Allen started at Goodwill five months ago as a Transitional Employee. After only one month, his supervisors were so impressed with his skills, his perfect attendance, and his work ethic that they offered him a full time position as the Shipping and Receiving Clerk. In this brand new position, Allen focuses on inventory control, meaning he monitors what comes in and what goes out of our processing center. Before coming to Goodwill, Allen had already worked in warehouses for ten years.

Before changing his life around, Allen was a drug user and had served time in jail. “I’ve been out of jail for two and a half years now” he says proudly. “The deciding point came for me when my kids looked up at me and asked why I was never spending time with them, and why I never had any money. It tore me up inside to see them looking at me that way. I knew I had to change.”

So Allen went to a program at the No Violence Alliance (NoVA), a collaboration of law enforcement and nonprofit organizations. “The NoVA program was designed to help ex-offenders of violent crimes change our thinking so that we can be less angry, and it definitely worked for me,” says Allen. “I’m thankful that I was given a second chance.”

NoVA referred Allen to a free housing opportunity for four months so that he could get out of his neighborhood in Potrero Hill. As Allen says, “It can be hard to change when you’re still in your same environment, so this change really helped me.” After the four months, Allen got his own apartment in the Marina, where he lives now. He also gets to see his kids on a regular basis now that he is staying away from drugs and out of jail.

NoVA also referred Allen to Goodwill’s Transitional Employment program. “I love working outside on the docks and moving around all day,” says Allen. “Here at Goodwill, I try to spread the word to all my co-workers that it’s possible to change their lives. I try to help more people know that there are lots of programs out there to help those of us who need a second chance. I believe in re-building people.”

At Goodwill, Allen is taking a class in typing and a class in Microsoft Excel. “I really love working at Goodwill, and I will stay here as long as I continue to have opportunities to learn and grow,” says Allen. “I try to show people, through my actions, that I’m not a tough street guy anymore. I’ve changed and I will not give up.”

“I really love working at Goodwill, and I will stay here as long as I continue to have opportunities to learn and grow,” says Allen. “I try to show people, through my actions, that I’m not a tough street guy anymore. I’ve changed and I will not give up.”