Goodwill of North Georgia will begin recruiting 20-30 workers to fill open positions at its new Madison location. The store, located at 1512 Eatonton Road, will include a store and donation center and will open to customers on Jan. 31. Opening a new facility also means creating new jobs where they previously did not exist.

"We've opened more than 20 locations across north Georgia during the past five years and now we have the opportunity to bring our unique shopping experience and new jobs to Madison," said Goodwill's director of public relations Elaine Armstrong.

The organization is hiring floor and production associates. Those interested should apply in person during the Goodwill Hiring Event on Dec. 20, and 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the James Madison Inn and Conference Center (260 West Washington Street, Madison, GA 30650). Candidates must be at least 18 years old, bring valid identification, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and be able to pass a pre-employment background screening and drug test. Interview attire is strongly recommended. Applicants are encouraged to apply online before attending the hiring event.

When the store opens next month, Goodwill expects shoppers to find it to be a great place for people looking to save money on clothes, books and other household items, and donors will enjoy the convenient drive-up donation center. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to help thousands of other North Georgians find work.

"Our mission is to put people to work," Armstrong said. "We do this through a variety of job training programs and employment services. We use the sale of donated goods to fund those activities."

For more information about Goodwill of North Georgia, log onto to goodwillng.org.