Cory's Mission Success Story

 

Corey has been dealing with health issues all his life. He was born with spina bifida, a condition that occurs when a developing baby’s spinal cord fails to develop properly. He also has other health issues that affect his heart and arteries. He sometimes has dizzy spells and he tires easily. His doctor tells him he needs bi-pass surgery but he is not a good candidate because he uses a wheelchair – transferring him in and out of the wheelchair would be impossible if he had a surgical incision.

Corey has spent so much time in the hospital over his lifetime that he says he thinks of it as his “second home.” Frequent hospitalizations make holding down a job very difficult. Corey says that previous employers have terminated him for that reason.

Following one of those terminations, Corey went to CareerSource Suncoast, hoping they would be able to help him find an employer who would work with him during his periods of hospitalization. They referred him to Community Haven, where he learned about a program at Goodwill Manasota called the Supported JobsPlus program.

Corey called Goodwill to learn more out about the program. He waited for the right opening and, when that opening became available, he got the job at Goodwill!

Corey’s heart sank when, during his first week of employment, he got sick and had to go to the hospital. He figured that, once again, he was going to lose his job. But that was not the case. Goodwill held his job and waited until Corey could return the next week.

It has been seven years since Corey began working at Goodwill. He has been in and out of the hospital during that time but he always has his job to return to. Corey says that a “huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, knowing that Goodwill has been willing to work with me and not fire me when I am sick.” He says that along the way, “they have bent over backwards” to help him keep his job.

Corey reports that his current position has given him a sense of being a contributor to the work that Goodwill does. He takes pride in his job and works hard. He is very grateful to have an employer that appreciates him for his abilities, works with him to overcome challenges, and supports him as a valued, contributing member of Team Goodwill.