Goodwill's Good Deeds

All around the world, people know of Goodwill as a thrift store whose affordable prices help families purchase everything they need.

But Goodwill Southern California proudly helps in a number of other ways as well. Goodwill also provides training and job opportunities for thousands in need, from youth to seniors, veterans, individuals with disabilities and people with disadvantaged backgrounds.

For the past two years, USC's Trojan Outreach program has partnered with University Housing and Goodwill Southern California to put on a clothing and used items drive near the end of the school year. In total, Goodwill collected 65,000 pounds of items from the USC community, making differences in the lives of thousands of families. The drive also made a big difference for one person in particular: Vester Johnson.

Johnson (pictured below) moved to Los Angeles at the age of 22 and had no friends or family to lean on. After spending some time at Union Rescue Mission, he found himself living on the streets in a shelter fashioned out of cardboard. Johnson struggled to get by and found himself incarcerated not long after that. Once he was out, he went back to living on the streets, until Goodwill gave him an opportunity that changed his life.

A counselor at a local mission recommended him to the Goodwill jobs program, and after a 90-day training period where he worked as a janitor, he was finally hired in late 2012.

"Goodwill really helped me, because they gave me this opportunity when nobody else would give it to me," Johnson said. "They give people who have a bad background a chance to work. Some jobs don't give you a chance because they figure you might mess up, but there are people trying to make a change in their life. Who wants to sleep in a tent?"

After beginning his job at Goodwill, Johnson got his driver's license and transitioned to the transportation department. Early last year, he was assigned to work at the USC Goodwill drive commissioned by Trojan Outreach. Every morning, he would bring his Goodwill truck to campus and load hundreds or thousands of pounds of items to be taken back to Goodwill donation centers. He alone was responsible for getting every item from USC (24,000 pounds in 2017 and 41,000 pounds in 2018) back to Goodwill.

"Sometimes I work from 5 a.m. to 5 at night or maybe 'til 7," Johnson said. "I just do it because I like doing my job, and it's helping people out. I do it because I know how it is to be without."

Johnson's hard work hasn't gone unnoticed.

"Vester has been a pleasure to work with for the last two years we have done the Move-Out Donation Program," said Leslie Bellucci, a program specialist for USC Housing. "We thank Vester for his patience, understanding and willingness to help."

Thanks to Goodwill, Johnson's life has truly come full circle. While he used to sleep on the streets, he now works for an organization that helps other homeless people get back on their feet, and he feels grateful every day.

"Now I just look back and see everything I've been through and I've accomplished, and I feel I did good," he said.

To stay in touch with USC's latest work in the community, follow Trojan Outreach on Twitter and Instagram!

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