Goodwill Temporarily Closes Retail Stores Amid Coronavirus
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut to Temporarily Close
Retail Stores
Organization takes additional precautions in
response to COVID-19
Bridgeport, Conn. (March 20, 2020) – As an added precaution
to support the health and well-being of its employees, customers, and donors Goodwill
of Western and Northern Connecticut will temporarily close all 22 of
its retail shopping locations beginning at 6:00 PM Friday, March 20, 2020.
Goodwill will continue to accept donations at all 22 stores and donation
sites.
“Actively supporting the health and safety of our staff, donors, and customers is our top priority.” Jeff Wieser, Interim President of Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, said. “We will navigate the weeks ahead with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and public health officials. Unthinkable decisions come during unprecedented times, and we hope our actions today will bring normalcy back to our communities faster. We will communicate any additional changes as we move through this evolving situation together.”
While
donation locations will remain open, donors are asked to pack items in bags
and/or boxes to allow for a simple drop-and-go. Associates will not be
available to assist unloading donations from vehicles. Goodwill encourages
donors only to pack what they can handle individually. Once donors drop-and-go,
associates will move items to a secure and safe location until normal retail
operations resume. Associates will wear protective gear at all times.
GWNC’s
career centers remain closed for face-to-face assistance but will continue to
offer job search and career services virtually at https://www.gwct.org/virtual-services.
For
shoppers seeking to support GWNC’s mission from the comfort of their own homes,
Shop Goodwill remains open at https://www.gwct.org/shop/shop-online.
ABOUT GOODWILL OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN CONNECTICUT
Goodwill is a non-profit organization that helps individuals, businesses, and communities come together to support people with disabilities, economic disadvantages, and other barriers to employment. Last year, Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut (GWNC) helped 2,766 Connecticut residents find work. And, in 2018, one out of every 275 hires in the US were the result of services provided by Goodwill. Donations of goods and revenue generated from store sales power this mission, with more than 90% reinvested into the programs and services strengthening Connecticut families. GWNC is headquartered in Bridgeport, Conn., and has store, donation, and career center locations around the state. To learn more, visit: www.gwct.org.