Michael Palash was working as a machinist when the company was bought out and a new management team was brought in that launched a new machine process. Lacking effective communication with the new leadership team and difficulty with training on the new processes, Michael was soon unemployed. With no income or way of paying his rent, Michael was evicted from his apartment and found himself at Presbyterian Night Shelter (PNS) where he could get free meals and a bed to rest on, space permitting.
At PNS, Michael struggled to rest due to other individuals and crowded conditions. Late one night, lying awake and listening to the sounds of the desperate and depressed all around him, Michael committed himself to finding employment again.
Michael’s first ray of hope was at True Worth Place, a day center for the homeless. There he learned about all the services Goodwill offered to individuals facing homelessness. Goodwill helped Michael identify his barriers to employment including a history of alcohol abuse and several arrests, and assisted him in improving his resume with Indeed.
Soon after enrolling in Goodwill Works, Michael was placed in a job at Waste Management. After a few months of working with trash and recycling, he was diagnosed with stenosis, a back condition that causes pressure on the nerves that travel from your spinal cord to your muscles and causes intense pain. Because of the pain he was experiencing in this labor-intensive job, he was forced to leave to seek recovery which caused Michael to feel hopeless and unmotivated.
Working with his case manager at PNS, Michael was able to move to another housing facility located in Haltom City where he attempted to find employment again with assistance from the shelter’s staff, but due to high turnover they were unable to assist. Luckily, Goodwill Works began outreach at the new shelter around this time and Michael as able to reconnect with the team.
Though this was his second attempt with Goodwill, Michael felt reenergized. The job placement specialist was able to work with him to find employment suited to the barriers he faced. With his previous work experience in Waste Management, a job opportunity with Goodwill North Central Texas as a Facility Technician was a perfect fit.
Michael expressed his gratitude for the Goodwill Works team and said, “Goodwill cares about the people who work here. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that way about where I work.”
Today, Michael has successfully completed ninety days of consistent work and graduated from the Goodwill Works program. His next goal is to save enough money to move into his own apartment and to invest in a car with the stability that his position at Goodwill provides.