The rapidly rising water and severe storms that blew through middle and west Tennessee May 1-2 have affected Goodwill’s retail, donations and Career Solutions operations.  Just as many not-for-profits throughout Tennessee have sustained damage due to the floods, several Goodwill stores, donation sites and our processing plant and corporate offices in Nashville, were flooded.  Although the water is receding, the company continues to assess damage with the number one priority being safety.  

Goodwill employs 1,400 people in middle and west Tennessee and efforts are ongoing to identify which of our employees have been affected by the storms and are in need of assistance.  Those who need help will receive it through our Goodwill Cares program, which is also partnering with first responders, and other not-for-profit agencies in the Nashville area to provide services as requested.

Many of our employees are being called to return to work as areas are cleaned and sanitized, in keeping with our mission of providing jobs and employment.  Goodwill’s Career Solutions staff, located in our 15 Career Solutions centers throughout the 46 counties Goodwill serves, are prepared to help others who may suddenly find themselves in need of our job services due to the floods.

Although several stores did experience flooding, all have been cleaned and reopened.  All Donation Express Centers, except the Carter’s Creek Convenience Center in Maury County, are open.  The Carter’s Creek site will remain closed until further notice. 

Goodwill’s corporate offices and processing plant at the corner of Tenth Avenue and Herman Street in downtown Nashville experienced severe flooding.  Flood waters entered the building through the transportation and maintenance area and continued to flow into the processing plant.  Many of our trucks and trailers were flooded and our maintenance crews are working to assess the damage.  Trucks and trailers that are operational are servicing our retail and donations locations.

The first floor of the new Career Solutions building at 937 Herman Street, which is scheduled to open in May, is no longer submerged.  The contractor and restoration specialists have already started working to repair the damage.  Senior staff is waiting to determine whether the grand opening of the building will have to be delayed.

Thank you for your continued support of Goodwill.  While this flood has been inconvenient and messy, we continue to do what Goodwill does best, which is to put people to work.