A Goodwill location in Puerto Rico spearheaded by the leadership team at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana is set to be open for shoppers this month, the first of three locations planned for the Caribbean island.
Goodwill de Puerto Rico began accepting donations in December in anticipation of this month’s opening, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana said in a news release. Locations in Los Colobos and the Olazábal district in Bayamón are expected to open later this year.
Goodwill Industries International in 2023 chose the Indiana affiliate, viewed as a leader in mission services, to oversee the effort in Puerto Rico after a bidding process, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported at the time.
“We’re excited to open Plaza Escorial as the first of many locations in Puerto Rico, and we’re eager to bring our unique Goodwill shopping experience and evidence-based mission programs to the island,” Kent A. Kramer, president and CEO of Goodwill de Puerto Rico and Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, said in Monday’s news release.
Goodwill’s initial investment to launch the retail stores and mission programs on the U.S. territory is $5 million, the news release said. The amount will establish the three retail stores and a warehouse and support life and career coaches who work with Goodwill’s employees to help them establish personal and professional goals. Goodwill de Puerto Rico now employs more than 50 people.
Goodwill also will launch a maternal-health program for first-time, low-income parents on the island that will pair families with a registered nurse for home visits. Goodwill has received $1 million in philanthropic funding toward that effort.
“Our goal is to be a big part of local corporate social responsibility initiatives across the island, and more broadly, to contribute to the well-being of the people of this amazing island,” Kramer said. “It’s a part of our mission that we hope will be joined and shared by a large and thriving community of like-minded folks throughout all of Puerto Rico.”
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana serves 39 counties and is one of the largest of the more than 160 Goodwills in North America. It operates more than 70 retail outlets as well as charter schools for adults and youth, a maternal-child health program and a child care center, among other services.
“Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana has established itself as a leader in mission services,” Steve Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, said in 2023 when the Indiana affiliate was selected to lead the effort in Puerto Rico. “Its ability to create and implement programs that address the needs of its communities and quantify the impact of these programs was a compelling factor in their selection.”