The Goodwill Of Amy Luttrell

Kindness has benefits that reach deep. Kind acts can improve relationships and support others in feeling valued. And ‘random acts of kindness’ such as giving a compliment, helping a neighbor, or holding the door for strangers are contagious — in a good way. When a person experiences this thoughtfulness, they’re likely to pay it forward. This is how Amy Luttrell, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, has lived her life — spreading goodwill to those who need it. 

Amy grew up knowing she wanted to help others. It was this passion that led her to 45 years of life-changing work at Goodwill Industries. “I’ve been fortunate that virtually my whole career has been spent in Goodwill,” Amy begins. “The people you meet are amazing.” 

Goodwill was founded in 1902 with the concept of fighting poverty with trade skills. Many know of its familiar stores that accept donations such as gently used clothes, household items, and books. But what you might not realize is that the sale of those donations funds services such as free career counseling, skills training, and help in areas such as housing, transportation, and mental health. 

Offering these services leads to a transformative experience for all those involved, and Amy says, “It’s a real privilege to be able to assist the people we meet and be part of their journey. It inspires all of us every day.” 

Kindness can be quiet in its doing, but that certainly doesn’t lessen its impact. This distinctive form of kindness is a trait Amy witnessed in her father. “It wasn’t so much in the things that he said, but how he lived his life,” she says. She describes him as “a real role model” — smart, humble, and motivated to do good work for all human beings. Amy says her father didn’t falter when it came to making small acts of kindness a big part of life: “He set a wonderful example for me to follow.” 

Giving People a Hand Up

Amy took the compassionate example her dad modeled and brought it into her life’s work. Before returning to Goodwill Industries in her home state of Kentucky in 2014, she worked with Goodwill organizations in states like Tennessee and Ohio. 

She sees people from all walks of life in her work, many of whom don’t have any support system and are alone. “That makes it tough to try to move ahead,” Amy says. This is when kindness, coupled with a proven ability to offer solutions, becomes a magical combination at Goodwill. 

Goodwill Industries gives a ‘hand up’ to those who enter its doors, providing help for people starting a new career or needing social services. Amy says everyone who enters Goodwill is coming from a different place, and the more we can try to be kind to other people, the fewer big problems we have in society. Goodwill’s kindness shines here because according to its website, every minute, 70 people access Goodwill opportunities to advance their careers. And every 23 seconds of every business day, a person served by Goodwill earns a good job. 

Goodwill Industries of Kentucky and partnering organizations recently invested more than $100 million in the Norton Healthcare Goodwill Opportunity Campus in the Parkland neighborhood of West Louisville. Goodwill’s new Opportunity Center on this campus just opened its doors this past March. The center provides services that help people overcome employment barriers such as addiction histories, criminal backgrounds, lack of education, homelessness, and more. Residents in the area can also use the Opportunity Center’s cafe, technology lab, conference rooms and resource center – all of which are in short supply in the nine neighborhoods that make up West Louisville.

Those who work at Goodwill Opportunity Centers, are, well, good at giving a warm welcome and providing a safe space for people. “We want to give people the sense that ‘you saw me’ and help them believe there’s somebody here that cares,” Amy says. This generosity of spirit goes a long way to giving people the momentum they need to reach new goals.

Kindness is a Mindset

While Amy and Goodwill are practiced at this type of generosity, she believes anyone can adopt an outlook of kindness. 

“Kindness is a mindset,” Amy says. “Ask yourself questions like, ‘How can I help this person?’ As we try to notice those little opportunities, we realize they’re all around us.” We often become too busy and just don’t think about little acts of goodness, but making self-inquiries like this can be the beginning of a kindness habit. And according to Psychology Today, it only takes a matter of weeks to incorporate a new habit into your life. 

Another way to practice kindness is to volunteer your time with local organizations. “Go out of your way and do something that doesn’t directly benefit you, but benefits greater society,” Amy suggests. Goodwill can always use your help, she adds. Professional mentors and tutors are a couple of needs you might be able to meet. And Goodwill is always accepting donations for its stores.

Big or small, kind acts build trust in relationships and bring communities closer. Research even shows that we increase our own happiness levels when we’re kind to other people. So, why not choose kindness to create a better world for ourselves and those around us? “Kindness smoothes all human interactions,” Amy says. “At its best, kindness is rooted in having respect and regard for every person.” 

Whether you’re choosing quiet acts of generosity or bigger volunteering deeds, your good efforts won’t be lost, because it’s even in the name. “The meaning of ‘goodwill’ is ‘a disposition to kindness and compassion,’” Amy says. 

By Tonilyn Hornung | Photos submitted

P.S. This Volunteer Is Feeding Those In Need