SHIFTING INTO HIGH GEAR: DONATED VEHICLE TO HELP GOODWILL EMPLOYEE HELP OTHERS

SHIFTING INTO HIGH GEAR: DONATED VEHICLE TO HELP GOODWILL

EMPLOYEE HELP OTHERS

(West Tenn.) — With a crowd looking on and cameras rolling, Christine McCrury settled in behind the

wheel of her Audi A4 Quattro five-speed. She started the engine and eased her foot off the clutch — just a

little too quickly. The car stalled.

But for Christine, whose life has been a veritable handbook on overcoming adversity, this was not even a

bump in the road. She smiled, turned the key again and drove smoothly away.

On Thursday, July 6, Christine became the thirteenth person to receive a car through the Wheels-to- Work

program, which helps employees and clients of Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee who need reliable

transportation to get to work.

Christine, a lead sales associate at Goodwill’s Lexington store, was handed the keys to the Audi during a

ceremony attended by co-workers and media at Goodwill headquarters in Nashville. The car was donated by

a generous Franklin resident.

“I’m very excited today, because this car is going to open new avenues for my life,” Christine said.

Christine appreciates opportunity in a way that few others could. When she was a toddler, Christine and two

young siblings were the victims of a terrible child neglect case. They were left without adequate food, clothing

or supervision for long intervals over the course of two years. Their biological parents, both alcoholics, were

charged by authorities but fled on bail, and the children were sent to an orphanage.

Christine and her sister were placed with loving foster parents who eventually adopted them. Christine grew

up determined to not only avoid the mistakes of her biological parents but to also make a difference in the

world.

As an adult, she worked a number of jobs, including stints helping the homeless at drug and alcohol

rehabilitation centers. She also volunteered with CASA — court-appointed special advocates for children. She

married a pastor and lovingly raised four children. And she has always avoided drugs and alcohol, being all

too aware that addiction runs in her family.

Part of Christine’s approach has been to nurture a “servant’s heart.” Working at Goodwill, with its mission of

changing lives through education, training and opportunity, has allowed her to serve the community while

helping support her family. She came to Goodwill six years ago after her hours were cut at another job.

But getting to work has often been a struggle. For the last three years, Christine and her husband have shared

one vehicle — a van he uses for daily church activities and to assist a local fire and rescue unit. Christine has

had to wake up at 4:30 a.m. every day to take him to work or else rely on others to drive her to her job at

Goodwill. The early hours have even caused her some sleep-related ailments.

Christine’s manager says she is an excellent employee with the potential for advancement who has only been

held back by her lack of transportation. Now, Christine will be able to drive herself to work when and where

she is needed.

To qualify for a car, Wheels-to- Work participants are required to meet certain qualifications, such as being

employed at least 32 hours per week and having a valid driver’s license and good driving record. After being

notified of acceptance into the program, participants must complete training classes on budgeting, defensive

driving and car maintenance.

In Christine’s case, because she was to receive a car with a manual transmission, she also needed a few lessons

in shifting gears. On Thursday she proved once again that persistence and determination are key on the road

to success.

About Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc.

For nearly 60 years, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee has provided job training and job placement free of

charge to people with disabilities or other barriers to employment through the sale of donated items. In 2016, Goodwill

served nearly 44,000 people in Middle and West Tennessee and placed more than 18,000 people into jobs. More

information about Goodwill’s Career Solutions, retail stores and donation centers can be obtained online at

www.giveit2goodwill.org or by calling 1-800- 545-9231.