Goodwill Industries of Northeast Texas employs about three hundred people in eighteen different locations across a territory of sixteen counties. Christina Tevyaw is one of these valued employees. The Marketing Department had the privilege of sitting down and asking her a few questions about this season in her life and how Goodwill has impacted that.
MD: How are you doing today?
CT: I’m doing great, thank you for asking.
MD: So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. You’ve been working here for five years now. What brought you to Goodwill?
CT: Honestly, it was God that led me here. I just knew there were people out there that I could help. I felt like I didn’t have a lot of support in my life at that time. And my relationship with God and my growth in Him really led me here to Goodwill. I just knew I needed to be here!
MD: We can hear it the tone of your voice and the spark in your eye that you truly are passionate about serving others. As a job coach, how are you able to continue that service?
CT: I love helping others, and being a job coach, I get to do that. Through the years, I’ve had a learning disability, and working here at Goodwill, I can now show others they too can push through their disabilities. Because learning disability or not, anything is achievable.
MD: I’ve seen you during the monthly meetings and during fellowship using sign language to help other employees. What inspired you to learn ASL?
CT: I just thought it was cool and interesting, and I knew I had to learn. I’ve watched people in the past and thought it was miraculous. I just thought it was the best way to really include others.
MD: Currently you are a job coach, but what other positions have you held here?
CT: I worked in the hanging department at first. I was really looking for something straightforward. After being in the hanging section for a while, it started to feel repetitive. So, I wanted to try something more challenge, plus Upper Management could tell that I was wanting more involvement. I wanted to discover more of my potential. Since I’ve been here, I’ve gotten to cross train in almost every department. Learning more about each department has help set me up for success. I learned where my strengths and weaknesses lie, and then in turn can help others find theirs.
MD: Your passion just radiates from you, and I can tell you are a very welcoming person. You always have a smile on your face every time I see you.
CT: Thank you! I’m passionate about my job because I want to help others like everyone here has helped me. I love meeting new people, whether I’m job coaching on location, helping in the retail stores, or even sorting the donations in the processing plant.
MD: I don’t want to take up anymore of your time, but before we go, what is one last thing you want to mention about your job here at Goodwill?
CT: I can say without a doubt in my mind, I enjoy coming to work and interacting with others here daily.
MD: Thank you for sitting down with us today and talking a little bit about your Goodwill experience.
CT: Thank you so much for having me! I just love it here!
