Sharing Goodwill

This month’s episode of Sharing Goodwill is very special because we speak with one of Goodwill of Orange County’s own employees, Oscar Torres. Oscar works in our e-Books department and is a true representation of Goodwill’s mission and core values.

After a tragic accident paralyzed his lower body, Oscar was determined to find a job and help provide for his mom and little sister. He found a perfect job fit here at Goodwill of Orange County, and now thrives in his work environment and beams about his new found worth. Oscar shares openly about his personal journey and offers encouragement to other individuals in similar situations to seek meaningful work opportunities.

Hosted by Marketing and Communications Director Eric Smissen, this episode shows the heart of Goodwill, and I’m very proud to share it with you today. Please enjoy this episode of Sharing Goodwill.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Sandra Morgan, the Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University. Dr. Morgan is a passionate advocate for victims and survivors of human trafficking. Together, we discuss what human trafficking is and how we can all work together to protect those most vulnerable of being labor or sexually trafficked. Dr. Morgan shines a light on some incredibly important issues, leaving me, and hope you all as well, with more opportunities to keep learning and do good in our communities.

On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, I’m honored to connect with Jim Martin, CEO of Donate Life California, a leading advocate for organ, eye, and tissue donor registration. We talk about organ donation’s inspiring impact and ability to quite literally save lives, and the great need for more organ donors here in California. We also discuss the possible hesitations and barriers to donor registration that may resonate with your own.

This is also a particularly special episode for me because Donate Life and Goodwill of Orange County have partnered for an exciting initiative aimed at increasing donor registrations during National Organ Donation Month this year.

Tune in to hear more about Jim’s journey with Donate Life and how you can help save a life. We hope you enjoy this episode of Sharing Goodwill.

On this week’s episode of Sharing Goodwill, Bill Bracken introduces us to the amazing way he helps others through food. As a nationally-respected chef and CEO of his own nonprofit, Bracken’s Kitchen, Bill has become a powerful force in both industries, using his culinary gifts to feed people in need. Bill talks about his personal journey and how every path in his life has led him back to cooking for others. What started with Betsy the red food truck has now turned into a full-service nonprofit that cooked 1.8 million meals in 2020. Throughout our conversation, we discuss the pressing issue of food waste in our country, the philanthropic community’s support during the pandemic, and Bill’s faith-driven calling of service.

On this week’s episode of Sharing Goodwill, we focus again on a veteran’s personal journey from the service to civilian life. Our Tierney Center Director Denton Knapp connects with Marine Corps veteran Michael Sion about his six years in the service, his career pathway in mortgage and finance, and what brought him to the Tierney Center. Michael also talks openly about the highs and lows of his transition and shares advice for other veterans who are starting this return journey themselves. Tune in, and we hope you enjoy this episode of Sharing Goodwill!

In this episode of Sharing Goodwill, I connect with Jeanne and Gideon Bernstein, parents of Blaze Bernstein and founders of the Blaze It Forward movement. After the tragic murder of their son, they created this movement to honor his legacy and spread kindness throughout our community, and really the world. Their commitment to turning heartbreak into goodness is truly extraordinary. They are endlessly inspiring, and it was an honor to speak with them. I hope you enjoy this episode and use it as the push you may have been waiting for to do good and share kindness in your family, in your neighborhood or school, and beyond.

This week's episode is all about the wonderful world of thrifting. Our Marketing & Communications Director Eric Smissen chats with local influencer, interior designer and thrift expert Kate Keesee. Kate talks about how Goodwill has been a part of her life since she was very young and how, after a life-altering health diagnosis, she found her passion and new career through thrifting. She also shares her top thrifting tips, go-to locations and the best items she's discovered at Goodwill. We hope you enjoy!

In this follow up veterans episode of Sharing Goodwill, you’ll hear from Shawn Mela, a Marine Corps veteran. Interviewed by Denton Knapp, Director of the Tierney Center for Veteran Services and a 30 year Army veteran himself, Shawn opens up about his incredible journey from Kashmir to the U.S. and into the service, including the fight he had to put up to even enlist. Shawn also talks about his training and time as a pilot, what he learned along the way, and why he felt so compelled to become a serviceman for the United States in the first place. Like many other veterans, Shawn’s transition back to civilian life was not without bumps, and he and Denton chat about that too. I hope you enjoy this special episode of Sharing Goodwill!

On this special Veterans Day episode of Sharing Goodwill, you'll hear from five team members of Goodwill's Tierney Center for Veteran Services who are veterans themselves. Denton Knapp, Patrick Thompson, Bryant Powell, Robert Rodriguez and Manny De Anda talk about their history in the service, their transition back to civilian life, and what lead them to working and advocating for other former servicemen and women. To all the veterans who have courageously served, thank you for your service.

In Episode 5, Nicole Suydam connects virtually with Shawna Smith, Executive Director of Hope Builders, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Orange County’s young adults with mentorship, life skills and job skills training to positively impact their futures. Shawna and Nicole discuss the many changes in the world of nonprofits, and how important it is through all the new challenges to stay true to your core mission. Shawna also speaks about her new hybrid operating model for Hope Builders, how they’ve reimagined their physical space to support more digital learning opportunities and the importance of having meaningful “thought partners” in your life. We hope you enjoy this episode of Sharing Goodwill!