{"id":13161,"date":"2026-06-08T15:02:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T15:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13161"},"modified":"2026-06-08T15:02:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T15:02:49","slug":"status-update-goodwill-expands-bin-based-thrift-store-restaurant-grants-available","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13161","title":{"rendered":"Status Update: Goodwill expands bin-based thrift store; restaurant grants available"},"content":{"rendered":"

Goodwill Orange County has expanded its offerings at the Goodwill Marketplace store in Santa Ana.<\/p>

Read more Health workers at the epicenter of Congo\u2019s Ebola outbreak labor with little pay or rest<\/a><\/p>\n

The marketplace is not like other Goodwill stores or its boutiques. Instead, it\u2019s a bin thrift shop, where shoppers sort through large bins of mostly clothing.<\/p>\n

The nonprofit said it recently expanded the bin count at the store, adding 35 more. Shoppers pay by the pound.<\/p>\n

The store recently added Saturday hours, too. Weekday hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The bin shop is located within the Goodwill OC headquarters campus at the intersection of Fairview and 5th streets.<\/p>\n

Address: 2722 W. 5th St., Santa Ana<\/p>\n

Restaurant grants available for SoCal operators<\/h4>\n

The nonprofit California Restaurant Foundation has launched its sixth annual Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, offering a total $1,280,000 in grants for eligible independent restaurants and commercial caterers across the state.<\/p>\n

Those who qualify can apply for $5,000 grants to help their business and staff.<\/p>

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe Resilience Fund has evolved into a powerful engine for growth and stability within California\u2019s restaurant community, and each year, we see firsthand how these grants help operators overcome immediate challenges while also investing in their future, whether that\u2019s upgrading kitchens, adopting new technology or supporting and retaining their teams,\u201d said Alycia Harshfield, president of CRF. \u201cAs the industry continues to navigate new pressures, this fund remains a critical resource for helping independent restaurants adapt, grow and thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The grants will help owners pay for kitchen equipment upgrades, technology improvements, employee training, retention and recovery from hardships.<\/p>\n

The program, born during the pandemic in 2021, has provided $11 million in funding to 2,087 independent restaurant operators and caterers in 50 California counties.<\/p>\n

The organization said the grant breakdown went like this:<\/p>

\n<\/div>\n

\u201431% for equipment upgrades<\/p>\n

\u201421% for employee training and retention<\/p>\n

\u201415% for lingering Covid money loss<\/p>\n

\u2014 12% natural disasters (wildfires and the like)<\/p>\n

\u20149% for tech upgrades<\/p>\n

\u20148% for industry disruptions (Hollywood strikes)<\/p>\n

CRF said that 90% of grant recipients are single-unit operators, with an average of 10 years in business. They employ a combined 26,500 people in California.<\/p>\n

Eligible restaurant owners and caterers must be customers of PG&E or SoCalGas, operate in California and meet program requirements. Previous grant recipients can apply again for a different location or concept. Existing food businesses that are expanding are also eligible.<\/p>

Read more Pope\u2019s historic speech to Spain\u2019s parliament demands respect for migrants and gets 7-minute ovation<\/a><\/p>\n

Applications will be accepted up to June 30, and grant recipients will be announced Aug. 23.<\/p>\n

To apply or find more information, go to https:\/\/restaurantscare.org\/resilience.<\/p>\n

Free tax filing program helps thousands<\/h4>\n

Orange County United Way\u2019s OC Free Tax Prep program for the 2025 tax season prepared 15,365 tax returns in Orange County. The organization said the program helped thousands of residents in the county.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a snapshot of the good work:<\/p>\n

\u2014$17.1 million in federal and state refunds issued, as well as more than $3.4 million in federal Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), and more than $4.5 million in other tax credits<\/p>\n

\u2014$4.2 million saved in tax preparation fees<\/p>\n

OC United Way worked with 32 partner organizations, providing free tax filing assistance to taxpayers earning less than $69,000 in 2025. The program enlisted the help of 695 volunteers who spent a combined 25,355 hours providing tax preparation services and outreach to low- to moderate-income residents.<\/p>\n