“And Now Here We Are.”
“I always cry when I talk about it because it was so hard. To get to where we are now, for our boys, in this country, at Goodwill – it was all so hard.”
As Maria says the words, tears gather in her eyes. They are not tears of regret. They are tears of memories — of struggle, sacrifice, and strength.
It was April 2013 when Maria and her husband, Lee, arrived in the United States from the Philippines. Their two sons, just 17 and 18 years old, remained behind to continue college. Everything Maria and Lee did from that moment forward would be for them.
As they worked through the green card process, Maria found work as a caregiver, earning $50 a day. Lee searched tirelessly before landing a part-time job as a housekeeper at Doctors Hospital. But the hospital was far from where they were staying with Lee’s sister. Without a car, Lee took two buses to get to work.
Some nights, when his shift ended after the final bus had left, he had no way home.
“He has to stay overnight at the hospital,” Maria explains. “He had to wait overnight and take the bus in the morning to get home, and get a little sleep before going back to work at 2 p.m. That was our life.”
When Maria’s client passed away, she was suddenly unemployed again. Determined not to lose hope, she began searching for work close to home. They lived near a Goodwill store and had shopped there when they first arrived.
This time, she walked in to apply.
An assistant manager told her to wait for the Team Leader on Call, Lorraine, who would arrive at 11 a.m. When the clock struck 11, Maria approached her.
“Ma’am, I am here to apply for a job.”
“Oh come on, come on!” Lorraine replied excitedly.
Maria was interviewed on the spot and hired immediately as a Donor Greeter.
The work was harder than she imagined. Her whole body ached after the first day as she began to use muscles she had not had to use regularly.
Maria became the main breadwinner. The money they earned went not only to rent and food, but back to the Philippines — to their sons and aging parents. They rode bikes or buses everywhere. They carried groceries in their arms. They arrived to work soaking wet after biking in the rain.
“It was a hard life. We really worked hard.”
Seeing Lee waiting faithfully outside after Maria’s shifts, Lorraine asked if he would like a job too.
“Yes, if there’s an opening,” Maria replied.
Maria transitioned to a Sorter Hanger position, and Lee became a full-time Donor Greeter.
“That was the great day for us,” Maria says. “It was real hard but full time with all the benefits.”
Lee still remembers the night everything changed.
Now, 12 years later, Lee says proudly, “There are many who want to hire me, big money. But no — I am happy here. This is my life. I am loyal to Goodwill.”
For both of them, Goodwill became more than a workplace.
“We have a lot of people at Goodwill then and now that really inspire us. If we have a problem, leadership is always helping”, Lee says.
Maria adds, “Goodwill really helps people that try to better themselves because that was our goal. The leadership, the Good Partner Coaches — they really helped me.”
She smiles as she recalls how one coach helped her obtain her driver’s license — providing phone numbers, encouragement, and guidance every step of the way.
When they decided to apply for U.S. citizenship, they quietly studied for nearly a year, telling almost no one in case they failed. Then they learned that Goodwill would reimburse the application fee for each of them.
They both passed on their first attempt.
Lee now carries a copy of his naturalization certificate with him everywhere.
“I am so proud I get my citizenship. We are a part of America now. We don’t want to live anywhere else.”
Their sacrifice bore extraordinary fruit. Their sons graduated from college and now hold high-level positions in major banks in the Philippines and London.
“It’s all for them, not for us,” Maria says.
With steady employment, they were able to secure a loan, build a house for their children in the Philippines, purchase property, and eventually pay off their debts.
“Because we have jobs,” Lee says simply.
Maria also began contributing to her 401(k) after encouragement from Lorraine.
“Look at me now!” she says proudly. “I will have money when I retire. Money that I can call my own.”
Today, as they reflect on bus rides, overnight hospital stays, rain-soaked bike commutes, and aching muscles, Maria describes it as “a mix of feelings — happy and sad.”
“Lots of it was not good. But that not good brought us to the best life we have now. Because we don’t have family here — it’s just me and him. You have to work hard. It taught us a lot of lessons that made us persevere. And now here we are.”
Nearly 13 years after arriving with uncertainty, they stand as proud U.S. citizens, loyal employees, homeowners, parents of successful sons, and living proof of what opportunity can unlock.
“Our life here is better with Goodwill,” Maria says. “We started here, and by the time we retire from here — that’s it. Because Goodwill plays a big part in our life here and in the Philippines too.”
Their journey was not easy.
But it was worth it.
And because of their courage — and the opportunity they found through Goodwill — two parents changed not only their own future, but the future of generations to come.
Note: The family requested anonymity; names have been changed to protect their privacy.
Do You Have Someone in Your Corner?
If you’re facing hurdles, this couple’s story asks a simple question: do you have someone who will hire you, coach you, and invest in small but crucial steps? That partnership — not just a job — is what shifted uncertainty into stability.
To learn more about our supportive employment programs, visit experiencegoodwill.org/jobs/ or find a Community Resource Center near you at experiencegoodwill.org/locations/