Hi, I'm Lou and I have been volunteering with GESMV for 6 1/2 years. I wasn't really sure what my roll would become, but like all great organizations good things tend to happen when there are individuals who go beyond expectations and for me has led to a great working/volunteer relationship with the team! What began as an opportunity supporting their GESMV Radio Reading Service recording magazines, and newspapers for vision impaired, moving into Veterans Connection Support and now assisting Miami Valley Works program as part of their work place mentoring with mock interviewing skills has showed me that "Goodwill" is more than the storefront that most people think of when they hear the name. Personally the time I've spent volunteering has been as helpful to me as an individual, giving me purpose and meaning during my time in retirement. Yes totally unexpected when I started 6 1/2 years ago and something I look forward to daily.
I volunteer at Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley as a clerical aide in their Development department. I'm retired and enjoy helping do the small tasks that allow my supervisor to concentrate on her core responsibilities. Everyone in my area is very friendly and appreciative of the help I provide. There are many opportunities to volunteer at Goodwill in different ways and I consider my time there to be one of the highlights of my week.
Our son found unfailing joy in canvas, paint and clay. In 2017 after he lost his battle with mental illness, we were looking for a way to honor his memory.
Michelle Lovely at The Dayton Foundation introduced us to the Miracle Clubhouse and from our first visit and talking with Clubhouse members we knew our son would agree this was a perfect fit.
Along with the staff at Miracle Clubhouse we helped launch the Mental Wellness with Art Program.
Before COVID we attended many of the art sessions and found it rewarding to see members and staff deep in thought creating. Hopefully sessions will soon resume.
Thank you to Clubhouse staff and our art teacher for the success of this program.
“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” —Pablo Picasso
I loved teaching art at the Miracle Clubhouse! The members were always so enthusiastic. They were willing to try new techniques and were so supportive of each other’s efforts. I think the inclusive and positive environment at the Clubhouse is due to the wonderful staff; they make sure the clubhouse is a calm safe space where it’s okay to take a chance trying something different. The members could see by their example that if a project didn’t come out exactly the way they wanted that time, they could try again. Art is about problem solving, and taking creative risks, and that happens more easily when you develop resilience. The Miracle Clubhouse promotes growth through their services and also by maintaining a warm and supportive space, I can’t recommend it highly enough!
I have been involved with Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley since 2011 and it is an amazing organization. Miracle Clubhouse has been the main thing keeping me alive since then. And the Clubhouse truly transforms peoples lives.
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley plays a very important role in our community. One very special program they support is the Miracle Clubhouse. I have had the pleasure of being on the advisory board for the Clubhouse for the past 4 years and have seen what a difference it has made in the lives of the members. This effort is only a fraction of what GESMV does to help serve a group of people who are often overlooked in society.
I have been impressed with the Goodwill Easterseals programs in the Miami Valley. A former neighbor of mine who is homebound has taken advantage of the radio reading program. It has been a God send for her to keep her in touch with the news. She also enjoys the other programs on there. She doesn't have a tv so this is her primary form of staying connected to others. I have used the medical equipment sharing program when my husband broke his ribs and I just wish more people knew about it. I also have visited the Miracle Clubhouse and believe it's a wonderful program.
We are very happy to support Miracle Clubhouse in our annual giving each year. We love to hear the stories of the folks whose lives have been transformed thanks to the services provided there. It is a joy to see the pride of those who are now employed, often in their first job, after working with staff at the Clubhouse. Goodwill believes everyone matters and makes sure that all have a chance to contribute in society in meaningful ways. We fully support this and all the other wonderful things Miracle Clubhouse provides its members. So grateful to have this valuable resource in our community.
My mother was in an assisted living facility during the last few years of her life. She was a wonderful cook,baker, and seamstress. As her vision failed and her hands became more arthritic many of the activities that kept her vibrant and active became harder. We became aware of an Adaptive Equipment program through Goodwill EasterSeals. A representative came and met with her several times and appropriately labeled her kitchen appliances and provided all types of kitchen equipment (ones with large handles, safe and easy to open and close, etc). She was able to maintain her quality of life for a longer period of time thanks to this FREE program. We were very grateful for this opportunity and know many others who have benefited would be as well.
As a board member for GESMV, I have the privilege of regularly hearing the stories of people who've benefited from their incredible programs and services -- whose lives have truly been touched and transformed for the better. I can still recall how "beaming" one such story-sharer was, who had some lifelong physical limitations but for the first time ever had a meaningful job (thanks to a GESMV program), and as a result, she finally felt equal. Amazing. GESMV is a well-run mission-minded organization that truly makes people's lives better. It's an honor to serve on their board and to be a financial supporter too.
Our family has been supporters of and donors to Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley for many years. We appreciate that the organization offers more than 40 programs serving individuals with disabilities and disadvantages. The focus is always positive - on what can be accomplished and achieved, with individuals feeling well supported and cared for.
All of the programs center on "a hand up, not a hand out" which is empowering and self sustaining. Employment focused, evidenced based, and relationship centered, programs lift not only the individual, but also the family and the entire community.
The programs are strategic, make good use of community resources, and are not duplicative. Collaborations with other organizations are evident. Especially impressive was the way the organization pivoted during Covid, becoming stronger and more important to the community.
I appreciate Goodwill Easterseals and the important work being done in the Dayton area.
In addition to being a supporter and volunteer and shopper at the stores, it is an honor to be a Board member as well.
As a Board of Trustees member and community volunteer, I clearly see that GESMV's caring starts from the inside and is embraced by caring communities. This mission focused organization stays true to its calling. Continuously embracing often 'unseen and underserved' populations of the communities it serves, GESMV has and is changing the lives of many.
From providing vocational and rehabilitation opportunities that pay competitive wages in its retail stores employees; to providing a safe and family like environment in the Miracle Clubhouse for those facing mental health challenges; to helping individuals escape generational poverty through building employability skills and matching those individuals with employers who have committed to helping advance this mission; to providing a safe environment for those needing the security of Adult Day Care services - the GESMV has found ways to help!
It is my honor to serve!
I worked for a nonprofit that Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley provides space, HR functions, etc. on an in-kind/leased basis. As a start-up operation in 2008, our organization would have not been able to stay afloat let alone thrive without the support of GESMV. I met so many good people when I started working under the auspices of GESMV – kind, caring, ethical, and above all, people who are dedicated to providing services for those in the greater Dayton community who struggle every day to live a fulfilled life. They truly do provide “a hand up, not a hand out” to those they serve through more than 40 specialized programs and services. Even during a worldwide pandemic and despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding this challenging time, GESMV continues to assist many people who struggle with varying situations to obtain and maintain employment, provide virtual services to maintain contact with those who need that interaction, etc. Thanks to GESMV for supporting those who need it most and assisting them to live their best lives.