“Does life get any better than fashion shows and shopping?”
Debie Coble, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Michiana, knows that life doesn’t get much better than bringing together Region celebrities, fashion shows, shopping, and raising money for a good cause.
Goodwill Industries excitedly hosted its annual Little Black Dress Fashion Show at Avalon Manor on October 21. Well-known local members of Region businesses and industry were present, including models like First Lady of La Porte, Jackie Dermody; Executive Director of Planning and Development for the City of Hammond, Africa Tarver; owner of the Merrillville Tea Room, Cindy Lopez; Vice President of Social Responsibility and Impact for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana, Kelly Nissan; GreatNews.Life Executive Director, Jenny Craig-Brown; and more. Presented by Impact Technologies, the event was emceed by Kathy Friend, stylist and President of the Style and Image Institute, and Ric Federighi, Gerard Media Owner and On-air Personality with WIMS and WHFB Radio.
The Little Black Dress Fashion Show originally debuted with Goodwill in South Bend.
“We wanted to bring it to Northwest Indiana because it's such a great event to be able to talk about our mission and help folks understand that we are more than a store,” said Coble. “The show takes the time to not only show the great fashions that you can buy at a Goodwill store, but also answers the question of where that money goes when you spend it at Goodwill or where does it go when you donate to Goodwill?”
Between each section of the show while models change outfits, Goodwill highlights all of its initiatives with testimonies from beneficiaries of the company’s assistance. During these highlights, Goodwill informs audience members of its mission.
“Our mission is about strengthening communities by empowering individuals and families through education, training, and job placement. What we do is work with individuals who aren't where they want to be in life. They might not have finished high school and want to go back and earn their high school diploma instead of a GED-- we have a school for that. It's called the Excel Center,” said Coble.
Goodwill values building the future of parents, too. Parents who need childcare while going back to school at the Excel Center can utilize the onsite childcare to eliminate barriers to obtaining their education. New mothers also can benefit from a program with Goodwill to help guide them through the new stage of their lives.
“We also have a nurse family partnership that will actually pair a nurse with a new mom and walk that journey with her,” said Coble.
Beyond just education, Goodwill prioritizes helping those who are reentering society from prison or people stuck within a cycle of gang violence find their path toward greater success in education and work.
“We use the phrase, ‘most abundant living’,” said Coble. “So we ask, ‘what is your definition of most abundant living?’ and say, ‘let us help you get there.’”
Marilyn Pearson and Bunny Lepell, two friends who have attended the fashion show for three years in a row, remember how shocked they were to learn about the great impact Goodwill had on the Region.
“Most people think that at Goodwill there is some big CEO who is taking all the money. That's not what's happening. It's helping other people. I think that's awesome. There are so many people that really need help,” said Pearson. “The best part about coming to this event is having all these people listen to what Goodwill really does and how they help other people.”
Pearson recalls her reaction after her first time attending the Little Black Dress Fashion Show.
“I went back home to my Goodwill store. I said to the girl, ‘I went to the Little Black Dress Fashion Show. They told us all about what they do for you.’ And she said, ‘If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have been able to get my high school diploma. They took care of my children, and they helped me in so many ways.’’
Lapell was shocked to learn of how much assistance Goodwill offers to the community.
“I never knew what they did until I sat through one of the fashion shows and they explained the schooling, the daycare for the ones that need daycare so they can work, and the different workshops that they have. I never knew any of that until I sat at one of these shows. It's not broadcasted,” said Lapell.
Even though many people may not have heard of these programs, they have seen great success. Coble has many stories of people helped by Goodwill.
“We have a young man named David that we've had the privilege of working with. As a juvenile, he got in trouble, so he was sent down to the juvenile center. They gave our team a call, and we gave David a mentor. David was a little resistant at first, but he built a relationship with his mentor,” said Coble. “David’s mentor found out that he was down at a meeting with the Latin Kings, and they were planning a revenge shooting. So his mentor actually went, walked into that meeting, grabbed David, grabbed another kid, and pulled them out of that meeting. Fast forward to a couple years later, David is now working and is out of the game. He will tell you that if it weren't for the work of this team and Goodwill, he probably would be dead or in prison. Instead, he's living a free life, working towards his level of abundance.”
It is clear to see the great work being done by Goodwill Industries of Michiana in the Region, and the company looks forward to continuing to grow and help others in Northwest Indiana. To find out more about Goodwill’s locations and programs, visit https://goodwill-ni.org/
