Durango’s first retail and donation center operated by Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado will open with an all-day celebration planned for Feb. 17.
“We want to enhance the Durango community as much as they will enhance our mission,” said Bradd Hafer, directory of marketing and communications with Discover Goodwill. “We view this as an opportunity center.”
Discover Goodwill is a nonprofit dedicated to helping people reach their highest personal and economic independence. Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado works to eliminate barriers to opportunity and helping people become independent through learning and the power of work. It offers customized job training, employment placement and other services to people who lack education or job experience, face employment challenges or have disabilities.
Discover Goodwill funds more than 20 diverse programs by selling donations in its thrift stores and online.
Ninety cents on every dollar from sales goes back to support programs and services Discover Goodwill provides to assist those in need.
“We ask that you donate what you would to a neighbor, and not what you would put out for waste management,” he said.
The retail and donation center, at 1230 Escalante Drive, near Escalante Middle School and Big O Tires, will have 15,620 square feet for operations on a parcel with a little over 4.1 acres with plenty of parking. Its retail operation hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Its donation hours will be from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sundays.
One feature of the new center, he said, will be a single-lane, staffed donation center in which donations will be carried from a car or truck to the center, and the donor will be able to immediately receive a receipt for tax purposes.
The center will be the 12th Discover Goodwill location in Southern and Western Colorado, and Hafer said the agency is looking to partner with other nonprofits to mutually benefit each other’s missions.
Besides donations of clothing, appliances and other items typical of secondhand stores, Discover Goodwill has a partnership with Dell computers and will recycle old laptops and desktop computers, Hafer said.
In addition, the center will accept donations of old vehicles with keys and vehicle title.
Discover Goodwill also has partnered with the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, commonly called LEAP, and will work with qualifying families and individuals to obtain assistance in paying winter heating bills.
The center also offers 15 percent discounts to military members on Tuesdays and 15 percent discounts to seniors on Wednesdays.
A couple of dozen volunteers are needed to help out during the grand opening on Feb. 17, Hafer said. For the event, volunteers will be sought for greeters, balloon inflators, baggers, face painters, dressing-room attendants and other customer-support roles. Volunteering is a good first step to obtain full- or part-time employment at the center, he said.
While most positions on the staff of 35 have been filled, Hafer said hiring continues at its centers through the year. People interested in helping on Feb. 17 should contact Grace Vigil, volunteer service manager, at gvigil@discovermygoodwill.org, or call her at (719) 785-9229.
“We are excited to be part of the community for the long haul,” Hafer said.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
If you go
A grand opening celebration for Durango’s new outlet for Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the new donation and retail center at 1230 Escalante Drive in Durango.
