Can You Help Ned?

A local 80-year-old man is set to lose his job at the Evergreen Goodwill store in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. People who drop off their donations have grown accustomed to getting a receipt and a smile from Edward "Ned" Pearce. However, the store is closing and while other employees are being transferred, Ned is being laid-off.

The store's assistant manager, Ciara Vasquez-Schreiber, has started a GoFundMe project to help the raise funds so the octogenarian's struggles are lessened.

"Ned is by far the hardest working employee I have ever had in my eight years of managing for different companies," said Ciara. "He has been with Evergreen Goodwill since January 2022, is an Army Veteran, and is probably one of the most wholesome, humble and amazing humans on planet earth," she added. 

Although Ned could have been transferred to another Goodwill location, he relies on bus transportation and the commute would be over one hour each way, including transfers and walking, which can be difficult for the 80-year-old. 

"His last job was 20-something years," said Ciara. "He is such a hard worker, and hardly takes his breaks and wills tay late to make sure the job gets done." Although he is eligible for unemployment payments and Ciara told him she would help him fill out the forms, he doesn't plan on applying. "He is so humble, he thinks that the money from unemployment compensation, which is paid for through tax dollars, should go toward other people who need it more than him."

Without family, Ned's primary social connections are through work and Ciara plans to stay in touch with him after the Evergreen store closes. "He is hilarious, with quirky, funny little jokes and stories." She reflects on his long life, including his time in the service. "He was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War era but was stationed in Germany." She hopes the GoFundMe project she started for him will allow him to transition into the next era of his life with a little more comfort. 

Earlier this week, the GoFundMe for Ned reported raising nearly $1,500 towards its $20,000 goal. Here is the fundraiser link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-ned-pearce-a-dedicated-goodwill-worker