PHOENIX — Eduardo Lopez said his job is also his playground.
"I can't really go too crazy right now and show you how I have fun and stuff, I'd probably get in trouble."
Lopez is a forklift operator at the Goodwill Clearance Center off 51st Avenue and Van Buren. His tattoos serve as a map for a troubled past in Southern California.
A job of purpose and passion
Lopez grew up in Southern California and said drugs and alcohol controlled his life in high school. He dropped out and wasn't able to finish his degree.
“It was a darkness that was hard not to slip into. Drugs and alcohol played a big part in that,” said Lopez. "Once I became 18, I started working and was able to pay some bills, but I was still not on the right path."
Years later, he moved to East Phoenix to live with family and applied for a job as a forklift driver with Goodwill.
“I call it an adult hot wheel working with big kid Legos," said Lopez.
He found a passion for working with vehicles and met his wife on the job, who also worked for Goodwill. They now have a 17-month-old baby girl who provides a guiding light for him to go back to school.
“There comes a point when you hit rock bottom and there’s got to be something else. I had to change my life and I found that through work," said Lopez.
Elevating purpose with education and closing the gap of poverty
This week, Goodwill broke ground on the company's new Excel Center in Phoenix near 48th Street and McDowell Road. The center is an adult high school for students 18 and older to receive their high school diplomas.
“There’s over 50% that don’t have that diploma, and that is critical for them to take that next step, to get that post-secondary education or even land that next sustainable career to support themselves and their families," said Courtney Nelson, senior marketing director for Goodwill.
Nelson says there are approximately 700,000 Arizonans without a high school diploma. The Excel Centers provide a high school diploma rather than a GED and offer post-high school, industry-recognized certifications.
The centers also provide free on-site child development centers for enrolled students while they are attending class. Transportation stipends are given to all students to support commuting to school.
The Excel Center officially opens in August. Lopez is already looking forward to the day when his family will see him with a diploma in his hand.
“For me to be at the front of the stage and cheer for me," said Lopez. "I hope I can motivate other people. If I can do it, anybody can. I know it."
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.