Goodwill donations to benefit Restaurant Relief Fund
SHELTON — Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut has announced “The Goodwill Give Back,” an initiative to support employment recovery in the restaurant industry.
And Shelton residents can join the effort.
For every 5,000 individual donations to Goodwill in April, the nonprofit will donate $1,000 to the Connecticut Restaurant Relief Fund. The Shelton store is located at 397 Bridgeport Ave.
In 2020, Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut averaged 90,000 per month. For the "Goodwill Give Back," company officials hope to collect 100,000 donations which will allow them to donate $20,000 to the Connecticut Restaurant Relief Fund.
The mission of the CT Restaurant Relief Fund is to provide immediate financial relief to Connecticut’s restaurant industry with funds designed to save the businesses and protect its workforce.
“Through our Career Centers and Community Employment Services, Goodwill has connected thousands of individuals to employment opportunities in the restaurant industry,” Jeff Wieser, president and CEO, Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut, said.
“The restaurant industry’s recovery is a critical part of Goodwill’s effectiveness in helping to get our communities back to work,” Wieser added, “and we are proud to support the Connecticut Restaurant Relief Fund.”
Funds from the Connecticut Restaurant Relief Fund are distributed to restaurants still in operation in the form of grants and funds and are to be used to keep their doors open and workers employed.
Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said his organization represents 8,500 restaurants and an estimated 160,000 food service employees.
“In Goodwill, we found a partner who understands how challenging the pandemic climate is for these organizations and their employees,” Dolch said. “Just as Goodwill remains committed to helping put Connecticut residents back to work, we remain committed to supporting employees of the restaurant industry during this time of significant job disruption and loss.”
For more information and to find a location to drop off your donations, visit https://www.gwct.org/ goodwill-give-back.