Welcome to the Horizon Goodwill Industries company newsletter.
Our Mission is: Removing Barriers, Creating Opportunities.
November 2022 Vol. 1, Edition 5
Appreciating Gratitude
William Arthur Ward was a motivational writer from the 1950s and one of his more famous quotes is: “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
But what is gratitude, anyway? Gratitude is the expression of appreciation for what one has. It is pausing to notice and appreciate the things that we often take for granted, like having a place to live, food, clean water, friends, family, and even computer access. It’s taking a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are when something good happens — whether it’s a small thing or a big thing.
As we get close to Thanksgiving, I encourage you to build a habit of gratitude by paying attention each day to things you’re glad to have in your life. Slow down and notice what’s around you. For example: “Wow, the sky is beautiful today! What an incredible world we live in,” or, “There’s Sara! It was so nice of her to help me yesterday.” Take a moment to pause and reflect on the past year and, celebrate the challenges that were successfully navigated, routine days completed without concern, and recognize that even the ‘ordinary’ is a blessing in more ways than one.
I am grateful for the talents, perspectives, and energy that you each bring to HGI and our mission of removing barriers and creating opportunities.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Yours in hope, Dave
What is Housing Navigation?
Housing Navigation connects individuals who are experiencing homelessness or facing eviction from their homes to resources in the community to help either secure or maintain safe and secure housing. The navigator provides a holistic approach to case management services and supports program participants experiencing homelessness. The housing navigation team identifies housing placement options for homeless individuals and manages the temporary, rapid rehousing programs. This group interacts with participants, community resources, staff members, volunteers, and other agency representatives. Each Resource Center (Hubs) has a Housing Navigator on hand to help with part of Mission Services.
Additional services include:
- Referrals to clothing resources
- Financial literacy education
- Household management techniques
- Referrals to outside agencies and home visits
- Navigators also work closely with the Vocational Case Manger as a wraparound service to employment.
YOU are making a difference in the lives of many people. Here is your impact through September 2022:
A Transition and Transformation
In early summer, the Burhan’s Boulevard store was closed. Shortly afterward, the North Pointe store was opened. Many of the employees from the Burhan’s store moved to the new location on the north end of Hagerstown. Once the building was emptied out, the Business Services Hagerstown-based Custodial Division moved its operation to the Burhans building. The Business Services department provides various contracted services for private businesses and government agencies. A few of these are the Motor Vehicles Administration building, The Maryland Theater, Discovery Station, the Sideling Hill Visitor Center, the Western Maryland Children’s Center, the Internal Revenue Service, Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, Fort Detrick in Frederick, MD, and many other locations throughout the territory.
ShopGoodwill (The E-Commerce Site)
ShopGoodwill is a member-led and member-owned e-commerce platform created to help maximize the value of donated goods and deliver on our missions. This platform has more than two decades of experience serving this network. It is staffed by e-commerce professionals with dozens of years of cumulative experience working with this and other top brands. The HGI homepage is www.shopgoodwill.com/hgi.
For Horizon Goodwill, as we process items donated to stores or donation centers, our trained e-commerce ambassadors keep an eye out for unique and curious items. Many times, to an untrained eye, they would be blindly sent to the stores for possible purchase or tossed away as damaged or unsellable items. Many items that are sent to our stores for sale are returned to our warehouses after a few weeks at the stores and are salvaged in several different ways. These unrecognized treasures would be discarded and lost forever. Luckily, our team of researchers and experts is on hand to save those items, and www.shopgoodwill.com provides the avenue to offer those items to a much larger audience.
In the past two years, the team at www.ShopGoodwill.com has invested many dollars in modernizing and transforming www.ShopGoodwill.com. They have not only developed a desktop site but also an application to browse the products at your convenience. The team is committed to continued investment in this platform to enhance the modern shopping experience. They also have an exciting vision to make the site even more accessible to people with disabilities.
Get the App!
As a reminder, utilize “Ask Here” in Paycom ESS (Employee Self-Service) to connect you to a Resource Coordinator. Access our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) on the BHS Portal online or via the app at portal.BHSonline.com Username: Horizon Goodwill or call 800-327-2251.
October’s Living Our Values Award was presented for our “SERVICE” value. Employees across the HGI organization nominated individuals that they believed embodied this value day in and day out. The employees nominated recognize they have the power to make tomorrow better and look for ways to help others succeed. They take action to make a positive difference by focusing on what can be done and committing to actions that benefit others over themselves.
Winner: Shanon Robinson – (Warehouse Supervisor/Winchester, VA)
We received 74 nominations for our Living Our Values – Service – Award. Shanon Robinson was nominated multiple times and has been nominated for other Living Our Values awards in the past few months. Comments for Shanon include “great individual to work with,” “always takes the time to help assist others,” and “good leader.”
Other top nominees included: Adam Sewell-Director of WFD & Human Services/HGI-2, Chris Heid – Assistant Manager/of the Waynesboro Retail Store, Rachel Smith – ECommerce Manager/Corporate Center, and Cindy Weaver – Custodial Regional Manager/UPIP.
Be sure to nominate your selection for the November Living Our Values – Compassion – Award. This employee demonstrates caring and acts with kindness and a desire to understand others. They strive to be inclusive while recognizing our differences. They act with the best intent and assume others are doing the same.
Submit your nominations via Paycom Survey!
Milestones & New Hires
Congratulations to the following people for reaching a great milestone, and a big ‘Welcome’ to our newest team members as they begin their journey to their milestones!
| Name | Location | Department | Anniversary | Name | Location | Department | |
| Matthew Wise | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | Aereona Wolak | Berkeley Springs | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Mary Naecker | Oakland | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | Anthony Roberts | Fort Detrick | Business Services | |
| Judith Hose | Sideling Hill | Business Services | 1 year | Autumn Anthony | Shepherdstown | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Matthew Davis | Waynesboro | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | Bobbi Bartholow | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Adam Sewell | HGI-2 | Mission Services | 1 year | Brian Anderson | Front Royal | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Christian Klipp | Fort Detrick | Business Services | 1 year | Christina Birkett | Stanley | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Michele Whiteman | Keyser | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | Cindy Godlove | Fort Detrick | Business Services | |
| Garrett Kitis | Youghiogheny | Business Services | 1 year | Crystal Ballengee | Mt Jackson | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Joyce Quinlan | Mt Jackson | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | Danilo Meza-Ocon | Fort Detrick | Business Services | |
| Joseph Benton | Front Royal | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | David Price | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Meagan Campbell | Waynesboro | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | Frances Raymond | Mt Jackson | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Employee Tester | Corporate Center | Administrative Services | 1 year | Gary Lewis | Fort Detrick | Business Services | |
| Juanita Mitchell | Front Royal | Donated Goods Retail | 1 year | Isabelle Staup | North Pointe | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Bobby Munday | Fort Detrick | Business Services | 2 years | Jarod Bobb | Greencastle | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Holly Masur | HGI-2 | Mission Services | 2 years | Jessica Heid | Greencastle | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Anton Williams | Corporate Center | Business Services | 2 years | Kansas Hoobler | Winchester | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Tabitha Bray | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | 2 years | Kaylee Blocher | Keyser | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Crystal Barrett | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | 3 years | Maggie Gross | Charles Town | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Crystal Barrett | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | 3 years | Mason Hollinshead | Greencastle | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Stacey Severe | Oakland | Donated Goods Retail | 3 years | Melissa Creamer | Martinsburg | Business Services | |
| Regina Robertson | LaVale | Donated Goods Retail | 3 years | Molly Lewis | Shepherdstown | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Rachel Smith | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 4 years | Nancy Byers | Martinsburg GSA | Business Services | |
| Bethany Mccoy | Berkeley Springs | Donated Goods Retail | 4 years | Pamela Ahalt | North Pointe | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Keyon Clary | HGI-2 | Business Services | 4 years | Patricia Fogelsonger | Greencastle | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Carol Custer | Woodstock | Donated Goods Retail | 4 years | Paula Harding | Martinsburg | Business Services | |
| Paul Fletcher | Cumberland UPIP | Business Services | 6 years | Robert Chenoweth | Shepherdstown | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Kristi Glennie | Corporate Center | Administrative Services | 6 years | Shane Riedmuller | Waynesboro | Donated Goods Retail | |
| Penny Upton | South End | Donated Goods Retail | 6 years | Tammy Leizear | NPS Harpers Ferry | Business Services | |
| Kenneth Winebrenner | Corporate Center | Administrative Services | 6 years | ||||
| Melanie Lothe | Berkeley Springs | Donated Goods Retail | 6 years | ||||
| Robert Merica | Cumberland UPIP | Donated Goods Retail | 8 years | ||||
| Johnathon Harrell | Corporate Center | Administrative Services | 10 years | ||||
| Victor Mcsherry | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 16 years | ||||
| Kathleen Noone | Winchester | Donated Goods Retail | 16 years | ||||
| Debra Carbaugh | Corporate Center | Administrative Services | 18 years |
Upcoming Events
- Nov 1-8: Stephens City Store Food Drive for Stephens City United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Stephens City, VA.
- Nov. 7: Smithsburg ADC Hiring Event (10AM – 2PM) 22407 Jefferson Blvd. Smithsburg, MD.
- Nov. 10: From Soups to Coats (10AM – 1PM) 138 Baltimore Street, Suite 100, Cumberland, MD.
- Nov. 17: Keyser Store Re-Ribbon Cutting (10 AM) 280 Keyser Mall, Keyser, WV.
- Nov. 24: THANKSGIVING! (All Day)
- The Adolescent Clubhouse Wednesday Night Movie (4PM – 6PM) at the new Clubhouse location at 200 N. Prospect St., Hagerstown, MD.
Thank you for reading the Horizon Goodwill Industries newsletter. If you have any exciting news or story suggestions, please get in touch with us at marketing@goodwill-hgi.org.