LOUISVILLE, KY. – Goodwill Industries of Kentucky will celebrate Second Chance Month in April by hosting, cohosting and taking part in a variety of reentry events to raise awareness for the many barriers formerly incarcerated individuals face and empower them to reintegrate into the workforce, escape poverty and find success.
Prison Fellowship founded Second Chance Month in 2017 to raise awareness and improve perceptions of people with a criminal record, encourage second-chance opportunities and drive momentum for policy change throughout the country. On March 31, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden proclaimed April as Second Chance Month. In his proclamation, the president called upon government officials, educators, volunteers and all people of the U.S. to observe the month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities.
As a champion in the second-chance space, Goodwill is committed to unlocking brighter futures for Kentuckians who have paid their debt to society, during and beyond the month of April. In commemoration of Second Chance Month, the nonprofit will showcase its statewide reentry-service offerings by hosting a monthlong series of events and activities, including Second Chance Days at its Opportunity Centers; a Second Chance Expo, featuring an expungement clinic and job fair; and much more.
During Second Chance Days, Goodwill partners set up at respective statewide Goodwill Opportunity Centers to offer formerly justice-involved individuals a one-stop shop for life-enhancing resources. Events will be taking place on the following dates at the following locations:
- April 12: Elizabethtown Opportunity Center, 243 West Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY 42701; Corbin Opportunity Center, 37 South Park Center Dr., Suites 11 & 12, Corbin, KY 40701
- April 13: Pikeville Opportunity Center, 126 Trivette Dr., Suite 104, Pikeville, KY 41501
- April 14: Somerset Opportunity Center, 5828 South Hwy. 27, Somerset, KY 42501
- April 19: East Louisville Opportunity Center, 909 East Broadway, Louisville, KY 40204; Bowling Green Opportunity Center, 1806 US-31W S, Bowling Green, KY 42101
- April 20: Lexington Opportunity Center, 130 West New Circle Rd., Suite 110, Lexington, KY 40505; Morehead Opportunity Center, 330 Pinecrest Dr., Morehead, KY 40351
- April 25: South Louisville Opportunity Center, 6201 Preston Highway, Suite A, Louisville, KY 40219
Of Goodwill’s many reentry services, expungement – how a record of criminal conviction is erased, destroyed or sealed from a state or federal record – has proven to be one of the more impactful. In partnership with its many legal aid partners, the nonprofit will be hosting three expungement clinics during Second Chance Month.
Traditionally, Goodwill has hosted a Second Chance Conference to cap off the month. This year, Goodwill, the City of Lexington and Clean Slate Lexington, in partnership with the Lexington Public Library, Kentucky Career Center, United Healthcare, Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and Court of Justice, will host a Second Chance Expo on April 28 in Lexington. The Expo will feature an expungement clinic and job fair. For more information or to register as an expungement participant or an employer or community partner, visit goodwillky.org/lexingtonjobfair.
For more information about our expungement clinics, including exact locations and times, and to register for each clinic, visit goodwillky.org/expungements. Additional expungement clinics are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
- April 12: Campbellsville, KY
- April 17: Manchester, KY
Goodwill is also a proud partner of the 2023 Kentucky Derby Festival and will be taking part in several activities leading up to the Kentucky Derby. On April 15 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Goodwill and Norton Healthcare will have a table at the KDF Block Party at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center at 3029 W Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40212. The event will feature community partners and welcomes West Louisville residents to learn more about Goodwill’s services. Goodwill will also have a presence on the KDF Morning Line show on April 17 and 18 and will have a float in the KDF Parade on April 30.
To learn more about Goodwill’s second-chance services and for more information about each event as it is made available, visit goodwillky.org.
About Goodwill Industries of Kentucky
Goodwill Industries of Kentucky is a 100-year-old nonprofit organization that operates in 103 of Kentucky’s 120 counties. The organization is committed to using resources from its 67 retail stores to help build pathways out of poverty for individuals who need a hand up in life. In 2022, Goodwill helped place 2,368 Kentuckians into jobs with 877 of its employer partners and inside its own retail stores. Goodwill uses approximately 90 cents from every dollar generated in its retail stores to operate programs and services that help Kentucky’s hardest-to-serve job seekers build the life they desire.