At Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, our dedicated team of approximately 1,700 staff members serve millions of Kentuckians every year through our 66 retail stores, education and training centers, workforce development services and employment programs.
We understand the critical role we play in the lives of the many men, women and families who rely on us to help them survive and thrive. During this incredibly challenging time, finding balance between being a beacon of hope for our customers and participants, while also serving as a responsible corporate citizen has become our top priority. We are equally mindful of our dedicated employees who may have concerns related to their own well-being and employment during this moment of global uncertainty.
Our leaders are working around the clock to implement strategies that assist in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus to help keep our employees, shoppers and participants safe. We are hopeful that those same efforts will allow us to continue to operate and deliver our mission-related services with as few interruptions as possible for the duration of this pandemic.
However, like most organizations, we are operating with a heightened focus on public health, and this has required us to change the way we function in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Given the current reality, we established a COVID-19 task force of organizational leaders who are proactively collaborating around the clock and are taking the following measures:
- Reducing store hours, effective March 18
- Instituting stringent cleaning and sanitizing protocols throughout the organization
- Providing additional flexibility for our team members to work from home, when possible
- Postponing/canceling events larger than50 people in any of our facilities
- Conducting meetings virtually as much as possible
- Limiting class sizes for career services
- Mandating social interaction to take place outside of six feet
- Connecting with partnering agencies by phone or text
- Suspending all non-essential business travel
- Communicating swiftly and fluidly as changes and news develop
Because of how quickly the pandemic is evolving, we are regularly monitoring recommendations from trusted national, regional and local health authorities to ensure we are offering the best response we can to help keep our communities safe. That includes:
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
- Frequently washing your hands (20 seconds or more with warm soapy water)
- Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Staying home when you are sick
- Cleaning frequently touched surfaces often
- Interacting socially at a safe distance from those around you
We appreciate you understanding our need to make these adjustments during this critical time. These are challenging experiences for all of us. I’m trusting that our commitment to work together to overcome this state of emergency proves as a testament to our resolve and perseverance. Until then, please join me and all the members of our Goodwill family in taking the necessary steps and precautions to keep our communities healthy, safe and together.
Thank you,
Amy Luttrell