Hundreds of people stood in line today for the opening of a Goodwill store in Rincon, which created 25 new, full-time jobs and includes a center to help people find jobs.
The store has 11,000 square feet of retail space and another 9,000 square feet of space devoted to a career center and to employees who accept donated goods.
“This is very exciting to see the support in the community,” said Mohsen Badran, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Coastal Empire.
He said the store helps shoppers find “treasures,” or quality things at reduced prices; is a place where people can easily donate household items and clothing; and has a center to help people find jobs.
The not-for-profit organization helps people with disabilities and other barriers to employment to live independently and become employed. But the jobs center will be open to anyone who needs help finding a job, not just the disabled, said Brenda Pollen, vice president of mission service for Goodwill.
Workers at the center will help people apply for jobs, create resumes, prepare for interviews, take GED classes, study financial literacy and learn English as a second language or Spanish as a second language, Pollen said.
Free computer and Internet access allows applicants to view job postings and submit their job histories online.
The store, which is next to Fred’s in the Ford Howard Shopping Plaza, has a donations center that will be staffed with people who can help carry donated goods into the building.
The store will have specials, such as a day when everything with a green tag is marked down 50 percent. Pollen said customers can sign up for a preferred shopper’s card that offers points, additional discounts and emails about special sales.
Pollen said Goodwill came to Effingham County 18 years ago, helping people find jobs. The store is the first Goodwill store in the county, she said.
She said the poor economy has hurt donations slightly, but also has increased the number of shoppers.
Wesley Corbitt, city manager of Rincon, said the store helps the area’s economy while also helping people find jobs.
“This is a big organization that helps people help themselves and that’s always good,” he said.
Badran said the store needs people to donate goods and to shop. The group also needs employers in the area to list job openings and what skills they need.
Connie Mitchell, a shopper from Guyton who was at the store with her 10-month-old grandson, Brooks Sturgess, said she shops at Goodwill stores in Statesboro and Savannah. She said it’s nice to have one in Rincon.
“It’s so nice here and handy, and it has a wide variety of things,” she said. She also is glad to have a close place to take donations.
The store is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, go to www.goodwillsavannah.org.