CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Goodwill run has been happening in the Coastal Bend community for 35 years. As a premier race, it challenges participants to either walk two miles or run a 5K or 10K.
This fundraising event is called the "Race to Change Lives" and there is a reason for that.
"The people we serve are those who have not been successful of finding work on their now," said Marjorie Bourdreaux, the Vice President of Development for Goodwill of South Texas.
Bourdreaux said that includes people with disabilities and other barriers to employment; people like Damian Tabor.
Tabor has worked with Goodwill for six years and the story to what landed him in this position is one he said was an act of God.
"I couldn't walk, couldn't talk. I was bed ridden. They gave me four months to live," Tabor said.
Tabor remembers the day he fainted while at work. The doctors telling him he had a brain tumor.
"I thought my life is over. What am I going to do now?" he said.
Tabor is now a cancer survivor and when it came time to look for work after recovering, he said it was a challenging task.
"I lost my functionality to type and all that, but I was able to speak," Tabor said.
As part of their mission, Goodwill provided Tabor with the job training and employment services he needed to be successful.
"It taught me certain skills that allowed me to gain my independence back,” he said.
He now works in customer service. Those skills he learned in job training - customized to your aptitude - was made possible by the Goodwill run.
"They need just a little bit of extra help to connect them to their next employment opportunity," Boudreaux said.
As of right now, organizers said nearly 600 people have registered for the event. The revenue raised will continue to help fund free employment and training programs for those looking for work.
The 2022 Goodwill Run starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 5 from Whataburger Field.
You can register in person today from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Cotton Club entrance at Whataburger Field.
