In honor of Second Chance Month, Goodwill of North Georgia is proudly highlighting returning citizens who have successfully completed one of its 14 career centers, secured new employment, and started a new chapter in their lives.
Over the past five years, the organization has helped over 4,500 returning citizens connect with new job opportunities, empowering them to rebuild their lives and make a positive impact in their communities.
Goodwill’s career centers offer a range of training programs for returning citizens in high-demand industries, including warehousing and storage, retail trade, food services, machinery manufacturing, professional, computer, scientific services, and construction.
Darnell Champion had a rough start in life. He became a drug dealer and a gambler and even got addicted to the same drugs he was selling. However, after feeling exhausted from his time in prison, Darnell decided to join a halfway house and started working part-time at Oxford Janitorial Services.
Darnell fought hard to overcome his drug addiction but still struggled. He transferred back to another halfway house in Athens and hoped to settle down and get married during this time. However, life had other plans as he was steered back towards the streets.
Determined to make a change, Darnell moved back to Atlanta and enrolled in a different halfway house while working a part-time job with his grandmother. It was here that he spoke with a counselor who recommended the Goodwill facility services program and its partnership with the IRS.
Darnell expressed his interest in becoming a supervisor, and within three months, he was promoted to shift lead. He remained sober throughout this time, ultimately leading him to accept a full-time position with Goodwill as a custodian supervisor for the CDC-Roybal Campus, where he has been working since 2004. Darnell credits Goodwill for saving his life and teaching him the skills necessary to start his business, New Beginnings Carpet Cleaning, LLC.
When asked how Goodwill has helped him, Darnell stated, “If it hadn’t been for Goodwill, I would still be on the streets. Goodwill saved my life!”
