Jesus was born in Houston but moved to El Salvador when he was young. Life was tough there, and he knew he had to get out. When he turned 18, he sold newspapers to earn enough money to buy a plane ticket back to Houston.
When Jesus arrived in Houston, he was determined to find work. While attending a job fair, he saw a Goodwill Houston sign and was intrigued by the message of "Changing Lives Through the Power of Work." Jesus applied and was hired as the Third Key Supervisor at the Briargrove store.
Goodwill helped Jesus get his GED and provided him with resources to learn English. After six months, he was promoted to Assistant Manager and eventually Store Manager. In 2020, gang violence in El Salvador affected his life again after a close family member was killed, resulting in him taking a leave of absence to deal with the loss. Upon his return, he was offered the Store Manager position at Goodwill Houston's West Oaks location. Jesus’ efforts have helped make the West Oaks location one of the top-selling Goodwill Houston stores in the Greater Houston area.
As the manager of the West Oaks location, Jesus leads his team with tenacity and encouragement, welcoming customers as they enter the store and even knowing some by name. He makes sure that his staff is taken care of and he's there to give assistance when needed.
Jesus says he feels blessed that Goodwill has been there for him throughout his career. “Goodwill saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself. They were there for me when I was seeking a fresh start and provided me the tools to become a better person.”