Recognizing Achievements!
Every year Goodwill recognizes extraordinary graduates,
volunteers, employees and community and business partners
at our Annual Awards Luncheon. Below are the inspiring
stories from the 2006 winners.
 Personal Achievement
Award
Carol Ann McBride
Carol Ann was born into a large family to alcoholic
parents. Her father left and Carol Ann was placed
into foster care where she remained until she was
18 years old. When Carol Ann visited her biological
family, she was abused by family members, which continued
until she was 21 years old.
As a child Carol Ann was diagnosed with ADHD and delayed
motor skills. Although she faced challenges, Carol
Ann graduated from high school and joined Job Core,
a training program based in West VA. Carol Ann joined
the program to find her father who lived in the same
state. She found him and spent a weekend with him,
but that would be the last time they would see each
other.
After Carol Ann left Job Core, she moved to Delaware
to live with her biological family and the abuse started
again. Carol Ann became dependent on alcohol and drugs.
She sought help and seemed to be on the right path
until she met her husband, who was also an alcoholic.
After the birth of their daughter, Carol Ann hoped
her husband would also seek help, instead matters
got worse. Carol Ann realized that her husband was
abusing their daughter. She had him arrested. Shortly
after that he committed suicide. Carol Ann began her
addictions once again. Throughout the next 10 years
Carol Ann found herself in another abusive relationship,
suffered a nervous breakdown and also started having
flashbacks of her abuse.
As she continued to battle her addictions, Carol Ann’s
daughter began to suffer from breakdowns and tried
to commit suicide. She tried counseling for her and
her daughter and put her daughter into foster care
so she could go into rehab, but nothing worked. While
employed at a Laundromat, desperate for a way out,
Carol Ann robbed the Laundromat. She was arrested,
went to rehab and this time was successful at beating
her addictions.
Carol Ann met a reverend who believed in her and
after she was released she and her daughter moved
in with him. With his help she turned her life around.
She went to the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
and they referred her to Goodwill. She completed Goodwill’s
Customer Service Skills Training. She then volunteered
for the organization before obtaining employment as
a Customer Service Associate at Goodwill’s Claymont
store. Carol Ann remains clean and is now working
at Goodwill’s Fox Run store. Her and her daughter
have started their life over and are now successful!
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