Meet Isa

By Isa’s 18th birthday, she was a teen mom, had battled depression and addiction, been kicked out of high school, and had been incarcerated. At the age of 20, she stood in a courtroom facing a ten year prison sentence. Thankfully, her judge was lenient and gave Isa one more chance. That’s when she started her Goodwill journey.

When Isa first came to Goodwill, she was skeptical and didn’t know what to expect. Then she met her Case Manager, Vanessa Perez, and her concerns began to dissipate. Isa started receiving GED tutoring services. Although apprehensive about taking her GED tests, she passed with high marks on her first try. Quickly thereafter, she began an internship at a retail store and received some much-needed job experience. Between the internship and educational success, her self-esteem dramatically increased.

Watch Isa’s story to see how Goodwill was able to help her regain her independence.

Isa’s success gave her the encouragement to be the mother that she had always wanted to be for her children. She recently enrolled at Austin Community College and is working to become a Licensed Social Worker. Isa has a 4.0 GPA and says, “Goodwill showed me that there is no limit to my potential.” In fact, Isa is already researching graduate programs. Says Vanessa Perez proudly, “Isa is an outstanding young lady. She is mature, responsible, and has amazing follow-through. She has shown amazing personal growth and is helping to strengthen her own family by creating a positive future for herself, her children, and her husband.”