Goodwill store at Milpitas correctional facility opens

( KRON ) — A Goodwill store opening inside a Milpitas correctional facility is breaking new ground as it employs women in custody and provides real-world retail experience.

The Goodwill store on the Elmwood Correctional Campus “allows women to gain hands-on training in warehousing, inventory and logistics through a comprehensive three-part training series,” the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday. The incarcerated women will manage the day-to-day operations of the store.

As the participants of the program near release, they will be allowed to shop the store’s clothing free of charge, the sheriff’s office said. Officials tout that it will help the women reenter society with additional skills and a pathway to future employment.

“We are offering something powerful: opportunity, dignity, and a fresh start,” said Goodwill Vice President of Retail Jessica Castello. “Together, we are making a tangible difference in the lives of women who deserve a second chance, and we’re showing that it’s never too late to rebuild, to learn, and to thrive.”

The store’s grand opening ceremony was held Tuesday.

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