Goodwill of North Georgia is reopening its local stores and career centers on May 13 with shopping precautions that range from limits on the number of customers to shuttered fitting rooms and water fountains.
The nonprofit will not accept donations of items until May 18 and will establish a “no-contact” process for doing so.
Goodwill closed all locations on March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It opened some locations in less-populated areas on May 6.
Goodwill said in a press release that all locations have been deep-cleaned and sanitized, including treating merchandise using “a proven, eco-friendly misting process.”
Customers and clients who have experienced a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms within the previous 24 hours are asked not to enter any Goodwill, though the press release indicates there will be no active monitoring by the nonprofit. Goodwill will control the number of customers and clients within locations based on its square-footage.
Other new safety precautions include:
- Store associates outfitted in personal protective equipment
- Guest ambassadors disinfecting cart handles after every use
- One-way traffic on each aisle to aid social distancing
- Plastic glass shields installed at open cash registers
- Contactless payment available to avoid touching credit card machines
- Frequent cleaning of “high touch” areas
- Employees regularly practicing good hygiene
- Temporary closure of fitting rooms
- Restricted used of restrooms to one guest at a time
- Temporary suspension of water fountain usage
- Temporary suspension on the sale of jewelry, sunglasses and other accessories
Stores will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. seven days a week and career centers will open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“Goodwill of North Georgia locations are safe places to work and shop,” said Keith Parker, the nonprofit’s president and CEO, in the press release. “As we reopen the remaining locations in our territory, the health and safety of our team members, customers, donors and jobseekers remains the highest priority. Our mission to put people to work must continue as the state of Georgia experiences record job losses.”
Goodwill said it has helped more than 3,000 jobseekers during the pandemic with training and connections to such employers as Amazon, Kroger and Publix. It says it did not lay off any of its own employees.
For more information, visit goodwillng.org/coronavirus-response.