IN WORKSthe

www.goodwillheartland.org find us on Summer 2012

“I couldn’t be happier” said Mark Levien of Bettendorf, a former Goodwill® client

speaking of his daily routine. “Life is wonderful and I love my job,” he said.

Life was not always so upbeat. Levien left St. Ambrose University in Davenport a few years ago following the onset of mental illness. After hospitalization, Levien lived several years at Pine Knoll, a residential facility operated by Vera French Community Mental Health in the Quad Cities, as he worked to rebuild his mental health and regain his independence.

An important part of Levien’s recovery process came through work. Goodwill of the Heartland helped Levien overcome the gaps in his work history and assisted him as he explored working again.

Goodwill Employment Specialist Erin Granet looked over Levien’s resume and made suggestions. Working with Granet allowed Levien to access the computers at Goodwill and to research job openings in the area.

Levien was successful in his job search and obtained a job, only to face an unanticipated wrinkle. His new employer, Steve and Barry's University Sportswear, filed for bankruptcy, closed and left him without a job.

The situation was disappointing, but Levien dusted off his job search skills and set out to find a new job on his own.

Levien subsequently landed a job at Wal-Mart, but continued to seek a position that might offer him the possibility for long-term career growth.

Today Levien works at BAM, Books-A-Million, in Davenport. The retailer is the second largest bricks and mortar book seller in the nation and operates 257 stores in the United States and the District of Columbia. BAM is new in the Quad Cities and moved into the former Borders store space.

“It feels like there are growth opportunities at BAM,” Levien said. The headquarters of the 98-year-old company is in Alabama, and the company has been opportunistic in growing its store base by backfilling markets where Borders stores were located.

At BAM, Levien does a little of everything: customer service, stocking, working in various departments, in magazines, the children’s space and the bargain space.

Levien works 20 to 25 hours per week, a mix that is right for him and keeps his stress levels in check. “I know from past experience that working full time is not the way for me to go,” he said.

He remains grateful to Goodwill for the service offered to him at a time he needed a hand. “I loved my time at Goodwill as I was getting ready to work again.”

Today, Levien has his own apartment, independence and a job which challenges him and which he enjoys. Life is good at BAM for this Goodwill graduate. Mark Levien looks over the magazine selection at

Barnes and Noble earlier this year.

Kristi Sauer of Marion is happy in her work life at Duchess Cleaners of Cedar Rapids,

her employer for the last seven years.

Duchess Cleaners, a family-owned-and- operated full-service cleaners and laundry, is not just a workplace for Sauer, it has become like family. Sauer works a split shift for Duchess, meaning she works mornings at the Marion store location and afternoons at the north-side Cedar Rapids location.

After flood waters engulfed parts of Cedar Rapids in 2008, Duchess was hard hit. The location on the southwest side closed due to the flood and has never re-opened.

During the trying days of the flood, Sauer’s work hours were not cut. “My boss said he would let himself go before he would let anyone go,” Sauer said. The workers displaced by the flood were transferred toother Duchess locations.

That company’s support of its employees during the flood enhanced to Sauer’s loyalty to Duchess Cleaners. The store setup is employee friendly, a feature appreciated by all staff, and Sauer said it is arranged so that an employee with learning disabilities can successfully do the job.

Sauer continued on backKristi Sauer, at her workplace, Duchess Cleaners in Marion.

family environment, loyalty lead to independence for sauer

levien finds satisfaction in work, independence

Graduations are full of ceremony and meaning for the participants as well as for those who have helped them achieve this moment. It is a time of new beginnings, of independence, of beginning a lifetime of contribution to one’s community. Graduations at Goodwill are no different. Graduating from Goodwill services is the goal for most of the clients who come here. It is a moment when all the work — the striving, the reaching — are paying off. We hope you enjoy the stories of four graduates who are at various phases of their independence. Their achievements embody our mission of helping individuals overcome barriers to independence.

1410 S. First AvenueIowa City, IA 52240Return Service Requested

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 415

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Bettendorf store2333 Cumberland Square Dr.563-344-9431

Burlington store165 W. Burlington Ave.319-208-0060

cedar rapids donation center802 34th Street SE319-862-0476

cedar rapids east store5520 Council Street NE319-378-0393

cedar rapids west store2000 Scotty Drive SW319-654-9585

clinton store1015 13th Avenue North563-519-0156

coralville store2551 Heartland Place319-545-6581

davenport store5360 Villa Drive563-823-1790

dewitt donation center1416 11th St.563-659-2611

fairfield store2005 W. Burlington Avenue641-469-3085

Goodwill reboot1500 S. First AvenueIowa City319-358-2352

iowa city store985 Highway 6 East319-337-3548

marion store3202 7th Avenue319-373-0480

moline store4805 22nd Avenue309-736-3039

muscatine store2001 Cedar Plaza Drive563-264-1947

rock island store4664 44th Street309-786-1220

washington store312 E. Washington Street319-653-2548

snackers2 restaurant2006 E. 2nd. St., Muscatine 563-262-8751

Goodwill StoreS and donation SiteS:

In The Works is published by Goodwill of the Heartland, a not-for-profit organization serving southeast Iowa and the Quad City area. Goodwill is accredited by CARF International.

A United Way Agency.

terri davis, ChairShuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.Cedar Rapids

dick schwab, Vice ChairBuilder...of People and OrganizationsSolon

david Bywater, TreasurerTru-Art Color GraphicsIowa City

ken urmie, SecretaryMidWestOne BankIowa City

rose donnellyRockwell CollinsCedar Rapids

matthew fraschtUniversity of Iowa Community Credit UnionCoralville

charles Helms, m.d., ph.d.RetiredIowa City

dale kretschmarCedar Rapids

Julie kunkelSouth SlopeNorth Liberty

tom rocklinUniversity of IowaIowa City

paul rumlerQuad Cities Chamber of CommerceDavenport

elaine sexsmithCenter for Disabilities and DevelopmentIowa City

ang taakeEvergreen Packaging EquipmentCedar Rapids

Gregs ThomopulosStanley Consultants, Inc.Muscatine

tom werderitschSelzer Werderitsch AssociatesIowa City

Goodwill Board of Directors

2012-2013

They banter back and forth like family, and for all practical

purposes, these co-workers are family members — Quality Care family members. Kristin Friedrich and Tom Morris, both of Iowa City, graduated from Goodwill employment several years ago to accept jobs at Quality Care, the Nature Care Company, in Coralville. They remain at Quality Care today.Morris will pass his 25-year mark in August, and he has no intention of retiring yet. Friedrich gently needles him about why he still is working because the calendar shows him to be at retirement age.

“I love my job. Every bit of it,” Morris explained. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” he said emphatically. Earlier in his career at Quality Care, Morris was a utility worker, handling a variety of jobs from helping keep the Quality Care fleet operational and well maintained to working as part of the crew on lawn maintenance jobs in the community. His job responsibilities have changed over the years. Now he completes janitorial work at the Quality Care Storage Company, also in Coralville, and he keeps the outside of the building free from the ever-drifting litter that blows off Highway 6.

Morris is valued at Quality Care, and he proudly drives his own personal golf cart to haul his cleaning tools and to cover the area more comfortably while he is at work. He has great pride in helping people on behalf of Quality Care.Friedrich has been at Quality Care for 18 years.When she made the decision to go to work with Quality Care, she said it seemed like a place that would treat one with dignity and respect. Her initial

hunch was right. “It’s an awesome place to work,” she said.Friedrich is responsible for filing estimate confirmations for the lawn care business, filing time sheets and shredding paperwork. Her part-time hours at Quality Care suit her needs. Like Morris, Freidrich is content in her employment decision. “I previously was acquainted with [Quality Care Vice President] Geoff Wilming from another site and I knew that I would like working here with him. I never expected it would be 18 years,” she said.Both Morris and Friedrich are happy to be members of the Quality Care team and proudly wear their green uniform shirts or khaki uniforms to work each day.Quality Care, the Nature Care Company, has been a partner of Goodwill of the Heartland since the 1980s and was named Goodwill’s Employer of the Year in 1998. Over the course of the relationship, Quality Care has hired an estimated two dozen staff through Goodwill. “This long association with Goodwill has been extremely positive for Quality Care through the years for everyone involved,” Wilming said. “We are pleased that we have a diverse workforce comprised of many different talents, skill sets and personalities, all contributing and working together toward common goals.”

Tom Morris and Kristin Friedrich pose in front of a painting of a Quality Care pickup. The company

incorporates the refurbished truck as part of its brand.

The environment at Duchess also is family friendly. Sauer’s daughters and grandson often come to visit her while she is at work. Sauer’s caring and friendly manner extends to her store customers as well, and regular customers of the dry cleaner have become like friends. She knows a lot of Duchess “regulars” since she works at two store locations and she admits to becoming quite attached to a number of her elderly customers after hearing them tell about illness and aging issues they face.Sauer, who trained at Goodwill in Cedar Rapids, is a

graduate of Goodwill services. She was recognized as a Goodwill Achievement Award winner in 2007 for her success in overcoming barriers to independence.As she looks back over her years of employment, Sauer recalls she put in an application at Duchess, and quickly, she received a call from one of the owners. She started work at the cleaners on a Monday and has been there since. Sauer is glad about the decision she made to apply for a job with Duchess. “I love it here. It makes me feel good to get up in the morning and come to work,” she said.

sauer ...continued from front

two Goodwill Graduates find lonG-term staBility at quality care