one guidance throughout his journey and even assisted him in securing a laptop to aid in his job search.
Now, Frank is enjoying his job with the State of Texas, where he has been recognized several times for his outstanding work.
Frank is eternally grateful to Goodwill for all of the assistance and support he was provided. He is also proud to be the first person in his family to own his own home. “Today when I come home from work, I have a lot of things to be thankful for,” says Frank. He spends his free time volunteering and intends to enroll for the Project Management Professional training program at the Goodwill Career & Technical Academy. Just like his parents, Frank knows how important education is to your career, and how work can change your life.
