A Southern Arizona Hero

Tucson, Arizona. Many blogs exist to rant on the world's issues and injustices. Criticism and outrage far outweigh praise and acknowledgment in the political blogosphere. One of the readers sent me an email suggesting I occasionally point out some of the good stuff, and I think it's a great idea. Does Southern Arizona have some heroes? Absolutely, although most probably perform their great work under the radar, unseen in the media.

After a little reflection last night, I could produce a list of several terrific people in Tucson worthy of a blog post for the contribution they make to the rest of the community. Readers are welcome to send suggestions.

Starting with one of the greatest I know, someone I praised in Something Else, is Suzanne Lawder, the CEO of Goodwill Industries of Tucson, a beacon of decency, intelligence, common sense, and genuine goodness that I grew to love and admire. I can only scratch the surface of the extraordinary contribution her organization makes to the regular people of this town every day.

Starting with the stores at convenient locations throughout Tucson, Goodwill provides financially struggling families the ability to obtain clothing, furniture, and other household goods at prices far below retail. Those living meager paycheck to paycheck (most of the town) flock to Goodwill stores every day to buy necessities for their families. Shirts, shoes, socks, pants, silverware, glasses, plates, chairs, the list goes on. Obtaining these products allows families to scrape by. Odds are minimal that the reader belongs to this group. What I will say is that the reader may not recognize how many do. Tucson is a low wage town. The affluence of our massive retired community to the north helps mask what is occurring in the center and to the south.

The stores represent only a fraction of the contribution Suzanne's organization makes to Tucsonans. She also employs the handicapped in well designed jobs suited for their abilities, and with such jobs, these hard working and conscientious people can earn a living and have the dignity of performing a full day's work and pointing to the results. Among other services, the place on Silverlake assembles and packages goods to be shipped to customers. I've toured the facility and met some of these admirable individuals who have overcome adversity I don't know if I could handle. Thanks to Suzanne, they earn their keep and contribute to society. The program is not welfare. It pays for itself and pleases its paying customers.

More than that, Goodwill Industries has training programs, helping fractured and wounded souls get back on their feet, preparing those authentically eager for another chance to obtain one and succeed. Grounded in reality, (unlike some of the "impossible to saturate" cloth training we see), her modest training programs quickly provide targeted hard and soft skills in a street smart, no nonsense design that nurtures and builds up those with troubled pasts (poverty, hopelessness, domestic issues, prior substance abuse, etc.) with employability distinctions and confidence that lead to real job offers. Goodwill has established relationships with the employers who have the jobs, so in an established partnership, conversations that connect can occur. I do not exaggerate when I say that I know names and faces of people who would now be in a box underground were it not for Suzanne's programs.

Back in the SAIAT days, I met with numerous elected officials to describe its programs. I met with Republican Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll. Suzanne Lawder's name came up. Ray beamed and declared, "Suzanne is one of the finest human beings in this community."

When Suzanne "inherited" Goodwill many years ago, it was a total disaster, bleeding and in debt. Turning a fiasco into a functional organization with positive cash flow is extremely difficult. I used some of her ideas to turn SAIAT from a $350K loss to a $50K gain in one year. Last I heard, Goodwill is doing well. The company saves lives, real people with hands you can shake and faces you can see. Best Wishes, Suzanne.