Goodwill is the place to find great values on clothes! Visit one of our 13 stores and go on a treasure hunt for yourself. It’s the secret to building up a fashionable wardrobe for less!

Our Duluth store is located at 700 Garfield Ave. Don’t let the bridge construction detours keep you from great savings!

Click here for a complete list of local stores.

Steve’s 14-year sobriety chip

Valerie Clark, Goodwill Duluth Public Relations Specialist
vclark@goodwillduluth.org

Steve has no memory of the events that led to him waking up in a nursing home in the winter of 1998. Perhaps it’s for the best that he can’t remember the harrowing journey that brought him to the edge of death, but he’s grateful for the experience today because it bought him a second chance at life.

“The last thing I remember was being in the Skywalk that goes to the DECC,” said Steve, who had struggled with an addiction to alcohol for his entire adult life. His final drinking binge began on his birthday, Nov. 20, 1997, and ended with paramedics finding him unresponsive outside a Superior Street bar.

“Some say I got beat up…maybe I fell down and hit my head. We’ll never know,” Steve said. Whatever the cause, his injuries were severe: His skull had been fractured and he was suffering from a hematoma, or bruising of the brain. This also caused severe seizures, and Steve’s prognosis was not good.

Doctors were amazed when he turned a corner and started recovering from his head trauma, moving to Park Point Manor for 13 months of recuperation.

It was there that he finally regained consciousness, and began the long road to physical rehabilitation.

“I had to learn how to walk and talk again because of that head injury,” he said.

Though it was a difficult journey, Steve is grateful for the turning point in his life.

“I was knocked senseless for a while, but at the same time it knocked some sense into me,” he says. “What almost killed me made me a strong person.”

Slowly, he began putting together the pieces of how he’d ended up there, and he didn’t like what he saw.

“I had a lot of time to think about how I got there, the reason I was in there, and what I had to do to become a human being again,” Steve said. “I turned over a new leaf.”

Part of turning over a new leaf was finding gainful employment, and while he was still living in a nursing home, he started working with Goodwill’s Extended Employment services.

“Goodwill helped me stay positive by coming to work, being responsible, and learning work skills,” Steve said. During his years at Goodwill, Steve has gone from an individual with unsteady employment to a dependable worker. He has held several different jobs at Goodwill, including pin tagging, janitorial services, and working on the sorting belt. He currently works in the electrical/mechanical/furniture department, inspecting donated furniture and testing  electronics.

With help from his Goodwill job, he now has stable income to support himself.

“I’ve got a car, got insurance, I’m buying groceries, and I pay my rent,” he says. “I’m becoming a responsible adult.”

Steve is now celebrating 14 years of sobriety, and is enjoying the new opportunities that have opened up to him. His employment at Goodwill is an important part of his new life and new identity.

“Because I’m sober, I got my driver’s license, I got a car,” he says. “The old Steve died, and I’m glad he did. A new Steve was born.”

Left: size 7/8, $4.99. Center: size 8, $4.99. Right: size 9/10, $4.99.

By Valerie Clark
Public Relations Specialist, Goodwill Duluth
vclark@goodwillduluth.org

If you’re reading this right now and you don’t have a prom dress yet, I’m guessing you’re nearing a PPPA (pre-prom panic attack). I understand…you’re under a lot of pressure. You have to find The Perfect Dress without breaking the bank, and the prom is only a few days away!

Left: size 5/6, $19.99. Center: size 8, $24.99. Right: size 12, $24.99.

The average family will spend $1,078 on the prom this year. Yikes! That’s twice what I spent on my wedding dress.  But as far as dresses that you’ll only ever wear for a few hours go, this is an important one.

Never fear! There is still time to make your prom unforgettably perfect. I’m here to remind you of the affordable alternative to spending hundreds on your prom dress – check out the selection at Goodwill! You never know…you might just find the dress of your dreams at a fraction of the price.

Be sure to check out our selection! The dresses pictured at left were spotted in our Duluth store on Garfield Avenue. Find the store closest to you in the Northland.

Follow @goodwillduluth

Question
“My doctor says I have to cut back on lifting, but my job demands it and I can’t afford to lose my job.  How should I talk to my employer about this?” – Ryan from Flagstaff, AZ

Answer
There are a couple of things you need to consider before approaching your employer about this issue.  First, is your doctor telling you this is a short-term issue and your back will heal, or is it a long-term issue that will impair your lifting ability permanently?

Short-Term

Make sure you have a doctor’s note with you when approaching your supervisor that states exactly how many pounds you can lift, if any.  If you are a great employee and the back will heal, the employer is more likely to accommodate your needs so you have time to heal.  Make sure the doctor’s note is specific about what you can and can’t do, and specifies how long the limitations are expected to last.

Long-Term or Permanent Medical Condition

If lifting is an essential part of your job and your employer is either not large enough to move you into a position that does not require lifting, or you don’t qualify for the other non-lifting position(s), your employer should be considering if a reasonable accommodation will make the difference in your ability to perform your job.

Here are some questions your employer is going to consider once you have submitted the doctor’s note with your medical limitations specified:

1. What job responsibilities will be limited by the employee’s limitations?
2. How do these limitations affect the employee’s job performance?
3. What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations?
4. What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems?

If the lifting issue is going to be permanent, I strongly urge you to consider pursuing training in another type of work.  Check with your employer to see if there are any other open positions that don’t require lifting.  If not, your local community college has many short-term training options you can take that will give you the skills for another type of job that does not require lifting.  They also have counselors that can help you choose a training that fits your interests.  Many of the trainings are offered in non-traditional hours so you can complete the training while still employed.  Your local Goodwill® can then help you find a job in your new field.

A sampling of items found recently at our Duluth store.

With the unceremonious final swipe of a paintbrush on Friday night, the last room in our new house was painted at last. It marked a long and arduous home improvement process that included the priming and painting of every surface of the house, as well as replacing all of the flooring (done by a contractor, not us! I’m scared to even imagine how that would’ve gone).

I learned a few things from all that painting:
1. I’m not a good painter.
2. Painting ceilings with a very splattery paint roller is not fun or good for your eyeballs.
3. Removing painter’s tape while the paint is still wet is a GREAT idea. Don’t be like me and let it dry, later ending up with tape that pulls off ragged chunks of paint when you remove it. Sigh.

Anyway, that concludes my home improvement advice. Martha Stewart I’m not…but I am good at saving money. And now that the house is move-in ready (the big day is Saturday!), I’ve set my sights on Goodwill to purchase décor items to really make the house feel like home.

There are plenty of trendy stores I could check out to buy corporate, mass-produced decorations, but at Goodwill I know I’m picking up one-of-a-kind finds. It’s like a treasure hunt that will save me tons of money in the end.

Join me and check out what Goodwill has to offer!

Question
“What is the best way to use social media to extend my job search?” — Kellen from Reno, NV

Answer
Before the Internet and social media became popular, most of us did our job search the “old-fashioned” way.  This meant face-to-face networking, going through classified ads in print publications, and attending job fairs.  These options are still available, but using social media is essential if you’re looking for a position in today’s market.

Best Social Networks for Job Seekers

Here are some examples on how specific sites can work to your advantage:

• LinkedIn: If you’re looking for a job, you want to create a profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network. Signing up for an account gives you access to professional resources, connections with colleagues and a direct line to businesses looking for people to fill employment or volunteer opportunities. You can sign up for groups in your interest area, search for companies by name, keywords or industry; or check out LinkedIn Today which will give you the latest news and suggest industries based on your profile.

• Facebook: While you may think of Facebook as strictly for fun, it’s actually a great networking resource. This month, Facebook rolled out Interest lists, which allows you to quickly subscribe to updates from experts and organizations in your employment interest area. Subscribing to these lists can help you stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in your field, as well as let you know about job openings at relevant organizations.

• Idealist: Idealist is heavily focused on volunteer opportunities, social causes, and access to employment in nonprofit and community-based organizations.  On Idealist, resources are available according to areas of focus; you can also  post a listing or message to the larger network about your skills and interests.

And did you know? Goodwill has its own social networking site, GoodProspects, which allows you to join groups and discussions based on your industry interest and connect with a mentor to help guide and inform your career plan.  GoodProspects is also unique in that you can opt-in to receive career-related information and updates via mobile text.

Make Your Profile Employment-Ready

Once you’ve decided what sites you want to use, consider the following recommendations on registering and setting up your profile:

• When you register, use a professional email address (something like firstname.lastname@emailprovider.com) for your contact information
• Post a headshot photo; one that is not too casual and that you wouldn’t mind employers seeing
• Take time to think about your interests and experience, and list those that might catch the attention of someone searching for your talents
• Keep certain settings public. Employers and others can’t find you if you have your settings private. Allowing everyone to search for you, have access to your professional email address, and work history will be important as you network
• Add your friends and other connections on the site
• Get the word out! Letting your friends and followers know you’re looking for a job can help you learn about open positions before they get listed on popular jobs boards

If you’re ready to dive in, but need to brush up on your social media and Internet skills, consider taking advantage of the free online learning modules offered by GCFLearnFree.org. There are lessons on social media, Facebook, Twitter, blogging and more.

Question

“I’ve heard that a local employer is increasing its call center staff. What kind of skills do I need to be successful there?” – Tom from Des Moines, IA

Answer

Thanks so much for your question and I’m thrilled to hear that you are interested in call center work.  Your interest may lead you to a very rewarding and challenging career.

The basic skills typically required in call center careers are as follows:

• Computer skills
• Ability to type at least 20 words per minute
• Verbal and written communication abilities
• Time management skills
• Problem solving capabilities

These skills typically equip a person for answering or making calls in the usual fast paced, high stress call center environment.

Depending on the type of call center department you may be seeking, customer service skills are vital in boosting performance.  In customer service, these skills can be broken down within four basic principles that sum up what customers expect.  These principles are:

• Courtesy (tone of voice and politeness – such as saying please and thank you)
• Concern (expressing empathy, taking ownership and showing a readiness to help)
• Knowledge (being an expert and using resources to resolve customer issues)
• Timely resolution (resolving customer issues in a fast, convenient manner)

In order to meet and exceed the goals of these different principles, a person must possess certain skills of the mind and attitude, such as being:

• Driven and motivated
• Flexible and adaptable
• Team oriented
• Accepting of feedback

Even the top ranked call center professional will receive feedback on a very regular basis.  So it is important to keep in mind that feedback is meant to either build an employee’s skill (or competence) or build an employee’s will (or confidence).  Accepting feedback and applying it immediately is vital in boosting performance in a call center environment.

Having great computer and customer service skills are definitely important.  At the same time, almost anyone can be taught how to do a job; it is much more difficult to teach someone to have the right attitude and frame of mind for a job.  So having a positive attitude, being upbeat and personable, being ready to learn and accepting of feedback are key elements of success in a call center.

I hope you’ve found this information to be helpful in preparing for the many possibilities available from a career in call center environments.  Best of luck to you!

As a professional organizer, I wish I had a nickel for every time people have asked me to “fix” their spouses! In my Clutter Diet® program, we always say that getting organized is a lot like losing weight, so of course, I can’t make anybody get organized any more than I can make them stop eating desserts. Making personal changes is a decision that comes from within, but here are a few ways you can support someone in making that decision.

Buddy Up
A ‘motivation partner’ is one of the best ways to jump-start your organizing goals. Just like having a workout partner, having a friend to be accountable to is a great way to make sure your projects get done. Have fun by making a bet with your motivation partner, such as going to a concert or movie together where the first person to finish their project or goal doesn’t have to pay. A wager, after all, is just a twist on having a reward—with a bit of competition and accountability built in.

Trade Favors
If you help a friend on an organizing project, like a garage project, the friend can help you in return with babysitting or yard work, or help you with your own garage! Helping a friend not only makes the work more fun in general, but it also means that person has a set appointment time when the project is going to happen, making it more likely to get done.

Lend Your Perspective
You can provide friends with objectivity they could never have about their own stuff. Your fresh set of eyes allows you to ask the right questions without personal attachment to the meaning of an object. Politely asking “Are you really going to wear this again?” or saying “You already have three of those,” are the kinds of observations you can provide to help make decisions a little easier. If you do have a spouse or roommate with a clutter problem, it can be very difficult when that person doesn’t want to change. Work toward clutter-free zones in common areas so that the problem remains isolated to only that person’s own individual living and working spaces, and focus on prevention so that the problem doesn’t get worse.

Just as with other conflicts, it’s all about negotiation in the relationship, so be ready to compromise and be open to your own changes, too. You can also help by volunteering to drive donations to your nearest donation center. Make sure your friend is being a Conscious Donor and giving unwanted items to a responsible nonprofit like Goodwill®.

Donating household goods is philanthropy, and we should be as careful and thoughtful about where we donate goods as we are when we write a check. Fully 84 percent of the collective revenue from your donated household goods and clothing goes directly to support Goodwill’s mission, which is to provide job-related services and opportunities to people in your community. Help your favorite clutterer jumpstart their Spring Cleaning.

But tell that to this week’s Duluth/Superior forecast, which includes highs from 56-66 and blissfully mostly sunny skies in the next few days.

If you are getting spring fever, dress the part with pastels and khakis for less at Goodwill! These two outfits can be picked up at our Duluth store for a grand total of $21.55. Happy shopping!

Users can navigate the site – which contains more than 14,000 resources from federal, state and local government agencies – either by a keyword search or by using the topical menu on the left-hand side of the home page. They can then filter their results by location, subtopic, audience and disability type.

“With so much information available in one place, visitors can easily get overwhelmed, especially individuals and families who are new to the disability community,” said Federal Program Director Kevin Connors. “Using feedback from our audience, we found a solution that reduces the challenge of finding information on a large web portal.”

The comprehensive site gets updated daily with information on topics such as applying for benefits, getting health care, finding a job, paying for housing and protecting the legal rights of people with disabilities.