The George Lindahl Family Achievement Award is given to a Goodwill Houston employee who has shown excellent progress in overcoming great obstacles to become a role model to others in performing job duties and gaining life skills.
Tabitha Collard exemplifies determination despite any obstacles that occur in her life. Hearing about Goodwill Houston through a family member changed Tabitha’s life for the better immediately.
Working at a gas station putting in over 40 hours a week at minimum wage to support her family and save up for transportation, Tabitha was searching for a better opportunity which she found at Goodwill. She was hired as a sales floor attendant. A few months later she was promoted to Cashier, then quickly promoted to a Retail Team Lead. Tabitha’s work ethic and determination landed her the role of Assistant Manager and now the Store Manager at our Huntsville location. Moving up in the organization quickly showed Tabitha that Goodwill Houston values hard work even when life barriers occur.
For Tabitha, tragedies did strike starting in December 2023, and marked the beginning of a series of life-altering events for her family when they were involved in a car accident. Just a few months later, in March of 2024, her family home caught fire, and her husband was airlifted for emergency treatment. As if that wasn’t enough, her home flooded twice in April causing further devastation. Then, in May of this year, another flood struck, leaving her family grappling with yet another round of damage. Each disaster tested their resilience and brought them closer as a family, determined to overcome the challenges together. While many of us would feel defeated and give up, those roadblocks were not going to stop Tabitha, they only continued to build her up.
Tabitha leads her team daily and inspires them to never stop fighting for what they want out of life. Goodwill Houston has been a major pillar in Tabitha’s life and family and in her words “Goodwill cares more than any organization I’ve ever known.” Tabitha’s positive attitude and willingness to strive past life adversities provides her co-workers with more than just a manager she is a true example of a leader.