CANTON, Ohio — Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio (GIGCECO) announced Wednesday evening that select stores and donation centers in the area will reopen Thursday after closing due to several threats targeting the organization.
After working with the FBI and local law enforcement agencies, the threats were determined to be directed to at one particular store in Stark County.
All stores in Stark County will be closed to the public tomorrow, but are expected to open Friday, Dec. 10. Donations will be accepted at all stores tomorrow, but Stark County stand-alone attended donation centers will remain closed.
“The safety of our staff, customers and donors continues to be our top priority,” commented President and CEO Anne Richards. “This incident has been difficult; however, we are confident in the work being done by the FBI and local law enforcement to find resolution.”
The initial threats were made by an unknown individual on Tuesday and officials are still in the process of identifying the source of the threat.
After the threats were received Richards issued a statement explaining the decision to close all 22 retail stores and five donation centers in the area.
“This is an extremely difficult decision that our organization has made, but one that we feel is in the best interest of our team members and the community,” commented President and CEO Anne Richards. “We appreciate the public’s understanding as we navigate this challenging situation.”
Goodwill’s corporate offices are scheduled to remain open with heightened security. The company says staff members who were scheduled to work at the stores or donation centers will be compensated for their time missed.
The investigation remains ongoing and no additional threats have been received.
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