Wolf Valentin came to Goodwill as a referral from Keenan House in the summer of 2023.  His original goal as a newly released person from prison was to get a voucher for clothing.  That is just the beginning of his relationship with Katie Walden and Pam Bennett, two members of the mission services staff.

He was introduced to services such as custodial training, resume preparation, job search and interview coaching.  “With the help of the staff, I landed a job with UPS. I then got a grant from Mass Hire to study Recovery Coaching and earned my certificate as an alcohol and recovery coach. Once I received that certification, I began work at Pittsfield Living in Recovery Center and resigned from UPS.  I worked at that center for two months and then got hired at the Great Barrington Rural Recovery Center as a bi-lingual recovery coach for men and women who were formerly incarcerated.”

Wolf now lives in Great Barrington and explained that “I love helping people and giving back.”

In addition to his regular job, Wolf serves as a speaker for local events such as the collaboration between New Beginnings, 2^nd Street and the Rural Recovery Center.

When asked about what he likes to do in his spare time, Wolf said he goes to the library to read about history and self-help.  It is my dream to have a puppy that will grow up to be a big dog. He also wants to give back to others who have had similar life experiences.

He is grateful to Katie Walden and Pam Bennet for their felon friendly referrals and the help he received with Goodwill. He said, “I want the community to know that Goodwill isn’t just for clothes and household items.”