Goodwill Rounds Up $10K from Retail Customers for Food Bank for the Heartland

Goodwill Industries, Inc. (https://www.goodwillomaha.org/) in Omaha initiated a “Round it Up for Food Bank for the Heartland” campaign when it reopened on May 15, which resulted in donations of about $10,000 from retail customers who voluntarily rounded up their purchases at the register to benefit the Food Bank for the Heartland. The campaign grew from the desire of Goodwill employees to give back to the community through the Food Bank, which served nearly 4 million meals during COVID-forced closures between March 15 and May 15 alone—well beyond the average 2.8 million meals in a typical two-month period.

Many customers not only rounded up their purchase totals to the next dollar, but they also donated additional money to the cause, according to Janelle Ellis, director of retail operations at Goodwill Omaha. Food Bank for the Heartland, a member of Feeding America, is a nonprofit in Omaha that acts as a central clearinghouse, distributing food to nearly 600 network partners across 77 counties in Nebraska and 16 counties in western Iowa.

Goodwill Industries, Inc. serves eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa by providing a place to donate used clothing and household items, or find great bargain. But the true mission of the nonprofit is the heart of the organization—to provide job training and placement services to people with disabilities and other disadvantages. For more information about Goodwill programs and their 18 locations in the region, visit goodwillomaha.org or follow them on Facebook, Twitter (@goodwillomaha), and YouTube (@goodwillomahatv).