We were lucky to catch up with Tommy Lukrich recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tommy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?
In 2013 I was about ready to drop out of college. There was an issue with some of my financial aid not coming through, and I was down to less than $100 in the bank account. At the time I was getting my degree in theatre performance, and was only able to attend college due to the scholarships I received. The amount of stress I was experiencing led me to extreme depression and suicidal ideation started to creep in. My friends eventually found out, and I began to get help with my mental health, but I didn’t know what to do with my financial situation. I had a professor who I got along with very well, and he asked me how much money it would take for me to make it through the year so that I wouldn’t start trying to camp in the arboretum. I said with $1000 I would be fine. He wrote me a check for $2000, and said “This is a gift, not a loan. Use this to make it through.” It changed my life. It saved my life. It has shaped how I choose what to do with my life to this day. I spent the summer working for an outdoor day camp and paid him back anyways, because he is my human hero and the type of person that should have money in this world.
Tommy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I view the work I do as philanthropy. I’m travelling the country on a motor scooter while finding people who do good in their communities to help others. From there I sponsor them and find something they need or want.
I previously walked across America, Seattle to New York City, after I graduated college in an attempt to reward kind strangers. I fundraised over $6400 and gave $100 bills to kind and generous people I met along the way.
I’m also an actor, and started a project in Chicago where I street performed monologues to help house people. Over the course of a year I was able to successfully house one person and help two others receive temporary housing. I’ve currently put that project on pause as it’s one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done. I hope to come back to it in the future though.
My current mission has a few goals. It’s called They Are Kind. The ultimate agenda is to get more resources into the hands of individuals who are kind. The kind of people who are making their communities better with the generosity they give to others. We all know the type. The person who spends hours getting food bags together for people experiencing homelessness, or the teacher who goes above and beyond to get additional resources for their students on their own dime.
My secondary mission is to show others how amazing these people are in the hopes to slowly change public perception of kindness. I truly believe that the hope for our country lies in the ability of others to empathize and express kindness towards others. My hope is that by showing, and giving to kind people, that others will be inspired to do something small to help in their community.
This is a bit of social experiment in many ways. I’ve never been a video editor and have started a YouTube channel. I’ve never been a social media manager, and have learned lessons the hard way. I’m not personally wealthy, but am proof that you don’t need to be to do something like this.
I run a Patreon page where I earn a few hundred dollars, which has kept me on the road. With the funds I give my patrons options on how they want their money used, and keep my finances separate with my philanthropy fund, which can only be used towards those who are kind.
I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been able to do this for as long as I have. I left Chicago February 12th, travelled down to Key West, over to San Diego, up the Coast to Seattle, and now I’m writing to you from Moscow, Idaho on June 20th. I saved about $4000 to make this happen, and the tank is about empty. I only expected to make it to San Diego.
Whatever I do in my life, I want to be continually examining the relationship between money, kindness, and humanity. I’m continually drawn to it because of the way I grew up and the kindness I’ve received. My community in Emmett Idaho rallied behind me to help me go to college. I’ve had a few key people in my life ensure I have the opportunities I have. Without them, I would be an extremely different human, or I wouldn’t exist at all. Their kindness drives me to help others in everything I do. We can invest in people, and it pays dividends with how they pay it back into the world.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
I was an actor in Chicago, taking a break from that currently as I pursue this. That means I had a support job. My support job was working for a large outdoor retailer. It was a bit expensive to get on the road, but I started saving from my retail job by setting up direct deposit into a separate bank account that I designated as untouchable except for putting towards my creative endeavors. Food didn’t count. Paying for rent didn’t count. However, if I wanted to take an acting class, I could use the funds from that account. I would put $40 a month into the account and it was automated so I didn’t have to think about it when the remainder of my direct deposit went into my other bank account. That account funded my camera purchases and covered my web domain fees.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, it’s the people I meet and interact with. I love figuring out how to share other people’s story in a way that they feel supported and not exploited. When I get to validate that what they are doing is in fact special, it keeps me going.
Contact Info:
- Website: theyarekind.com
- Instagram: They.Are.Kind
- Facebook: theyarekind
- Youtube: theyarekind
- Other: https://linktr.ee/theyarekind