Goodwill closing stores, accepting protective equipment donations

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia will temporarily close all resale training stores to shoppers in its 35-county service area.

According to Goodwill officials, the staffed donation centers will remain open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to collect personal protective equipment for first responders, as well as other gently used clothing and household items.

Many people are seeking ways to support local frontline healthcare providers who may face shortages of personal protective equipment.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but it was necessary to protect our employees and simultaneously stabilize our nonprofit social service organization to serve the forthcoming tsunami of unemployed citizens,” said James K. Stiff, the president of Goodwill of Middle Georgia. “We hope these actions will position us to fully reopen, resume services and rehire those impacted when the global health crisis subsides.”

Immediate steps to support affected local Goodwill team members include:

• continued accrual of paid time off
• access to health benefits with free telemedicine services
• Goodwill’s human resources department filing for each furloughed employee’s COVID-19 unemployment insurance benefits

Goodwill suspended in-person operations at its eight job connection career centers. The organization moved its services to a virtual model accessible on www.GoodwillWorks.org.

Additional Goodwill services

In addition to employment-specific resources and current job leads, Goodwill created a comprehensive localized resource guide for every client with information on assistance for food, housing, utilities, health care, childcare, domestic violence support, and other community services.

“We’ve made the necessary adjustment to deliver services online now as well as to practice social distancing,” said Leah Pontani, the vice president of career development. “We can connect people with assistance for many areas of their lives where they may be struggling.  Also, we know numerous companies that are hiring. We provide connections to virtual classes with industry certifications and stackable credentials from which people can benefit while they’re furloughed or laid off. [Goodwill] helps people sustain themselves and their families.”