New Goodwill donation center sets up shop in Lakewood Ranch

A little coaching for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the opening of a Lakewood Ranch Goodwill donation center. (Photo by Jim Jones)

Once upon a time, Goodwill was a place where persons with disabilities and other barriers to employment went to find a job.

But with the the prolonged economic slump, there's now only one criteria to seek a job at Goodwill: to be unemployed, said The Rev. Mr. Donald L. Roberts, CEO of Goodwill Manasota.

Roberts made his remarks Tuesday at the opening of the Lakewood Ranch donation center at 9135 Town Center Parkway.

The new center is expected to take in 16,000 donations a year and to create 10 "sustainable" jobs, Roberts said.

For more, see Wednesday's Herald.