As a regular shopper at Goodwill - whose mission to help the poor inspires me - I was shocked to hear this recent news.
When an employee at Goodwill’s store in Naples, Fla., started handing out freelance discounts to the shops poorest customers, Goodwill not only fired the young man, the company called the cops and now has him up on felony theft charges.
"I wasn't actually stealing,” 19-year-old Andrew Anderson told TV station WBBH. “Goodwill is a giving and helping company, so I took it upon to myself to be giving and helping because I feel people deserve it.”
Felony charges for giving discounts to the poorest customers? This isn’t the Goodwill I love and respect for doing good work in communities across America. This is what I’d expect from Wal-Mart or Target, greedy corporation with no mission beyond profits.
But what’s even worse is that Andrew faces potential jail-time for this so-called crime, which could ruin his prospects for future jobs. Let’s stand up for him. Sign this petition today, and share with your friends, and call on Goodwill to drop the charges and let Andrew free. Helping the poor isn’t a crime.