Goodwill officials ask people to hold donations during COVID-19 pandemic

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Goodwill is asking people to temporarily stop dropping off donations during the COVID-19 outbreak across the United States.

Due to the growing pandemic, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago temporarily closed all 70 retail stores and donation centers on March 21.

Company officials said people have continued to drop off items to Goodwill Store & Donation Centers while the businesses are temporarily closed and the donations can't be accepted.

"We are monitoring our locations for anything that has been dropped off but it has become increasingly difficult to do so. We're asking our donors to help us keep a safe environment around our stores and help us keep our staff safe by holding those donations until we can accept them again," a company spokeswoman wrote Eyewitness News in an email.

Goodwill officials said the company will depend on those donations once it's safe for businesses to reopen.

For more information visit the Goodwill website.