Goodwill Stores Forced to Cash-Only Operations After Cyberattack

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids has been forced to operate on a cash-only basis after a cyberattack disrupted the organization's point-of-sale systems at its 18 stores.

The nonprofit organization announced the incident on Friday, March 27, 2026, stating that attackers compromised a portion of their network environment, taking down the systems used to run credit and debit card transactions at local stores.

Impact on 18 Stores

Goodwill operates 18 retail locations across Kent County, Ionia County, Montcalm County, Mecosta County, Isabella County, and a portion of Ottawa County. The attack affected all of these locations, forcing them to accept only cash payments until their systems can be restored.

"Our stores continue to be open for business, and we expect to continue cash-only transactions for the next several days," Goodwill officials said in a statement. "We wish to thank our customers and community partners for their patience and support while we work through this issue."

The organization confirmed that it does not store credit card data on its systems, but the attack still disrupted the point-of-sale program to the extent that card transactions became impossible.

Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Response

Goodwill immediately notified law enforcement agencies and brought in external cybersecurity experts to investigate the situation. Police are working alongside the nonprofit to understand the full scope of the attack and restore compromised systems.

The investigation is ongoing, and Goodwill officials did not provide a timeline for when normal operations would resume. The organization expects the cash-only situation to continue for several more days as they rebuild their point-of-sale infrastructure.

Services Remain Operational

Despite the payment system disruption, Goodwill confirmed that its other services remain fully operational. Job training programs, employment support services, and assistance for people with disabilities were not impacted by the cyberattack.

The nonprofit continues its mission of changing lives and communities through the power of work, though patrons will need to have cash on hand for any purchases during this temporary period.

Goodwill Organizations Operate Separately

Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids confirmed that its stores operate on separate systems from other Goodwill organizations nationwide. The attack has no impact on Goodwill stores or organizations in other Michigan communities or beyond.

The organization operates an online shopping site in addition to its physical stores, though the impact on online operations was not specified in the initial announcement.

Community Impact

The cash-only situation affects donors who prefer to drop off items at Goodwill locations for tax deduction purposes, though the organization clarified that donors do not need to purchase anything to receive a tax receipt for their donations.

The nonprofit has asked for patience from customers and community partners during this challenging time, emphasizing their commitment to getting systems back online as quickly as safely as possible.