THROUGHOUT THE EVENING. NEXT TUESDAY IS VETERAN’S DAY. THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER SAYS ABOUT 200,000 SERVICE MEMBERS TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE EACH YEAR. DESPITE THE VALUABLE SKILLS THEY POSSESS, SOME VETERANS FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN THE JOB MARKET. WESH TWO GAIL PASCHALL-BROWN EXPLAINS HOW GOODWILL IS STEPPING UP TO HELP. MEET GIOVANNI ACOSTA, A CITIZEN SOLDIER WHO DID THREE YEARS IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. BUT HE EASILY FOUND OUT THE JOB MARKET WAS PRETTY TOUGH. WHEN I GOT BACK FROM MY BASIC TRAINING, I WAS TRYING TO FIND A JOB, BUT IT WAS AROUND COVID TIME, SO IT WASN’T A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE HIRING TO PUT UP A 39. THAT’S FINE. BUT THEN A FAMILY MEMBER TOLD HIM ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. HE WENT FROM AN ENTRY LEVEL WORKER TO THREE PROMOTIONS IN UNDER THREE YEARS. HOW YOU DOING TODAY? GIOVANNI ALSO ENROLLED IN GOODWILL’S MISSION IMPACT PROGRAM. MISSION IMPACT IS HOW WE TAKE PEOPLE’S DONATIONS AND TURN THEM INTO OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BUILD LIVES THAT WORK. IT’S EVERYTHING FROM ONE ON ONE COACHING, IN SETTING GOALS IN FINANCE, CAREER AND EDUCATION. SO WE HAVE AN ENTIRE DIVISION DEVOTED TO TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT. SO WITH THE MISSIONS IMPACT, I ACTUALLY WAS JUST TRYING TO GO TO GET MY SECURITY LICENSE AT FIRST, BUT WHEN I SPOKE WITH MY PROSPERITY PLANNER, SHE ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF CYBER SECURITY, WHICH IS WHAT I’M DOING NOW, WHICH OPENED MY EYES BECAUSE SHE’S SEEN MORE FROM ME THAN WHAT I’VE SEEN FROM MYSELF. HE’S GOING TO SCHOOL THROUGH THE GOODWILL SCHOLARS PROGRAM, WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO ALL EMPLOYEES. SO ANYTHING THAT I BUY IN HERE IS PORTIONS OF THAT GO TOWARDS THAT. EVERYTHING THAT YOU BUY IN A GOODWILL IS SUPPORTING THE DREAMS OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR COMMUNITY. THEY CAN HELP YOU FIND JOBS, AND THEY CAN HELP YOU TRANSITION. COVERING SEMIN
Central Florida veterans find new opportunities through Goodwill’s Mission Impact program
Updated: 10:52 PM EST Nov 6, 2025
As Veterans Day approaches, Geovan Acosta, a former Army National Guard member, shares his journey of overcoming job market challenges through Goodwill Industries of Central Florida’s Mission Impact program.Acosta, who served three years in the Army National Guard right after high school, found the job market tough upon returning from basic training.”When I got back from my basic training, I was trying to find a job, but it was around COVID, and so it wasn’t a lot of people that was hiring,” Acosta said.A family member introduced Acosta to Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, where he progressed from an entry-level worker to receiving three promotions in under three years. Acosta also enrolled in Goodwill’s Mission Impact program.Bahiyyah Maroon, vice president of mission impact, said, “Mission Impact is how we take people’s donations and turn them into opportunities for community members to build lives that work.”The program offers one-on-one coaching in setting goals related to finance, career, and education, and includes a division devoted to transitional employment.Acosta shared his experience, saying, “So, with the Missions Impact, I was actually trying to get my security license at first but I spoke with my prosperity planner, she actually brought up the idea of cyber security, which is what I’m doing now, which opened my eyes because she’d seen more for me than I did for myself at the time.”Acosta is now attending school through the Goodwill Scholars program, which is available to all employees.Maroon emphasized the community impact, saying, “Everything that you buy in a Goodwill is supporting the dreams of your neighbors, your family and your friends and your community.”Acosta highlighted the support provided by Goodwill, saying, “They can help you find jobs, and they can help you transition.”
CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA —
As Veterans Day approaches, Geovan Acosta, a former Army National Guard member, shares his journey of overcoming job market challenges through Goodwill Industries of Central Florida’s Mission Impact program.
Acosta, who served three years in the Army National Guard right after high school, found the job market tough upon returning from basic training.
“When I got back from my basic training, I was trying to find a job, but it was around COVID, and so it wasn’t a lot of people that was hiring,” Acosta said.
A family member introduced Acosta to Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, where he progressed from an entry-level worker to receiving three promotions in under three years. Acosta also enrolled in Goodwill’s Mission Impact program.
Bahiyyah Maroon, vice president of mission impact, said, “Mission Impact is how we take people’s donations and turn them into opportunities for community members to build lives that work.”
The program offers one-on-one coaching in setting goals related to finance, career, and education, and includes a division devoted to transitional employment.
Acosta shared his experience, saying, “So, with the Missions Impact, I was actually trying to get my security license at first but I spoke with my prosperity planner, she actually brought up the idea of cyber security, which is what I’m doing now, which opened my eyes because she’d seen more for me than I did for myself at the time.”
Acosta is now attending school through the Goodwill Scholars program, which is available to all employees.
Maroon emphasized the community impact, saying, “Everything that you buy in a Goodwill is supporting the dreams of your neighbors, your family and your friends and your community.”
Acosta highlighted the support provided by Goodwill, saying, “They can help you find jobs, and they can help you transition.”