El Centro Goodwill celebrates National Thrift Shop Day

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) - Imperial County residents turned their weekend thrift shopping into direct community action for National Thrift Shop Day.

The Goodwill hub in El Centro celebrated the occasion with a vibrant two-day celebration focused entirely on local sustainability and community empowerment.

Organizers used the event to show that giving clothes a second life does much more than just find shoppers a good deal. It keeps usable items out of landfills and fights fast-fashion waste.

The two-day celebration took place on Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15. Shoppers toured the facility to collect stamps across different departments during an interactive passport challenge.

The festive atmosphere on-site featured curated clothing displays, free dessert tables, and pop-up raffle drawings. Attendees also had chances to win exclusive giveaway prizes ranging from movie theater gift cards to a digital air fryer.

While the giveaways and snacks brought high energy to the showroom floor, officials say the true heartbeat of the event was mission education.

The El Centro hub stands out as a unique three-in-one powerhouse. Under one roof, it operates a traditional retail storefront, an outlet center, and a Community Employment Center.

Every single retail dollar spent at the storefront stays local. This revenue completely funds free, year-round bilingual career coaching, resume building, and digital computer access for Imperial County residents.

"We want to reach further and let everyone know that they are welcome here and that they can receive any services," said Chris Owens, Imperial County Goodwill District Manager. "It's just a way for us to give back as well, kind of celebrate a little bit, and have some fun."

Owens noted that the local facility is experiencing massive community momentum. "This store is very busy and it's doing very well. We've had a great response from the community. It is doing wonderful, and we get nothing but praise for what we're doing here."

The business model creates a literal circular economy right in El Centro. Shoppers buy affordable goods, utilize them, and often return them back to the donation cycle to fund employment programs for neighbors facing barriers to work.

"We have a lot of people who come shop, then after a month they come and re-donate the items and then shop again, so they're continuously helping our mission," explained Amelia Hernandez, Goodwill El Centro Store Supervisor.

Hernandez emphasizes that the process of upcycling clothes serves a deep local purpose. By bringing in closet items you no longer wear, you help fund job placement services for individuals with disabilities or employment barriers.

"Every donation counts, we make everything count here, and everything goes back to the community," Hernandez said. "If you're looking for a job and you come to the employment center, they're going to be able to help you out with training, help you with your resume, and help you apply to different jobs either with us or somewhere else in the community."

If you missed the weekend festivities, the free career services remain open and available to all Imperial County residents. Assistance can be accessed in person at the El Centro hub or online in both English and Spanish.

To learn more about job training programs or find donation guidelines, you can visit their website here.