Goodwill Goes Glam
Eva Blacker, styled by Kini Zamora and Therese Wahl SHOT55 PHOTOGRAPHY; STYLING: KINI ZAMORA AND THERESE WAHL; LOCATION: THE OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY; HAIR AND MAKEUP: PAUL BROWN SALONS; ADDITIONAL THANKS TO AMANDA STEVENS
After Tina B. dropped out of school following eighth grade, things just kept spiraling for her. Substance abuse. A couple of stints in prison. Now in her early 30s, Tina was released from prison earlier this year. But what was waiting for her on the outside? She had a criminal record and hadn’t held down a job in a decade. Things weren’t looking good.
That is, until she was connected with Goodwill Industries of Hawaii (GIH), where a counselor helped Tina (full name withheld for privacy) craft a resume and practice interview skills. Now, after just a few months, Tina has landed two jobs in the food service industry, working 60 hours a week. She’s already received a promotion at one of the positions and plans to go back to school. More than just a second-hand retail store, GIH is a full-fledged nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive support services to individuals with employment barriers — and Tina credits it with helping to turn her life around.
“I was able to focus on my strengths and overshadow any doubts or perceived shortcomings I had about myself by completing my program at Goodwill Hawaii,” explains Tina in a statement provided to GIH.
“What is amazing about (Tina) is she did not let any of that defeat her,” says GIH chief administrative officer Katy Chen. “She just needed that extra push and someone to really believe in her.”
Aaron Pennington, styled by Kini Zamora and Therese Wahl SHOT55 PHOTOGRAPHY
What Goodwill did for Tina was made possible in part through its retail stores, as well as through its annual Goodwill Goes GLAM! presented by Bank of Hawaii Foundation event, which returns July 16-19 at Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Now in its fourth year, Goodwill Goes GLAM! features thousands of items — clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes and more — that have been curated from its stores, with all proceeds going toward GIH programs.
“What Goodwill Goes GLAM! is about is really taking the best of the best all year — we take our designer brands, our vintage items, very special things that we see that people donate throughout the year, and we take it and we sell it over a four-day period,” Chen says.
“You never know what you are going to find,” she adds.
No matter what you find, it will help fund GIH’s job training and curriculum programs.
Therese Wahl (left) and Katy Chen examine shoes that will be at Goodwill Goes GLAM! ANTHONY CONSILLIO PHOTO
While Goodwill is perhaps most widely known for its retail locations, it’s also a multi-faceted organization with a broad reach. Services help people get — and keep — a job, via training, career development and job placement. Programs target a diverse set of populations, including those who have been incarcerated, at-risk youths, immigrants, and people with physical or cognitive disabilities.
“This past year, we have served about 13,000 people, and we have placed about 1,700 people into employment,” GIH vice president of mission services Wanda Villareal says.
Funding for such programs comes from its retail locations — including 11 in Hawaii, eight of which are on Oahu. Plus, its retail locations also provide jobs, as they employ about 200 people throughout the state.
For GIH, Goodwill Goes GLAM! not only is a source of funding, but it’s also a way to raise awareness within the community about the work that it does.
“It’s an opportunity to share with the public … so that people know we are not just a retail store, but that that retail store really helps to provide needed services within the community,” Villareal adds.
The event kicks off with the July 16 Gala Night dinner at 5:30 p.m., followed by a fashion show starting at 7:30. The fashion show showcases a collection of 60 outfits that have been styled by fashion designer Kini Zamora (of Project Runway fame) alongside local stylist Therese Wahl, under the theme “Royal.” All fashion show outfits will be for sale via auction as they come — accessories and all.
And even if you miss the fashion show, you can find Zamora and Wahl’s other top selections in the “stylists’ picks” section, where Zamora also will be on hand to help style shoppers.
A collection of jewelry you can expect to find at the sale ANTHONY CONSILLIO PHOTO
“These are things that Kini and Therese thought were very special items that they are putting out that they have hand-picked from one of (Goodwill’s) stores,” Chen explains.
That’s also how all of the items for sale throughout the weekend have been selected. Throughout the year, GIH employees keep an eye out for top-of-the-line donations and squirrel them away for the event.
The setup at Goodwill Goes GLAM! will be similar to what you might see at a Goodwill retail location. And while this includes the vintage items you may expect, there’s also an impressive amount of higher-end finds, such as designer jeans or brand-name jackets — but even better, because they’re sans those high-end prices. For instance, Chen snagged a Dooney & Bourke purse for $20 last year, while her husband found several Tori Richard aloha shirts.
“I have heard even Christian Louboutin shoes have gone through,” she says.
Plus, even if you come all four days, you’ll be scouring through a different set every time: Items are re-stocked each day.
And Hawaii Five-0 fans could get their hands on some paraphernalia from the set: One section features about 1,000 items donated from the show.
While impressive, Tina’s story certainly isn’t out of the norm for GIH. There’s people like Melody D., a single mother of two who had never worked in the country before, who received job application guidance from GIH. Or Tatiana J., whom was connected with a job in her field via GIH. And Christian T., a high school dropout who now has a job and is studying for his GED through GIH’s youth program.
“When you hear things like that,” Chen says, “that is really what Goodwill is about.”
For more information on Goodwill Goes GLAM!, visit higoodwill.org. Tickets can be purchased at the Blaisdell box office for $4, or for $2 at any Goodwill store. The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 17-18 (Friday-Saturday) and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 19 (Sunday). Fashion show ticket holders also get to shop from 8 to 10 p.m. July 16 (Thursday).
