Work is still going on for the new Goodwill Keystone Area store in Pottstown Plaza shopping center, scheduled to open next month.
In preparation for the opening, Goodwill Keystone Area is hosting its final donation drive and hiring event at the store on Saturday, March 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The donation drive will take place in the parking lot of the center, 799 N. State St.
The event will have Goodwill’s donation trailer on-site. The first 50 donors will get a $5 Goodwill gift card and a reusable Goodwill shopping bag.
The previous events in January and February were affected by winter weather. In a press release, the organization said it is hopeful that the improved weather forecast for Saturday will encourage residents to come and support Goodwill’s final push for donations before the store opens.
As of Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service predicted sunshine for Saturday and a high temperature of 60 degrees.
Goodwill will also be holding a hiring event on Saturday to fill openings at the Pottstown store and other locations. Those interested in full- and part-time opportunities can visit Goodwill’s temporary space next to Domino’s in the Pottstown Plaza. They can fill out an application and be considered for an on-the-spot interview.
For those who miss the hiring event on Saturday, Goodwill representatives will be accepting applications during the week, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday at the Pottstown Plaza temporary space.
Items that Goodwill can accept include: antiques and collectibles; art; books; CDs, records, videos and DVDs; clothing; footwear; games and toys; housewares; jewelry and accessories; linens and rugs; musical instruments; outerwear; sports equipment; and more. Visit yourgoodwill.org/donate/where-how for a full list of items Goodwill does and does not accept.
Goodwill plans to use 20,000 of the property’s 26,000 square feet of space for the sales floor, with the rest of the space designated for production space and donor drop-off, according to Mark McGaffin, director of communications and marketing for Goodwill Keystone Area.
This is the third donation event being held at the new Pottstown location. Items donated during the event will be transported to Goodwill’s warehouse in Reading and may be distributed to the Pottstown store or others, McGaffin added.
The new store is a comeback to the Pottstown area for Goodwill Keystone Area. Goodwill previously had a store in Pottstown from 1996 to early 2011 at the Pottstown Center off Shoemaker Road.
Earnings from the sale of donated items help fund mission programs that assist people with barriers to employment in developing skills, finding jobs, and advancing their careers.
