On February 12 through 14, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and Goodwill Industries-Knoxville are teaming up to make Valentine’s sweet for all, especially those who have difficulty finding employment due to disabilities.
The Bearden Menchie’s, located at 234 Brookview Centre Way in Knoxville, is owned and operated by Open Doors Tennessee, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization committed to providing opportunities and positive support for individuals with disabilities. Open Doors Tennessee operates camps and special events for individuals and families. Since the franchise was donated to Open Doors Knoxville in 2014, profits from the Bearden Menchie’s location support Open Doors Knoxville’s programming.
This Valentine’s weekend, Menchie’s is collecting donations of gently-used clothing for Goodwill at their Bearden Goodwill location. Donations will be sold in Goodwill retail stores to generate funding for Goodwill’s year-round programs, impacting thousands of individuals with disabilities or other disadvantages.
“We want people to think differently about hiring people with disabilities,” said Open Doors Tennessee founder Steve Johnson. “We’re hoping that this donation drive draws some attention to these issues and starts a conversation.”