KMOX Voice of Caring - November

Goodwill

History & Mission

MERS incorporated in October 1940 as Jewish Employment & Vocational Service to help those in greatest need by providing desired employment and community services. Goodwill founded in 1902 in Boston by a young Methodist minister. His chapel provided a place where goods were exchanged, repaired and refurbished. Missouri Goodwill was established in 1918.

In 2001, Metropolitan Employment and Rehabilitation Services and Missouri Goodwill Industries merged to form MERS/Missouri Goodwill Industries. Combining resources and capitalizing on the strengths of both agencies resulted in decreased duplication of services and gained efficiencies in a number of areas and has provided an opportunity for growth and expansion in all three divisions. Our retail division has grown from 20 locations at the time of merger to now 40 locations. This expansion provides additional resources to the employment and training programs, which has expanded to serve dozens of communities and now annually serves thousands of individuals. Additionally, our contracts division has expanded to over 20 locations and has provided job and training opportunities to hundreds of clients.

MERS Goodwill’s strategic plan provides for continued expansion with a goal of reaching out to more communities with 50 retail locations and serving individuals across 50 counties.

MERS/MISSOURI GOODWILL INDUSTRIES MISSION STATEMENT

"To provide opportunities for persons with barriers to employment to work and live more independently in the community."

FEATURED CLIENT

Kenneth Smith

2007 was not an easy year for 19 year-old, Kenneth Smith.  In fact, while many celebrated 2008 with parties and champagne, Kenny was waking up from what seemed like a very bad dream.  However, thanks to the support and love from his family, his employer and MERS/Goodwill, Kenny is celebrating his strength and survival.

After graduating from Roosevelt High School, Kenny was referred to MERS through Vocational Rehabilitation.  Due to a developmental disability, Kenny was accepted into the life-long retention/follow-along program where he would receive employment support through MERS/Goodwill for the remainder of his life.  In September 2007, after being placed at Ricardo’s Italian Café, a family-owned restaurant in Lafayette Square, Kenny thought his dishwashing and food-prep job would be the next step to independence.

However, on his seventh day on the job while waiting for the evening bus, a man came up behind him and stabbed him in the chest.  In recalling the gruesome event, Kenny doesn’t remember much, but was able to flag down a car who called 911.  Doctors performed emergency surgery to repair a hole in his heart, a result of the stab wound.  Although recovery would not be easy, Kenny would find out that he had strong support to help him pull through.

In fact, while in the hospital for the next 2 ½ weeks, the owners of Ricardo’s personally delivered Kenny’s favorite lasagna to his delight.  In addition, the Ricardos also put flyers up in the restaurant to notify patrons about their dishwasher, asking for donations to help pay for the health costs and the items stolen from Kenny.  By bringing in a family member to do dishes and prep food, the restaurant was able to hold his job open and at the end of the donation drive, the establishment raised almost $1000.00.  When Kenny returned to work almost 6 ½ weeks later, his employer granted him with a new coat, an iPod, new bus passes, a new id, a cell phone and made him an appointment at Good Feet to get some foot inserts to aid his feet during work.

Ricardo’s Italian Café exemplifies the ideal, but not unlikely relationship with a MERS/Goodwill client. “They said they would take 10,000 Kenny’s,” said Trish Reidy, Smith’s caseworker.  Without the help of MERS and Ricardo’s, Kenny may not have dreamed of the possibility of going to college one day.  In fact, he wants to study criminal justice, but maintains that he wanted this career even before he was a victim of a violent crime.  “My brothers said I wanted to be a cop since I was five years old,” Kenny noted.  Since it is doubtful that the criminal will not be caught, Kenny has been moved to the day shift and feels lucky to have people at his job who really care.  “I am happy and proud of myself too.”