Goodwill News

Ashley Baum Named Goodwill's 2007 Employee Of The Year
Ashley Baum started working with Goodwill as a truck helper two years ago and quickly advanced to the position of driver. Yes, he is the Goodwill guy in the truck for central Illinois. He is one of the individuals who makes certain that each of the nonprofit’s 8 retail stores has plenty of product available for shoppers every day of the week. But Baum has gone above and beyond his job description to help fulfill the mission of the organization. He chose to also learn how to operate the forklift truck so that he could help move thousands of pounds of clothes and house wares from the warehouse to the truck. He also learned to service and operate the baler to bundle millions of pounds of unsellable goods for recycling. When asked what drives him, Ashley simply reflects on the mission of Goodwill to help others improve their economic self-sufficiency. “Every donation can be turned into dollars that makes it possible for us to offer free job training for those who need help. We help people turn their lives around and I enjoy helping to make that happen.” Baum received the 2007 Employee of the Year Award.


Congratulations to Ken Pearson, 2007 Achiever Of The Year
For Ken Pearson, Goodwill played a different role. It helped him change his life. A veteran of the Viet Nam war, Pearson returned to civilian life and ended up homeless and destitute. Drugs and the loss of his family life left him in a downward tailspin, but he wanted to change. After attempts to beat his addictions and overcome Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, he finally was recommended by the VA Clinic in Danville for the program offered at the Goodwill Home for Veterans in Peoria. With the 24/7 support of the staff, ongoing counseling and job training, after nearly two years Ken is ready to move out on his own again. To honor this milestone, Ken Pearson received the 2007 Achiever of the Year Award from Goodwill.