Nick Bowman Features Editor | 770-718-3426 | life@gainesvilletimes.com
She (Times
gainesvilletimes.com
Thursday, April 16, 2020
‘More treasures than we can handle’
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Goodwill of North Georgia has decided to stop accepting donations because of an overwhelming influx of items. Below: Boxes outside the Goodwill Donation Center in Oakwood instruct
donors to leave items in boxes outdoors.
Goodwill of North Georgia to stop accepting donations after April 18
BY KELSEY PODO
kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com
Spring cleaning has overwhelmed Good
will of North Georgia, which includes 65
stores and 45 counties, and it will stop tak
ing donations soon.
The nonprofit announced on Tuesday,
April 15 that it would stop accepting dona
tions after Saturday, April 18.
Tenee Hawkins, Goodwill of North
Georgia’s director of public relations,
describes the influx of items as an
“extraordinary situation.” With its stores
temporarily closed to shoppers because
of the pandemic, she said donations keep
accumulating.
“We now have more treasures than we
can handle,” Hawkins said. “We’re asking
people to hold their donations until we can
reopen and safely process them.”
Until Saturday at 4 p.m, people can drop
off items at Goodwill store donor doors
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tenee said each Goodwill store has
started implementing contactless dona
tions to protect its employees and donors.
People are asked to stay in their cars and
pop the trunk. A donor assistant will then
take the labeled donation and leave a
receipt inside the trunk.
If someone prefers to unload their
own items, they’re encouraged to place
their contributions in the store’s des
ignated area, which is labeled. An
employee will then present the donation
receipt.
For those wanting to offer monetary
support to the nonprofit and its mission
to help North Georgians who are now
out of work, visit goodwillng.org/dona-
tions/donate-cash. Online shopping is
also available via goodwillng.org/shop/
shop-online/.
Hall County Animal Shelter now doing
online adoptions during virus pandemic
The Hall County Animal Shelter is now
doing online adoptions.
“These animals have been loved and
cared for by shelter staff over the past
few weeks,” Stephanie List, the shelter’s
program coordinator, said in a state
ment. “During that time, we’ve come up
with some ideas about ways we can help
these pets find their forever homes while
also protecting the public and our staff
during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The shelter has been closed to the
public.
Photos and information about pets
available for adoption are posted on the
shelter’s website. Adoption application
forms can also be completed online. After
an applicant submits their form, they will
be allowed to schedule an appointment
to see one animal between 8:30 a.m. and
11:30 a.m., Mondays through Thursdays.
Visits are available by appointment
only. Appointments may be made by
contacting Trey Garcia, the shelter’s
adoption supervisor, at 678-450-1587 or
tgarcia@hallcounty.org.
Two members of the adoptive fam
ily will be allowed to visit the pet at the
kennels outside the shelter. Members of
the public will not be allowed inside the
shelter.
If a pet needs spay or neuter surgery,
they will be available for pick-up on
Friday.
“We want folks to get to know an ani
mal before making them a permanent
part of their home,” List said. “We are
working to balance that important com
ponent of the adoption process with
current social distancing measures in
place.”
Compiled from Hall County Government
press release
Want to adopt a pet?
Visit: www.hallcounty.org/280/
Available-Pets
Times file photo
Hall County Animal Shelter is now doing adoptions online while the shelter has been
closed to the public as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
United Way
partnering
with NGHS,
school systems
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
The United Way of Hall County will part
ner with Northeast Georgia Health System
and the local school systems to coordi
nate donations of cleaning supplies and
masks.
The plan came to fruition Wednesday,
April 15, as the United Way seeks supplies
such as disinfecting wipes, sanitizer and
bleach.
NGHS’ Medical Center Foundation will
allow people to drop off items at their
offices on Limestone Parkway, and United
Way president and chief professional offi
cer Jessica Dudley said they will coordinate
with the school systems to disseminate the
supplies through the school lunch dropoffs.
“We’re hoping to get it to every child in
the school system,” Dudley said, as they
will begin with the Gainesville City School
District with the hope to expand to the Hall
County School District.
Donations can be dropped off at 2150
Limestone Parkway between 9:30 a.m.-4
p.m., Monday through Friday.
Dudley said its Compass Center, which
connects individuals and families to com
munity resources, has seen a “major
increase,” with rent and utilities being one
of the primary needs.
“Utilities aren’t being cut off in this
moment, and I think that’s an amazing
resource that the companies are providing,
but they are still going to owe that balance.
We’re just trying to keep families with their
head above water, so that when everything
does go back to normal, they’re not stuck
with bills that they’re still not able to pay,”
Dudley said.
