As the impact of COVID-19 continues to unfold, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida will continue their mission of serving people with disabilities and disadvantages and helping them overcome barriers to independence. Now, more than ever, people are looking to Goodwill for help in accessing needed assistance. Revenue from the stores supports their programs and services in your community, and last year alone they served over 25,000 individuals. Additionally, more than 800 families in the community depend on the employment provided by Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida are monitoring and following all recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the Florida Department of Health so that it can ensure the health and wellness of it’s staff, shoppers and donors. The following are the steps Goodwill is taking as an organization:

Services:

All job fairs and large meetings have been canceled.

Their Community Resource Centers (Job-Links) will continue providing services, with the exception of the services it provides as a partner agency in the Cape Coral United Way House, which is anticipated to reopen the first week in April. The active, high-volume service sites will remain open, but services will be limited to five (5) individuals at a time, or by appointment only. Coordinators will be using a 6-foot personal distancing rule to minimize health risks.

MicroEnterprise Institute: All classes and graduations have been postponed through the end of March.

Pathways to Opportunity Program: The Adult Day Training program will be closed as of March 18 with an anticipated reactivation date of April 1.

Retail:

All Goodwill Retail and Donation Centers will remain open until further notice, but it is reducing hours of operation at all locations in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties. Temporary store hours, including the Outlet, will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7-days a week, beginning Thursday, March 19.

Our Goodwill team is increasing the cleaning schedules within the stores, providing customers with hand wipes, and spraying donations with disinfectant. The focus is providing a safe shopping experience to their customers so they can shop more confidently as they move forward through this situation. Washing or dry cleaning items you purchase prior to using or wearing them, not just now, but every time is advised.

Administrative Office:
They have temporarily suspended all orientation and onboarding events of new hires.
Additionally, they have canceled all public meetings.

They recognize that these are uncertain times, but everyone at Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida will do their best to uphold the highest standards of cleanliness and safety in the retail stores, and keep their stakeholders informed on any changes as it moves forward with this situation. Goodwill thanks you for your continued support of our mission.