HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — As Virginia has entered Phase One, Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia announced Thursday it has started a phased approach to reopen its retail stores.
Stores began opening the week of May 19, and they will continue to open in phases over the next several weeks with limited hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
“At Goodwill, we have continued to look to the recommendations of the local and national government in addition to the CDC amid this unprecedented time to ensure we did our part to flatten the curve and keep our community safe,” Goodwill CEO Mark A. Barth said. “With the governor’s decision to allow operations such as ours to reopen, we look forward to welcoming back our associates, donors and shoppers and will be taking every precaution to ensure the safety and sanitation of our donated goods and those visiting our stores.”
The following protocols will be implemented to keep safety a top priority:
- All required and preferred safety items are stocked and in place at each location.
- All staff is properly trained on safety policies and will implement safe social distancing measures.
- All associates, shoppers and donors who are feeling ill are encouraged to stay home from work and self-isolate.
- All staff will wear a face covering and vinyl gloves while in the workplace.
- All shoppers and donors are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering and use “touchless” payments whenever possible to reduce contact.
- Staff have installed Plexiglass shields at the registers, added floor markings to indicate a six-foot separation and will provide hand sanitizer at the front of each store for customer use.
- Dressing rooms will be closed temporarily.
- All common surfaces will be disinfected before opening and every two hours thereafter.
- People visiting a Goodwill location to make a donation of used goods must either place their donations in provided bins or remain in their vehicle while a Goodwill associate assists.
- To allow for a safe social distance, stores are operating at 40% capacity.
- Donations are being quarantined for at least 72 hours.
- All upholstered furniture and bedding (pillows, stuffed animals, etc.) are being treated per the Virginia Department of Health guidelines.
A full listing of open locations can be found on Goodwill’s website.
To ensure that Goodwill will be ready to provide free workforce development services and help people reclaim their lives, staff are accepting donations from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. To find a location near you, click here.
Goodwill is also encouraging customers to give from the comfort of your home to support its programs, which provide job-readiness skills to people in Central and Coastal Virginia; these programs can be a useful too for anyone seeking employment after the pandemict. You can donate by visiting this link.
