I got to show off a beautiful new coat this week. And I’m telling you this not because it’s fabulous—and it really is—but because the young woman who made it is already on track to becoming a talented fashion designer. And she hasn’t even graduated high school yet.
I met Kellehanna at a fashion show hosted by Goodwill Industries of Denver last year. The competition required that the contestants designed their work using materials from Goodwill. Kellehanna entered a coat she made from a quilt she found at Goodwill, and it was stunning.
Naturally, I asked her to put me down for one, and I immediately went to Goodwill to pick out the “fabric.” I found the perfect bedspread and she did her magic.
Wearing that coat this week was incredibly poignant because Kellehanna is a student in one of Goodwill’s programs and we were both being recognized at its annual Power of Work luncheon. Kellehanna is part of their Student Advisory Council and I was being honored with their Community Leader Award.
I was so moved by this recognition (it brings tears to my eyes as I write this), because here at the Chamber, we devote ourselves to putting Coloradans to work. We believe that nothing helps a family achieve their dreams more than a great job and few things are more devastating than the loss of a good job. So, the importance of Goodwill’s work is not lost on me or my team.
The difference is that Goodwill delivers on this promise for people who can easily be overlooked or missed in the typical employment channels. At the Power of Work luncheon we are shown firsthand how meaningful work changes everyone’s lives. Goodwill introduces the audience to people who have endured great hardships, who are differently abled or who simply decided they wanted to change the course of their life. And, the theme that ties all of the honorees together is how when we are all given the opportunity to work, we gain the confidence to overcome our challenges and the strength to persevere and succeed.
Goodwill is helping create the workforce we need right now and ensuring every Coloradan can see themselves in those roles. Work is transformative for individuals, but it is also the foundation for building great economies. We hope to keep advancing workforce efforts just like these, and it’s why we support a package of bills at the legislature aimed at improving workforce development through college and career pathways, post-secondary workforce readiness and improved collaboration with industries in the region.
In five short years, 74 percent of jobs in Colorado will require some education or training after high school. We are running out of time to ensure we can make those numbers. We have meaningful work for everyone in Colorado, and we want to make sure all Coloradans get the same chance that Goodwill is giving to those they serve.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
[Photo by Jörg Schreier]