By KALIN KROHE
Panhandle Post
Goodwill opened recently in Alliance.
Panhandle Post asked General Manager Dawn Cline how the store will benefit the community.
"Well first, it'll give them someplace to take their donations," Cline said. "From what I've been hearing from the community, they're just super excited that we are here because there are not many places to buy clothes...or there's not that much of a variety. It's a nice sized store. We have job placement. We have vouchers if someone is in need...you know, phone numbers I can give them to call to help them out. I do want you to let people know that they can return items here."
Goodwill in Alliance is currently employing nine people with another position open for a part-time employee through the company.
The store is also opening a drive-through drop off location on the west side of the building. Cline said she hopes that will be open by the end of the week.
"They're just finishing up the construction on it," Cline said. "Right now there is a sign up that says you need to come through the front door, but later this week the drive-through light will be lit up and then they can just pull right through and someone will come to the door and help them with the items...and offer them a receipt for a tax right-off."
Panhandle Post asked Cline why Goodwill decided to come to Alliance.
"Brent[Johnson], he's our Vice President, had plans that he would like to open up a Goodwill in the little towns around here, one each year just to offer them services and a place to shop at a really good price," Cline said. "He thought this location would be a great location since we have the open store front here."
Cline said customers can round up purchases to the nearest dollar with the additional amount donated to those in need.
According to Goodwill, when you round up the cost of your purchase those extra pennies help provide free job training and career coaching to people with disabilities and disadvantages, as well as Goodwill's retail associates.
"This is something that I've been a big ambassador of ever since I started working for Goodwill five years ago," Cline said. "Unfortunately, some people here don't want to round up for Goodwill services...and they'll say no because they feel like...the CEO owns a jet. I've just been really pushing it about how CEO's are owned by territories. It's not all owned by the same people. Our territory is for Columbus all the way to Scottsbluff. So, all of our round up that we ask for that's tax free; Tammy [Slater] our CEO, puts it into a pot and it's divvied between the 55 counties in our territory that help people out in need. I just want people to know; it's not lining anyone's pockets."
Goodwill is yet another location that offers the Alliance community support through donations. The Mission Store downtown and the Catholic Church Collection Basket at 903 Big Horn Avenue are other locations that help those in need in Box Butte County.