Tina is very open about what she has overcome to get to where she is today.

Tina grew up in a family of eight children and shared that her mother was very poor. “When I was growing up, I didn’t finish school. We had to help look after the children,” Tina said. Tina married young, had her children young and eventually earned her GED, which helped her find employment through the years.

In 2014, she moved to the Green Bay area for the first time and fell in love with the community, but life circumstances moved her to another city. During her third battle with cancer, she vowed that she would return if she survived. That is what brought her back.

Tina landed a job in Green Bay but found she could not keep up with the intense physical demands due to her health. Then, she found Goodwill NCW. She joined the Green Bay East Goodwill in April 2022 and works in the backroom as a Donor Greeter, accepting and processing donations.

“When I interviewed Tina, she came right out and laid all her concerns on the line. But she said, ‘I can work hard, and I will always be here,’” said Kathy Van Mun, Store Team Leader at Green Bay East Goodwill. “And she is. All of that is true. She demonstrates commitment, drive and how to get the job done to her fellow team members.”

Like a lot of team members, Tina stops by the office at the beginning of her shift to say good morning to her leaders. A few months into her new job, she shared with Kathy that she was looking for a place to live. Timing was perfect. The Green Bay East Goodwill had just hired an Employment Navigator, Edward Ehlert, whose job is to help team members navigate both work and life so they can more successfully sustain employment.