Goodwill Kentucky expands Another Way program in Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Goodwill Kentucky is expanding its Another Way program in Bowling Green with $50,000 in funding from Warren County and a donated 15-passenger van to help people experiencing homelessness access employment opportunities and support services.

The funding will support the program one day a week, while the city of Bowling Green funds the program three days a week.

The van was donated by local businessman Jim Johnson, who attended the announcement Tuesday at Goodwill Kentucky’s Bowling Green Opportunity Center.

The Another Way program connects people experiencing homelessness with temporary work opportunities, allowing participants to earn immediate income while gaining job skills and connecting with resources to help them achieve long-term stability.

Participants receive a $50 stipend and a meal, along with access to Goodwill services that can help with housing, employment and addiction treatment.

Rena Sharpe, chief operating officer of Goodwill Kentucky, said the additional funding and larger van will allow the program to more than double its capacity.

Sharpe said participants can use the program as a starting point toward finding employment, securing housing and rebuilding their lives.

“We should not be measured by our very worst time in our life,” Sharpe said. “We see people at their lowest point, and many of them can thrive just by having one caring individual in their life.”

Bowling Green City Commissioner Sue Parrigin said the program is helping people move from homelessness toward greater independence.

“Your community is only as good as the population you’re serving,” Parrigin said. “And when we can change lives, and we are changing lives, this is happening in real time.”

Kristopher York, who previously participated in the Another Way program, shared how the program helped him move forward after experiencing homelessness and addiction.

York now works to help others facing similar challenges. He said he and his wife are in the process of buying a home.

York credited the program with helping him build a new life and gain opportunities to give back to the community.

Goodwill Kentucky also relies on donations to its retail stores to help fund community programs and services. The organization says those contributions help support initiatives that connect people with employment, housing assistance and other resources.

The Bowling Green Opportunity Center is located at 1806 U.S. 31-W Bypass.