Frank Blake sits down with Goodwill Industries CEO Steve Preston and truck driver Michael West to discuss the organization's "second chance" mission. From running adult high schools in prisons to providing career paths for those overcoming addiction and incarceration, this is the story of how a 125-year-old mission is still changing lives today.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The surprising scale of Goodwill: 650 job centers and 50 adult high schools.

• Michael West's personal journey from addiction and incarceration to homeownership.

• Why Steve Preston left the C-suite and the Cabinet to lead a "difficult-to-hire" mission.

• The "Edgar Helms" philosophy: Turning charity into a chance.

• How employers can unlock a massive, untapped labor pool.

Chapters:

• [01:38] The Personal Mission: Steve Preston on transitioning from HUD Secretary to Goodwill CEO.

• [06:02] A Missionary in Boston: The 125-year history of Edgar Helms and the birth of Goodwill.

• [12:22] From Processor to Driver: Michael West shares his path from community service to a career in trucking.

• [16:55] A Goodwill Wedding: The community and family culture within the organization.

• [21:33] The Untapped Labor Pool: Why employers should look "beyond the label" of past incarceration.

• [26:52] The Future of Work: How AI and tech-skills training are reaching low-wage workers.

• [31:33] The "Internet Trash" Problem: Steve addresses the common false narratives about the organization.

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Crazy Good Turns received more than 500 nominations from listeners like you seeking to recognize organizations that are helping others. In this show, we reveal five winners selected to receive a $10,000 grant.

They are:

The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation: Founded by a man who was wrongly imprisoned for sixteen years. Since being exonerated, he's used his own money to free others who've been falsely accused.

Locker #505: A student clothing bank serving disadvantaged kids in Albuquerque in a special way.

Gotta Have Sole: The amazing story of a 5-year-old boy who visited a homeless shelter, wanted to help, and went on to launch a nonprofit that gives children brand new shoes.

Bridge of Hearts: A group of retired North Carolina teachers came up with a creative way to serve the needs of schoolchildren.

Golden String: An Ohio organization that provides residential care, life skills, and other support to hundreds of people with disabilities.

Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on the podcast service of your choice. If you already subscribe, we'd really appreciate a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687

We appreciate your listening and sharing our episodes. Thank you!

Grey Bull Rescue helps innocent Americans who are stranded, imprisoned, or otherwise trapped in dangerous situations around the globe.

BRYAN STERN founded Grey Bull in August 2021, during the fall of Afghanistan. Since that time, Grey Bull has helped rescue more than 8,000 Americans in 800 different missions.

Stern's own story begins decades earlier. As a young Army intelligence officer, he was at Ground Zero on the day of 9/11, and narrowly avoided being trapped by the collapsing towers. He went on to serve a full and highly decorated military career.

In this episode, Stern discusses his path from the World Trade Center to today, and the missions he and his team of brave volunteers conduct around the globe today.

Don't forget to subscribe or follow us on the podcast service of your choice. If you already subscribe, we'd really appreciate a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687

We appreciate your listening and sharing our episodes. Thank you!