Crystal Tincher began volunteering at Goodwill as part of the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) six and a half years ago.

Like many who are first introduced to Goodwill, Crystal assumed it was just another thrift store. But she learned it’s so much more.

A single mother of two at the time, Crystal was hired as a part-time employee four months after she began volunteering. By October of 2015, she owned her own vehicle with help from her career coach and the services offered by the Goodwill Cars to Work program. She later took part in Goodwill’s Soft Skills Academy and other job-readiness programs, too.

Now, three promotions later, she manages her own store in Versailles, which was highlighted by a recent Spectrum News 1 segment for its one-year anniversary, and she’s one semester away from obtaining a bachelor’s degree in human services.

“I cannot thank (Goodwill) enough for what they have done for me,” Crystal said in the segment.

Many of Goodwill’s employees, like Crystal, exemplify the nonprofit’s mission by not only becoming self-sufficient but advancing in their respective fields. Goodwill worked with more than 900 employer partners in 2019 and placed more than 2,900 individuals into jobs across the Commonwealth – both in and out of Goodwill.

You can listen to Crystal’s story and about the purpose of Goodwill’s retail stores and donation centers by following the link provided below: