On March 14, 2024, a series of storms swept through eastern Indiana, tearing through several towns and severely impacting homes and businesses. In Winchester, Indiana, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s recently opened retail store was heavily damaged and had to be temporarily closed. 

“We initially saw an opportunity here in Winchester to bring a new store to our shoppers along with jobs and our mission impact,” said Kent A. Kramer, president and CEO of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana.

As a local not-for-profit, the revenue generated from Goodwill’s retail operations gets reinvested into mission and education programs, such as The Excel Center®, a tuition-free high school for adults. Another program that is funded through retail revenue is Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP), which pairs registered nurses with expectant parents to ensure they can provide the very best start for their children during the earliest, most developmentally critical years.

Goodwill's understanding of its role in the community, as well as its commitment to to grow its business and mission impact allowed for a swift rebuild in Winchester. On June 12, 2025, the store reopened to the public, offering a large inventory of clothing, housewares, toys, books and more.

Store hours are Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The store accepts donations during normal business hours. It is located on 911 E Greenville Pike in Winchester, Indiana.

“When individuals shop or donate to Goodwill, they are changing lives in our state through education, health and employment,” said Kent.

Along with the Winchester location, Goodwill also operates retail stores nearby in Muncie and Portland. The Winchester store will employ up to 35 people, some of whom were employed when the storm swept through the area last spring. 

“Goodwill employees have access to a variety of resources, including wraparound services to support their individual needs,” said Kramer. “When the tornado devastated Winchester, we offered immediate assistance to our employees who were displaced.”

In addition to wraparound services, Goodwill offers opportunities for employees to increase their education and future employability. Many face employment barriers such as a disability, criminal background or lack of a high school diploma. They can also benefit from the mission services that impact their community, including The Excel Center and Goodwill NFP. 

“We understand how important our services are for Winchester and we’re proud to be a part of the community. With the store reopening, we’re planning to come back even stronger,” said Kent.

To learn more about Goodwill’s mission and how we change over 10,000 Hoosier lives every day, visit goodwillindy.org.