Goodwill Manasota recently recognized advocates and supporters in the areas of veterans services, leadership, and partnership during its 2024 Community Ambassador of the Year Awards. The luncheon took place on December 4th at Michael’s On East.

The event featured welcome messages by Vice President of Engagement Melissa Carman and President & CEO Donn Githens, the presentation of colors by the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard from the 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion in Tampa, the invocation by Rev. Dr. Timothy Boggess, a “did you know?” overview of Goodwill’s work by Vice President of Mission Services Margie Genter, and the presentation of awards. Each honoree was recognized through heartfelt video testimonials prior to accepting their awards.

The honorees this year were:

Veteran Advocate of the Year: Janine “Mama” Lutz. Lutz is a social rights activist, public speaker, businesswoman, philanthropist, and founder of the LCpl Janos V Lutz Live to Tell Foundation, which was created in honor of her son, Johnny, after his death in 2013 due to pharmaceutical-induced suicide. Lutz has turned tragedy into triumph: she is a voice for the betterment of the lives of active military, veterans, first responders, and their families. Her Lutz Buddy Up social clubs connect hundreds of participants – including locally in Sarasota-Manatee, through Goodwill Manasota’s Veterans Services program – build stronger communities, and save countless lives. 

Community Leader of the Year: Cliff Walters. Walters, a Principal of Blalock Walters, P.A., is a respected and loyal legal advisor in Manatee and Sarasota counties with an extensive record of service to our community. Walters has served as past president or chair of many of the area’s major charitable, cultural, and education institutions, and has earned many honors for his contributions. He has a long history of service and leadership with the organization and currently serves as legal counsel for the Board of Directors at Goodwill.

Community Partners of the Year: All Faiths Food Bank and Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee. Goodwill Manasota is a longtime partner of All Faiths Food Bank and Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, collecting non-perishable food items at all its donation locations for the benefit of these organizations. In 2023, Goodwill collected 233,166 pounds of food to assist our neighbors in Sarasota and Manatee counties who are experiencing hunger. The Community Partner of the Year Awards were accepted by Nelle S. Miller, president and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank, and Maribeth Phillips, president & CEO of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee.

Additionally, Goodwill presented its second-ever Robert W. Rosinsky Achievement Award – made possible by the Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust and affectionately known as “The Rosy” – to Sherry Hendrickson. The leadership team selects this honoree; Hendrickson was chosen for her “challenge-accepted attitude” and role model status with her co-workers. 

In her acceptance speech, Hendrickson – a formerly justice system-involved individual who started working at Goodwill as a clothing hanger/sorter in 2020 and has been promoted numerous times to her current role as store manager at Goodwill’s Honore location – said that she is grateful for being given a chance and numerous life-altering and career-elevating opportunities over the course of her employment at Goodwill. “I wanted to do more, to be more … Being valued as a person is really all anyone wants,” she said.

In 2023, Goodwill Manasota had a total economic impact of $102.6M in the counties it served (calculated by Florida Tax Watch) and the organization expects to double that number in 2024. Goodwill Manasota employs more than 1,500 people, 70% of whom have some type of disability or disadvantaging circumstance. In order to achieve its mission of changing lives through the power of work, the organization generates revenue through its retail operations; 97% of its mission funding comes through the sale of goods donated by the community.

For more about Goodwill, visit experiencegoodwill.org.

About Goodwill Manasota
Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that changes lives through the power of work. With philanthropic donations and revenue generated by the sales of donated goods, Goodwill is able to assist people with disabilities, veterans, seniors, and those with other barriers to employment by providing jobs, job skills training, and free career services. For more information or for a listing of locations, visit experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.