Episodes
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Being the mother of 5 children, my 5th one, adopted later in his life and mine, the thought of losing any one of them, is unimaginable. This episode is about the unimaginable - a mother, a family, who lost a beautiful, funny, feisty, smart, caring, courageous 7-year-old to cancer. As many of you know, I have had my personal battle with cancer and currently, my younger brother is facing his - unless you have been through your own, it is hard to imagine the havoc that chemotherapy, radiation, and medications wreak on your body, not to mention your spirit when you are feeling sick and definitely not looking like anything familiar to your pre-cancer self - As a grown-up, there are certain expectations of how I should be weathering my cancer journey - after all, I have lived a life, even if I am not ready to say good-bye, but a child - that is an entirely different story; one in which they are just beginning their lifeās journey, only to be shortchanged or at best, sidetracked for a period-of-time where we bear witness to their suffering through various cancer treatments - it doesnāt get much worseā¦
Isabella Joanne Santos had a rare form of cancer, neuroblastoma, at age 2. She endured chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, antibodies, numerous ups & downs, meaning multiple relapses for 5 years until she passed away at age 7; while many of us were reading our children bedtime storiesā¦Isabella and her family were waging a war. What was so spectacular about Isabella was that she was truly a rare gift to her family and to those who were lucky enough to meet her; the word rare in this context means an unusual, talented, gifted, special little girl, and yet, in the cancer world, rare means 700 children are affected each year. It means children, usually under the age of 5, are diagnosed with a form of cancer. It means scary statistics about survival rates and relapses. In the case of the latter instance, rare is not one of the words you ever want to hear.
Established in 2007, The Isabella Santos Foundation (ISF) is dedicated to eradicating pediatric cancerās devastating impact while honoring the legacy of Isabella Santos, her courageous fight against neuroblastoma. Collaborating with medical institutions, ISF drives innovative research to pioneer new treatments and enhance young cancer patientsā lives. Over-the-course of seventeen years, ISF has provided over $7 million in funding toward expanding the scope of research and treatment and supporting families dealing with cancer in a variety of ways.
It was Isabellaās dream to Beat Cancer, Grow Hair, and Live Her Dreams. Although research and advanced treatments didnāt come in time for her dreams to come true, Isabellaās legacy will give other kids a fighting chance against rare childhood cancers.
Like so many smaller, gutsy organizations, they iterated in a positive direction to meet the unmet needs of their constituencies - in this case, all childhood cancers
Check out their website: www.isabellasantosfoundation.org
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Armed with a 225,000 lb WWII- era wooden sailing craft, Greg Nichols, his wife, Nina and two kids, who actually live on this very unique and special vessel, serve as the catalyst in creating a learning environment that alters individualsā mindsets forever by exposing them to the beauty and magic of learning through nature & community. This creates a lasting impression that being part of something bigger than oneself only aids in contributing to our shared legacy of caring for our world and our community. I cannot think of a more important lesson and one where our future, literally, resides. We need to celebrate and honor these creatives who are giving their expertise in ways that inspire each of us to consider new ways of doing things, problem-solving, decision-making, repairing the world through the lens of learning and appreciation. The world feels fractured.
Onward Industries is AN OUTDOORS COLLECTIVE OF THE CREATIVE & ADVENTURE-CURIOUS FOCUSED ON CONNECTION, INSPIRATION & CARING TOGETHER
Iām going to let you digest what Onward says about itself:
When you do inspiring things in beautiful places with people that light you up, a palpable sense of possibility sneaks in. Itās like a crack in the walls of the maze we navigate in daily life. When youāre in a beautiful place, when the walls vanish, priorities rearrange themselves, reality seems clearer. On a mountain top or at sea under a quilt of stars, buzzing with connection and giddy from a day of play or purpose, youāre pretty tuned in. You get to talking with a new friend. Ideas pour out. Enthusiasm bubbles up. A new reality takes shape. Thatās a powerful state.
What this translates to is:
Onward Industires is about setting the table for those experiences, and also about enabling the next step. they take creative and curious individauls outside by land and sea for objectively awesome breaks from the daily hustleāretreats, performances, immersive education, expeditions. Martin Buber would definitely be on board with this and might literally jump on Onwardās vessel to be part of this experience.
Onward Industries are big believers in storytelling and immersion as the foundation of powerful educational experiences. They use professional storytellers, inspirational scientists, and all the resources at their disposal to offer hands-on, immersive experiences for children utlizing ocean-based educational programming with top scientists, pirate experts, - yes, I did say pirate - weāll learn about that in a moment, storytellers, and adventurers.
For more information:
www.onwardindustries.org
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Episodes manquant?
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If youāve ever been pregnant or been in the process of adopting or engaging in a surrogacy, you know the milestones set for each month of that journey and the belief of trusting the process, medical and emotional, that everything will work out as it should, meaning you will have a beautiful little life to whom you will love, cherish, and tend forever; that amazing feeling of anticipation just before the arrival, making sure the nursery is set, all the loose ends are tied upā¦and that moment comes, and then, there is silence..utter silence. That is the experience of so many who have lost a child along that path, and so much harder and lonelier the closer you are to what should be the end of one journey and the beginning of your parental journeyā¦this is just unnatural and unfair, and so, so very heartbreaking. Anderson Cooper does an episode on his podcast, Is This All There Is featuring a mother who experienced the Greatest Lossā¦beautifully shared and deeply painful to hearā¦
Check out their website: www.bornintosilence.org
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Did you know that Black Youth are Almost Five Times As Likely To Be Incarcerated As their White Peers?
The following are some data points from the Sentencing Project, captured by Josh Rovner and Ashley Nellis
For a decade, incarceration disparities between Black and white youth have remained stubbornly high. As of 2021, Black youth were 4.7 times as likely to be placed, meaning detained or committed to juvenile facilities as their white peers. Forty-two percent of youths in placement are Black, even though Black Americans comprise only 15% of all youth across the United States. Since, Black and brown youth are more likely to be in custody than white youth, going to prison is a major life-altering event that creates obstacles to rebuilding lives in the community, such as gaining employment and finding stable and safe housing after release. Imprisonment also reduces lifetime earnings and negatively affects life outcomes among children of incarcerated parents. These are individual-level consequences of imprisonment but there are societal-level consequences as well: high levels of imprisonment in communities cause high crime rates and neighborhood deterioration, thus fueling greater disparities. This cycle both individually and societally is felt disproportionately by people who are Black and Brown.
So what do these statistics and social work brokering have to do with one another? You will soon find out by listening to this episode.
For more information, please visit their website: www.legendlegacies.org
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About a year ago, we had a fabulous Small & Gutsy episode that featured Jazz Hands For Autism, a nonprofit organization that provides wrap-around artist education, development, promotion, and placement for learners and aspiring artists on the autism spectrum enabling them to explore and express their talent. Services offered include The Jazz Hands Concert Series: a semi-annual concert series and performance platform for neurodivergent artists, The Jazz Hands Musicians Academy: an individualized post-secondary music education and vocational program that prepares aspiring musicians on the autism spectrum for careers in music and The Jazz Hands Junior Academy: in-home and virtual music lessons taught by RBT (Registered Behavior Technician), meaning trained musicians and graduates of the Jazz Hands Musicians Academy. Check out their Triumphant Celebration and get your tickets here: JHConcert21.eventbrite.com
Website: www.jazzhandsforautism.org
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Reading skills unlock the world for us and unleash not just our curiosity, but grant us and gift us the power to often choose our paths.
My two guests today know this all too well as their passion for helping kids learn to read began as a young married couple when they joined a USC alumni program reading with students every week at the USC āSchool of Fiveā inner-city elementary schools. They quickly became aware of the alarming number of students who were reading below grade level. It was then that the seeds of the positive impact on literacy were planted. Initially focusing on child development, J3 Foundation was born, eventually after the birth of their daughter, Jess, and iterated into a robust reading program in 2018 called J3s Cozy Reading Club, which focuses on the most vulnerable 4th graders in Los Angeles. This program has been so successful that it has expanded from a single pilot program to 16 schools and serves students during the school day and as part of their after-school reading program.
J3 Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to give kids the foundation they need for a lifetime of reading success.
They strive to equip 4th graders in communities with fewer resources with the tools they need to help them reach grade level literacy and foster a multitude of things: positive self-image, self confidence, a supportive community, a new love of reading, and so importantly acquiring an identity of a reader.
For children in communities that lack resources, their free reading programs build good study habits, reading skills, and self-confidence, and Iād like to personally add opening up whole new worlds for each child.
Their free reading program brings together individualized evidence-based lessons with measurable outcomes, a low staff-to-student ratio, culturally relevant books, and community involvement to support reading progress in school and beyond. And it sounds FUN!
For more information, please visit their website: www.j3foundation.org
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Journalists and those who represent news platforms are generally trained to report on factual information; in a recent visit to the Shorenstein Institute, I was exposed to the incredible work they do to ensure that journalists have tools to accurately interpret the information that is coming at them so quickly - most journalists, I believe, care deeply about interpreting the facts correctly, however, some platforms purposely misconstrue or actually reconfigure facts to support their financial backerās agenda - thus, creating a conflict of personal and professsional values. There is hope, however, in that some organizations will not settle for this and fight to recalibrate information and resources; one such organization does this and much more - MLK50 was created for the benefit of those who have historically had less access, in essence, to revitalize Dr. Martin Luther Kingās dream.
MLK50 has since its inception, created an award-winning nonprofit digital news site - BRAVO!
Having launched in 2017 as a 1-year project to reconcile the lack of commitment to Dr. Martin Luther Kingās sacrifice and legacy by reporting on the intersection of poverty, power and policy, and to bear witness to movement-making and lived experiences. Their vision echoes Dr. Kingās dream of having a nation where all residents have the resources to thrive and where public and private policy supports their success. Memphis is one lucky city, and I hope MLK50 becomes a model for other cities and their local news - MLK50 doesnāt just represent acknowledgment, but truth; Justice through Journalism gives residents the information by examining the systems that make it hard for workers to make ends meet and by interrogating those who profit from the status quo.
To learn more, visit www.mlk50.com
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Check out Part 1 of this amazing Social Enterprise and learn more about them at
www.mountainhazelnuts.com
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Episode #80, Parts I & I
When you think of sustainability what comes to mind? Is it protecting the environment, proactively and effectively managing the climate for future generations to enjoy vs. using up what we have and finding other planets in which to inhabit? - The old throw away concept and let someone else deal with it - those someone elses are our children and grandchildren. Maybe itās sustainability through community health efforts or education so we leave the world a better place as more people have greater needs.
Have you ever had the experience of seeing, observing something that doesnāt seem to be going well, it seems too complex to solve, but that something just keeps gnawing at you - making you wonder if there were a way to address multiple issues at the same time; It could be in the sciences, the arts, the environment, agriculture, healthcare, your community - those I interview for Small & Gutsy have made huge contributions to these areas and have in fact changed the world - maybe, in their part of the world, but they are making a difference.
One couple, two of my 3 guests today, are folks who saw a global market need and a sustainability opportunity within an existing complex system, agriculture, that could address multiple issues with a single solution that would build community while yielding greater economic sustainability. In this case, we call that a social enterprise and I imagine that depth, breadth of research and community relationship building including trust was the foundation of Mountain Hazelnuts.
Check out their website: www.mountainhazelnuts.com
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Getting the news I have breast cancer was one of the most devastating messages I have ever received, not only for me but for my family - we are all affected by this disease in ways that many people donāt realize. I remember thinking, I am almost the same age as my grandmother when she died of breast cancer and I desperately wanted to have a different outcome - with all the progress made over the last 50 + years, will I have a different outcome? How long will I survive? What will my life be like forever after? Life will surely be different, a new normal. There certainly was also the overwhelming feeling of trying to navigate the best interventions that will yield the best outcomes, staying abreast, no pun intended, of new medical treatments, medications, and options that may just be becoming available; the choices within those areas, as each of us, even with the same diagnosis, can have entirely different treatment plans and outcomes - it is frankly incredibly scary and we donāt want to second guess ourselves.
How can a disease be both individualized and shared at the same time? Todayās podcast features one woman, who took her motherās stoic approach to her own cancer and built a legacy that has been life-changing and life-saving for so many others. Olivia Achtmeyer Boger is to be commended for her bravery in honoring her mother, Candeās legacy, in being a support to others facing similar circumstances. Runway for Recovery has various events & programs to support their efforts.
Runway for Recovery is a nonprofit organization aimed at redefining the breast cancer experience for families. They accomplish this through events and programs that strive to provide normalcy amidst the unimaginable. Their goal is to support those who survive and those who live on as legacies because they know that breast cancer never just impacts one.
For more information, check out their website www.runwayforrecovery.org
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What if you could financially support a nonprofit organization, doing what you personally believe contributes to making the world a better place, without actually spending even a dime? Sounds too good to be true, but this time itās too good and very true! There is something in algorithmic data collection and internet savviness that makes even the most limited math student, me, understand the value of building a network of folks with shared values that frankly have the potential to become a movement.
Give Freely is that movement. Give Freely is a browser extension designed to connect consumers with sellers and that connection leads to a donation to a charity of the consumerās choiceā¦pretty darn creative to say the least; Give Freely transforms online shopping into acts of kindness. They find coupons and redirect commissions from purchases directly to the user's chosen charity, turning everyday buys into charitable actions. Give Freelyās mission is to generate as many donations to non-profit organizations as possible. They do this by leveraging the commissions that online stores pay them when users buy something at a partner site, as well as occasionally placing advertisements on sites that users may visit.
Give Freely is pioneering a movement for a more compassionate shopping future by blending shopping and giving (Frankly, two of my favorite activities, and for me, it makes shopping more enjoyable, knowing that it includes a charitable aspect) -They believe that everyday online errands can and should involve contributions to the communities the consumer cares about and this, of course, could lead to other everyday acts - they are just starting with shopping. Currently, they have over 10 thousand participating stores and a dozen or so influencers participating in and spreading Give Freely and, they have over a million nonprofits listed, Small & Gutsy is one of them.
Think about the old Amazon Smile but with significant improvements!!
To sign up and learn more, check out www.givefreely.com
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Leadership is a huge topic that is often so tough to define; I have read articles that state that leadership can be taught; I have read articles that say leadership is something that is just inherent in you, either you have it or you donāt; - that seems quite ominous - almost like a weeding out process - like being chosen first or last for the basketball or volleyball team in gym class - why was that practice started anyway vs, just randomly assigning two groups of kids to just play? We all develop at different rates and why be penalized by perceived popularity or early athletic ability?
This must be so challenging for those who see potential in everyone and want to foster leadership in their communities where leadership perhaps is viewed as a privilege and should actually be an equitable opportunity like education - So, when we say leadership, do we mean the admirable qualities of a good leader? To define leadership by identifying good leaders and then trying to change our habits to improve our ability to be like that good leaderā¦Isnāt that somewhat subjective? Do we mean the learning from leaders who have come before us and how they molded us and impressed upon us the value of being a good leader? Could those leaders be from our personal experience vs. those we may place on a public pedestal? Could it maybe foster a sense of community where leaders among us are recognized, encouraged, and often emerge as a surprise to them?
Founded in 2021, Born 2 Lead Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing an ecosystem of support based on lifespan development. Their mission is to empower individuals at every life stage by providing comprehensive programs, resources, and services that foster personal growth, well-being, and success. By following individuals throughout their life journey, they aim to create a seamless and continuous support system that meets their evolving needs. They provide a wide range of services from Early Childhood Enrichment to Elderly Car, and have programs that focus on each stage of life. I think they have 7 programs to date, everything from financial literacy to mentorship, college readiness, parenting, mental health. I am not sure there is anything they don't offer. Their goal it to empower and mentor individuals so that they have the skills and resources they need to be successful and make a positive impact in their lives and communities.
For more information, check out their website: www.born2leadfoundation.com -
Imagine you just heard the words, you have cancer or any other type of disease that needs treatment; I heard those words and my heart sank and my fear rose. However, I also knew that whatever medical care I needed would not be far away. I live in Los Angeles with some of the best medical care options; prior to that I lived in a suburb of Boston, also another amazing medical community. In fact, I often consult with an oncologist at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston while having my on the ground team, a combination from UCLA & Cedars here in LA- two teaching and phenomenal medical facilities treating my cancer with the most updated research and information. But, what if I werenāt so luckyā¦what if I lived in a rural area where access was limited or just not availableā¦what could I do?
We all need medical care and many of us live in areas that are outside of catchment areas of great medical careā¦what choices do we have then? And what options do we have if we donāt have the financial means to take us to those far away medical facilities?
Transportation challenges create one of the most daunting barriers to healthcareāa barrier second only to the cost. Every day, Angel Flight Westās volunteer pilots fly people to their medical appointments at no cost to the passenger.
On the ground, Earth Angels drive passengers from the airport to the medical facility, also free of cost.
To learn more about volunteering or donating, check out their website: www.angelflightwest.org
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How do you define āhomeā? - a place where you can let your hair down, be yourself, be safe, feel a sense of belonging? But what if that home were just an empty space, would you still feel the same? What if that home didnāt have your thumbprint, meaning your input on how it was decorated where you could truly find peace, knowing that this sacred space was a part of your caring community? Itās not the decorating and furniture per se, but what items that were chosen based on your preferences that make you feel you matter and are visible to both yourself and everyone who visits. What is particularly challenging is that many of those empty spaces are the first-time homes of aging out foster youth who have often experienced moving from place to place where they may not have had any sense of real belonging. Without this feeling of belonging and community, these young folks are at greater risk of becoming homeless and being part of a community that cares is the first step to ending homelessness.
What began as a random act of kindness, has adapted into an incredible community. A Sense of Home has created more than 850 homes ā helping more than 2,000 former foster youth and their children.
A Sense of Home strives to prevent homelessness by creating first-ever homes for youth aging out of foster care with donated furniture and home goods. 50% of those struggling with homelessness are former foster youth. The homeless crisis can only end through prevention.
To share a quote from one of their recipients: When my home is empty, I feel empty
In 2014, Founders Georgie Smith and Melissa Goddard answered a call for help on social media from a foster youth who had aged out of foster care; responded by creating a first-ever real āhomeā. From there, A Sense of Home has grown into a community of its own with staff, volunteers, and dedication that reaches far and wide.
To learn more about A Sense of Home, please check out their website: https://asenseofhome.org/
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THE TABLES HAVE TURNED for this Episode!!
Fully Alive's Mary Meduna Gross interviewed me! I had the opportunity to share both about Small & Gutsy - its origins, and some personal details about my journey and a recent hiccup - Breast Cancer!
Here are some Episode Highlights:
How do you handle things when life throws difficult circumstances and challenges your way? In this episode, Laura Wittcoff shares her wisdom and insight to weather life's storms in the midst of making a positive impact and pursuing self-growth.
How are we showing up when in difficult circumstances The possibility and good that comes from open mindfulness Social impact, meaning and alignment of our work Reciprocity of giving and appreciating othersMary is an executive wellbeing coach on a mission to empower conscious business founders to connect with their inner power so that their vibrancy will radiate positivity throughout their organizations.
Mary is engaging and fun and I encourage you to check out her podcast here and her website here
Please reach out to me at [email protected] with the name of any nonprofit or for-profit organization under $10 million in revenue with a social purpose or impact you'd like featured on Small & Gutsy
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I remember putting my kids to bed at night when they were young - giving them the security and comfort of knowing that their worries should be about their little life, not the big issues of financially and emotionally supporting them, giving them a roof over their heads, food, clothes and the importance of having a safe space in which to sleep - a bed of their own which may seem like a privilege, that if we can, every child should be able to experienceā¦I think itās actually not a privilege, but a rite of passage in some ways or at least in our culture. A rite of passage is an event, ceremony, or experience that marks a milestone in a personās life. Many are cultural, religious, social, and professional, across the globe, they range from an early age in some cultures, like Japan, as a 3-year-old girl, being allowed to grow long hair, and at age 7 shifting from a rope belt to an obi for their kimono, for a boy, at age 5 being allowed to wear a hakama, a formal garment - clothing for both represents entering into the formal stage of middle childhood. Various tribal rituals indicate the growth of an individual to the next level of development in eventually reaching adulthood. Rites of passage indicating milestones have also entered our social, educational and professional world with marriage ceremonies, funerals, 12-step programs, promotions, passing tests to the next level, certifications, graduations, licenses, too many to list; There are also many religious and spiritual milestones, from Deepak Chopraās 7 stages of spiritual development to baptisms, to Bānai Mitzvahs..and so much more. One U.S. cultural rite of passage is something I hadnāt really thought about until I read about how my guest volunteers his time.
This more typical rite of passage is moving from a crib or a parent/guardianās/siblings/shared bed to oneās very own bed. This milestone represents so many things in our culture that often go unnoticed or unrecognized and are truly significant. Having the capability of sleeping independently by means of having the privilege of having oneās own bed begins to create a feeling of ownership over oneās self, the feeling of self-reliance which builds self-esteem. Having oneās own space becomes sacred, a spot that is theirs to set up, take care of, decorate, and love within the natural shelter of home - it is so much more than just a bed. For many parents or guardians who can afford beds, it becomes an automatic expectation and a feeling sometimes of moving forward for their child in healthy ways - even if they keep getting up in the middle of the night to sneak into their parentsā bed, but for a child who has never had the experience of transitioning at a very young age, this becomes a journey of self-reliance that can translate into so many positive steps toward independence that may not have been a previous more typical step due to financial constraints.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace, our featured nonprofit organization believes that a bed is a basic need for the best physical, emotional, and mental support that a child needs. They are a national organization, based in Idaho, but we are focusing on one of their growing chapters, in Texas; this is a response to the call of a national problem, one bed at a time, one town at a time.
To learn more about Sleep in Heavenly Peace, check out their website: www.shpbeds.org
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What matters to you? Itās a different question than what makes you happy, according to our guest today whom I will introduce in a moment. Happiness stems from what really matters to the individual and many of us have lost our collective understanding of what matters means. But, itās not too late - thereās hope for our youth and thereās hope for the rest of us!
Finding out what matters to each of us is a very personal journey. To be seen, heard and valued so that each of us becomes a valued member of society and can give back is the essence of understanding what matters and in turn, guides us in seeing others and encouraging the concept of mattering for them.
Each of us has a uniqueness that once we intrinsically honor that, we are able to then actualize that and share our uniqueness in a positive way to others. However, when that is never offered or taken away through making us feel invisible, that we donāt matter, we make choices that can hurt us and society.
The Mattering Movement created and spearheaded by an incredible dynamic foursome, one of whom we will meet shortly is my guest today Jennifer B. Wallace, Chief Mattering Officer - love the title, is an award-winning journalist and author of the new book Never Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic ā and What We Can Do About It. She is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and appears on national television to discuss her articles and relevant topics in the news. She is a graduate from Harvard College, and began her journalism career at CBS ā60 Minutes,ā where she was part of a team that won The Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Journalism. She is a Journalism Fellow at the The Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Childrenās Hospital of Philadelphia. Jennifer serves on the board of the Coalition for the Homeless in New York City, where she she currently resides.
To learn more: check out their website: www.thematteringmovement.com
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I try to remind myself to be hopeful in times when I feel the walls are crashing in around me, maybe because of some bad news, like anything that threatens my children, my family, my health, my livelihood, the relationships I love and care about or maybe because of the state of the country, the world; perhaps a tragedy that is far away but feels so close to home emotionally. Usually, an initial feeling of hopelessness appears when I feel I have no control over the situation and need to dig deep to find hope whether through some kind of action - which could beā¦ taking time to reflect spiritualy, talking to friends and family, mindful deep breathing, taking a walk, being outsideā¦ I often feel the urgency and frankly the need to do something, anything that helps me find meaning in what Iām experiencing and most often itās trying to make sense out of something that often doesnāt. Hope is such a beautiful expression and can mean so many different things to so many peopleā¦Researchers like Martin Seligman, the founder of the positive psychology movement, professes through over 20 years of scientific research, that hope reduces feelings of helplessness, stress, and depression and improves ones quality of life; being hopeful suggests that we look into the future and know somewhere that where we are, although it may feel devastating, or incredibly challenging or never changing, is not where we will always be; if you can stretch with me for a moment, Seligman also believes that hope may hold unrealized opportunities - that are often very tough to swallow in the moment; I did an episode about a family who lost their daughter diagnosed at 16 months with cancer - she fought for a year, not only did they NOT lose their faith, but they channeled it into a foundation to help others - Addiās Faith Foundation. These situations are incredibly inspiring for me; when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I immediately roped in the friend who pushed me to get an ultrasound that ultimately diagnosed my cancer when my Gyn hadnāt recommended it - into sharing our stories so other women would get diagnosed earlier than I, and maybe not face the many treatments that I needed.
Desmond Tutu once said, āHope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness,ā and Winston Churchill said, āWhen youāre going through hell, keep goingā. Hope gives us the strength to keep going, and continue moving forward. I often say to myself, what choice do I have? But, honestly, that is one way, I am hopeful - my choice is not having a choice, but to move forward, because hope is not blind hopefulness, it is constructive hope - it is the hope that there is a way forward. I am grateful to have that fortitude, but not alone, always with the help of family, friends, my faith, and community.
Although hope may be subjective, itās in all of us; sometimes, we have to dig deep, and often with the help of others and our personal faith; Two women who you will meet shortly used their personal stories to inspire others to reach for guidance and help within their faith and through the support of other survivors of trauma and sexual abuse. With an open heart, Hopeful Hearts Ministry founded in 2012 strives to alleviate the suffering and restore the self-worth of survivors of abuse. They are a faith-based ministry that supports the long-term recovery of survivors through peer support sessions, counseling, and public awareness. Hopeful Hearts Ministry offers counseling, support groups, healing yoga, breath work, healing books, bible study, and mostly a community of hope.
For more information, please check out their website:
https://hopefulheartsministry.org/
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In 2007, Amber and Tony Bender faced the unthinkable; they heard the words, your daughter, Addi has a brain tumor. Addi was sixteen months old and underwent with her family a year of surgeries, chemotherapy, hope and heartache, and finally, the sadness of brave Addi needing to let go - I truly cannot imagine the anguishā¦.
Established in 2008 in honor of their daughterās loving spirit, Addiās Faith Foundation was born. They vowed to carry on her fight by funding critical childhood cancer research and helping as many families as possible. Just like little Addi Faith, AFF strives to live big, fight hard, and love lots, and has for over 16 years. Addiās Faith Foundation is a 501c3 organization dedicated to ending childhood cancer. They fund childhood cancer research as well as provide financial assistance to families struggling to care for a child with cancer. They believe that there is a cure out there and together, we can find it.
Please check them out: www.addisfaithfoundation.org
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Creating Creators Foundation is the nonprofit side of Creating Creators, LLC, the for-profit organization that partners with school districts to help guide and develop students and teachers to discover skills and talents of their own that help them define who they are to the world and by doing so, how they can contribute to an industry that perhaps felt unreachable to them.
Creating Creators is comprised of experts from all the diverse mediums of the film industry. At their core, they empower teachers to use the different skills needed to create films as a tool for teaching while simultaneously helping students use those mediums such as storyboarding, script writing, acting, directing, and editing as tools for learning to help students discover their unique voices. They also create a bridge between students and educators to professional organizations to create a deeper understanding of the amount and value of skills in the entertainment industry. AND By facilitating opportunities through partnerships with professional groups such as studios, unions, and agencies, They are able to offer apprenticeships.
Whatās truly beautiful about Creating Creators is that it is not only building skills for students, but giving teachers a new lens figuratively and literally to enable student learning of the necessary skills that foster success - collaboration, critical thinking, writing, problem solving and more, AND by having this revenue source, they are able to support the Foundation side which then can provide students opportunities to serve as crew at film festivals as well as serve as one of the pipeline organizations with The Group Effort Initiative which exists to create real entertainment industry experiences to hopefully secure lasting careers for members of underrepresented communities within the entertainment industry. Now, Thatās a win-win
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