Mallory dropped out of high school six months before graduation. She was a good student with excellent grades, but she was also an addict. She both used and sold drugs and would even steal money from her parents to support her habit. Everything changed for her when she was arrested on drug charges and found herself facing a first-degree felony.
Mallory vividly remembers being placed on a bus and thinking she was headed for rehab. She quickly learned she was on her way to the women’s state prison in Gatesville, Texas. Time behind bars helped her learn more about herself and discover why she had become addicted in the first place. She calls it a blessing in disguise. After time served, she lived in a transitional facility for three months before moving back home to the house where she was raised. At first, she felt lost but a visit from a cousin changed her path forever. Her cousin often shopped at Goodwill stores in Indiana, and she wanted to check out a few Houston area locations. Mallory joined her on that shopping trip to the Goodwill NASA store and learned that Goodwill Houston is a second-chance employer. She applied and ten days later was hired as a part-time cashier.
After a few months she was promoted to a full-time position. Due to her hard work, she was promoted several more times before being named manager of the Alvin store (where she worked for six years). In 2023, she was promoted again to the position of New Goods Manager at Goodwill Houston’s Corporate Headquarters. Looking back, Mallory thanks Goodwill for giving her purpose and she wants others to know that Goodwill is more than a place to donate goods or to shop. It’s a place that changes lives.
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