Goodwin’s JOYful Giving Season begins each year on #GivingTuesday (the Tuesday after Thanksgiving) and runs through the end of the calendar year.
It’s the time when we celebrate all that you give to student parents, and all they give back in return, by providing them with gifts, grocery gift cards, books, and of course, access to affordable childcare.
Hear from Aminah, last season’s featured student parent, how Goodwin Connections has supported her family and her dreams of becoming a social worker.
Raised by her grandmother in Guatemala, Shirley was constantly inspired by her grandmother’s love of community and her overwhelming propensity to give back.
After arriving in the U.S. as a teen and encountering many challenges, two of Shirley’s biggest dreams are about to come true, graduating from the University of Washington and becoming a social worker.
As a college student who is parenting, Shirley feels the tension between taking courses full-time and being a mom to a 1-year-old. Shirley is so close to graduation day, and Goodwin Connections and its supporters will be there for Shirley to act as an extension of her family’s support system these last few months.
Goodwin helps Shirley with more affordable childcare that allows her to attend school full-time and complete her social work practicum at El Centro de la Raza, a community-based, Latino-led organization where Shirley received support services as a teen.
By providing assistance with out-of-pocket childcare costs, supplying basic family essentials, and offering career development opportunities, Goodwin meets student parents where they are and supports them in where they want to go.
We are honored to share Shirley’s inspirational story of dreaming big and giving back.
Donate today! Your gift will go directly toward supporting student parents and families like Shirley’s, who are working hard to create brighter futures.
We are nearing the end of the school year and we’ll soon see 34 of our student parents graduating from our program with their certificates and degrees in hand. They’ve been through a lot these last two years and you’ve been with them every step of the way.
In fact, throughout this past school year you’ve supported 123 student parents, 177 of their children, and 473 family members in total with childcare tuition, basic essentials, and more! Read more.
Viktoria came to Goodwin four years ago as a recent Belarusian immigrant trying to create a better life for her young family. Back in Belarus, she had been a healthcare worker in infant cardiac care. But here in the U.S. she discovered that her medical credentials and schooling units had no academic value and she had to start again at square one.
After a long road and hard work, Viktoria is graduating this spring with a bachelor’s degree in diagnostic ultrasound from Seattle University and will start her career, where she will once again be able to save babies’ hearts and lives.
“I can’t even imagine how hard it would be to go to college without Goodwin Connections’ support and assistance throughout my whole educational journey of a fresh immigrant, a first-generation college graduate, and a parent.” –Viktoria
Goodwin is incredibly proud to be able to support Viktoria as she applies her skills and talents in a field so important to her, and that so many babies and their families will benefit from her training and expertise in the future. Many Congrats to Viktoria and her daughter on their graduations. Her daughter, who we met when she was 1, is graduating preschool this spring and is more than ready to start kindergarten this fall.
Goodwin Connections’ Board of Directors is delighted to announce that Annabel Quintero will become Goodwin’s Board President as of June 21, 2022. She will be the first woman of color to lead the Board in Goodwin’s history.
Recent Board Presidents, Terry Dessert and Carolyn Banks will remain on the Board of Directors in the Immediate Past President and Treasurer roles, respectively.
Annabel has served as a Goodwin board member for more than two years and has been chair of its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Committee for the past year. As a mom who identifies as Afro-Indigenous Latina and earned her Master’s in Education Policy while single-parenting, she knows firsthand what many student parents face while earning a degree. Read more.
Thanks to support from her loving family and the Goodwin community, Elena is on her way to achieving her dream career in construction management. It’s a journey she started years ago, in her home country of Colombia, and is now within reach as she looks to complete her associate degree in Spring 2022.
We sat down with Elena to learn more about her journey so far and what’s on the horizon.Read more.
This year’s Impact Report is more than just a review of our last fiscal year—it’s a milestone and reflection of what this organization has come to mean in the 115 years it’s been serving the greater Seattle community. In addition to our legacy of always helping families get ahead, we’ve become a vital community resource, supporting our essential workforce of childcare providers who nurture and care for our young ones, and connecting parents to local colleges and universities that open doors to all of higher education’s possibilities.
Goodwin exists today because of the power of human connection. Our organization began in 1907 as a way for women to come together to make a difference. Women gathered in giving circles, forming bonds that have lasted for decades. And through those many meetings and conversations, they have been able to work towards change and progress to meet the emerging needs of the community. Read more.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Goodwin’s longest-supporting member, Joy Goodenough, passed away at the age of 85. She began attending events with her mother when she was a young girl and her dedication to our organization’s cause continued throughout her life.
Joy Goodenough (far right) as a kindergartner modeling for a style show put on by her mother’s (Sally Vanasse) giving circle to benefit Seattle Milk Fund in the 1940s.
Joy became a member in 1959 and began the beloved Katherine B. Friele Circle. Over the years, she introduced many of her cherished friends and neighbors to the organization. A consummate leader, she would often mentor other women, encourage new members, and support Board Presidents. Read more.
Our student parents inspire us every single day. Each year, 96% of student parents in our program stay on track to graduation day. Their personal courage and love for their children matched with their persistence and resourcefulness keep them focused on building brighter futures for their families.
Twice a year, we welcome new student parents into our program, and every quarter, we witness parents graduate college and embark on their new careers. The coordinated ebb and flow of our program keeps us in a positive forward motion— welcoming new families and celebrating the triumphs of our grads as they finish their degrees and land new jobs.
“When I came to the U.S. as an adult in 2015, I had to start everything over again for my new life. I went back to school because only education can make my dream come true. Since I have been a single parent, I understand that I need to be stronger, and I do not want to stop my studies again. I am a new student in the energy field now. I chose my concentration as Sustainable Power Systems. I want to learn about energy sources and how they work.”
-Uyen, Engineering, South Seattle College in King County
