In a world often filled with noise, division, and overwhelming need, it’s easy to feel small and like one person can’t possibly make a difference. But the truth is, we can. Not by changing the whole world in one grand gesture, but by choosing, moment by moment, to be a force for good. Since this is the month of May it seems like a good time to reflect upon the force within each of us.
Being a force for good doesn’t require perfection, wealth, or extraordinary talents. It begins with empathy, the willingness to see and feel someone else’s pain and to respond with love. It’s found in everyday choices: the kindness we show to a neighbor, the time we give to someone in need, the forgiveness we extend even when it’s hard. It’s those small acts that, over time, ripple outward, creating real change. Service doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Sometimes the simplest gestures are the most powerful.
Each week on the Charity Matters Podcastwe interview extraordinary humans who start nonprofits. None of theses founders set out to do this work but something happened along their journey that inspired them to serve. Max Page a young boy born with a congenital heart defect who played “Little Darth Vader” in a famous Super Bowl commercial. Despite countless surgeries and hospital stays, Max and his family turned their pain into purpose. They began advocating for children’s health, raising money and awareness for causes that had once touched their own lives. Max’s courage and generosity remind us that being a force for good isn’t about age or experience…it’s about heart. Max knew about being a force for good.
We all have a story. Some of our stories are marked by loss, trauma, or failure. But those experiences can become the very fuel we need to help others. That’s what Carolyn Blashek discovered. After trying to help a heartbroken soldier during the early days of the Iraq War, she felt called to do something more. She started Operation Gratitude, sending care packages and handwritten letters to military members. Her response to one person’s pain has since touched over 3 million service members. Carolyn’s story shows that when we act from the heart, even the most personal moments can ignite a movement.
Each of these stories teaches us something essential: we don’t need to wait for the perfect time or the perfect version of ourselves to make a difference. We just need to begin. Service is a journey, not a destination. Along the way, we discover more about who we are and what we’re capable of. We find connection in unexpected places. And we realize that the very act of giving not only helps others…..and it changes us.
When we step outside of ourselves and serve, we begin to heal. We begin to understand that we’re not alone, that our lives have meaning beyond our individual circumstances. We find purpose in the shared humanity of helping one another and a call to see ourselves not just as individuals, but as part of something bigger.
So how do we start? We begin by paying attention….. by noticing the lonely neighbor, the friend going through a hard time, the child who needs encouragement. Then we offer what we have…..a listening ear, a helping hand, a small donation, or simply our time. We act not because we have to, but because we want to be part of the solution.
Being a force for good doesn’t mean saving the world. It means showing up, again and again, with love. Being a force for good means choosing kindness even when it’s inconvenient. It means believing that every person matters and that includes ourselves. When we give from that place, we discover the magic that happens when one life touches another.
The truth is, you already have everything you need to be a force for good. Your story, your pain, your joy, your heart, they are your tools. The question is not whether you can make a difference, but whether you’re willing to try. And if you are, then you are already well on your way.
Because changing the world doesn’t start with a grand plan. It starts with you. May the force be with you.
CHARITY MATTERS.
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Each year on April 7th, the world pauses to recognize World Health Organization’sWorld Health Day, a global reminder that our health is our most precious resource. Established in 1950 to commemorate the founding of the World Health Organization,the day highlights critical health issues affecting people around the globe and encourages governments, communities, and individuals to take action toward healthier lives.
But while the name may sound global and grand, the truth is that world health actually begins in very small, very personal places: in our homes, in our neighborhoods, and in the choices we make every single day.
Health is something we often take for granted….until we don’t have it. Whether it’s a sudden diagnosis, an injury that slows us down ( yep) or watching someone we love struggle with illness, those moments remind us how fragile and precious our well-being truly is. Our health is the foundation that allows us to show up for the people we love, pursue our dreams, and serve others in meaningful ways.
Without our health, everything becomes harder….trust me something I am very aware of these days.
The purpose of World Health Dayis not simply to recognize doctors, hospitals, or health organizations….although they certainly deserve our gratitude. It is a call for all of us to take responsibility for our own well-being and for the well-being of our communities. Because health is not just about medicine. It is about lifestyle, environment, connection, and care.
Healthy communities create a healthier world.
When we take care of ourselves we are better equipped to help others. A parent who prioritizes their health can be present for their children. A teacher who protects their well-being can inspire generations of students. A volunteer who feels strong and energized can serve their community with compassion and purpose.
Health creates capacity. In many ways, caring for ourselves is one of the most important acts of service we can offer the world.
Around the globe, access to healthcare, clean water, nutritious food, and safe living conditions remains a challenge for millions of people. These disparities remind us that health is not simply a personal issue but it is a collective one. When communities work together to improve health resources, advocate for better systems, and support those in need, we move closer to a world where everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy life.
But change does not always require sweeping global initiatives. Sometimes it begins with simple acts within our own neighborhoods.
Check in on an elderly neighbor who may be isolated. Bring a healthy meal to a friend recovering from surgery. Support a local health clinic or nonprofit that serves vulnerable families. Encourage children to play outside and stay active. Take a walk with a friend instead of meeting over coffee.
These small actions ripple outward in ways we may never fully see.
Health is also deeply connected to kindness and connection. Loneliness and isolation are now recognized as serious public health concerns. When we reach out to others, build community, and foster meaningful relationships, we strengthen not only emotional well-being but physical health as well.
In other words, caring for each other is a form of healthcare.
The past few years have reminded the world just how interconnected our health truly is. A virus that began in one corner of the world quickly affected every community on the planet. We learned that protecting one another through science, cooperation, and compassion was essential to protecting ourselves.
Global health begins locally.
When we make choices that strengthen our own well-being getting enough sleep, moving our bodies, nourishing ourselves with healthy food, managing stress, and nurturing relationships…..we are contributing to a healthier society. When communities prioritize parks, clean air, safe neighborhoods, and accessible healthcare, they build the foundation for future generations to thrive.
And when we look after the most vulnerable among us, we honor the idea that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy life.
This World Health Day, perhaps the best thing we can do is pause and ask a simple question:
What is one small step I can take today to care for my health and the health of my community?
Maybe it is scheduling that doctor’s appointment you’ve been putting off. Or choosing to move your body and enjoy the outdoors. Maybe it is checking in on someone who may need encouragement or support.
Health is not built in a single day. It is built through daily choices, shared responsibility, and the understanding that we are all connected.
When we take care of ourselves, we strengthen our families. And when we strengthen our families, we build healthier communities. When communities thrive, the world becomes a healthier place for us all.
Because in the end, a healthier world begins with each of us. 🌎
CHARITY MATTERS.
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A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of being a guest on a podcast called You Are What You Give, hosted by Avi Zimmerman. Avi lives in Israel and has built his podcast around a simple but powerful idea that what we give to the world ultimately defines who we are. It’s a message that immediately resonated with me because it sits right at the heart of everything we talk about here at Charity Matters: kindness, service, and the quiet power of people helping one another.
About a week after we recorded our conversation, Avi happened to be traveling through Los Angeles. On a rare rainy morning in LA one of those gray days when the city feels softer and slower, we met for breakfast. It is always such a treat when relationships that begin through conversations and shared values get to move from the virtual world into real life. We sat together over coffee and talked about everything from the business side of nonprofits to the deeper questions about why we serve, how we inspire others to care, and the ongoing challenge of getting people to truly listen to messages about kindness and giving.
Those conversations are never small talk.
When two people who care deeply about service sit down together, the dialogue quickly moves beyond surface level. Avi and I spoke about the struggles nonprofit leaders face, the challenge of fundraising in a distracted world, and the reality that sometimes the most important messages about compassion, generosity, and humanity can be the hardest ones to amplify.
But what struck me most was how aligned our missions are.
Despite living on opposite sides of the world, Avi and I are both trying to do something very similar: tell stories that remind people of their capacity to give. We both believe that service is not just a nice idea or a feel-good activity. It is a powerful force for connection, healing, and hope.
Before we left breakfast, Avi handed me a small gift. It was a giving journal he had created—designed as a place to write down acts of giving, thoughts about generosity, causes we care about, and reflections on how giving makes us feel.
It was such a thoughtful and beautiful idea.
The journal invites you to slow down and notice generosity in your life to document the moments when you help someone, support a cause, or simply take the time to care. It reminds us that giving isn’t just something we do occasionally. It’s a mindset. A practice. A way of seeing the world.
We hugged goodbye, each heading back to our busy lives.
Shortly after that breakfast, I had an unexpected injury that sidelined me for a while and forced me to slow down in ways I hadn’t planned. Avi, meanwhile, returned home to Israel.
Then something happened that gave me real pause.
A few days later Avi sent me the link to our podcast episode and told me that when he sent it, he was sitting in a bunker.
Let that sink in for a moment.
While we were sharing a conversation about generosity and joy, the world around him had shifted dramatically. His country was under attack and he was literally sheltering from danger.
And yet, even from a bunker he was still sending out a message about helping others.
That moment stopped me in my tracks.
We live in a world that often feels heavy with conflict, division, and uncertainty. Turn on the news and it can feel overwhelming. The problems seem enormous. The suffering can feel endless.
It’s easy to wonder what difference kindness can possibly make.
But Avi reminded me of something important.
Even in the middle of chaos, people can choose generosity. When the world feels uncertain, we can still choose to help someone. Even when bombs are falling, someone can still send out a podcast about giving. That’s when the title of our conversation really hit me.
Joy is a strategy.
Not because joy ignores suffering but because kindness erases hardship. Choosing joy and generosity in difficult times is one of the most powerful responses we have. Joy shifts perspective. Kindness builds connection. Giving reminds us of our shared humanity.
In our conversation, Avi and I talk about the power of service, not just for the people receiving help, but for the people giving it. We talk about how generosity changes the giver as much as the recipient. And we talk about how acts of kindness no matter how small can ripple outward in ways we may never fully see.
It’s the same idea I come back to again and again in my work: when we help someone else, something inside of us changes too. Service heals.
It connects us to something larger than ourselves. And sometimes, it is the very thing that helps us navigate the hardest moments in life.
Not just because I’m honored to have been a guest on Avi’s podcast, but because his perspective continuing to talk about generosity even while facing the realities of war is a powerful reminder of what truly matters.
So today I invite you to take a few minutes and listen to our conversation on You Are What You Give.
Listen to the ideas. Reflect on your own experiences with giving. And maybe even start your own version of Avi’s giving journal taking note of the moments when kindness appears in your life.
Because even in a complicated world, we still have choices.
We can choose compassion. We can choose generosity. And yes, we can choose joy.
Sometimes joy isn’t just a feeling, joy is a strategy.
And if there’s one thing this conversation reminded me, it’s this: no matter what is happening around us, helping one another will always matter.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
It is incredible believe that we are on the precipice of 100 episodes of this podcast! Truly remarkable. I mentioned at the beginning of the year Mel Robbins saying that we can not know where we are going unless we know where we have been. So this moment, before we step off into a new season seemed like that moment to reflect on so many incredible life lessons learned from 99 incredible guests!
Since 2020, the world has changed in ways none of us could have imagined. We’ve all lived through loss, fear, isolation, and uncertainty. And yet, during these years, something extraordinary happened here at Charity Matters … we kept meeting heroes.
Not superheroes. Not people with perfect answers.
But ordinary humans who faced life’s hardest moments and chose love anyway.
Episode 99 is a pause. A breath. A moment to look back at the people who showed us what courage, compassion, community, and faith really look like. These are the stories that didn’t just inspire us….they changed us.
I’m so glad you’re here.
Loss, Love, and Legacy
“Some of the most powerful Charity Matters conversations begin with the unimaginable……the loss of a child.”
Episode 94: Kate DoergePenny’s Flight
Kate Doerge lost her daughter Penny to Neurofibromatosis. And yet, what stays with me most from that conversation was not just grief it was joy. Kate taught us that joy and sorrow are not opposites. They coexist.
Through Penny’s Flight,Kate searches for a cure for NF while keeping Penny’s spirit alive. She reminded us that love does not end when life does and choosing joy is not denial, it is bravery.
Lesson: Joy can be an act of defiance in the face of grief.
Episode 92: Rob ThorsenShoulder Check
Rob Thorsen lost his son to mental health struggles and instead of letting silence continue, he broke it. Shoulder Checkis built on one life-saving idea: checking in.
Rob showed us that mental health conversations are not optional. Asking “Are you okay?” can be an act of love and sometimes, an act that saves a life.
Lesson: Love becomes legacy when it leads to action.
Episode 84: Mary Fagnano Thrive N Joy
After a tragic surfing accident changed their son Nick’s life forever, his parents chose purpose. Thrive N Joy became a youth leadership organization rooted in resilience, character, and hope.
The Fagnano family reminded us that tragedy does not have to be the end of the story, it can become the mission.
Lesson: Resilience can be modeled, taught, and shared.
Episode 64: Ian Sandler Riley’s Way
When a father lost his nine-year-old daughter Riley at sleepaway camp, he created a movement of kind leaders in her name. Riley’s Wayis about empathy, courage, and leading with heart.
Riley’s short life left a long legacy.
Lesson: Kindness is never small and leadership begins with compassion.
“None of these parents chose this path. But all of them chose what came next.”
Homelessness, Dignity, and Healing
“Homelessness is not just about housing….it’s about dignity and being seen.”
Episode 90: Terry GrahlEnchanted Makeovers
Terry Grahl knows homelessness and trauma personally. Through Enchanted Makeovers, she transforms shelters for women and children into spaces of beauty and calm.
These rooms say: You matter.
Terry taught us that dignity is not a luxury, it is the foundation of healing.
Lesson: Beauty can be a form of justice.
Episode 36: Kevin AdlerMiracle Messages
Kevin Adler showed us that connection can be the bridge back to life. Miracle Messages reconnects people experiencing homelessness with loved ones they’ve lost touch with….sometimes for decades.
Homelessness often begins with broken relationships. Healing begins with being remembered.
Lesson: Community heals what isolation breaks.
Community: How We Rise Together
“If there is one truth that echoes through nearly every Charity Matters episode, it is this: we are not meant to do life alone.”
Episode 71: Debbie BialThe Posse Foundation
Debbie Bial believed that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. By sending students to college together in “posses,” she created belonging and tens of thousands of college graduates.
Lesson: Belonging is a catalyst for success.
Episode 69: Rachel Doyle Glamour Gals
Teenagers doing nails with seniors might sound simple but it dissolves loneliness on both sides. GlamourGals reminded us that community doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful.
Lesson: Small connections create big change.
Episode 46: Maggie KaneA Place at the Table
Maggie Kane’s pay-what-you-can café invites everyone to the same table…..housed or unhoused. No labels. Just dignity.
Lesson: When we eat together, we humanize one another.
Faith: The Quiet Foundation
“So many of these heroes didn’t set out to build nonprofits. They set out to live their faith.”
Episode 9: Brian Mavis America’s Kids Belong
Brian Mavis and his wife’s faith compelled them to act for foster children turning belief into belonging for tens of thousands of kids.
Lesson: Faith becomes powerful when it moves us beyond ourselves.
Episode 24: Hal HargraveBe Perfect Foundation
After becoming a paraplegic, Hal Hargrave chose to see his setback as a calling. His faith helped him transform pain into purpose.
Lesson: Faith doesn’t remove obstacles—it gives them meaning.
Episode 58: Kurt Handler410 Bridge
Kurt Kandler showed us faith in action through partnership, not handouts. Empowering communities to lift themselves up.
Lesson: True service creates possibility, not dependence.
“When I look back at all of these heroes, one thing is clear….none of them did this alone, and none of them did this without love.”
Episode 99 is not just a look back. It’s an invitation to belong, to believe, and to act.
Revisit these stories on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and www.charity-matters.com. Share the ones that moved you. And remember:
Every time you choose kindness, compassion, or service….you become part of this story too.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
Nonprofit founders are some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs on the planet. They see a problem and create a solution. Today’s guest, Drew Long is no exception. Her first entrepreneurial journey was to create a shopping cart for her disabled daughter, Caroline. Drew is an Alabama mom with a big heart, a thick skin, and the kind of determination that changes systems. After solving that problem for millions of families she went on to solve another. Drew founded Caroline’s Cause, a scholarship nonprofit created for the typical siblings of children with special needs. In the middle of caregiving, life, and all the messy real-world logistics, Drew looked at those overlooked siblings and said, “We see you.” That simple sentence becomes a force in this conversation.
Drew is that she’s the real deal. She is equal parts tenderhearted and tough, honest about how hard this life can be, and hilarious in the way only someone who’s been through it can be. In our chat, Drew shares the moment she realized there were scholarships for everything and yet nothing for students growing up with a special needs sibling. So she built it. Her dream is simple: no unfunded scholarship, ever. If you want a story about grit, love, community, and what it looks like to take a hard card in life and turn it into change for good….press play.
Here are a few highlights from our conversation:
Charity Matters: Tell us a little about what Caroline’s Cause does?
Drew Long: Caroline’s Causeis a nonprofit that awards college scholarships to entering freshmen who have a special needs sibling. To qualify, students come from families like mine—families where there is one child with significant needs and other children who are “typical.” In those families, the dynamic is real and unavoidable: the special needs child requires more time, more attention, more resources. That doesn’t mean you love the other children less. It simply means the needs are different.
In our home, my daughter Caroline has seizures, she doesn’t walk, she wears a diaper, and she needs full-time care. My other children grew up knowing that Caroline needed more of Mama’s time. They stepped back quietly and selflessly. And there is almost nothing out there that recognizes those siblings….the ones who take the back seat without complaint. Caroline’s Causewas created to say, we see you. We want to thank you for being such a great brother or sister. We want to honor that sacrifice and that love.
Charity Matters: What experiences did you have as a child that influenced this work?
Drew Long: I grew up with a special needs aunt, my mom’s sister had cerebral palsy. Looking back, I really believe that was God’s way of softening my heart and preparing me for a life I had no idea was coming. I was always tender toward special needs families, even before I fully understood what that life meant.
And I’ll say something that took me a long time to admit: nobody wants a special needs child and that’s okay to say. That doesn’t mean you don’t love your child. It means that as parents, we all have hopes and dreams for our kids, and when you face a diagnosis like I did, those dreams crash and burn. My heart had been prepared early on, not through nonprofits or philanthropy, but through proximity through seeing special needs up close and watching families navigate it.
Charity Matters: What was the moment you knew you needed to act and start Caroline’s Causes?
Drew Long: The moment came when my oldest daughter was getting ready for college. Like every parent, we started looking for scholarships and we found everything under the sun. If you’re left-handed, there’s a scholarship. If you have a tiny percentage of Irish ancestry, there’s a scholarship.
So I said, “Surely there’s a scholarship for students who have a special needs sibling.” There wasn’t. Not one.
That’s when I knew. I told my husband, “I have a great idea,” and he practically shut me down, until I said, “It’s not a product. It’s a nonprofit.” I thought that would make it easier. It didn’t. But it was born out of a real need, this time for my typical daughter, and for families like ours everywhere.
Charity Matters: What are your biggest challenges?
Drew Long: Honestly, my biggest challenge has been my own naïveté and strangely, that’s also what’s sustained me. I truly believed both my business and this nonprofit would be easy. Had I known how hard either one would be, I might never have started.
With the business, my husband and I ended up funding it with our retirement something we never planned or intended. With the nonprofit, I assumed that because it wasn’t a product, everyone would love it as much as I did. That hasn’t been the case. If I had sat down early on with seasoned nonprofit leaders and heard everything that could go wrong, I probably wouldn’t have done it. So not knowing what was around the corner actually worked in my favor.
Charity Matters: What fuels you to keep doing this work?
Drew Long: Award day. Every single time.
When I call the families and the moms are crying, telling me this was the only scholarship their child received…..that’s what fuels me. We don’t look at ACT scores. We require a 3.0 GPA and base everything on need. I lived the ACT nightmare with my own kids, and I don’t believe it’s a good measure of potential.
These kids often wouldn’t qualify for academic scholarships, but they are absolutely deserving. That moment when they realize, I got a scholarship, when they get to stand with their peers on awards day and that sense of pride is everything. It’s not just financial. It’s validation.
Charity Matters: When do you know you have made a difference?
Drew Long: I know we’ve made a difference because I stay in touch with the families. Our first scholarship recipients are graduating this spring. Parents tell me that we lifted a burden during that first year and that initial push made college possible.
And it goes beyond money. It’s confidence. It’s pride. It’s knowing someone believed in them. One of our recipients went to welding school, and his mom told me she applied on a whim. We were proud to support that because trades matter. AI isn’t replacing welders or plumbers. We need to normalize that path again.
Charity Matters: Tell us what success you have had and what your impact has been?
Drew Long: So far, we’ve awarded 13 scholarships and each one is $5,000. People told me that was too much, but I wanted to move the needle. College is expensive. Five thousand dollars can cover a year at junior college. It’s enough to matter.
The impact isn’t just the number. It’s the pride these students feel. It’s families who thought college wasn’t possible suddenly seeing a path forward. That’s success to me.
Charity Matters: If you could dream any dream for your organization, what would that be?
Drew Long: My dream is simple: to never have an unfunded scholarship. Last year, we had 78 unfunded applicants. That number still sits with me.
Caroline’s Causeis my give-back. I don’t take a salary. If someone gives $5,000, it goes in and goes right back out as a scholarship. I want donors to know exactly where their money goes. People work hard for their money, and transparency matters.
Charity Matters: What life lessons have you learned from this experience?
Drew Long: Do not take no from someone who can’t say yes. Corporate America turned me down when I pitched the idea for a special needs shopping cart. Had I not lived the daily reality of this community, that cart wouldn’t exist today.
You cannot be afraid of hard. You have to be willing to put it all on the line. It’s terrifying. It’s risky. I never thought I was a risk-taker but that’s what it took. You may be asked to walk a path you never imagined, and you have to say yes anyway.
Charity Matters: How has this journey changed you?
Drew Long: You can’t go through years of financial and emotional uncertainty and come out unchanged. Being a special needs parent gives you thick skin. You learn to advocate. You learn to fight. That prepared me for business and for this nonprofit.
I’ve heard “no” more times than I can count and I’m still hearing it. But you keep going. Failure is part of the journey. Community is everything. Nothing I’ve done, neither business nor nonprofit, happened alone. It was people rallying together to solve a problem.
Caroline’s legacy lives through this work. And if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s this: just keep going.
CHARITY MATTERS.
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They change the rhythm of a heartbeat, the meaning of time, the way a family breathes together. Those words change plans and priorities, conversations and calendars. According to data from 2022, more than 20 million people around the world hear those three words each year, and over 53 million people are alive within five years of a diagnosis, still living with and navigating the disease.
There isn’t one person reading this who hasn’t been touched by cancer. A parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, a colleague and a neighbor. Cancer is indiscriminate and relentless, and yet, so are the people who rise to meet it with courage, grit, and hope.
Right now, I have three dear friends all young, vibrant, and full of life who are actively fighting this insidious disease. Watching someone you love endure cancer is its own kind of heartbreak. You want to fix it, take the pain away and most of all to do something. When the truth is that so much of it is out of your control. And yet, this is where love lives, in the something we can do.
Next week, on Wednesday, February 4th, the world will pause to recognize World Cancer Day. I’m sharing this early this year with one simple hope: that we use this moment not just to raise awareness, but to take action. Because kindness, support, and connection matter more than we sometimes realize especially to someone walking through cancer.
The Silent Weight of Cancer
Cancer is not just a medical diagnosis. It is emotional. Financial. Spiritual. It brings exhaustion that sleep doesn’t cure and fear that no amount of reassurance fully erases. Cancer affects the patient, yes but also their families, caregivers, and communities.
There are days filled with scans and waiting rooms. Days of good news and days of devastating setbacks and days when the bravest thing someone can do is simply get out of bed. And while survivors often speak of strength, what I have learned again and again is this: strength doesn’t mean doing it alone. Support matters. Being seen matters. Feeling remembered matters.
What Not to Say and What to Do Instead
Many of us want to help, but we’re afraid of saying the wrong thing. So we say nothing. Or we offer vague promises: “Let me know if you need anything.” Here’s the truth: people with cancer are tired. Tired of explaining, tired of asking and tired of being strong.
Instead of waiting, show up with intention:
Drop off a meal (or better yet, a grocery or restaurant gift card).
Send a simple text: “Thinking of you today.”
Offer specifics: “I can drive you to treatment Tuesday” or “I’ll take the kids Saturday.”
Sit quietly. Listen. Let them talk or not talk at all.
Sometimes the greatest gift is presence without pressure.
Small Acts That Make a Big Difference
As we approach World Cancer Day, here are tangible ways each of us can support those living with cancer:
1. Support Cancer-Focused Organizations There are incredible nonprofits providing research funding, patient services, advocacy, and community. A donation large or small that all helps fuel hope. All of these resources below are linked.
Stupid Cancer – Supporting adolescents and young adults navigating cancer during life’s most formative years.
2. Give Time, Not Just Money Volunteer at a hospital. Help with transportation. Babysit. Walk a dog. Cancer steals energy and your time gives it back.
3. Send Comfort, Not Just Cards Soft socks. Cozy blankets. Journals. A playlist. Small comforts can bring enormous relief during long treatment days.
4. Educate Yourself Understanding the disease your loved one is facing allows you to be more compassionate and present. Knowledge builds empathy.
5. Honor Caregivers Caregivers are often the quiet warriors. Check on them. Feed them. Encourage them to rest. They need support too.
The Power of Community
One of the greatest lessons cancer teaches us, if we’re paying attention, is the power of community. No one is meant to walk this road alone. When we show up for one another, we lighten the load in ways medicine alone cannot. I’ve seen how a meal train becomes a lifeline. How a text at the right moment becomes strength. How a prayer, a note, a simple “I’m here” becomes hope.
And hope matters.
Why World Cancer Day Matters
World Cancer Day isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s a reminder that cancer is a global fight and a deeply personal one. World Cancer Day is a call to compassion, to advocacy and a call to action. On February 4th, wear a ribbon. Share a story. Make a donation. Reach out to someone who is fighting. Do something….anything that says, “You are not alone.”
Because love doesn’t cure cancer but it carries people through it.
A Final Thought
To those fighting cancer: you are seen, you are loved. and you are more than this diagnosis. For those who have lost someone: your grief matters, and your love lives on. And to those who want to help but don’t know how: start small. Start now. Start with love.
This World Cancer Day, let us turn awareness into action, compassion into community, and kindness into healing. Because when we care for one another, truly care, we change the world, one act of love at a time.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
Since July of 2011, I have been sharing my dreams with you, every single week in one way or another. You are my confidants, my motivation, my cheer section, my diary and my accountability. More than that, you help me dream. I can’t dream without you.
I recently heard Mel Robbins say that if you’re looking at a map, you need to know where you were, how you got there, and where you are now to truly understand where you’re going. That stopped me in my tracks. Because as we stand on the edge of a brand-new year, I realized it was time to pause, look back, and reflect, so we can step forward with intention, pride, and excitement.
So today, let’s take a walk together through where we’ve been… so we can dream boldly about where we’re going.
The Early Dreams: Just Figuring it out
In the very first year of Charity Matters, the dream was simple: to find my voice and learn how to write a blog. That’s it. No grand vision. No master plan. Just the hope that maybe, if I kept showing up, the words would come and the message would matter. Creating a logo, a website those were the big dreams then.
There was no Canva, even a logo was a huge process…it was 2010 after all. Back then, tracking down nonprofit founders wasn’t easy either. Finding them at all felt like detective work. Yet, like every nonprofit that begins with the hope of helping “just one person” a phrase I’ve heard from nearly every founder I’ve ever met. Charity Matters began the same way. One story. One voice. One post at a time.
Slowly, year by year, the dream grew.
Eventually, something shifted. Founders began coming to me. Today, we have more people to interview than we have time for and that is a gift I never take lightly.
The “All or None” Years
When I started at TACSC, I was asked a question I’ll never forget: “How will you juggle a family, nonprofit boards, and this blog?”
The suggestion was that something had to give. My answer was simple and honest: “It’s all or none.”
That belief shaped everything that came next.
By 2013, Sundays became writing days. I spent three to five hours every Sunday transcribing handwritten notes, replaying phone calls, and doing my best to get every word right. It was hard. It was imperfect. And it was sacred.
Looking back now, I smile at that version of myself….determined, tired, and deeply committed to showing up anyway. Who knew then that all of that was training ground for what was to come.
Big Dreams and Paused Ones
In 2018, something extraordinary happened. CBS decided to move forward with a Charity Matters reality show. It was surreal. We worked on it all through 2019, dreaming big and imagining what could be.
When my champion at CBS left in November 2019, we decided to pause and pick things up in 2020.
And then… well, we all know what happened next.
That dream didn’t die….it simply went on hold. And I’ve learned that sometimes dreams don’t disappear; they wait patiently for the right season.
The Podcast Pivot
By 2020, the dream shifted again and this time toward finding an easier way to transcribe interviews. That practical need is what led me to start the Charity Matters podcast. I naively assumed my readers would naturally become listeners.
Some of you did. Many of you didn’t. And that was okay.
What I didn’t expect was that the podcast would create an entirely new audience. One I never could have imagined. Thanks to transcription tools and new technology, the way I worked and the way we connected….all of that changed forever.
Today, the podcast is top-rated. Proof that dreams often unfold in ways we never plan, but always need.
Dreams Written in Ink
In November of 2023, during a podcast interview with Cindy Witteman, I admitted something out loud that had lived quietly in my heart for years: I had always dreamed of writing a book and contributing to a magazine.
On October 1, 2024, that dream became reality.
Change for Goodlaunched and became an Amazon bestseller in five categories before it was even released in paperback. Weeks later, Cindy launched FORCE Magazine, and I’ve been writing a monthly column ever since.
Dreams really do come true and sometimes when you say them out loud to the right person at exactly the right time.
What 2025 Taught Me
2025 was filled with book promotion and public speaking—and I loved every minute of it. Being back in rooms with people, hearing your stories, laughing, crying, connecting… it reminded me of something essential.
Connection is what I want more of. Connection with the founders I interview. Connection with readers, listeners, and audiences who believe that kindness and service can change the world. People need people and zoom just isn’t enough.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As I look toward 2026, I see more public speaking ahead and I want to be better at it. I want to grow as a storyteller. To move people not just with words, but with presence and purpose.
I also want to fully embrace technology. No more fighting it. No more resisting. Technology is a gift that gives us back time and time is precious. I’m taking AI classes, learning new tools, and yes… I still write every word of this myself. (Though maybe that’s something I’ll rethink, too.)
One dream that feels especially bold? A TED Talk. Like training for a marathon, having that goal would push me to grow, stretch, and rise to the challenge.
The Biggest Dream of All
Perhaps the biggest and most vulnerable dream for 2026 is monetizing the podcast.
For years, I’ve paid out of pocket to keep it going by supporting our incredible team of sound editors and social media experts. Money went out every month, but none came in. I told myself I couldn’t accept funds for anything connected to charity, because this was my charity.
This year, something shifted.
If my mission is to help the helpers, then growth matters. Expansion matters. Sustainability matters. And all of that costs money.
So in 2026, we’ll begin partnering with select organizations that align deeply with our values. No selling yoga pants. No “micro-influencer” nonsense. Just meaningful partnerships with people doing good in the world.
And that feels right.
Cheers to the Journey
When I look back at where we’ve been and how far we’ve come together, I feel overwhelming pride. When I look ahead at where we’re going, I feel excited, hopeful, and deeply grateful.
Life really is about the journey and not the destination.
Thank you for being such a powerful part of mine. Thank you for dreaming with me, believing with me, and showing up week after week.
Here’s to where we’ve been and blessings on where we’re going.
Happy New Year! May all your dreams come true!
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
As we say goodbye to 2025 and prepare to welcome a brand-new year, it feels important….necessary, really to pause. To breathe. To look back with gratitude at the people who crossed our path and the lessons they so generously shared.
This past year, we were privileged to meet some of the most extraordinary humans. These nonprofit founders who opened their hearts, shared their stories, and reminded us what it truly means to live, to give, to serve, and to lead. These are the people who show up when life breaks open. The ones who take pain and transform it into purpose. The ones who remind us that service heals not just the world, but the soul.
What follows is a reflection on just a few of the remarkable people who we met in 2025 and the wisdom they entrusted to us, using their exact words, because their voices matter. Their truth matters. And their lessons deserve to be remembered as we step into a new year with hope.
Mission, Mentorship, and the Courage to Act
We began the year with ICL FounderKirk Spahn, whose clarity around mission and momentum set the tone for the year ahead. Kirk said, “It goes back to being mission driven, and the idea that when you inspire someone, and someone gets inspired, you want to take action right away.” Kirk spoke about honoring what has come before while still having the courage to evolve. “I have a concept in education that we use at ICL that says, respect tradition, but embrace tomorrow.”
He reminded us that inspiration is not passive, it is meant to move us. And that mentors and teachers change lives not only by what they teach, but by what they see in us. “I believe that teachers and mentors are still what motivates people… It’s also on the flip side, someone that believes in you as an individual, that the world might see the potential in you.”
The lesson? When we believe in people and give them tools to apply their passion to the real world, we don’t just educate. We empower.
Faith, Purpose, and the Strength to Persist
We were deeply moved by KinderSmile Foundation founder Dr. Nicole McGrath Barnes,whose words were a masterclass in purpose-driven perseverance. Nicole said, “To be very honest, what fueled me was my faith and that I was brought here for a reason. This is my purpose.” And when you know your purpose, you don’t quit.
She said, There’s no such thing as giving up… You understand that there will be dark times and there will be light times, but you still persist, because it’s bigger than me. It’s serving a community and it’s creating a legacy.” Her lesson was simple and profound: purpose anchors us when the road gets hard and it always does.
Finding Your Voice So Others Can Find Theirs
Then there was the incomparable Enchanted Makeovers founder Terry Grahl,whose journey from silence to strength reminded us that voices are often born in pain. Terry is a warrior who said, “At the very beginning, I prayed through tears, arms lifted, saying, ‘God, give me a voice, please just give me a voice so I can be a voice for others.’”
Terry shared how she was once told to stay quiet and how God had other plans.“I was painfully shy… I was bullied constantly… But God kept His promise.” Her lesson was unmistakable: “God gave me this voice so I can use it for women, for children, for those who don’t yet believe they’re worthy of being heard.”
Sometimes the very thing that once silenced us becomes the tool we use to set others free.
Lessons From Parents Who Have Lost the Most
When people ask what nonprofit founders leave the biggest impressions and teach us the most? The answer is always the same: parents who have lost a child. Their grief is profound and so is their wisdom.
Choosing Meaning Over Ease
Thrive N Joy Foundation founder Mary Fagnanoshared this truth after losing her son Nick: Mary said, “Never to take a day for granted. Every day is precious. Every relationship that is important to you is precious.”
And then, a line that stays with you forever:“I don’t want to live an easy life. I want to live a meaningful life.”
Being Cracked Open by Loss and Love
Susie Shaw, Founder of William’s Be Yourself Challenge, spoke with breathtaking honesty about losing her young son William. “When William died, my entire life changed 100%.” Grief reshaped her identity and expanded her compassion.“We were just cracked open. Everything just came pouring out… I’ve grown so much in my empathy.”
Her lesson was one we all need to hear: “We all just need to slow down.”
Grief, Gratitude, and Love Organized
Penny’s Flight founder Kate Doergeshared words that feel like poetry and truth intertwined. Kate said “I used to search for the ‘one client’ that would let me move the needle; now I see that the needle is people, and the work is love organized.” She reminded us that grief and gratitude are not opposites.“I’ve learned that grief and gratitude can share a sentence.”
And perhaps most beautifully: “It’s our wingspan… how far we’re willing to reach for others… that measures a life.”
Fathers’, Loss, and Clarity
A Brighter Day founder Elliot Kallenreminded us how fleeting life truly is. He said, “Life goes by in the blink of an eye.”His lesson centered on intention and impact:“What truly matters is the people around you, the lives you touch, the impact you make.”
Pain and Purpose Living Side by Side
Finally, Shoulder Check co-founder Rob Thorsenshared a powerful vision of leadership shaped by loss. Rob said, “Pain and purpose live together now.” And with clarity born from heartbreak: “Less time for what doesn’t matter, more devotion to what does.”
His closing reflection says it all: “If my legacy is simply that people checked in on one another more often, that would be a life well-lived.”
Gratitude as We Step Into a New Year
Each guest and lesson is a gift we have been given. It is my hope that we can all carry some of these words of wisdom into the New Year. There are so many wise people we met this year and far too many people to list. To every nonprofit founder who shared so deeply and so personally…..thank you. Your journeys inspire us to be better, to find joy in loss, to keep moving forward, and to believe, deeply, that service heals.
To everyone who read, shared, subscribed, listened, and cheered us on….thank you for being part of this movement for good. The world needs us all now more than ever.
May we enter the New Year remembering that every small act of kindness makes the world better. Wishing you all a blessed, hopeful, and beautiful New Year ahead.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
“Christmas, my child is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.”
Dale Evans
Today is Christmas Eve at last, It’s here so quickly…..far too fast. A sacred pause, a softened night, Where hearts grow warm by candlelight.
It’s always been my favorite eve, A night I hold and still believe. My parents’ table, stretched and wide, With room for all who stepped inside.
For friends and family, near and stray, For those with nowhere else to stay. No questions asked, no need to prove Just open doors and space to move.
In giving love, our home once grew More full than walls could ever do. And now, again, we gather near, With laughter, joy, and holiday cheer.
This year’s no different, still the same The love, the noise, the glowing flame. My heart is full beyond its seams, Overflowing hope and Christmas dreams.
Yet on this night, so calm and bright, We pause to honor those not in sight. The empty chair, the voice we miss, The ones we loved, remembered in this.
Their presence lingers, soft and true, In whispered prayers and memories too. They live in stories, love, and light, Especially on this holy night.
And still, we’re called to look around, For lonely hearts that may be found. A neighbor quiet, a friend alone, Far from the place they once called home.
A simple act, a gift so small, Can mean the most, it means it all. For Christmas lives in what we give, In how we love, in how we live.
Each time we love, we freely give, That’s how the truest gifts all live. My wish this night, both far and near, Is that all feel love this time of year.
May hope be felt, may hearts feel whole, May peace and kindness fill each soul. Merry Christmas, warm and true May love find its way home to you.
Merry Christmas
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
There are moments in life when the universe seems to wink at you. Moments when all your hard work, heart, and hustle come full circle in the most unexpected and delightful way. Well friends, that moment came early for me this year. Forget wrapping paper and ribbons, because this year’s Christmas gift came straight from Spotify. And let me tell you, it was wrapped in joy, gratitude, and more than a little disbelief.
When I opened our Spotify Wrapped report for the Charity Matters Podcast, I felt a little like a kid sneaking down the stairs too early on Christmas morning ….. excited, giddy, and totally overwhelmed. There it was in black and green: we’re in the top 5% of podcasts in our category! Cue the sleigh bells and maybe a little happy dance around my office.
I have to admit, I blinked a few times, refreshed the page, and maybe even said a little “Wait, what?” out loud. But there it was again. And as if that wasn’t enough Christmas cheer, the stats just kept on coming:
Our show’s growth outpaced 64% of all podcasts this year. Our listeners stayed tuned in 73% longer than the average show. Our average rating was 75% higher than other podcasts. And best of all …. our audience grew by 25%, with our followers growing even more than that!
If this isn’t a Christmas miracle, I don’t know what is?
When I started Charity Matters, it wasn’t about numbers or rankings . Charity Matters is about storytelling, service and kindness. It was about shining a light on the helpers, the doers, and the givers who are out there quietly changing the world every single day. What began as a blog over a decade ago just me, a laptop, and a whole lot of heart has blossomed into a community, a conversation, and yes, now a top 5% podcast.
That’s not my doing. That’s you.
You, the listeners who tune in each week while driving to work, folding laundry, walking your dog, or just needing a little reminder that goodness still exists in this crazy world. You, the readers who open each week’s story, share it with friends, and send me messages that remind me why I do this. You, the guests …. the amazing nonprofit founders, the changemakers, the dreamers each who share your stories so vulnerably and powerfully that they ripple far beyond the microphone.
This isn’t my Christmas gift … it’s ours.
When I think about the spirit of Christmas and the real meaning behind it ……Christmas is about love, gratitude, and giving. And that’s exactly what this podcast has become: a community built on giving. Every episode, every interview, every listener who takes an idea and turns it into an act of kindness . Each of you are proof that goodness is alive and well.
And maybe that’s why this milestone feels so personal. Because for me, Charity Mattershas never been just a show but rather a movement for good. It’s about making kindness and service not just something we do when we have time, but something we live.
When I wrote Change for Good, I shared a line that I come back to often: “When we serve others, we heal ourselves.” That’s what I see in each of you. Every download, every listen, every small act of service that was inspired by one of our episodes those are all little sparks of healing and hope. Together, we are creating something extraordinary.
Now, I have to confess , I’m a bit of a stats nerd (I know, shocking). But these numbers are more than data points; they’re proof of connection. Proof that even in a world obsessed with negativity and noise, people are still choosing to listen to stories about kindness. Proof that you are hungry …no, starving for good news, for hope, for inspiration.
And you’re finding it here, week after week.
Our little show that started with a microphone and a mission has found its place in the top 5%. That’s not luck, that’s the result of thousands of ears and hearts choosing to tune in. You’ve made Charity Matters part of your lives, and in doing so, you’ve made me believe even more deeply in the power of storytelling to change the world.
Every time you share an episode, every time you leave a review, every time you tell a friend, “You have to hear this story,” you are helping kindness go viral. You are helping to make service contagious. You are proving that goodness is not only alive but it’s growing, one listener at a time.
So yes, Christmas came early this year. But the real gift isn’t the ranking or the growth or even the shiny Spotify badge (though I’ll admit, that’s pretty fun). The real gift is knowing that we are making an impact together.
It’s knowing that somewhere out there, a listener heard a story that made them volunteer for the first time. Or donate. Or start their own nonprofit. Or maybe just smile at a stranger. Because that’s how kindness works and it multiplies.
And that’s the mission. That’s the heartbeat of Charity Matters.
As we head into the holiday season, I want to take a moment to simply say thank you. Thank you for believing in this movement for good. Thank you for making kindness a choice, not a coincidence. Thank you for showing up week after week, story after story to remind me that there are helpers everywhere.
Fred Rogers once said, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Well, I don’t have to look far. I see them every time I open our listener stats. I see them in you.
So from the bottom of my heart and from everyone behind the scenes who makes this show possible …thank you for being the heartbeat of this movement.
Here’s to the year ahead. To more stories, more kindness, more connection, and more moments that remind us that change for good always begins with one simple act …. choosing to care.
May your holidays be filled with joy, love, and gratitude. And if you need a little extra holiday spirit, might I recommend scrolling through our Spotify playlist of goodness? You helped build it, after all.
Merry Christmas, my friends. You are the reason Christmas came early this year and I couldn’t imagine a better gift.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
Every November, as the air turns crisp and the days shorten, something shifts inside of us. We slow down, just a little and begin to think about gratitude. Thanksgiving arrives like a gentle reminder, asking us to pause, look around, and take stock of the blessings that surround us. It’s one of my favorite holidays, not because of the turkey or the table setting (though I do love those too), but because of what it represents: connection, community, and grace.
For me, Thanksgiving will always carry a deeper meaning. The holiday became sacred in 2002, the year we lost my mom. That November, grief was a constant companion. My sisters and I were staying in our childhood home while my dad still in the hospital, the world around us still blurry from shock. We were exhausted, numb, and trying to hold one another up. Everyone was dancing around the idea of Thanksgiving, unsure if we could celebrate when our hearts were shattered.
And then, on Thanksgiving morning, the doctor gave us an unexpected gift. My dad could come home. After weeks of fear and heartbreak, we suddenly had something to be grateful for. That day, we ordered take-out turkey, set the table in the home that had always been our family’s heart, and gathered around with our newborn niece. It wasn’t perfect, but it was beautiful. My dad’s chair was filled, even though my mom’s was heartbreakingly empty. For the first time, I realized that sadness and joy can coexist with loss. Even in loss, gratitude can bloom. Our take-out turkey had never tasted so good, and our laughter through tears became a form of prayer.
That Thanksgiving taught me something essential: gratitude isn’t about everything being right. It’s about being thankful anyway. It’s about recognizing the light even in the darkest moments, about seeing blessings wrapped in grief. It was the beginning of understanding that gratitude is not a reaction…..it’s a choice.
Over the years, I’ve come to see how gratitude and service are inseparable. In Change for Good, I wrote that “there is no joy without gratitude.” The two are intertwined, and together, they transform our lives. Gratitude softens us; it reminds us that what we have is enough. Service, in turn, amplifies that gratitude. It’s the natural overflow of a full heart and the way love finds its way outward.
When I began interviewing nonprofit founders for Charity Matters, I noticed something extraordinary: every single one of them, in one way or another, was fueled by gratitude. Some had survived loss or trauma; others had simply been touched by profound kindness. Each story was a living example of what I call “miracle fuel” which is the energy that comes when we stop focusing on what we lack and instead recognize how much we already have. Gratitude propels us forward; it’s the quiet force that turns pain into purpose.
Take Paige Chenault, who realized that her gift for throwing parties could bring joy to children living in homeless shelters. Her gratitude for her own daughter’s birthday became a spark that ignited The Birthday Party Project.Paige’s story beautifully shows how gratitude becomes contagious and how one thankful heart can inspire thousands to celebrate others.
Every story I’ve shared and every interview I’ve done, reinforces what Thanksgiving teaches us: gratitude changes everything. It rewires our hearts, softens our spirits, and reminds us that even the smallest acts of kindness can ripple outward in ways we may never see.
As I’ve learned through my own journey, gratitude is more than a polite “thank you.” Gratitude is a daily practice, a perspective, and a way of life. It’s the decision to look for grace when it would be easier to focus on what’s missing. It’s the steady voice that whispers, you have enough.
And when gratitude overflows, it naturally becomes service. We can’t help but give when our hearts are full. That’s why Thanksgiving feels like the truest reflection of who we are meant to be….not a day of indulgence, but of awareness. It reminds us to see one another, to gather, to care, to serve. Because gratitude without action is incomplete. When we give thanks and then give of ourselves, we honor the very spirit of the holiday.
In Change for Good, I shared how service healed me in unimaginable ways. Grief cracked me open, but gratitude stitched me back together. Service filled the empty spaces that loss left behind. When we serve others that is when we are living the truest form of Thanksgiving. We are saying, through our actions, thank you for this life.
Today, I think about the new table our family will be celebrating around. Joining our daughter-in-law’s family and the blending of two families coming together. I think of my mom and how much she would love all of them. Then I come back to that first Thanksgiving after my mom’s passing. There are still absences that ache, but also new blessings that fill the space. Gratitude, I’ve learned, is cumulative. It grows when shared. Each year, each moment of thanks adds another layer to the tapestry of our lives.
So as we gather this year around big tables or small ones, with family, friends, or even alone I hope we take a moment to truly feel the miracle of the ordinary. The smell of the meal, the sound of laughter, the warmth of someone’s hand, the quiet peace of being alive. These are the things that matter.
Thanksgiving is not about perfection but about presence. It’s about seeing what remains, not what’s gone. The day is about opening our eyes to the beauty that is always there, waiting to be noticed. And when we do, we discover that gratitude isn’t just for one day but it’s the rhythm that can carry us through every season.
This Thanksgiving, may we remember that gratitude isn’t something we feel once a year, it’s something we live. May we find joy in the small things, hope in hard times, and purpose in helping others. Because when we live with grateful hearts, every day becomes Thanksgiving.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
Pablo Picasso said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” That’s the thread running through this week’s episode with my dear friend Jill, founder of Uprising Yoga. Jill’s journey is a full-circle story. From an angry, hurting teenager to a joyful healer bringing trauma-informed yoga and life skills to youth in juvenile halls. She discovered a gift that first saved her own life: breath, presence, and the slow, steady return to self. And then she did the most beautiful thing….she gave that gift away, again and again, to kids who need it most.
In this conversation, Jill invites us into the processing units at juvenile hall, where resistance softens into resilience, where a single breath can become a lifeline, and where hope looks like one small practice done with love. If you’ve ever wondered how purpose finds us in the mess and the miracle of real life, you’ll feel it here. Come listen to how a $10, ten-day yoga pass became a mission, how community shows up when we “look for the helpers,” and how gifts once found…can ripple out to change the world.
Here are a few highlights from our conversation:
Charity Matters: Tell us a little about what Uprising Yoga does?
Jill Ippolito: At Uprising Yoga,the main thing we do is bring trauma-informed yoga life skills to those incarcerated and communities that need it most. That’s the mission. What we’re actually doing currently: we have trauma-informed yoga trainings that we have taught, but right now we have two classes at Los Padrinos in juvenile hall, in the processing units, where youth are taken and detained and moved through the system.
Charity Matters: What were some early memories of service or giving?
Jill Ippolito: I was an angry teenager. Resistance. Always getting in trouble. Defiant rebellion to authority. Refusal to be a part of volunteering. My mom insisted. I have a picture of me wearing a shirt called “Do Something,” and that was the name of one of the organizations she dragged me to. I had a frown on my face. I did not want to help anybody. And she just insisted that, you know what, wherever we are, we can reach out and help anybody in need. She made me do it. There are pictures of me…reluctant.
Charity Matters: What was the moment you knew you needed to act and start Uprising Yoga?
Jill Ippolito: In 2001 I was dealing with my own addiction issues. I was in jails and institutions. I was told to go to a program for recovery. Shocking, daunting and defiant refusal again. When I tried to go into some of this recovery, the lights were really bright, the people were smiling, facial expressions hard. I signed up for $10 for 10 days to a hot yoga studio, and it helped me feel safe. It changed everything. I left the class feeling lighter, like my life could have purpose if I went to yoga every day. Just $10, 10 days…I wondered how many times can I go in those 10 days? That’s where something started to shift in my personal recovery.
Fast forward to 2006. I was dating my now husband, Nick. He went to a place called Challenger, a youth probation camp…basically prison camp….named after the astronauts. He came home with a look on his face: horror story. The conditions were so terrible there. I said, “Can I teach yoga there?” By then I had become a yoga teacher. It was a really long time, but we started our first class back in November of 2011. This month Uprising Yogaturns 14 years.
I started volunteering in juvenile hall; there were a lot of hurdles to get there, but that’s when we aligned with LA County. I called my mom and said, “Hey, we’ve been volunteering in juvenile hall.” She said, “Is that the one I picked you up from when you were a kid?” I had been in juvenile hall as a youth without remembering it. I started to really study trauma and the effects, and how yoga gave me that sense of peace that I wanted to breathe and live life in a healthy way, instead of choosing the darkness I was trapped in at the time.
Charity Matters: What are your biggest challenges?
Jill Ippolito: I never wanted to be a yoga teacher. I fell into it by falling off buildings and landing in: I need this yoga; what do I do? And I never wanted to build a nonprofit. I was working at a yoga college, talking about volunteering, and a close friend said, “Why don’t you file for a nonprofit?” I said, “I don’t know how.” He goes, “You just fill out the paperwork, and if you do anything wrong, trust me, they’ll call you.” That put the seed in me.
I didn’t want to sit at the counter forever. I wasn’t really hireable. Working for someone else wasn’t my personality, so I thought I’d better build something I can run and do. I started playing with names, organization, building it from there, looking around at colleagues. People said, “I want to be a part of this. I want to teach.” They brought resources and education. We wrote a manual. We did a training. We basically became a pipeline to get yoga instructors to share their gifts.
The hurdles are heavy: child sex trafficking, foster youth, gangs. We brought in experts, integrated their knowledge into our trainings. There’s bureaucracy, red tape, security…just to get into prisons and juvenile halls. But we kept going.
photo: Robert Sturman
Charity Matters: What fuels you to keep doing this work?
Jill Ippolito: I know how much it helped me. It turned my life around, from the impossible to a beautiful life. That keeps me going. When the kids come up and say, “Miss, I could feel my heartbeat,” “I can breathe,” “What you taught me helped me sleep last night.” Watching the resistance like I had…being angry at the world and really believing there’s no one who’s going to help me… My main mission has been autonomy: go within. What is there? Find your resilience and trust yourself. Do some re-parenting if you’ve never had any self-love, self-care. It’s never about yoga. It’s all about mindfulness, meditation, self-care. The resilience of: how can I apply these skills directly in my life? If I sit, breathe, feel, connect then when I slow down, the urgency to react and resist softens.
Charity Matters: When do you know you have made a difference?
JillIppolito: The stories and the notes the kids bring us. A kid saying, “You’re my hero….you’ve lived this life we’re living and you’ve had triumph.” The one-on-one communications: “How do I do this when I get out?” If I never see this kid again, I want them, in five minutes, to know they can inhale, hold it, and use a longer exhale to regulate their nervous system so they can think clearly. For example when they’re in court testifying against their abusers. Planting a seed: we care about you; there are people out there who care about you; and this is a five-minute thing you can do to calm down.
“Yoga is a gift. No one can take it from you.” Breathing is life. People may take and take; what is something nobody can take from you? Your breath. Your connection to your heart.
Charity Matters: Tell us what success you have had and what your impact has been?
Jill Ippolito: The thousands of incarcerated youth and community members we’ve served. Bridging people together……working with Indigenous populations and other countries. I loved getting to work with Elmo on Sesame Street for Monster Yoga. My peers invited me to write a book with them called Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System. Collaboration with other nonprofits…all of that’s success to me.
I was on Roadtrip Nation with PBS; kids chose their heroes and brought a bus to my class. To have a kid say you’re my hero… just wow! Data matters too: from August to this month….22 classes; 144 kids; twice a week. I’m proud of career pathways: getting jobs for our youth taking our class. We recognize talent. I tell them, “Yoga really likes you.” They brighten up. We’ve helped youth become yoga teachers and then hired them. That’s a huge success.
And I’ll add my personal success: being true to myself and my artistry. I love doing stand-up comedy. I have a persona, “Jill So Chill.” I keep people to chill out, laugh, have fun. After heavy stories that feel like there aren’t solutions, my biggest skill is to laugh and be in the present moment.
Photo: Robert Sturman
Charity Matters: If you could dream any dream for your organization, what would that be?
Jill Ippolito: A dedicated Uprising Yoga Center, where people can go: safe space for healing, nourishment, food. With food insecurity and SNAP issues, there’s more need for impact and fostering community. Partnering with other nonprofits.
One of my biggest dreams is to put our trauma-informed yoga training into a slick, interactive system….like the DMV: read something, take a test; read something, take a test; earn a certificate. We did three in-person trainings a year pre-pandemic in two days, 16 hours, certified. They’re online for purchase now but mostly videos. I want it more interactive trauma-informed community care throughout the system. I trained probation staff in yoga life skills. What if I train volunteers across other programs too?
I was part of something called the LA Model, transforming the whole probation institution into trauma-informed care: chefs, officers, everyone. That impact helped close one juvenile hall and build a Wellness Center. How do we change from punitive to restorative? Those are my big dreams.
Charity Matters: What life lessons have you learned from this experience?
Jill Ippolito: Learn what my teachers taught me. When I went to that $10 for 10 days in Silver Lake, I was not great at yoga, cussing in the mirror when I fell out of a posture. I had no balance. I’d fallen off three two-story buildings, broke my back, did physical therapy. No sense of groundedness. The yoga teachers said, “If you could just sit down….you don’t have to do every posture.” How do you begin to take care of yourself? How do you restore chaos and neglect? Go slow. Take the wins. Celebrate yourself. “Love yourself” is said a lot. What does that mean when I don’t understand it? Break it down so it’s tangible: stop fighting everybody and everything. Surrender.
I have spirituality, a God I connect to guiding me, that I trust. Not the punitive Catholic-school God I grew up with. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Stop the cycle of abuse. Don’t tolerate it. People-pleasing can interrupt healing. It’s messy. It’s not linear, two steps forward, four back. Be patient. Be gentle. This month we’re doing a 30-day self-care yoga challenge fundraiser. Supposed to do yoga every day for 30 days but it’s not fanaticism. If I don’t go that day, maybe I hug a tree. Maybe I write a love letter. Something kind that’s self-care. I need that still, today.
And one more: “Helping” isn’t the same as empowerment. I started seeing all the people wanting to help—and realized there’s a bridge between people who want to help and people who need help. How do I hook them together? That’s what our trainings do. I thought yoga was about me getting in shape, but when I do yoga, I help others in community. Healing community is heart-centered focus: get everybody on the same page and find solutions that work.
Charity Matters: How has this journey changed you?
Jill Ippolito: My whole mindset changed. I didn’t know there are people who really want to help you. I thought other people were enemies. Don’t trust anybody, that’s how I grew up. It took a long time for this broken child in me to look around and go: there are people coming out of the woodwork who want to help….not just me, but others.
We work with a lot of CSEC survivors. At a symposium, an adult formerly trafficked stood up and said to the social workers and helpers: “I didn’t know there were people like you looking to help people like me.” I agreed. I thought the same. Look for the helpers because they really do show up.
So the momentum came from seeing them and then realizing: helping is not service; it’s not empowerment. We want to empower and lift up. I bridge the people who want to help with the people who need help. That’s the work: connect the yoga studio, the foster youth, the prisons, the activists. Blend everyone and offer: let’s find a solution that works. That’s healing community. That’s heart-centered focus.
And I’ll always tell the youth: yoga is a gift. No one can take it from you. You may not have a refrigerator to open. No one may be coming to pick you up. The system may be taking and taking. But you have your breath. You have your heart. In five minutes, you can inhale, hold it, exhale longer calm your nervous system and think clearly. If I never see you again, I want you to know that. That’s how I’ve changed: I trust that simple, powerful truth.
CHARITY MATTERS.
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It’s hard to believe that it has been a full year since Change for Good: The Transformative Power of Giving as the Ultimate Curewas released into the world. Like most milestones, this one feels both surreal and sacred. Writing a book is a lot like giving birth…..there is anticipation, fear, excitement, exhaustion, and ultimately, immense gratitude. You spend years nurturing an idea and then one day, you let it go. You release it into the world, hoping it will find its way, touch lives, and maybe, just maybe, make a difference.
When I first began writing Change for Good, I thought I knew exactly what it would be. I had the script all mapped out in my head. the book would be a love letter to service, a guide to kindness, and a collection of stories meant to inspire others to see how small acts can create big change. I imagined how it would be received, what it might spark, and how it might ripple out into the world. But like every parent quickly learns, life rarely goes according to plan. Once the book was out in the world, it became something bigger and more profound than I could have ever imagined. I didn’t dare to dream or ever think it would be an Amazon bestseller in five categories. That one is still hard to believe…
This past year has been filled with gifts I didn’t expect. The book has been a bridge that has connected me to thousands of readers, podcast listeners, and audiences across the country who have reached out to share their stories of how Change for Goodtouched their hearts. I’ve had the privilege of hearing from people who decided to start volunteering, launch nonprofits, reconnect with their purpose, or simply treat the person in front of them with more compassion. Each message, each encounter, has been a reminder that kindness is contagious and that we are all far more connected than we realize.
What has humbled me most are the stories that have been shared in return. After book talks people often come up to me and say, “I have a story for you.” Then they begin to tell me about the child they lost, the battle they fought, the person they helped, or the act of grace that changed their life. These stories of service and survival, of heartbreak and healing, have been my greatest teachers. Every time I hear one, I am reminded why I wrote the book in the first place. Change for Good reminds all of us that we are not alone. We each have the power to make change for good. That act of giving is truly what binds us together as human beings.
The year has also taught me lessons I didn’t expect…..lessons about patience, faith, and surrender. I’ve learned that once you create something, it’s no longer yours. Like a child growing up and finding their way in the world, Change for Good has taken on a life of its own. The book has been used for book clubs, been quoted in sermons, used in classrooms, referenced in college term papers and leadership programs. My favorite is hearing that the book even sparked discussions at dinner tables. The messages that once lived only in my head and heart is now become part of a larger conversation about service, kindness, and the power of community. That is both humbling and awe-inspiring.
What I didn’t anticipate was how Change for Goodwould continue to change me. Over the past year, I’ve had to live my own message in new and deeper ways. Writing about kindness is one thing; practicing it daily, especially when life throws challenges your way, is another. There have been moments of exhaustion, doubt, and overwhelm…..times when juggling the nonprofit, the podcast, the blog, and the endless to-do lists felt like too much. But then someone would send a message saying, “Your book inspired me to serve,” or “I needed this today,” and suddenly, I would remember why it all mattered.
The truth is, this book was never just about me….it was about us. It was about shining a light on the helpers, the givers, the people who wake up every day and choose to make the world a little better. It was about telling the stories that too often go untold. And it was about showing that kindness isn’t complicated…..it’s simply love in action.
A year later, I am filled with gratitude for every reader who has shared their journey, for every nonprofit founder who has opened their heart on the Charity Matters podcast, for every person who took the time to send a note, attend a talk, or pass along a story. Each of you has been part of this incredible journey, and each of you continues to remind me that giving truly changes everything.
As I look ahead, I know that Change for Goodis still growing, still evolving, and still finding new ways to connect with people. Like any living thing, it’s continuing to breathe and expand through every person who picks it up and chooses to act. My hope is that its message continues to plant seeds of service and compassion that bloom in ways we can’t yet see.
So as I celebrate one year of Change for Good, I’m not just celebrating a book…I’m celebrating the movement it represents. A movement of kindness, of purpose, of community. A reminder that no act of love, however small, ever goes unnoticed. Thank you for being part of this journey, for believing in the power of good, and for continuing to make this world a little brighter…..one act of kindness at a time.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
Some stories meet you in the deepest places and still lift you higher. This week, you’ll meet Kate Doerge….wife, mother, builder of community……who turned the unthinkable loss of her daughter, Penny, into a living legacy called Penny’s Flight. What began in a cocoon of love and butterflies has become a national movement of students, families, and friends spreading wings for those living with neurofibromatosis. Kate’s pillars; finding beauty in imperfection, choosing positivity in the face of challenge, and having faith over fear…..these aren’t just slogans; they’re the way she gets up, puts both feet on the floor, and keeps going. You can feel Penny’s light in every word.
Frankie Doerge, Chad Doerge, Kate Doerge, Henry Doerge
If you’ve ever wondered how purpose is born from pain, or how one brave family can transform grief into hope for thousands, this episode is for you. Kate’s story is tender and electric, grounded and soaring….all at once. It will remind you that we always have a choice in how we play the cards we’re dealt, and that a single flutter can change the weather for someone else. Come listen, be moved, and like Penny……leave with a bigger wingspan.
Here are a few highlights from our conversation:
Charity Matters: Tell us a little about what Penny’s Flight does?
Kate Doerge:Penny’s Flight exists to keep our daughter Penny’s big, beautiful light alive and to change the future for families living with neurofibromatosis (NF). NF is actually the most common genetic condition in the U.S., but it’s also one of the most underfunded. Roughly 1 in 2,500 people are affected, about 150,000 Americans, yet most people have never heard of it. Penny was diagnosed at four months old, and even then we refused to let a diagnosis define her. She lived joyfully for sixteen radiant years.
When Penny passed on November 11th, 2022, our community wrapped us in so much love that my husband and I knew we had to channel that energy into purpose. Within four weeks, we launched Penny’s Flight. Since then, wings have truly spread: we’ve raised close to $6 million, started more than a hundred student-led chapters at high schools and colleges, and rallied teams and towns around “Play for Penny” lacrosse games, “Pucks for Penny” hockey nights, bake sales…..whatever brings people together to shine a light. Our three pillars guide everything: finding beauty in imperfection, choosing positivity in the face of challenge, and having faith over fear. And our mantra, “It’s your wingspan, not your lifespan” is Penny’s message to the world.
Charity Matters: Tell us a little about Growing up? Did you have any role models that inspired you in this work?
Kate Doerge: My role models were my parents from day one. My mom was a dancer and an absolute beam of light….belly dancing, tap, jazzercise……you name it. She taught me how physical strength fuels mental strength and how movement lifts you out of darkness. My dad was a devout Catholic, a former Marine who once studied for the priesthood. From him I learned faith, service, and the belief that there’s something bigger than all of us.
Our home life wasn’t cookie-cutter. My mom might pick me up in leg warmers while other moms wore turtlenecks. We traveled to Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the 1980s, long before “service trips” were common….so I saw early what it meant to help beyond your comfort zone. That shaped me. In my career in PR and fashion, I was always asking, “Where can I make a real impact?” Those seeds of service were planted well before Penny’s diagnosis, and they sprouted the moment we needed them.
Charity Matters: What was the moment you knew you needed to act and start Penny’s Flight?
Kate Doerge: I always return to my father’s advice the night before our wedding: “You will be challenged. It is up to you how you play the cards you’re dealt.” When Penny’s brain tumor, glioblastoma…..accelerated in her last two years, we chose to celebrate her life loudly. During her final week, instead of closing the doors, we opened the windows and invited everyone in. We created what I call a “love cocoon.” There were butterflies everywhere….her sign to us.
After we celebrated her life, my husband and I looked at each other and knew: we have to do something. My background is launching brands; his is finance. Our community was saying, “How can we help?” Four weeks after November 11th, we launched Penny’s Flight. It felt like Penny was our partner in it…..like she was saying, “Keep going.” Even on the day she passed, we took a family walk, got back in the car, turned the ignition, and “Walking on Sunshine”…her song blared from the radio though it hadn’t been on before. That was our first sign: move forward, one step at a time.
Charity Matters: What are your biggest challenges?
Kate Doerge: Grief and logistics don’t take turns. I had two sons, a husband, a home, a community of Penny’s sixteen-year-old friends who had never lost someone, and extended family…..all hurting. I felt a responsibility to lead with light, to model a path that others could follow. Practically, the challenges are familiar to every founder: building infrastructure while building momentum; sustaining funding; making noise in a noisy world. Add to that the complexity of medical research siloed efforts, niche subfields, and the realities of federal funding. Last year, NF’s federal allocation was cut; we went to Capitol Hill and advocated to restore it. It’s back on the bill for review, but advocacy never stops.
And yet the hardest challenge….turning pain into purpose….has also been our greatest teacher. Every day we choose the light. Every day we choose action.
Charity Matters: What fuels you to keep doing this work?
Kate Doerge: Energy can’t be created or destroyed….it transforms. I feel Penny’s energy, and my parents’ too. I feel it in the butterflies, in the serendipities, in the way doors open at the exact moment you need them to. I also feel powered by the next generation. Students reach out constantly: “Can we host a game? A bake sale? Start a chapter?” Watching young people use social media for good….that’s rocket fuel.
Our community fuels me. Media friends like Norah O’Donnell shared our story on CBS within a week of launch, and Oprah Daily invited me to write about “playing the cards you’re dealt.” Brand partners like Veronica Beard, J.McLaughlin, Roller Rabbit asked, “What can we do?” Their platforms amplify NF awareness in ways research labs alone can’t. That collaboration…science, students, storytellers, brands….keeps me going.
Charity Matters: When do you know you have made a difference?
Kate Doerge:Impact shows up as a human story. A mom DM’d us: her four-year-old was just diagnosed with NF; she’d gone down a dark Google rabbit hole. That same day, she opened her mailbox to a J.McLaughlin invite for a Penny’s Flightevent and found a different rabbit hole….hope. Months later, she organized a Blackstone Gives Back team, pitched Penny’s Flight, and won $125,000 for NF research. That’s a life changed turning into lives changed.
Another young woman with NF wrote when Roller Rabbit launched their butterfly pajamas for us. She said, “I never thought my favorite brand would support the condition I’ve lived with. I finally feel seen.” That sentence…I feel seen…that is impact.
And then there’s community: our first Penny’s Flight Family Jamboree drew 650 people….blankets on the lawn, kids running, live music on a summer night because Penny loved birthdays. We didn’t just raise funds; we raised each other.
Charity Matters: Tell us what success you have had and what your impact has been?
Kate Doerge: In two and a half years, we’ve raised close to $6 million, launched 100+ student chapters nationwide, and activated schools and teams through “Play for Penny” and “Pucks for Penny.” We’ve become a marketing engine for NF, partnering with Children’s Tumor Foundation to complement their strong scientific backbone with our storytelling and awareness. We brought leaders together at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Banbury meeting, a lock-in think tank of global experts because progress accelerates when silos come down.
On the research side, we’re funding work that’s already showing promise. For a disease as heterogeneous as NF, that means convening optic glioma experts next to cognitive researchers, next to tumor biologists, next to data scientists and pushing for shared insights rather than parallel tracks. When we measure impact, we count dollars and chapters and media reach, yes. But we also count new collaborations formed, young advocates trained, and families who no longer feel alone.
Charity Matters: If you could dream any dream for your organization, what would that be?
Kate Doerge: It’s not a dream….I feel it in my bones: we will find a cure for NF. That conviction is why I pour the same determination I once poured into giving Penny the fullest life into this mission. The roadmap is clear: sustained funding, coordinated research, relentless awareness, and a movement of people who believe that wings scattered from a thousand small actions can change the weather.
Charity Matters: What life lessons have you learned from this experience?
Kate Doerge: First, we always have a choice in how we play the cards we’re dealt. That wisdom from my dad has become a daily practice. Choose to move literally. Put your feet on the floor. One step. Then the next. Small, actionable steps carry you through the mud of grief.
Second, look for the signs. They’re real. Butterflies on the window in November. A radio that wasn’t on suddenly playing “Walking on Sunshine.” When you keep your eyes open, you realize our loved ones are with us differently, but powerfully.
Third, collaboration is oxygen. In research, in advocacy, in community building, the magic happens when we invite everyone to the table….scientists, students, brands, media, families. We each bring a wing to the flight.
Fourth, service multiplies. The “butterfly effect” is not just a metaphor….it’s a strategy. A student chapter post turns into a game night turns into a grant turns into a lab experiment turns into a breakthrough. Tiny flutters, big weather.
Finally, positivity is not denial; it’s discipline. Choosing beauty in imperfection and faith over fear doesn’t erase pain. It transforms it into purpose.
Charity Matters: How has this journey changed you?
Kate Doerge: Three years ago, I couldn’t have imagined this life….writing a book, speaking about reimagining grief, launching workshops to help others navigate adversity and midlife reinvention, stewarding a national movement in Penny’s name. I used to search for the “one client” that would let me move the needle; now I see that the needle is people, and the work is love organized.
I am more certain, more grounded, and oddly, more joyful. I feel accompanied by Penny, by my parents, by a community that believes in light. I’ve learned that grief and gratitude can share a sentence. I’ve learned that teenagers can be fierce world-changers. I’ve learned that when you open your doors in the hardest week of your life, you teach an entire community how to love without fear.
Most of all, I’ve learned that it’s our wingspan…how far we’re willing to reach for others…that measures a life.Penny taught me that. Now it’s my job to help the world learn it too.
CHARITY MATTERS.
YOUR REFERRAL IS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT, IF YOU ARE SO MOVED OR INSPIRED, WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ANOTHER. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please connect with us:
