Our Mission
Goodwill Industries of East Texas is a tax exempt 501©3 organization whose mission is to provide skills training and vocational opportunities for people with barriers to employment.
What’s Good With Goodwill?
From time to time everyone needs a GOOD friend, even Goodwill. We are so proud to introduce the GoodFriends Volunteer program. This amazing group is committed to helping Goodwill change the lives of those we serve.
Volunteers may choose or be asked to serve in various areas, including:
● Retail Production
● Commercial Warehousing
● Office/Clerical
● VITA- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
● Public Fundraising
As our community of GoodFriends grows, we look forward to them working along side our staff and consumers. If you, someone you know, a social or youth group are looking for opportunities to serve, please call La’Keidra Lincoln at 903.593.8438 or email lakeidra.lincoln@goodwilletx.com.
Goodwill Calendar of Events
VITA Volunteer Training
Tuesday, January 16th, 9am-4pm
For anyone interested in becoming a certified tax preparer and volunteering with Goodwill’s VITA program, please contact Misty Davis at 903.593.8438 or misty.davis@goodwilletx.com.
GoodTech Academy Courses
For more information, call (903) 787-0500 or email GoodTechAcademy@GoodwillETX.com
A+ course session information
Start date: January 23rd, 2024.
Time: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Estimated time frame: 16 weeks.
ITF+ Evening course session information
Start date: January 22nd, 2024.
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Days: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays
Estimated time frame: 12 weeks.
ITF+ Morning course session information
Start date: January 23rd, 2024.
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Estimated time frame: 12 weeks.
EITC Day
Friday, January 26th, 12:00 pm
409 W. Locust Tyler, TX.
Join us for tacos & learn more about earned income tax credit. Who knows? You may be eligible!! For more information, contact Misty Davis at 903.593.8438 or misty.davis@goodwilletx.com.
Free Tax Preparation – Season Begins
January 29th – April 15th
Make an appointment to meet with one of our volunteer tax preparers. Visit our website at www.Goodwilletx.com, call 903.581.5422, or email freetaxes@goodwilletx.com.
The REAL Goodwill Tour – Mission At Work
Tuesday, February 27, 12pm-1pm
Join us for lunch & tour our Commercial Services Division to learn more about our mission and see it at work. For more information contact La’Keidra Lincoln at 903.593.8438 or at lakeidra.lincoln@goodwilletx.com
Annual Meeting
Thursday, March 28th at 12:pm
Join us to learn more on The Five Characteristics of Goodwill:
Culture, Caring, Community, Connection, Commitment
For more information contact La’Keidra Lincoln @ 903.593.8438
or at lakeidra.lincoln@goodwilletx.com
COLOR of the Week
25% off clothing purchases
Check your local store for details
First Mondays
TAX FREE DAY
Sponsored by United HealthCare
Every Monday
SENIOR DAY
10 % discountt
Every Tuesday
VETERANS DAY
10% discount
Leatha Taylor
Forever Changed
In April 2017, Leatha Taylor was vibrant and healthy. A fall on the way to her desk one day changed her life forever. After hitting her head on the concrete floor, Leatha was left with a traumatic brain injury.
At age 58, after years of independence and raising her children, Leatha moved to live in Mansfield with her daughter. Over the years, she had worked as a CNA (Certified Nurse’s Assistant), an activities director, and an administrative assistant for TISD (Tyler Independent School District), so relying on others was not easy. She knew her workers comp benefits would eventually run out.
Once her condition improved, Leatha was able to regain some of her independence and return to Tyler and connected with TWC (Texas Workforce Center) for employment assistance. Her TWC worker told her about Goodwill’s WAT (Work Adjustment Training) program. The WAT program allowed Goodwill to assess her to determine her capabilities, skills, strengths, and weaknesses. WAT would also help her get to the next level.
Leatha was excited about her WAT group. She shared that it was diverse. Although she was the eldest in the class, she “never felt inferior.”
Her injury had robbed her of some things. She had lost some memories, forgotten some people, and lost some skills. Leatha’s WAT training and time in the computer lab helped her regain office skills, such as typing. She was given the opportunity to go behind the scenes to see the interworking of Goodwill’s retail stores. That’s where she learned quality control and organization. She laughs that she still uses Goodwill’s formula to organize her home closets.
The challenges Leatha faced were not easy. During her eight months in the program, she was inspired by her brother, a double amputee, who drove her to class. He reminded her that she could strive for more.
After completing WAT, Leatha’s goal was employment. Goodwill had helped her to acquire and reclaim skills she needed to do just that. She was happy when she got a job in home health care. However, she desired more. That’s when she decided to return to school. Leatha attended Pendleton Chapel Seminary where she obtained her Doctorate of Divinity.
The highlight of Leatha’s Goodwill experience came when she was asked to travel to the US Capital with Goodwill CEO, Kimberly Lewis and Missions Services Director, Chevella Layne to share her story.
These days. Leatha works in the home health industry and serves as Minister of Divinity at New Days Community Church in Tyler, TX. She volunteers for various organizations and plans to re-release her own book of poetry.
Leatha says, Goodwill is just that, “Good.” “I wish more people would get involved so that the community would know about all the great programs.” Even though she didn’t know it at the time, Leatha now realizes “Goodwill was a lifeline that was thrown to me.” As a result, her life has forever changed, again.
Community Partner
Goodwill and United HealthCare have partnered together to provide assistance for community members who may need assistance with insurance benefits. For more information, visit our stores every first Monday to visit with an agent. Goodwill and UnitedHealthcare, united for good.
From the Desk of the SHE-EO
Meet President & CEO of Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Kimberly Lewis.
No Resolutions Here!
Happy New Year! I sincerely hope that your year is starting out well. Every year, I kick off the new year by studying the work of a leader that I admire. I was looking back at an old video series from Lisa Nichols, a renowned speaker and bestselling author and she posed this question – “What do you want to start, stop or continue doing?” What a great way to think about what’s next in 2024, I thought.
Instead of taking on a long list of resolutions, that will likely fall by the wayside in a few months, let’s just think of one or two things that would be great to “start” doing. Then, add one or two things to “stop” doing. These will be things that no longer profit or serve you. Maybe you’ve grown tired of them or they take up too much of your time. Finally, what things will you “continue” to do?
In my case, I’m going to start telling more inspiring stories about the people we serve, like Leatha Taylor who had to learn how to walk, dress and feed herself following a terrible fall that left her with a traumatic brain injury. She accompanied me last year on a busy visit to the capitol in Washington, DC to speak with legislators about how Goodwill helped her to regain her independence and confidence. We walked for miles from office to office as she shared her story.
Secondly, I’m going to stop attending meetings that take my focus away from Goodwill’s mission and those we serve.
Third, I will continue to donate my time, money and other resources to Goodwill and other causes in the community that uplift, educate and empowers people.
What’s on your list of what you will start, stop or continue to do this year? May I suggest a few things?
You can start donating, shopping or volunteering at Goodwill, if you aren’t already doing so.
You can stop procrastinating cleaning out your closet. Remember, what you no longer have a need for, someone else would love to own – so stop holding on to things and take them to your local Goodwill store.
You can continue to support Goodwill Industries of East Texas by doing all of the above!
See how easy that was?
In all honesty, I know that starting or stopping anything new can be a challenge sometimes. Continuing on a path can be a challenge, as well. We see this pattern every single day at Goodwill.
People start on a fresh new path to their goals, they stop bad habits and self-defeating behaviors and they continue to build or rebuild their lives, one step, one lesson, one class and one job at a time.
YOU help us to help keep them on track. Thank you for your CONTINUED support.
Warmest Regards,
Kimberly B. Lewis
President and CEO
Community Partner
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Get to know our Board of Directors
Dr. Larry Kraus
Tell us a little about yourself.
“I am originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where my father and mother owned an auction house. At the age of 14, I was the youngest licensed auctioneer in the state. Then, four years later, my plans changed when my father died near the end of my senior year in high school. After graduating from high school, I decided to be a journalist and enrolled in college at the University of Tulsa as a journalism major. While in college, I also worked in various capacities on local radio stations.
After several years of that, I changed my mind and finally completed my college degree, [and became] certified as a teacher. I taught high school English, Journalism, Stage Craft, and Speech for four years. During this time, I went to Dallas in the summer to attend SMU [Southern Methodist University] and get my master’s degree. It was during my studies at SMU that my career plans changed, again, and I decided to pursue my Ph.D., which I completed at The University of Texas at Austin.
After graduation from UT, I accepted a faculty position at the University of New Orleans. It was here that I met my wife, Kaye, and we had our son, Lloyd. After nine years in New Orleans, I was offered the opportunity to become a department chair at The University of Texas at Tyler, which I accepted. My family and I have been in Tyler for almost 37 years. I retired from UT Tyler in May, 2018.”
How long have you served on the GIET board?
“I believe I have been on the Board for approximately 15 years (two six year terms, and 3 years into my current term).”
Why did you decide to serve on this board?
“My next-door neighbor, Neal Smith, was serving as President of the Board of Directors and called me one afternoon to ask if I would consider serving as a Board member. I agreed.”
Has serving on the GIET board been different from any others you have served on? If so, how?
“The only other similar “board” I have served on was to represent The University of Texas at Tyler on a citizen’s committee that was charged with negotiating a contract and operating agreement between the City of Tyler and the incoming cable tv company. Since part of the design of the agreement was the inclusion of “educational” programming, both UT Tyler and Tyler Junior College had a representative on the committee. Serving on this committee, needless to say, was very different from serving on the Goodwill Board. We did not have hiring or firing powers, nor was any agreement we reached necessarily a part of the final contract.”
What part of the Goodwill mission or service do you connect with?
“Helping people. My individual focus during my time on the Board has been to try to get the leadership of Goodwill and the leadership of area educational institutions to create cooperative programs using the resources and skills each had to help citizens in Tyler who were in Goodwill’s primary target: Individuals with barriers to employment.”
What have you learned from your time on the board?
“Every little bit you can contribute helps. I did not bring a typical set of “Board” skills to the
meetings. I was not trained in finance; I had never been in the private sector, where decisions made, or lost, lots of money. However, I believe that I understood the mission of Goodwill and, at times, was able to change the course of conversations from profits and loss over to conversations on helping people, which is what Goodwill is about..”
What would you say to someone contemplating offering their support to Goodwill?
“Goodwill is about people and helping people. If you want to help people, helping Goodwill is an exceptional way to do it.”
Community Partner
Aspen Creek Grill offers the warm and inviting atmosphere of a campfire for family-friendly dining and a great destination for a livelier night out with friends. And they cater too!
1725 W SW Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 630-8370