Meet William: From a Seed into a Garden

William, a Goodwill Acadiana team member

💙 Meet William - a man who's grown from a seed into a garden!

When William was young, he was diagnosed with autism. He was always shy, rarely even talking about his day at school when he got home. He opened up more as he grew up, but he was still the quiet one - until he graduated from South Louisiana Community College and came to work at Goodwill.

"I was formerly shy when I first began... but over time, ever since my SLCC graduation, I became a more mature, confident person. Not so shy!"

"It's amazing how much he's come out of his shell," his mom added, emphasizing that Goodwill's inclusive environment allowed him to feel safe, valued, and independent, and it's been more than just a place for him to work.

Goodwill provided him with the stable opportunity to grow, from starting in the donation center processing items to moving up front to work the sales floor and assist customers (William's favorite part of the job).

"It was like you took one seed and put it in this little bitty pot, and all of a sudden you step back and there's this field full of flowers!" 🌻

"For me, this job has been a really big step forward for my life," William explained. He loves working at Goodwill, and he's happy to help others and talk about his day to anyone who will listen.

His mom smiled as she ended, "They didn't put a cap on him." At Goodwill, William's been free to grow into who he is today.

When you donate and shop at Goodwill Acadiana, you support local people like William 🫶