An employee stands with a rack of medical scrubs donated by Goodwill Industries of East Texas to UT Health East Texas.

Goodwill Industries of East Texas is helping organizations and people impacted by the spread of the coronavirus.

The organization, which resales donations, has given used and new materials to others in need, said Kimberly Lewis, president & CEO.

“As we were looking through our supply of new clothing items that came in just before the shutdown, staff found about 100 brand new medical scrubs,” she said in a message posted online.

Goodwill donated the scrubs to UT Health East Texas.

“Their vice president of patient-centered care was trying to purchase scrubs online but they were all on back order. So, Goodwill’s donations came just in time,” she said. “Plus, we are also gathering gently used scrubs from all of our retail stores and they will be cleaned by the hospital’s laundry department.”

In response to the coronavirus crisis, she said Goodwill is helping provide clean clothes to people receiving assistance through the East Texas Human Needs Network.

Goodwill also donated two laptops with cameras to two Tyler Junior College students in the Texas Workforce Commission’s Youth Program who needed them to continue their education when TJC converted to online classes, she said.

Although Goodwill stores are closed and donations are not being accepted, some activity continues, she said.

“In the meantime, we have a skeleton crew of people cleaning up donations, in our parking lots and maintaining the safety and cleanliness of our locations,” Lewis said. “Likewise, we have a small amount of essential employees working virtually like our GoodTech Academy instructors and GoodAssist navigators continuing to serve those in need of resources during these times.”

She said Goodwill’s Commercial Services Division is supporting the essential businesses and state agencies that are still in operation.