OUR STORIES
OUR STORIES
Read the stories of people in the Global Neighborhood community who have benefitted from our programs!
BIETLEHEM
Our Job Readiness Supervisor, Bietlehem, arrived in Spokane as an Ethiopian refugee, navigating a challenging path through Egyptian refugee camps. As a single mother of two, she faced the daunting task of rebuilding her life while providing for her family.
Seeking economic stability and a supportive community, she found her way to our Job Readiness Program. Upon graduating from the program, Bietlehem transitioned into a full-time role at Global Neighborhood Thrift & Vintage. She first started stocking home goods, but over her four years on staff, Bietlehem's dedication and hard work have propelled her into the role of Job Readiness Program Supervisor.
Bietlehem has surpassed all expectations in this new position, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment. She has developed her own evaluation processes and streamlined training procedures, ensuring a more effective and tailored approach for our program participants. Bietlehem's innate understanding of the challenges faced by refugees has allowed her to provide invaluable support, making a lasting impact on the lives of those she serves. Beitlehem has worked hard on her English skills (her 4th language), is enrolled in our in-house English classes, and is actively working on her tech literacy. The supportive environment of Global Neighborhood has given Biety the opportunity for professional development, increasing her economic mobility and providing a bright future for her children.
KHALIL
Khalil was born in Aleppo, Syria. He moved to Damascus, the capital of Syria, and had a good life for 17 years until the outbreak of war. With the onset of conflict, Khalil made the difficult decision to leave his homeland, seeking a safer future for his wife and four children in Spokane.
Upon settling in Spokane, Khalil applied for a position at Global Neighborhood Thrift & Vintage. Demonstrating immense potential, he quickly advanced through various roles within the organization. Over the span of a year, he transitioned from working in the warehouse to handling clothing, home goods, and book production, eventually becoming a cashier. Today, Khalil serves as a Store Operations Assistant Manager.
In 2021, Khalil proudly became a U.S. citizen. That same year, he and his wife achieved the milestone of purchasing a home for their family. Khalil expressed gratitude for the support and camaraderie of his colleagues at Global Neighborhood. "Spokane has provided a good life for me and my family," he said.
SVITLANA
Svitlana came to the US from Ukraine in 2015 with very little experience in English. Since then, she has studied, practiced, and become an excellent English speaker. She graduated from Level 6 of our English Speaking program this month!
Svitlana has been at Global Neighborhood Thrift & Vintage longer than any of our employees. She began our job training program at Global Neighborhood at our old location on Indiana. She quickly showed promise and moved into leadership roles supervising Homegoods and Clothing Production, pricing, and stocking the floor. Currently, as Homegoods Production Lead, she manages the Homegoods Team.
Brent, GN’s Executive Director, said Svitlana is a hard worker and an excellent trainer. “Svitlana knows how to push people to do good work. She demands a lot from her trainees, but they respect her because she leads by example and has undergone the same training herself,” he said. “She is an inspiration to other employees.”
EMMANUEL
In 2018, driven by his desire to get to know and help people from diverse backgrounds, Emmanuel started working part-time at GNT&V. The joyful atmosphere and friendly people at Global Neighborhood drew him here.
Working here, Emmanuel has learned how to connect with people from different cultures, regions, and mindsets.
"Here, you find all kinds of people. The more you work with people of different origins, the more you learn. It builds your resilience to handle any situation in life," Emmanuel said.
Of course, there are challenges. He said that sometimes things you see as good might be seen as negative by others, depending on their culture. This experience gives you new insights and helps you shape your approach to avoid making the same mistakes when dealing with people from different backgrounds.
However, he said Global Neighborhood’s leadership knows how to handle these situations. They bring people together and work to solve problems. Emmanuel said Global Neighborhood is a great place to be. It’s not just for good refugees and immigrants, but also for the local residents of Spokane who benefit from our efforts.
“What we do here is more than just selling things. We’re also helping to clean up our city, turning trash into treasure,” Emmanuel said.