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Change for Good: One Year Later

It’s hard to believe that it has been a full year since Change for Good: The Transformative Power of Giving as the Ultimate Cure was 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 Good touched 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 Good would 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 Good is 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:

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Episode 94: Penny’s Flight

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 Flight event 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:

Copyright © 2025 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

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PodcaStars Magazine

Being a cover girl……or even a back cover girl….was never on my vision board. I’m actually laughing as I write this because I have a few girlfriends who were real, honest-to-goodness Cover Girls. You know, the kind with perfect hair, perfect lighting, and perfect poses. Meanwhile, I’m over here absolutely thrilled to be what I’m calling an “Actual Back Cover Girl.” Is that even a thing? Well, I guess it is now…

In full disclosure, discovering that I was featured on the back cover of this month’s PodcaStars Magazine was such an unexpected and truly lovely surprise. It’s one of those moments that makes you stop, smile, and think, Wow, how did I get here? I never set out to be on any kind of cover. I set out to tell stories that matter …. stories about people who give, who serve, who make our world a little better. But life has a funny way of surprising us when we’re busy doing what we love.

A few weeks ago, I received a note from my publisher, She Rises Studios, the same amazing team who published my book Change for Good. They asked if they could interview me about my podcasting journey for their October issue of PodcaStars Magazine. Of course, I said yes ….. I’m always happy to share how The Charity Matters Podcast began and why shining a light on everyday heroes has become one of the greatest joys of my life. What I didn’t expect was to end up on the back cover of the magazine.

Behind this beautiful surprise is a woman whose story inspires me deeply ….. Hanna Olivas, the founder of She Rises Studios. Hanna is a nonprofit founder on a mission to help women find their voice and use it. She’s built an incredible ecosystem of empowerment ……a streaming network, a powerhouse publishing team, and multiple magazines, including PodcaStars. Each one is designed to lift others, to amplify voices, and to encourage women to stand in their power.

But Hanna’s heart for service reaches far beyond media. She also founded The Brave and Beautiful Blood Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit that supports patients and families facing blood cancers. Her organization goes beyond awareness …. it builds personal connections, offers emotional and financial support, and brings hope to families in their darkest moments. Hanna is a mother, a grandmother, a multi-time author, and one of the most genuine, uplifting women I’ve ever met. She is a living, breathing example of what it means to use your gifts to serve others.

So, when someone like Hanna asks you to share your story, you say yes …..because she embodies everything Charity Matters stands for. She believes, as I do, that storytelling has the power to change lives. Every story of kindness, resilience, and compassion has a ripple effect. It reminds us that good still exists …..and that we can all be part of it.

I’ll admit, seeing myself in PodcaStars Magazine made me reflect a little …..  but because it reminded me how far this journey has come. What started as a small blog about philanthropy and purpose has grown into a podcast, a book, and now a movement…..all centered on one simple belief: that giving changes everything.

I know the print is tiny, so if you want to actually see the story, you can grab a digital copy of the magazine here. Or, if you’re like me, you’re probably reading this on your phone or iPad, squinting and pinching the screen to make it bigger. Either way, I’m just so grateful to share this message of service with a new audience.

And of course, I always share everything exciting with you. You’ve been on this journey with me for almost fifteen years …. through family milestones, loss, leadership, and endless stories of goodness. So thank you for being part of this community, for showing up week after week, and for believing in this mission of service.

I often say I don’t have a therapist… I have you. You tell me how you feel, what you love (and sometimes what you don’t!), and you keep me honest, grounded, and true to my mission of helping the helpers. Together, we’ve built something extraordinary …. a community that believes kindness still matters.

So yes, maybe I’m a Back Cover Girl now and I’m pretty sure that won’t make my headstone:) …but more importantly, I’m still right where I’ve always wanted to be: sharing stories that inspire, celebrating those who serve, and reminding us all that the secret to living is giving.

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:

Copyright © 2025 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

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How did we get here?

For almost fifteen years, I have been sharing my journey here each week……through life, love, loss, family, faith, philanthropy, and everything in between. There isn’t much we haven’t covered in all of these years. But today, this is a first for me……and for us. A topic we’ve somehow never explored together: marriage and weddings.

This past weekend, our family celebrated one of life’s greatest blessings…..our son’s wedding. Even as I write those words, I can hardly believe they are real. The day felt like something out of a dream, filled with joy, tears, laughter, and a love so pure it radiated through every moment.

As my husband and I stood at the back of the aisle, arm in arm, ready to walk toward our son and his beautiful bride, I looked up at him and whispered, “How did we get here?” He smiled, squeezed my hand, and without missing a beat said, “I asked you on a date.”

And just like that, the tears came. Because he was right. That one question so many years ago set in motion a chain of love that led to this exact moment….our son waiting for his bride, a new family beginning, a new chapter unfolding.

When I began Charity Matters, my three boys were in elementary and middle school. I’m not even sure Google existed back then! During that time, you’ve watched our family grow up right here on these pages. You cried with me through the Last Lunch, The Last Pass and So Many Last.  Every milestone felt monumental, every transition bittersweet. And each time, we asked the same question: “How did we get here?” Followed quickly by, “Wow, that went so fast.”

It’s funny looking back now. Each stage of parenting felt like the summit…..the great challenge that would finally lead us to rest. We thought elementary school was hard until middle school came. Then we thought high school was the finish line….surely, graduation was the final hurdle! I remember turning to my husband that night, tears streaming down my face, and saying, “How did we get here? Weren’t they just born yesterday?”

And yet, as any parent knows, life has a way of humbling you. You realize that the “end” of one season is merely the beginning of another. You send them off to college, thinking your job is mostly done…..only to learn that parenting never really ends, it just changes shape.

In what feels like the blink of an eye, our boys were out of college, working, building lives of their own. We didn’t think much about what came next. We were simply grateful they were healthy, happy, and finding their way.

But here’s the thing I’ve learned over the years…..and it’s one of the hardest truths for parents to swallow: from the moment our children are born, we start writing a script for their lives. We don’t tell them this, of course, and most of the time, we don’t even say it out loud to ourselves. But it’s there….quietly playing in the background of our minds.

In my version of the script, my boys would grow up to be kind and successful, find good friends, rewarding work with purpose, and eventually, someone wonderful to love. My script had a timeline, too. You know the one….finish school, meet someone nice, fall in love, get married, buy a house, have children. Perfectly linear, perfectly planned.

And then, as life does, it laughed at my plan.

There were detours, heartbreaks, and lessons I never saw coming. There were moments when I silently protested, “This isn’t how the story is supposed to go!” But with time….and a lot of prayer…I realized that the story I was trying to write wasn’t mine to write. My children’s lives are their own stories, not chapters in mine.

It took me years to see it clearly, but once I did, it was freeing. My job was never to control the story, but to love them through it….to trust that the Author of all things had a far better script in mind than I ever could. And as I stood in the most beautiful setting this weekend, watching our son waiting for his bride, I could see how true that was.

Because their story….the one they are writing together….is more beautiful than anything I could have dreamed up.

The moment she walked down the aisle, time stopped. I looked at his face, his eyes brimming with tears, and saw not just my son, but the man he has become…kind, compassionate, faithful, and deeply in love. A man ready to build a life with someone who matches his heart. As he said his vows, tears flowed from his brother’s eyes and everyone else’s because their love was just so beautiful, real and palpable.

Our new daughter-in-law is everything I could have ever hoped for him…graceful, grounded, smart, strong and full of light. She fits into our family like she’s been part of it all along. As I watched them exchange vows, I thought about how, all those years ago, when we were the ones standing there saying “I do,” we had no idea what those words would come to mean.

Marriage is not just a day….it’s a daily choice. It’s the decision, every morning, to show up with love, humility, and grace. It’s choosing to grow together through the seasons, to forgive, to celebrate, to serve one another even when it’s hard. It’s the promise that your story is no longer “mine” or “yours,” but “ours.”

As parents, witnessing that moment is indescribable. It’s joy and nostalgia all mixed together….the ache of letting go and the awe of seeing something new begin. I thought about all the nights I tucked him into bed, all the prayers whispered for his future, and how many of those prayers were answered in that moment.

Later that night, as we danced beneath the Tahoe stars, I looked around the room at the sea of faces…family, friends, people who had loved him since he was little….and it hit me again: How did we get here?

How did we get from those early mornings of tying tiny shoes to tying a bow tie? From bedtime stories to wedding toasts? From Legos to love stories? The years have moved like the pages of a book….some chapters long, some heartbreakingly short, all filled with meaning.

When the band played the final song, I held my husband’s hand and whispered those same words we’ve said so many times before: “How did we get here?” But this time, there was no disbelief in my voice….just gratitude. Because the answer was clear.

We got here through love.

Through every sleepless night, every prayer, every football game and scraped knee, every graduation, every heartbreak, every dinner at the kitchen table, every “I love you.”

We got here through grace….through the quiet, unseen moments when we trusted that even when we couldn’t see the plan, there was one.

And we got here through joy…..the kind that sneaks up on you in the middle of a crowded dance floor when you realize that life, in all its messiness and beauty, has led you exactly where you are meant to be.

As the weekend came to a close and we said our goodbyes, I felt a deep sense of peace. Not the kind that comes from everything being perfect, but the kind that comes from knowing that everything is right.

Parenting, I’ve learned, is a lifelong act of surrender. It’s learning to let go over and over again….of control, of expectations, of the idea that we know best. And in that letting go, we make room for something even more beautiful: watching our children step fully into their own lives, their own love, their own purpose.

So yes, once again, I find myself asking, “How did we get here?” But this time, I know the answer.

We got here because of love…..the love that began with a simple date so many years ago, the love that built our family, and the love that now continues through the next generation.

We got here by walking each step….sometimes with confidence, sometimes with tears…..but always with love.

And now, it’s their turn. Their turn to walk hand in hand, to build a life together, to write their own story.

As for us, we’ll be right here on the sidelines….cheering, supporting, loving and every now and then, still whispering the same words that have followed us through every chapter of this journey:

How did we get here?

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:

Copyright © 2025 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

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Episode 93: PopDrop

Some stories grab you by the heart from the very first line. John Snyder’s begins on a first date with his wife, Nikki, when the two of them decided to do something radically simple: instead of sending candy to their toner customers, they’d use that money to feed people experiencing homelessness. That small act became Project Pop Drop. A monthly movement  that rallies “givefluencers” to bring meals, new socks and clothing, and joy-filled experiences to shelters across Los Angeles. Today, Pop Drop is more than a delivery….it’s Easter bunnies and race cars for kids, partners who show up with food and gift cards, and even tiny homes that help families move from encampments into dignity and safety.

What makes John’s story unforgettable is his families full circle story.  I had the privilege of meeting John and his wife Nikki last week and they are a power couple in the best sense of the term. This week’s episode is a shot of hope and action, packed with contagious energy, hard-won wisdom, and tangible ways to help. If you’ve been looking for a reason to believe that giving changes everything…and how you can be part of it…don’t miss this conversation with John Snyder of Project Pop Drop.

 

Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

 

Charity Matters: Tell us a little about what Pop Drop does?

John Snyder:  Project Pop Drop Foundation is something my wife, Nikki, and I founded on our very first date. We have a for-profit company…..Platinum International Products & Services…..and someone pitched us one of those “send chocolates and candies to every customer” programs, like Office Depot and Staples. We decided we didn’t want to do that. We wanted to save that money and buy food for people experiencing homelessness. What started as a simple program inside our toner business has blossomed into a nonprofit.

Since 2011, once a month, we go to a different homeless shelter and bring life-saving supplies and partners with us. Bombas donates socks. Whole Foods helps. Raising Cane’s is a big partner—they help feed people and share gift cards so folks can buy food later. Target’s a partner too. We call the people and companies who come with us givefluencers….we trademarked that……because they’re influencing the world by their giving actions.

Over time we’ve evolved. Nikki builds the days into experiences—Easter Bunny visits, race cars for kids living at the shelter, face paint, laser tag……so a hard season can include some joy and smiles. In the early years we’d just drop food. Now our customers and partners come with us, bring supplies, put Pop Drop boxes in their car dealerships and hotels, and give alongside us.

We’ve also grown into housing. We have seven Project Pop Drop tiny homes that are moving families from encampments into safety. Each has a door, a lock; on-site there are washers, dryers, showers, and games. All of this came from deciding not to send M&M’s to toner customers and, instead, to feed human beings.

Charity Matters: What was the moment you knew you needed to act and start  Pop Drop?

John Snyder:  I’m an LA person, big Laker fan. As a kid, birthdays meant my dad took me to the Forum. Once, on the way, I mouthed off……I said something dumb like, “We don’t live that well.” He got mad, drove me to Skid Row, and showed me people sleeping in cardboard boxes. “Dad, people are living in those?” “Yeah. You’ve got it pretty good, don’t you, Johnny?” Right then I said, “When I grow up, I’m going to help those people somehow.”

Years later we did our first Pop Drop at Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row. I told my mom, “We’re going to give back every month” and she started crying. I asked why. She said, “Don’t say anything, but my father was homeless…..at Union Rescue Mission.” I never met him. He had a drinking problem and left when she was 12. I had no idea. We had started Pop Drop at the very place where my grandfather had been homeless. Full circle. That’s when I knew everything was connected and I was on the path I promised as a kid.

On our first date in Century City, Nikki and I said, “Let’s go every month.” Instead of customer gifts, we’d bring food and companies. She asked, “What’s the name?” I said, “I don’t want to show off.” She said, “If you want to expand and get people on board, make the giving pile bigger, you have to name it.” She pushed me. We named it, built donation boxes, and got them into our clients’ businesses. She said, “Make it an experience. You can’t just drop food and leave.” That’s how Pop Drop really began….organically and from the heart.

Charity Matters: What are your biggest challenges?

John Snyder:  We’ve got four kids….triplets and our superstar daughter, Chloe….and we’ve brought them to shelters since they were six months old. In those early nonprofit years, we’d roll the triplets in this long “limousine stroller,” food piled around them, and meet other businesses bringing donations. We’ve been to Skid Row more times than I can count. I’ve had the car swarmed while delivering supplies, people yelling not-nice things through the window while my kids watched. We had to explain: “Don’t take it personally. This is about pain and survival. We’re here to help.”

COVID was the biggest challenge. LAUSD is a big partner; they run donation drives and have our boxes in schools. Suddenly the world shut down. People were told, “Don’t go to shelters.” Meanwhile, shelters are some of the cleanest places you’ll ever see. The whole distribution system, our nonprofit supply chain, broke. We pivoted to Zoom. Students made videos to get donations from families and parents’ workplaces. Wildly enough, during COVID we brought more donations doing it on Zoom than in person. So we kept going.

There was also the noise on social. “Oh, they’re still going to shelters.” “I saw them without a mask.” People were on their couch, and we were out making things happen with Zoom drives, deliveries, feeding people. That pushback actually fueled us. We weren’t going to stop helping people. Period.

Another challenge was resources. People kept saying, “Walmart put your Pop Drop boxes in their stores. Did you know they’ll give grants if you’re a nonprofit?” We became a 501(c)(3) in 2018/2019. That move helped when donations dropped everywhere; Walmart and Target support enabled us to buy more supplies and expand. We never had a grand plan. Things kept falling into place because we kept showing up every month.

Charity Matters: What fuels you to keep doing this work?

John Snyder: I like helping people. I like seeing faces when you help them. I like talking with people, giving hope and showing someone that somebody still cares. I’ve been in rough spots where people helped me, and I know what that means in the moment. It can be everything.

I love that we’re giving back and showing our kids…..and our kids are inspiring other kids. It’s contagious. I love when friends and business associates come with us and afterward say, “John, I’m so thankful we went. We’ve been looking for a way to give back.” People want to help; they just don’t always know how. We say, “Come with us.” That’s givefluencing…..bringing others into the act so the giving pile gets bigger.

And when people tell you to stop doing something you know you’re supposed to be doing? That fuels me too. If everyone had stopped during COVID because they were told to, a lot of people wouldn’t have eaten. We kept going. Educating others fuels me as well…..our online course, Giving While Making a Living, teaches businesses to pick a cause and create a simple monthly social responsibility system. Keep it turnkey: name it, pick the last Saturday at 12 o’clock, show up. If you don’t make it simple, you become a “Thanksgiving and Christmas philanthropist.” We’re about consistent, monthly giving.

Charity Matters: When do you know you have made a difference?

John Snyder:  When customers say, “We know we can buy toner cheaper on Amazon, but we choose you because of Pop Drop,” that’s impact. When companies ask, “How can we get involved?” and then start collecting donations, put boxes in their lobbies, and show up at shelters to make an impact. When a friend or client brings their team and says afterward, “We’ve been looking for this,” I know we made a difference.

I’ve watched kids inspire other kids. I’ve seen donations surge because a middle-schooler made a Zoom video. I’ve seen a day at a shelter turn from “drop and go” into an experience where kids in tough situations are laughing, gaming, and smiling. That’s difference you can feel.

Charity Matters: Tell us what success you have had and what your impact has been? 

John Snyder: Since before we were a nonprofit and now as the Project Pop Drop Foundation, we’ve helped contribute to feeding over 90,000 meals per month to people experiencing homelessness. Every month. That’s a big highlight.

We’ve empowered thousands of businesses “our givefluencers” to give back with us. We’ve expanded partnerships: Bombas, Whole Foods, Raising Cane’s, Target, Dave & Buster’s, LAUSD, and Impact 13. We’ve built seven tiny homes to move families from encampments into safety with a lock, a shower, a washer and dryer, and dignity.

We’ve been recognized along the way. We received a Gold Medal which is the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the White House. We were invited to the Pentagon because they liked Pop Drop. Walmart put our boxes in stores. Each of those moments opened doors to expand the giving.

But the thing I’m proudest of is the evolution from dropping supplies to creating experiences that bring joy and connection. That’s Pop Drop.

Charity Matters: If you could dream any dream for your organization, what would that be?

John Snyder:  My dream is to change the way the world does business. I want every company to start a program within their business…..like we did before Pop Drop was a nonprofit…..where every single month they give back. Do it for the cause that’s close to your heart, homelessness or anything else, but do it monthly. Make it part of your DNA. I’d love to see extra tax credit incentives tied to that monthly commitment. I want a world full of givefluencers…..people influencing the world through giving actions.

Our course, Giving While Making a Living, helps push that into reality. A woman in Wisconsin bought it and finally started the nonprofit she’d dreamed about serving kids traumatized in childhood. I held her hand through it: naming, logo, shirts, accountability. Most people watch a course, get pumped, and Monday morning do nothing. We want action. I want to figure out how to scale that….maybe through something like the SBA….so more businesses step into monthly giving.

We have something special with “givefluencer.” There’s so much we can do to fuel more life from saving supplies and empowering more businesses to give. If we find that one big thinker, that magical person who sees what Pop Drop is and what it can be and helps us expand it. I’m ready to receive that partner.

Charity Matters: What life lessons have you learned from this experience?

John Snyder: Everything is connected. You can live within your life’s purpose without it being the only thing you do. It’s perspective: a young punk kid says, “We don’t live that well,” and a dad drives to Skid Row to show cardboard homes; that kid says, “I’m going to help,” and later he does at the exact place his grandfather, who he never met, was once homeless. Full circle.

The lesson is to keep my eye on the giving prize. Name it. Show up monthly. Make it simple so it’s sustainable. Invite others so the pile grows. Remember why you started….people, not programs. Keep it real and keep it consistent, or you drift into being that “Thanksgiving and Christmas philanthropist.” We’ve seen that a simple, turnkey system like “last Saturday of the month at 12” is what actually keeps the giving going.

Charity Matters: How has this journey changed you?

John Snyder: It’s made me a nicer person. In business I used to be “sell, sell, sell”…..numbers, aggressive, go-go-go. We still have numbers in nonprofit, but Pop Drop humanized me. When you start something and discover your mom’s father was homeless in the very building where you began your giving, it’s hard not to see a higher purpose in that. This journey made me more faithful. It shifted me from feeding printers to feeding people, from transactions to connection, from me to we. And I don’t plan on stopping.

CHARITY MATTERS.

 

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Finding the Light

For almost 15 years every Sunday I have sat down to share a few thoughts. Most weeks the words flow from my fingers and I can’t seem to get my thoughts out quick enough. This week the thoughts are slow. The words are few and I’m still processing so much going on in our world as a larger context as well as in my own.

The irony is not lost on me that I wrote a best-selling book Change for Good and yet as I see so much change ahead of me I am scared, excited, nervous and unsure. As I wrote last year, “change always begins with loss.” There is so much loss happening all around me that I struggle to process it all. Those heavy feelings are like walking through mud as you try to make sense of everything. Each step heavy and unsteady because the path is not clear. It is too hard to see and so you trust as you slowly walk each deep and heavy step.

Somehow you believe. You have faith in something bigger. In the kindness of people, in the goodness we show to one another and so you move forward into an unknown place. That faith acts like a flashlight as you navigate a new and unexplored path forward. You have not been this way before. You do not know the way but you have your faith…your flashlight to guide you, to light the way and to bring you from darkness into the light.

When I wrote Change for Good, I never claimed to have all the answers. What I did know then, and what I still know now, is that life guarantees us seasons of change. Sometimes we choose them….like a new job, a marriage, or a move….and sometimes they choose us, whether through loss, illness, or unexpected events. Either way, change asks us to let go of what we know in order to step into what we don’t. That is never easy.

What makes it bearable is the reminder that none of us walks through it alone. In the book, I shared stories of people who took their own moments of heartbreak and used them as a catalyst to create something good. That theme has echoed back to me countless times from readers who wrote to say, “I thought I was the only one.” None of us is the only one. We all walk this muddy road of loss, grief, hope, and renewal. The flashlight we carry……faith, kindness, connection…..is what keeps us going until the ground feels steady again.

Lately, I have been reminding myself of one of the simplest truths I wrote about: kindness heals. When the world feels overwhelming, when the future feels uncertain, when I feel small in the face of so much loss, the antidote is often simple. It is in writing a note to a friend, holding a door open, saying thank you, showing up for someone else. Each small act is a reminder that even in the midst of chaos, we still have power……the power to love, to give, to create light.

That is what Change for Good has always been about. Not grand gestures, not sweeping reform, not changing the whole world at once. It is about the small, intentional acts of love and service that ripple outward in ways we may never see. It is about choosing, over and over again, to believe that our actions matter. That our light matters. That even when the road is muddy and uncertain, we can still place one foot in front of the other.

I know I am not the only one feeling the weight of change right now. Perhaps you are in your own season of transition. Maybe you too are carrying loss, fear, or uncertainty. If so, I want to remind you of what I often need to remind myself: you are not walking this road alone. We are walking it together, carrying our flashlights of faith and kindness, helping each other find the path.

The title Change for Good was always a double meaning. Change can be hard, yes, but it can also be for good….for the better. Good for our growth, good for our healing, good for the world. When we use the change in our lives to serve others, to lift them up, to bring light where there was darkness, we transform not just our own story but the larger story we are all part of.

So as I sit here with my slow words and heavy heart, I remind myself of the truth I wrote and believe: change is never easy, but it is always an invitation. An invitation to trust, to grow, to love, and ultimately to change for good.

And maybe, just maybe, that is enough light for today.

CHARITY MATTERS.

 

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Episode 92: Shoulder Check

 

In the past fifteen years, I have not resent the same interview twice in one week. However, when I orginally scheduled this to be delivered last Thursday, September 11th I didn’t foresee all that would transpire the day before. The assassination of Charlie Kirk followed by the 24th anniversary of September 11th created so much noise that this very special story might have been missed. So, yes if you are seeing this twice it is intentional because I want you to have a bright light on your Sunday morning. Something to start your week to remind you of all the good in this world. So here you go….once again…

 In full disclosure, I know very little about hockey….especially as an LA girl…..but what I do know is that rare and extraordinary group of people who take unimaginable loss and somehow transform it into a mission for good. Today’s guest, Rob Thorsen, is one of those people. After the heartbreaking loss of his son Hayden, Rob chose to honor his memory by spreading kindness and compassion in the most powerful way.

Drawing from Hayden’s love of hockey, Rob used the term “Shoulder Check” not just as a sports reference but as the cornerstone for a movement. What began as a nod to the game has become a beautiful legacy of connection and care. Shoulder Check is about more than hockey…..it’s a mission and a movement about reaching out, checking in, and making contact with those around us. Rob’s story is one of resilience, love, and the reminder that even in the deepest grief, we can create something profoundly good. Take a listen and you will want to be a part of this…

 

 

Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

 

Charity Matters: Tell us a little about what ShoulderCheck.ORG does?

Rob Thorsen:  ShoulderCheck.org is the first initiative of the HT40 Foundation, which we created to do one simple, specific thing: inspire and enable young people to check in on one another…regularly. We give them the language, tools, and motivation to make “checking in” a daily habit. The culture we’re pushing against is that paradox the U.S. Surgeon General called out in April 2023: we’re hyper-connected by tech, yet lonelier and more isolated than ever. Shoulder Check is our answer.

It started in hockey, our son Hayden played, and the community rallied around us after his death but it quickly became bigger than a sport. The signature gesture is literal: hand on a shoulder, paired with the refrain, “Reach out. Check in. Make contact.” We do this in locker rooms, at center ice, in school assemblies, classrooms, and community events. The goal is behavior change through a simple ritual and a shared brand language…something memorable enough to spread, practical enough to use, and human enough to matter.

Charity Matters: What were your early experiences in PHILANTHROPY?

Rob Thorsen: I didn’t come up through a lifetime of traditional volunteerism; I came out of marketing and advertising. I ran ad agencies. My wife did, too. Ideas, brand-building, behavior change….that’s our professional DNA. After we lost Hayden, I didn’t set out to “become a nonprofit founder.” I set out to develop an idea that could help people the way Hayden helped people….by making contact.

In that sense, Shoulder Check “just happens” to be a nonprofit vehicle. It is, first and foremost, an idea carried by a brand and a toolkit. From day one we treated it like a serious creative brief. Our team (pro bono) built language, design, rituals, and programs the way we would any world-class brand……with clarity, consistency, and heart.

Charity Matters: What was the moment you knew you needed to act and start ShoulderCheck.org?

Rob Thorsen: When Hayden died by suicide in May 2022, our lives were instantly and permanently altered. The first feeling was compulsion: we have to do something. I reached out to a national mental-health nonprofit whose executive director told me, bluntly, “Leave interventions to the professionals.” It stung, but at the same time, it focused me. She was right: I’m not an interventionist. I am a professional in another realm.

A few months later I sketched a simple thought in a notebook: “I have a hand to give. I could use a hand.” That became our north star. We began gathering with 30–70 kids at a time, at home, at the community center and iterating together. We wanted this to be everyone’s idea, not mine. The first crystallized concept to emerge was Shoulder Check: make kindness a contact sport, give everyone a role in the dialogue, and make the ask actionable.

Charity Matters: What are your biggest challenges?

Rob Thorsen: Processing grief and launching a nonprofit at the same time…..there’s no handbook for that. You’re building a startup out of a garage emotionally and literally, while processing the heaviest thing you’ll ever carry. We’re not clinicians. We’re not event producers. Yet we’re running programs and putting on major events because that’s what the idea requires to spread.

Operationally, the work is exhausting….production, follow-up, stakeholder care, constant outreach. Conceptually, the challenge is staying disciplined: we’re not trying to “do everything mental health.” We’re doing one thing well which is equipping friends to check on friends. The saving grace is that the idea is a virtuous circle. The very act of placing a hand on a shoulder….giving or receiving….feeds the work that sustains us.

Charity Matters: What fuels you to keep doing this work?

Rob Thorsen: The stories. Constantly. We hear from people who finally knew how to start a hard conversation and did it……and from people who were struggling and felt their friends show up. Nearly everyone will accept help from a friend; Shoulder Check gives those friends simple language and a moment to step in.

And the ritual itself is its own therapy. When hundreds or thousands of people put hands on shoulders and say “Reach out. Check in. Make contact,” there’s a tangible lift in the room. You feel the possibility of a culture shift……one conversation at a time.

Charity Matters: When do you know you have made a difference?

Rob Thorsen: I know it in two ways. First, in the micro: when a young kid writes to say, “I went home and checked on someone because of Shoulder Check….and it mattered.” Or, “My friends came to me, and I didn’t feel alone.” That’s the point.

Second, in the macro moments. At our events, 2,500 people….families, players, kids….all link up and speak the refrain together. You watch the posture in the building change. You hear “Lean on Me” sung by an arena and feel the message land. Those moments are catalytic….but they exist to seed a million small, private ones later: on buses, in bleachers, down hallways, at kitchen tables.

Charity Matters: Tell us what success you have had and what your impact has been? 

Rob Thorsen: We launched the idea with the Shoulder Check Showcase in August 2023; this year we hosted our third annual showcase. It’s a community-run charity game anchored by NHL players who’ve believed in the mission from day one….people like Chris Kreider, Kevin Shattenkirk, Trevor Zegras, and many others who donate a week of their time to play, meet kids, sign, and amplify the message.

Each year, 2,500 people pack the arena. Before the puck drops, everyone places a hand on a neighbor’s shoulder and repeats our refrain. The response has been overwhelming…..an emotional jolt you can see and hear. This year, New York Rangers anthem singer John Brancy performed the National Anthem and led a “Lean on Me” sing-along. The NHL, the NHLPA, teams, and media have all helped carry the message; we’ve appeared on Good Morning America two years running. The Showcase fuels grassroots adoption…..teams, schools, and communities taking the toolkit and making it theirs. That’s the impact we care about most: replication and daily habit.

Charity Matters: If you could dream any dream for your organization, what would that be?

Rob Thorsen: I want Shoulder Check to become cultural shorthand for empathy…..like a color you instantly associate with a cause. Think Komen’s pink for women’s health or Movember’s mustache for men’s health. Our teal-aqua should say “kindness, connection, and awareness.” Not as a merch play, but as a signal that prompts action: check on someone right now.

I imagine late-August/September activations timed to back-to-school and fall sports….teams, classrooms, clubs, workplaces…….all making commitments to one another. I want the toolkit to be accessible and flexible: bake sales, 5Ks, pre-game rituals, morning meetings…..however a community wants to manifest it. We’re not raising dollars for a lab; we’re raising awareness for each other. If Shoulder Check becomes the universal cue for “I’m here…..let’s talk,” that’s the dream.

Charity Matters: What life lessons have you learned from this experience?

Rob Thorsen: I’ve learned presence over control. In the immediate aftermath, your mind tries to script the unanswerable: Why did this happen? What will my life be a year from now? You can’t solve those questions. What you can do is show up….in this hour, with these people, for this work. When you do that, you give yourself something better than certainty: integrity.

I talk a lot about reflection vs. regret. Reflection is learning from what happened while knowing you did the best you could in the moment. Regret is knowing you didn’t. The line between them is presence. If we keep showing up as honestly as we can, we can live with the outcomes, even the imperfect ones, because we’re learning forward.

And I’ve learned about duality. The loss doesn’t lessen, but growth helps you understand where that loss lives with you. New people come into your life, new work emerges, and you hold both pain and purpose at once. That duality has become the constant: grief and goodness side by side. There is peace in knowing something beautiful can grow from tragedy, even if the sorrow never leaves.

Charity Matters: How has this journey changed you?

Rob Thorsen: This experience has changed me completely. I sometimes think of myself in three chapters: original Rob 1.0, then Rob 2.0 after Hayden’s death, and now something new….a version who carries both. I wouldn’t say I live in the world in a totally different way, but I see differently. A part of me that was smaller before has been amplified. The idea itself feels like Hayden. Shoulder Check is Hayden. So I feel a duty of care, as if tending this work is tending him.

That sense of duality shapes me too. Pain and purpose live together now. When I watch a stadium of people place hands on shoulders and say our refrain, I think: How did this happen? It’s beautiful, and it’s born of heartbreak. Holding those together has become who I am.

And practically, I’ve changed in how I manage time, people, and vision. We’ve been naïve in believing that a good idea will just travel….and in many ways, that faith has worked. But we’re also at the point where we need to manage like a real business, with intention and sustainability. It’s a “big small business,” and its next stage requires maturity. That responsibility makes me a different leader and a different person.

Ultimately, the change is clarity. Less time for what doesn’t matter, more devotion to what does. More comfort in knowing that if I keep showing up honestly, this work and Hayden’s legacy will keep growing. And if my legacy is simply that people checked in on one another more often, that would be a life well-lived.

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:

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What Matters?

September

While the calendar insists summer doesn’t officially end until September 22nd, we all know in our hearts that it’s already over. The long, light-filled days are shortening, the back-to-school commercials have returned, and change is everywhere you look. The air feels different. There’s a sense of closing one chapter and opening another. That’s what September is about transitions, beginnings, endings, and the beauty of change.

Change isn’t always easy. In fact, sometimes it’s downright hard. We cling to what’s familiar because it feels safe and comfortable. Letting go of summer feels like letting go of freedom, sunshine, and ease. Yet, what we so often forget is that there are no endings without beginnings. Every door that closes makes way for another to open, often to something we never could have imagined. September reminds us of this truth.

For some, that beginning comes in the form of a new school year. Lunchboxes are packed, backpacks are zipped, and nervous energy fills the air.  It’s the end of summer play and the beginning of structure, growth, and discovery. For others, change looks like a new job or a new opportunity a leap of faith into something unfamiliar yet filled with possibility.

And for my son, this fall marks a beginning of the most beautiful kind: marriage. Watching him prepare for this milestone fills me with both joy and awe. This is the end of his chapter as a single man and the beginning of a new adventure as a husband. For my husband and me, it means welcoming an amazing daughter into our family is a gift beyond measure. Change like this is bittersweet, but more than anything, it is joyous. It reminds us that life is meant to grow, evolve, and expand.

Charity Matters is also beginning a new season….Season 9 of our podcast. Nine seasons! That number alone makes me pause. Fourteen years ago, Charity Matters was nothing more than an idea, a simple thought that maybe sharing stories of good could make a difference. That idea grew into a blog, then a community on social media, and eventually, a podcast that has been ranked in the top 5% of charity podcasts. I smile just writing that because it is proof of what happens when you lean into change, when you say yes to new beginnings.

Each season of the podcast brings its own lessons, growth, and yes, change. We stretch, we improve, and we try to make each season better than the last. That stretching has led us to consider something new this fall: sponsorships. For years, I’ve said “no” to countless offers…..everything from yoga pants to dog toys…..because it didn’t align with our mission. But now, we are having conversations with organizations that share our values, partners who could help expand our reach while amplifying stories of service and kindness. The idea of building new partnerships excites me, not just for what it means for Charity Matters, but for the broader ripple effect of good it could create.

September is filled with reminders that life is about movement, not stillness. Change brings growth, growth brings new opportunities, and those opportunities bring joy. This fall, my joy is found in so many places: in the sound of college football filling the weekends, in the crispness of the morning air, in the sight of leaves beginning to turn, and in the celebrations of love and family that mark this season for us.

Of course, there’s a twinge of sadness too. I’ll miss the long days of summer, the ease of evenings outside, and the unhurried pace of the season. But if summer is about savoring, then fall is about celebrating. Celebrating growth, love, progress, and the courage it takes to embrace change.

As we step into September, my hope is that you see the changes in your life not as losses, but as invitations. Invitations to begin again, to stretch, to grow, and to trust that what lies ahead will be beautiful in its own way. Change is never the end….it’s simply the start of something new.

So let’s welcome the change together. Let’s embrace this season with gratitude, joy, and hope. Because while summer may be gone, what awaits us is even more extraordinary.

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:

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Season 9 Premiere! Episode 91: Supplies for Success

Back-to-school season is filled with excitement for so many children…..the thrill of fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and a brand-new backpack ready for a year of possibility. But for countless students living in poverty, this same season brings a heavy burden of anxiety and shame. Instead of walking confidently into the classroom, they arrive empty-handed, feeling different before the first lesson even begins. The simple joy of new school supplies, something many of us take for granted, can make a meaningful  difference as these young students begin their new year.

This week on the Season Nine Premiere  we sit down with Mindy Richenstein, the founder of Supplies for Success, a nonprofit that has been equipping children with dignity and the tools they need to learn for more than twenty-four years. What began as a small effort to help 68 students has now touched the lives of over 300,000 children. In our conversation, Mindy shares her powerful journey of resilience, the heartbreaking loss that deepened her mission, and the joy of turning pain into purpose. Her story is a reminder that something as simple as a backpack can carry more than supplies……it can carry confidence, opportunity, and hope.

 

 

Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

 

Charity Matters: Tell us a little about what Supplies For success does?

Mindy Richenstein: At Supplies for Success, our mission is to equip children with the essential tools they need to thrive in school and beyond. We believe that every child deserves a fair shot at success, and we know that education is the clearest pathway out of poverty. For twenty-four years now, we have been making that belief a reality.

Each year, before school starts, we provide children living in need with brand-new backpacks filled with the supplies on their class lists. It may sound like something small, but the difference it makes is enormous. When a child arrives at school looking just like their peers….with fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils, and a sturdy backpack—they feel included. They feel ready. They walk through those doors with dignity and confidence, rather than shame and embarrassment. That confidence can shape how they approach learning for the entire year.

Most of us have happy memories of back-to-school shopping: the excitement of choosing crayons, binders, or even the “perfect” pencil case. But for children whose families can’t afford these basics, back-to-school time brings anxiety and stigma. That gap in opportunity and self-esteem is what Supplies for Success seeks to close. Over the years, we’ve grown from serving just 68 children in our first year to helping over 300,000 nationwide. Every one of those children walked into school knowing someone cared enough to set them up for success.

Charity Matters: What was the moment you knew you needed to act and start  Supplies for Success?

Mindy Richenstein:  Looking back, I think my path toward this work was influenced by my upbringing. My parents weren’t particularly involved in organized philanthropy, but they gave me the gift of unconditional love and instilled in me empathy, compassion, and strong values. In Judaism, we call this tzedakah, which is often translated as charity but really means justice. It’s not optional, it’s an obligation to make the world better. That belief has always guided me.

The first Supplies for Success drive began in 2002 when I learned of children who were starting school without basic supplies. The thought of a child showing up empty-handed broke my heart. That year, I organized an effort to provide backpacks for 68 children. It was simple, grassroots, and powerful.

Over time, our work grew. By our 18th year, we were serving more than 11,000 students annually. For many years we operated under the umbrella of UJA Federation of New York, which gave us wonderful support. But in 2018, they told us we had grown so large…with huge backpack packing events drawing in thousands of volunteers that it was time to become independent. That was daunting, but in 2019 we officially launched as our own nonprofit.

Then came March 2020. My beloved son Eric, just 37 years old, died in a ski accident. Six days later, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. My personal world had collapsed, and suddenly the entire world shut down too.

In the midst of grief, I found purpose. My daughter called, worried because her three-year-old son’s preschool had closed. As I comforted her, my mind went to first responders….mothers working in hospitals or nursing homes who had no choice but to work. What would happen to their children suddenly stuck at home?

I called our suppliers to see if they had art supplies. Two were open. Within two weeks, we created Eric’s Care Kits. Boxes of crayons, markers, and activities that we sent to food banks, hospitals, and nonprofits. They gave children a way to stay creative and hopeful, even in lockdown. Those kits became my lifeline. They gave me a way to honor Eric’s memory and turn unbearable pain into purpose.

Charity Matters: What are your biggest challenges?

Mindy Richenstein:  Time is always the biggest challenge. Supplies for Success has always been almost entirely volunteer-run. Aside from our dedicated college interns, we don’t have paid staff. Coordinating volunteers, assembling supplies, fundraising, and distributing tens of thousands of backpacks is a massive undertaking.

Fundraising is another challenge. Nonprofits are essentially small businesses, but with a very difficult business model…we rely on generosity. During the pandemic, we had to reinvent how we fundraised and distributed supplies since our large-scale events weren’t possible. That required creativity, flexibility, and resilience.

And then there’s the challenge of growth. Every year, the demand increases. Meeting that need while staying true to our mission and ensuring quality is a constant balancing act.

Charity Matters: What fuels you to keep doing this work?

Mindy Richenstein:  The children fuel me. Their stories, their smiles, their dignity. I keep a picture on my computer of a little girl we helped who lost her mother at six, was removed from her neglectful father, and placed in foster care. She was embarrassed to start school without supplies. When she received her backpack, her smile lit up the room. I look at her and see myself as a little girl. Her story could have been mine, if not for the parents I was blessed with. That sense of gratitude drives me.

And Eric fuels me too. Every kit, every coloring book we create in his memory allows his light to shine on. Turning pain into purpose has been my medicine. It gives me strength to keep moving forward.

Charity Matters: When do you know you have made a difference?

Mindy Richenstein:  I know we’ve made a difference when I hear from teachers, social workers, or parents. A teacher might tell me that a child now proudly walks into class, ready to learn. A parent might share that their child no longer feels embarrassed. A social worker may say that our supplies gave a student the confidence to keep going and even pursue college.

Sometimes it’s as simple as a hand-drawn thank-you note. Sometimes it’s realizing that a child we once served has now become the first in their family to graduate. Those stories remind me that our work matters.

Charity Matters: Tell us what success you have had and what your impact has been? 

Mindy Richenstein: Success, to me, is measured in both numbers and stories. From helping 68 children in our first year to more than 300,000 today, the growth speaks volumes. Last year alone, we served nearly 40,000 students. We’ve raised millions of dollars to make this possible—entirely from generous individuals, companies, and foundations. We’ve never taken government funding.

But the true measure of success is in the children. It’s in their confidence, their joy, their sense of belonging. It’s knowing that we’ve made education accessible to children who might otherwise have felt left behind.

We’ve also evolved our programs. Eric’s Care Kits provided creative outlets during the pandemic. More recently, we launched a Mandala Coloring Book, designed to support youth mental health and promote unity at a time when children are struggling with stress and the world is struggling with division. Each evolution has been about finding new ways to meet the needs of children in the moment.

Charity Matters: If you could dream any dream for your organization, what would that be?

Mindy Richenstein:  I dream of the day when Supplies for Success is no longer needed….when poverty is no longer a barrier to a child’s education. While I know that day may be far off, it remains the ultimate dream.

In the nearer future, I dream of expanding the reach of our Mandala Coloring Books, created in Eric’s honor. Mandalas symbolize unity and harmony. Coloring them reduces stress and builds focus. I want to see those books in schools, hospitals, and youth programs across the country, supporting children’s mental health and helping to counter hate with healing.

And personally, I dream of ensuring strong succession. After twenty-four years, I want Supplies for Success to continue thriving beyond me. A strong leader to carry this mission forward would be a dream fulfilled.

Charity Matters: What life lessons have you learned from this experience?

Mindy Richenstein: I’ve learned that I am stronger than I ever believed. Surviving the loss of my son and continuing this work has shown me resilience I never thought I had.

I’ve learned that action matters more than intention. Good intentions are beautiful, but they don’t change lives unless we act on them. Picking up the phone, sending the email, packing the backpack….that’s where change happens.

And I’ve learned that purpose is everything. I believe I am here because I have a mission to fulfill: to help children, to honor Eric, and to leave behind a legacy of love and service.

Charity Matters: How has this journey changed you?

Mindy Richenstein: In some ways, I am the same person I was when I started…..compassionate, hopeful, driven by empathy. But in other ways, I’ve changed profoundly. I’ve grown into a leader, learned to take risks, and discovered the power of community.

This work has introduced me to extraordinary people…..volunteers, donors, social workers, and other nonprofit founders…who have become lifelong friends. It has deepened my gratitude and shown me the best of humanity.

Above all, it has taught me that love can multiply even in the face of devastating loss. Supplies for Success has shown me that when we act with compassion, we don’t just change individual lives…..we change entire communities. That knowledge has transformed me.

CHARITY MATTERS.

 

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Non-Profit Heroes

Charity Matters Podcast Season 9 incoming…

Where did summer go? How are we already buying school supplies? What happened to June 1st until after Labor Day? When I find out who is in charge of shortening summer …well I have a few words for that guy. Here we are with Halloween decorations in the stores while filling our carts with crayons on hot “summer” days. It is all a little surreal how fast these past few weeks have flown by.

This time of year is a little bittersweet for me. Running a nonprofit thats programs end in early August makes summer a huge work push. Just as I am excited for summer and some play time, everyone I know is wrapping up travels and heading back to school and work.  August is my summer but it seems that I’m the only one.

In addition to wrapping up this past year’s nonprofit work we have been busy getting ready for Season 9 of the Charity Matters Podcast. It seems like yesterday that we decided to start the podcast and today,  4 years later we are in the top rated podcast in the space. It is so mind blowing to me. Honestly, this fact renews my faith in humanity because all of you believe in goodness and in helping one another. As this message grows so does all the love that goes with it.

Last season we met so many incredible founders. Stories like Terry Grahl’s Enchanted Makeovers, whose  life came full circle with her work helping women in shelters. Terry’s life inspires me to be more and do more.  Then we met so many awe inspiring parents who lost children and turned their pain into purpose. People like Elliot Kallen of A Brighter Day, who started a nonprofit that supports teenagers dealing with mental health challenges. There was Susan Shaw, founder of WBYC, an organization that provides grief support for grieving communities. Then there was the beautiful Mary Fagnano who created the nonprofit, Thrive N Joy to honor her son Nick’s beautiful legacy.

Each person shared their story, their loss and their life choice to go on through service to others. Every organization and their work is a reflection of their love….which endures in their work. These people and so many more not listed here inspire, lift and remind us what it means to love, to live and to serve.

Next week we will launch Season 9 with Episode 91 with the amazing Mindy Richenstein. I can’t wait for you to meet her and so many other wonderful humans this season. Each founder’s story is like opening a gift about life and how to live. There is nothing that brings me greater joy than sharing these gifts with you.

So thank you for being here for this wild ride, for believing in goodness and being a part of this movement. Each conversation, each share and every single tiny act of kindness moves us all forward together.

CHARITY MATTERS.

 

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Causes

Happy National Nonprofit Day!

 

Every August 17th, we pause to celebrate something extraordinary….National Nonprofit Day. It’s a day dedicated to shining a light on the organizations that tirelessly work to lift others up, strengthen our communities, and make the world a little brighter. If you’ve ever volunteered, donated, or even just shared a nonprofit’s mission with a friend, you already know the powerful role these organizations play in our lives.

National Nonprofit Day has a fascinating origin. On August 17, 1894, the Tariff Act was signed into law, granting charitable organizations exemptions from the federal income tax levied on corporations. While the law has evolved over the years, these exemptions remain stable today, continuing to expedite nonprofit operations and encourage new organizations to take root. Incentives like this make it easier for people with big hearts and bold ideas to bring their visions to life.

The day itself was founded by Sherita J. Herring, an author and respected speaker, whose mission was to educate and empower all of us to be the change we want to see in the world. She knew that the first step toward creating a better society is recognizing the needs of those around us and acting on that.

Today, there are 1.5 million registered nonprofit organizations in the United States, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. That’s 1.5 million groups working in every imaginable area of our communities. Each plays a vital role in the fabric of our communities, making sure no one is left behind.

Nonprofits don’t just strengthen our social fabric, they strengthen our economy, too. The nonprofit sector is a major employer and contributed an astonishing $887.3 billion to the U.S. economy. They contribute  5.4% of the nation’s GDP. Think about that: these organizations aren’t just doing good work; they’re also fueling the economic engine that keeps our country moving forward.

Nonprofits are the heartbeat of our communities. They show up where there is need, often filling the gaps that no one else sees. They provide shelter for those without a home, food for the hungry, education for children, and comfort for the sick. They advocate for the environment, champion human rights, and bring hope to people who might have lost it. Their work is not just about meeting needs, it’s about shaping a society rooted in compassion, connection, and care.

And here’s the beautiful truth: we are all part of this work. We contribute in so many ways…by volunteering our time, donating our resources, or simply amplifying a nonprofit’s story so it reaches the person who needs it most. In 2017 alone, Americans donated over $400 billion to charitable organizations. That’s millions of acts of generosity woven into a national movement of caring.

If you’re wondering how you can take part, start close to home. Determine what is needed in your neighborhood and how you might help to improve things. It might be as simple as beginning a small community project or supporting a local business. Volunteer your time at a food bank, homeless shelter, or youth center….many nonprofits operate on a shoestring budget and would be thrilled to have your help. And don’t underestimate the power of your voice: raise awareness by posting about local organizations on social media, or even starting a blog to share their stories with the world.

This day is also about the people behind the scenes: the nonprofit founders who turned personal challenges into missions for good, the staff members who work long hours with limited resources, the volunteers who show up with open hearts, and the donors who give what they can sometimes in dollars, sometimes in goods, sometimes in encouragement….because they know every contribution matters.

So, how can we honor National Nonprofit Day? We can start by showing up for the causes we care about. Let’s make this day more than a date on the calendar, let’s make it a catalyst for kindness.

When we work together, we remind ourselves of the truth I see every day: change is possible, hope is contagious, and love in action is unstoppable.

Happy National Nonprofit Day!

CHARITY MATTERS.

 

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What Matters?

Vacation all I ever wanted

“Vacation, all I ever wanted… vacation, had to get away…” That epic Go-Go’s anthem has been the soundtrack running through my head these past few weeks. Maybe it’s the heat of August. Maybe it’s the exhaustion catching up with me from our summer work wrapping up. Or maybe it’s just that deep-down yearning for something we all crave but often overlook: rest.

After all, this is the season when the world finally exhales. The emails slow, the calendars loosen, and for a brief window of time, we’re allowed to step back. It’s the one time of year when the word “away” feels not only possible…but necessary.

If you’re someone who gives a lot, whether that’s to your family, your community, your nonprofit, your classroom, your cause……there is a chance that you likely don’t hit pause very often. Helpers tend to put others’ needs ahead of their own, believing there’s always one more thing that can be done, one more person to care for, one more task that can’t wait. The world often celebrates this drive, calling it noble or selfless. And yes, it is but only to a point. Because when we give and give without refueling, eventually… we run out of gas.

I know this feeling well. That running-on-empty sensation, when even the simplest things feel heavy. And yet, pausing still feels like a luxury we can’t quite justify. “Who will do it if I don’t?” we ask. But here’s the truth that’s taken me years to learn: We are no good to others when we are running on fumes.

Self-care isn’t indulgent. It’s not optional. For people who live their lives in service of others, it’s essential. I say that not as a motivational quote on a coffee mug, but as someone who has experienced firsthand what happens when we ignore that inner voice crying out for rest. Our bodies whisper… then nudge… and if we still don’t listen, they shout.

Think about it…would you let your car go 10,000 miles without an oil change? Would you expect a phone to last a week on one charge? Of course not. But somehow, we expect our hearts and minds to keep giving without ever recharging. And worse, we feel guilty when we try.

I want to flip that narrative.

Imagine for a moment that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, but actually one of the most generous things you can do. Imagine that every walk you take, every nap you allow yourself, every chapter of a good book you read, or every afternoon you spend staring at the ocean, is a gift you are giving, not just to yourself, but to everyone you serve.

Because when we are rested, we are more present. We are more patient. We are more creative, more kind, more joyful. And isn’t that what the world really needs from us?

I’ve learned that vacation doesn’t always have to mean a plane ticket and a suitcase (though those are lovely). Sometimes it means carving out a morning to sit in silence. Sometimes it means saying “no” without guilt. Sometimes it’s a walk around the block, alone with your thoughts. Sometimes it’s stepping away from your inbox or turning off your phone for the afternoon. The point isn’t how long you get away…it’s that you get away. Even just for a little while.

We all have different ways of finding rest and renewal. For me, it’s water and simply being outside to play. Something about the water calms my soul. For others, it’s a mountain trail, a cozy blanket and a journal, or the hum of a favorite song in the background while the world slows down. The important thing is knowing what refuels you and honoring it.

If you’re someone who helps others, who shows up, gives back, volunteers, leads, or serves then please, let this be your permission slip: You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to turn down the noise and just be. You are allowed to have a moment…no, a whole season of care, not just for others, but for you.

Because when we care for ourselves, we’re not quitting. We’re strengthening our ability to keep going.

So yes, vacation is all I ever wanted. Not just the sandy toes and umbrella drinks (although those help too!) but the deeper kind of vacation. The kind where we find our center again, where we remember what matters most, and where we return to ourselves… so that we can return to others whole.

Here’s to rest. Here’s to renewal. And here’s to every helper who finally says, “I need a break” and actually takes one.

You deserve it!

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:

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Podcast

A little Blue Sky is good for everyone

Are you an optimist? I definitely am and I love meeting positive people who look at the world through slightly rose colored glasses. So I was especially thrilled when Bill Burke the founder of the Optimism Institute reached out to invite me on his incredible podcast, A Bit of Blue Sky.

Bill  founded The Optimism Institute in 2022 after an extensive media career. He was the CEO of The Weather Channel Companies and President of TBS Superstation. Bill co-authored Ted Turner’s top-10 New York Times Best-Selling autobiography Call Me Ted and is a lifelong optimist. He launched The Optimism Institute with a mission to inspire people with an optimistic, hopeful vision of the world and its future. In short, Bill is my people.

 

 

It is always terrific to talk to interesting people. Bill is more than just interesting, he is joyful. What I love about what he is doing with his Blue Sky podcast is trying to get all of us to focus on the good. That is exactly what we do here each week at Charity Matters. Life is challenging enough for all of us. When we focus on the positive we feel better, it lifts us up and gives us hope that things are going to get better.

Bill not only has his podcast, which I highly recommend. He also has his Blue Sky Bookshelf where he recommends uplifting books from his guests and others. So take a look here if you are looking for a summer read that inspires and uplifts.

We all can take a page from Bill’s message on optimism.  When we choose to focus on optimism, everything shifts. It’s not about ignoring the challenges or pretending life is perfect. Rather, it’s about seeing the light in the cracks, the possibility in the struggle, and the good that can still come from even the hardest moments. Optimism gives us the strength to keep going, to believe in something better, and to inspire that same hope in others. When we lead with optimism, we open the door to connection, to resilience, and to the kind of change that lifts everyone. It’s a mindset that doesn’t just help us survive but thrive.

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:

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Inspiration

Camp is the cure

According to the Associated Press, more than 25 million children under the age of 18 attend camp each year. Of those, 17 million experience the joy of day camps, while 8.3 million head off to overnight adventures. These spaces offer so much more than just activities…..they’re places where kids can make new friends, shed old labels, and explore a little self-reinvention. All of that, wrapped in a whole lot of fun. When we think of summer, we think of camp.

But in light of the recent tragic events in Texas, many of us are looking at camp through a new lens this year. For weeks, we’ve been hearing the brave stories of Camp Mystic counselors who sacrificed so much to protect their young campers. And it wasn’t just Camp Mystic, across the Guadalupe River, stories have emerged from countless camps where courageous counselors put their campers first. We’ve always seen camp counselors as big sisters and brothers, the spirited cheerleaders who bring magic to summer. But this summer, they became heroes.

What many people don’t realize is that most of these incredible counselors, many still in high school or college, are volunteers. They give up their summers not for pay, but to mentor the next generation, to pay forward the gifts they once received. That is the legacy of camp: a place where you arrive timid and unsure, and leave with lifelong memories and a heart full of confidence and new friendships.

For the past thirteen years, I’ve spent my summers at TACSC, a youth leadership organization. All year long, our college students mentor our high school students, who then teach our middle schoolers essential leadership skills. But it’s during our summer conference, our version of camp, where the true magic happens. Over the past 43 years, more than 42,000 young leaders have come through our programs. In my own 13 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with over 22,000 remarkable students.

Each summer, before our campers arrive, I gather our team of dedicated volunteers for a pep talk. Like a coach before a big game, I remind them what it means to lead, to serve, and to give of themselves fully for the benefit of another. We reflect on the people who once poured into us and how we now have the opportunity to do the same. Then, we head out to greet our nervous and excited sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, arriving with their sleeping bags, stuffed animals, and wide eyes.

Within the hour, fear fades and smiles begin to bloom. That’s the magic of camp. It’s the freedom to play, to laugh, and to connect. It’s a space where judgment is left at the door and where kids feel safe to be who they truly are. That’s why 25 million children come back every year. And it’s why so many of those campers grow up to become counselors themselves.

Giving back to a place that shaped you is one of life’s greatest gifts. When a child looks up to a teenager or college student with admiration, it fills that counselor with purpose. And when a counselor tells a seventh grader how funny, smart, or kind they are….something shifts in that child. At TACSC, we call it “the magic.” And I know we’re not alone. It’s happening at camps all across the country.

In a time when we hear so much about youth anxiety and mental health challenges, I truly believe camp is the cure. At camp, students step into responsibility….they wake up on time, get themselves to breakfast, and manage their day. And with every small act of independence, they gain confidence. Without mom or dad there to fix everything, they figure it out. And when they do, they shine.

Now, as I wrap up my 13th summer at our Leadership Conference, I’m more convinced than ever: camp is the cure. Maybe we all need a little more of that magic. A little more play. A little more reinvention. A little more joy. Maybe we could all take a page from our counselors by serving others, giving compliments, listening deeply, being silly, and caring for our tribe. The world would be a kinder, better place if we did.

CHARITY MATTERS.

 

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