GREEN BAY – Often the site of amazing comebacks, stories of perseverance were on display yesterday, October 1, as Goodwill North Central Wisconsin (Goodwill NCW) held their annual Goodwill Starts With You! Gala event. Community leaders from across the region were invited to the Atrium at Lambeau Field to hear accounts of those whose lives have been and are being transformed throughout north central Wisconsin through Goodwill NCW’s mission.
Along with sharing data illustrating the impact made in the communities Goodwill NCW serves, success stories of individuals who have benefited from Goodwill NCW’s employment programs were celebrated throughout the evening’s event, including the stories of Noah Lantow, Richard Flirt and Volodymyr Yeromenko.
“Noah, Richard and Volodymyr are a great example of the Goodwill NCW mission, Elevating People by Eliminating Barriers to Employment.  Each had a goal that they set out to achieve and they persevered, overcoming their personal barriers while taking advantage of the opportunities available through the programs we offer”, said Goodwill NCW President/CEO Chris Hess.  “We are all inspired by their stories and we are proud to honor their efforts.” 
Noah Lantow: Since the age of 3 years old, Noah has suffered from seizures and has had to undergo six neuro surgeries, the sixth one being necessary as Noah could have passed away. Noah dealt with communication issues where he couldn't find the words to express his needs, he had trouble remembering things and had a hard time learning new tasks.
At the age of 16, thanks to improvements to his health, he was able to enroll in the School to Work program within Ashwaubenon High School with a goal of becoming a full time team member. With the encouragement from his coaches and the team at the Goodwill Ashwaubenon store, Noah gained confidence and started developing relationships with the rest of the Goodwill NCW team and is now an FT30 team member.
Watch Noah’s video: https://youtu.be/RYN7x-yvcDs
Volodymyr: Volodymyr is a Ukrainian refugee who has lost family members in the war and decided to start a new life with his wife and child in the United States. After being in the United States for one year, he struggled to find employment due to past trauma and mild language barriers. Volodymyr then heard about Career EXCELerate and started a pathway to earn his CDL to become a truck driver.  Volodymyr started student-driving on Monday September 25, 2023, and received a call on that following Wednesday that his father had unexpectedly passed away.   Unfortunately, he could not return to his country for the funeral. Despite his tragic loss, Volodymyr did not miss one day or even an hour of class. With support from Goodwill NCW, within months of his first meeting with Career EXCELerate staff he earned his CDL on his first try and is now a driver for a local beverage distributor.
Watch Volodymyr's video: https://youtu.be/IZVp9SFLbXU
Richard Flirt: Richard struggled with mental health concerns that are tied to his time in service (PTSD).  After losing his job and his father, he had little hope of a bright future. Richard heard about Career EXCELerate and entered the CDL pathway. The Career EXCELerate team supported Richard through the CDL training.
Richard graduated and quickly got his first trucking job which provided incredible financial stability.  He was even nominated for the National Transition to Trucking award for veterans, where he made it to the semi-finals.  Richard is now living his best life in a career he loves.
Watch Richard’s video: https://youtu.be/T8fLg3ix5Gc
In the spirit of the theme of the event, “Goodwill NCW Starts with You!,” the nonprofit invited the community to get involved in the organization in the following ways:
 

• Hold a donation drive at your place of business:

• Make a financial gift: