Goodwill holds grand opening for new store in Thomson
THOMSON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A new Goodwill store is now open after a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place in Thomson on Wednesday.
The store has a donation center and career center for people wanting to shop, donate and learn about career opportunities.
Officials say having this open to the community can help beyond the doors of the Goodwill.
“Our business can’t thrive, without having a good workforce,” an event organizer said. “So having that hole was disappointing and God does provide because God sent Goodwill right here to plug and play in this exact same space and maybe even do a better job of it.”
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When you shop or donate at Goodwill, it’s an investment back into the community.
More than 86 cents of every dollar s education opportunities and job training programs.
“We do take the items and we sell them for a purpose which is to re-invest in individuals in job and education programs so that they can upscale a job that they are in or find a new career path,” said Jennifer Tyner, VP of marketing and development at Goodwill.
Kenya Calhoun, president of the Thomson-Mcduffie County Chamber of Commerce, says the building once served as a career center, which is something Goodwill is including inside their store.
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The Columbia County Foundation for Children is a local non-profit organization that has been around for more than 30 years.
“We’re trying to make sure that we have a well-rounded community, that we are able to provide jobs for our local community and making sure that the opportunities are there,” said Calhoun. “Any time there is a shift in the community and some of those services go away, to be able to bring that back is a major plus.”
The closest Goodwill store and career center is in Grovetown, which is why they say this is needed.
“We have a 35-county range in this region, and being able to serve those individuals that maybe don’t have the ability to be served so well because maybe it’s far removed from the major metropolis of the area is a great thing,” said Joseph Cochran, district manager at Goodwill.
The career center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
You can donate Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays.
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