A CP24 viewer in Mississauga offered a full-time job to a man left without one when a number of Goodwill outlets across the GTA abruptly closed earlier this week.
John Petti had worked for Goodwill Industries for 31 years when the 28 stores were shuttered Jan. 17. He earned $12 an hour working as a janitor at a store in Scarborough. About 430 workers lost their jobs due to the shutdown.
“I was shocked, I walked up to the door and it was completely locked,” Petti said. “When I phoned my boss at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning and asked what was going on he sounded kind of disgusting, he said ‘go home John, everything’s locked up.’”
Petti lives with his elderly mother, and takes care of her as she suffers from dementia.
He said he took pride in his former job, and ensured the floors of the Goodwill outlet in Scarborough “were like glass” whenever he was working.
Sam Maharaj, the owner of a body shop in Mississauga, saw Petti and his colleagues’ plight while watching CP24. He decided to reach out to offer him a full-time job.
“I was watching TV yesterday evening and I saw the gentleman on TV and said ‘hey, he’d make a great addition to A1 Mississauga,” he said.
“I’m so glad,” Petti said after hearing of the offer. “I can’t believe what’s happened in the last 36 hours.”
On Friday afternoon, Petti arrived at A1 Mississauga Auto Collision, on Central Parkway in Mississauga, and signed documents to become the company’s newest employee.
Victor Maharaj, another employee at A1, said the company has been looking for a maintenance worker “for the longest time,” and they’re all glad they could help Petti move on with his life.
Petti said he’d given notice to his current landlord and will be moving to Mississauga with his mother soon.
Sam Maharaj said he’s giving Petti money for new clothes, as well as money for first and last month’s rent of his new apartment.
