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WARFIGHTERS UNITED: Meggan Leitch & Ginger Wright

WARFIGHTERS UNITED: Meggan Leitch & Ginger Wright

On this episode of the Warfighters United Podcast, Eric sits down with Meggan Leitch and Ginger Wright to talk about the incredible impact service dogs can have on veterans’ lives.

We dive into the process of training service dogs, what makes a great service dog candidate, and how these amazing animals help veterans navigate challenges like PTSD, anxiety, and everyday life after service. More importantly, we discuss the powerful bond that develops between a veteran and their dog, and how that relationship can be truly life-changing.

CLIENT STORY: Child and Family Charities

CLIENT STORY: Child and Family Charities

Child and Family Charities Opens the Door to Hope with Lansing’s “Living Room” for Youth
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For many young people, asking for help can feel overwhelming. Sometimes the hardest step isn’t filling out paperwork or making a phone call. It’s simply walking through the front door.

That’s the idea behind Child and Family Charities’ Drop-In Center. Designed as a welcoming space for youth throughout the Lansing area, the center removes barriers and replaces them with something much more powerful: belonging. Rather than expecting young people to have all the answers, the Drop-In Center offers something refreshingly simple—a place to start.

Whether someone needs food, resources, conversation, or simply a safe place to breathe, the message is the same:

Come as you are.

More Than a Building

Child and Family Charities affectionately refers to the space as “The Living Room of Lansing Youth.” That description isn’t just branding. It’s the philosophy behind everything the team hopes to accomplish.

Living rooms are where conversations happen. They’re where families gather. They’re where people feel comfortable enough to be themselves.

That’s exactly what the Drop-In Center is designed to become for young people navigating difficult seasons of life.

The goal isn’t to create another office or waiting room. It’s to create a place where relationships begin.

“Walk through the doors and give us your conversation, give us your story, tell us what you need and we’re going to connect you to the services you need.”

Every young person arrives with a different story. Some may need housing resources. Others may be searching for employment, food, counseling, or simply someone willing to listen. Whatever brings them through the door, the staff begins with one thing first: Listening.

Removing the Barriers

Many support programs unintentionally create obstacles before someone ever receives help. Applications. Appointments. Eligibility requirements. Waiting lists.

Child and Family Charities recognized that one of the biggest barriers can be much simpler than paperwork. Walking inside.

That’s why the Drop-In Center operates with an open-door philosophy. No RSVP. No complicated intake before entering. No expectation that someone has to know exactly what they need.

The first step is simply showing up. Once inside, the conversation begins naturally. The team understands that trust isn’t built through forms. It’s built through relationships.

Every Story Matters

One of the things that makes the Drop-In Center unique is that services don’t begin with assumptions. They begin with stories. Every young person has experienced something different. Every challenge has its own context. Instead of offering one-size-fits-all solutions, staff members take time to understand what’s happening before connecting youth with the appropriate resources.

Sometimes that means introducing someone to housing support. Sometimes it’s behavioral health services. Sometimes it’s employment assistance. Sometimes it’s simply providing a meal and a safe place to spend the afternoon.

Whatever the need, every conversation starts the same way.

“Tell us your story.”

A Community Built Around Connection

The Drop-In Center isn’t intended to replace existing community services. It’s designed to connect young people with them.

Child and Family Charities has long understood that solving complex challenges requires collaboration. The center acts as a bridge between youth and the many programs available throughout Lansing and the surrounding communities.

Instead of expecting young people to navigate complicated systems on their own, the staff helps guide them toward the support they need. That guidance can make all the difference. When someone feels heard, they’re often more willing to take the next step.

Creating a Safe Place to Belong

Safety means more than having four walls. It means knowing you’ll be welcomed. It means knowing someone will remember your name. It means having a place where you don’t have to pretend everything is okay.

The Drop-In Center was created with those moments in mind.

Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the center offers consistent access for youth looking for connection and support. As needs evolve, Child and Family Charities plans to continue adapting the space and hours to best serve the community. That flexibility reflects the organization’s larger mission. Meet people where they are. Listen first. Help second.

Building the Living Room Lansing Needs

Every community needs places where people feel like they belong. For Lansing’s young people, Child and Family Charities hopes this Drop-In Center becomes exactly that. Not because it has the newest furniture or the biggest building. Because it offers something every young person deserves.

A place where they’re welcomed without judgment. A place where their story matters. A place where asking for help doesn’t begin with paperwork—it begins with a conversation.

The Living Room of Lansing Youth is more than a new program. It’s an invitation. Meet people who genuinely care, and then take the next step toward the future you deserve.

At Child and Family Charities, every journey starts with a simple reminder: You belong here.

14TH ANNUAL DEUCEY AWARDS: Big Brothers Big Sisters Wins Most Outstanding Video!

14TH ANNUAL DEUCEY AWARDS: Big Brothers Big Sisters Wins Most Outstanding Video!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region Wins Back-to-Back Deucey Awards for Most Outstanding Video
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Some stories deserve to be told. Others deserve to be experienced.

That’s exactly what Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region has accomplished once again, earning the 14th Annual Deucey Award for Most Outstanding Video—their second consecutive win in one of the competition’s most competitive categories. The real recognition belongs to the people behind the story: the mentors who invest their time, the young people whose lives are forever changed, and a community that continues to show up for both.

For Big Brothers Big Sisters, storytelling has never been about producing a polished video. It’s about giving people an authentic glimpse into relationships that are changing lives every single day.

More Than a Mentoring Program

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region has spent decades creating meaningful one-to-one mentoring relationships between caring adult volunteers and young people throughout the community. Their mission is simple: connect a child with a trusted adult, support that relationship, and watch lives change. While every match looks a little different, the goal remains the same—to provide consistency, encouragement, and someone who simply shows up.

Many mentoring relationships last for years, allowing Bigs and Littles to celebrate milestones together, navigate challenges, and build trust that extends far beyond scheduled activities. Those relationships become the foundation for confidence, resilience, and opportunity. It’s work that changes both the mentor and the child.

Capturing the Mission on Camera

Creating an award-winning video about mentorship isn’t easy. The real impact happens over months and years—not in front of a camera. That meant telling a bigger story.

Rather than focusing on one match, this year’s video highlighted the broader community that makes mentorship possible. Schools, nonprofit partners, volunteers, families, and supporters all play a role in helping young people succeed.

The result was a story that reflected something bigger than one organization. It showed what happens when an entire community invests in its future.

As Megan shared after receiving the award: “Most Outstanding Video of the Year, two years in a row. That’s crazy. That’s awesome.”

The excitement was genuine, but so was the gratitude. Because awards are wonderful. Impact is even better.

Relationships That Last

At the heart of every Big Brothers Big Sisters story is one simple idea: relationships matter. Mentors aren’t expected to have all the answers; they simply show up consistently. That consistency often becomes life changing.

Throughout the video, viewers hear directly from Littles who describe how mentorship has strengthened their relationships with family members, improved friendships at school, and helped them build confidence in themselves. Those aren’t statistics on a report. They’re real people describing real change.

As one reflection shared in the video explains: “To hear our Littles say they have better relationships with peers in school and family members… that’s really, really sweet.”

Those moments remind us why mentorship matters. Success isn’t measured only by grades or attendance. Sometimes it’s measured by a smile. A conversation. Or knowing there’s always someone in your corner.

Storytelling That Builds Community

One of the reasons Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to connect with audiences is authenticity. Nothing is manufactured. The cameras simply capture what already exists.

The production team follows mentoring matches throughout community events, volunteer activities, school programs, and everyday interactions. Individual moments become part of a much larger narrative—one that reflects the organization’s mission with honesty and heart.

As Megan explained, bringing those moments together creates something powerful. “Your team does an amazing job taking all of these little sections and putting together a really beautiful five-minute snapshot of essentially our mission.”

That’s the power of nonprofit storytelling. It isn’t about creating something that wasn’t there. It’s about helping people see what’s already happening.

A Community Effort

Behind every successful mentoring relationship stands an entire network of supporters, and each one contributes to creating opportunities for young people to thrive. This year’s video celebrates that collective effort.

Rather than focusing solely on one mentor and one child, it recognizes the village working together behind the scenes.

That’s what makes Big Brothers Big Sisters unique. Mentorship begins with two people. Its impact spreads much further.

Looking Ahead

Winning a Deucey Award doesn’t slow the work down. It simply shines a brighter light on the mission. Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to expand opportunities for mentoring through community events, volunteer recruitment, and fundraising initiatives that help create even more life-changing matches.

Upcoming events—including their annual fundraising breakfast, golf outing, family activities, and annual 5K—offer supporters new ways to become part of the mission.

Whether someone volunteers as a Big, attends an event, becomes a donor, or simply shares the organization’s story, every contribution helps create more opportunities for local youth. Because every child deserves someone in their corner.

Stories That Continue Long After the Credits

Awards recognize excellence. Relationships create impact. For the second year in a row, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region has been recognized for outstanding storytelling, but the true success isn’t measured by trophies.

It’s measured by the young people discovering confidence; the mentors finding purpose. the families finding support, and a community choosing to invest in its next generation.

Congratulations to Megan and the entire Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region team on another well-deserved Deucey Award! The video may have earned the recognition, but the relationships are what make it unforgettable.

UNHOUSED & UNFILTERED: Budget Battles: Defense Dollars and Domestic Cuts

UNHOUSED & UNFILTERED:
Budget Battles: Defense Dollars and Domestic Cuts

This episode breaks down the latest federal budget proposals and what they could mean for communities across the country.

Director of Public Policy Nick Cook unpacks the unprecedented increase in defense spending alongside the proposed 10% reductions across nearly every other area of federal funding, exploring how these shifts reflect changing national priorities. The conversation reviews the housing related line items expected and examines what these cuts could mean for local governments, nonprofits, and everyday people already navigating economic instability.

CLIENT STORY: Able Eyes – Pomeroy Living

CLIENT STORY: Able Eyes – Pomeroy Living

Pomeroy Living: Where Compassion, Innovation, and Community Come Together
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Finding the right senior living community is about more than choosing a place to live. It’s about finding a place where people are treated with dignity, where families find peace of mind, and where every detail is designed to help residents live with purpose.

That’s the philosophy behind Pomeroy Living.

Serving communities across Michigan, Pomeroy Living has built its reputation by combining exceptional senior care with thoughtfully designed communities and a culture that invests in both residents and the people who care for them. Whether someone is looking for independent living, assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation services, or a meaningful career in healthcare, Pomeroy Living is committed to creating environments where people can thrive.

A Full Continuum of Senior Care

Every person’s journey is different, and Pomeroy Living believes senior care should reflect that. Their communities offer a complete continuum of care, allowing residents to receive the level of support they need while remaining part of a welcoming and familiar environment. Services include independent living, assisted living, memory care, short-term rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing, outpatient therapy, and specialized healthcare services designed to meet changing needs over time.

Rather than viewing healthcare as a series of separate services, Pomeroy Living focuses on continuity. As residents’ needs evolve, families can feel confident knowing compassionate care remains close to home. That approach creates stability during life’s transitions while allowing residents to maintain meaningful relationships with caregivers, neighbors, and loved ones.

Every Detail Has a Purpose

Walk through a Pomeroy Living community, and you’ll quickly notice something different: the design isn’t simply beautiful—it serves a purpose. Every hallway, gathering space, and resident suite has been intentionally planned to promote safety, comfort, and independence. From abundant natural light to thoughtfully designed common areas, every element supports residents while helping create an environment that feels welcoming instead of clinical.

One of the most important design features is something many people may never notice. Step-free accessibility.

“How we built our buildings matters. You’re going to see a lot of step-free areas. Even step-free into showers instead of that step to step in. Those are all risks. Everything we’ve done, we’ve done with purpose.”

By removing unnecessary fall hazards and creating spaces that are easier to navigate, Pomeroy Living helps residents maintain confidence while reducing potential safety concerns. It’s a reminder that good design isn’t just about appearance.

It’s about improving everyday life.

Building Community, Not Just Providing Care

At its heart, Pomeroy Living is about people.

Daily life extends far beyond healthcare services, with opportunities for residents to build friendships, participate in activities, celebrate milestones, and stay connected to the community around them. Whether it’s gathering for happy hour, participating in wellness programs, attending special events, or simply enjoying conversations with neighbors, residents are encouraged to remain socially engaged.

Those connections play an important role in emotional well-being and quality of life. Because while healthcare supports the body, community supports the spirit.

A Place to Build a Career

The same philosophy that guides resident care also shapes Pomeroy Living’s workplace culture. Healthcare careers aren’t simply jobs—they’re opportunities to make a lasting impact on someone’s life.

Pomeroy Living offers career paths across a wide range of disciplines, including nursing, certified nursing assistants, medication technicians, culinary services, food service, therapy, rehabilitation, and administrative support.

More importantly, they believe great caregivers aren’t always found—they’re developed. Individuals interested in healthcare can begin their careers without extensive experience, learning firsthand through caregiving roles while receiving ongoing mentorship and professional development.

Investing in Growth

Education is a cornerstone of the Pomeroy Living culture. Rather than simply filling positions, the organization actively helps employees build careers. Caregivers interested in advancing into nursing assistant roles can participate in certification programs that prepare them for new opportunities while increasing their earning potential. Many continue their education beyond certification, pursuing nursing degrees with encouragement and support from leadership.

Today, multiple team members are advancing through nursing school while continuing their careers with Pomeroy Living. That investment benefits everyone. Employees gain valuable skills and career opportunities. Residents receive care from professionals who continue growing in both knowledge and experience.

It’s a culture built around long-term success instead of short-term staffing.

Looking for the Right People

Technical skills can be taught. Compassion cannot. That’s why Pomeroy Living places tremendous value on individuals who genuinely enjoy caring for others.

As one team member shared:

“The person whose bucket gets filled by taking care of others, those are the people that belong here. If that’s your passion, I say start with caregiving.”

It’s a philosophy that shapes hiring, training, and daily interactions throughout the organization. Whether someone has years of healthcare experience or is exploring the field for the first time, a servant’s heart remains the most important qualification.

Raising the Standard for Senior Living

Senior healthcare continues to evolve, and Pomeroy Living is committed to evolving alongside it. Through thoughtful facility design, comprehensive healthcare services, employee development, and a resident-first approach, the organization continues raising the standard for what senior living can be.

Families searching for care want more than medical expertise. They want trust. They want compassion. They want a community where their loved ones are treated with dignity every day.

Pomeroy Living strives to deliver exactly that. Whether you’re exploring care options for a family member or searching for a meaningful healthcare career, Pomeroy Living offers something that extends beyond services and amenities.

They offer purpose.

Because at the end of the day, great senior care isn’t defined by a building. It’s defined by the people inside it.

MISSION CONTROL: Vance Blackfox

MISSION CONTROL: Vance Blackfox

Mission Control Welcomes Vance Blackfox: My Favorite Storyteller
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Every story has someone who changes the way you see the world. For Paul J. Schmidt, Vance Blackfox has been one of those people.

As UnoDeuce Multimedia celebrates 25 years of storytelling through Season 6 of the Mission Control podcast, the conversations have shifted inward—not to celebrate a company, but to recognize the people who shaped its mission. Some were mentors. Some were clients. Some became lifelong collaborators.

Vance Blackfox is all three.

Throughout the years, Vance has challenged assumptions, encouraged deeper conversations, and reminded everyone around him that great storytelling begins with listening first. Their latest Mission Control conversation isn’t just about career milestones. It’s about relationships, culture, and why authentic stories have the power to transform communities.

A Journey Rooted in Identity

Today, Vance serves as the Director of Ecumenical and Tribal Relations for the Indigenous Theological Circle, but his story begins much earlier in the Cherokee Nation community of Zeb, Oklahoma.

Surrounded by generations of history, Vance has always understood that every place has stories worth telling. That perspective has guided his career across churches, nonprofits, Indigenous communities, and educational organizations throughout the country.

While many people see travel as visiting new places, Vance views it differently. It’s about understanding people. Learning history. Building relationships. And discovering how every community carries wisdom that deserves to be heard. Those values have made him an influential voice in nonprofit leadership and someone who continues helping organizations tell stories with honesty and purpose.

Mission Is About Relationships

One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is redefining what mission work actually means. For Vance, it has never been about checking boxes or completing service projects.

It’s about building genuine relationships. Whether he’s working with Indigenous leaders across denominations or guiding young people through cultural immersion experiences, the goal remains the same: create opportunities for people to understand one another.

That philosophy is evident through youth programs that take participants into communities across Indian Country and the Texas-Mexico borderlands. Instead of simply volunteering for a weekend, participants spend time listening. They ask questions. They hear stories that aren’t always found in history books. And they begin connecting historical events to the realities people experience today.

Those experiences often become life-changing moments. Not because someone tells them what to think—but because they’re invited to see the world through someone else’s perspective.

Storytelling Beyond the Camera

Although UnoDeuce is known for video production, this episode reminds listeners that storytelling isn’t confined to a screen. Sometimes the most powerful stories happen during conversations around a dinner table. Sometimes they’re shared while standing beside a creek in Oklahoma. Sometimes they emerge after difficult questions that challenge long-held assumptions.

Vance believes those conversations matter because they create understanding. They invite empathy. And they leave room for growth.

It’s the same philosophy that’s guided UnoDeuce for 25 years. Stories aren’t about producing content. They’re about creating connection.

Finding the Moments That Matter

Throughout the episode, Vance shares experiences that have stayed with him for years. He recalls conversations with young people visiting the southern border. He reflects on moments when students encountered perspectives they had never considered before. He remembers the questions that didn’t have easy answers.

Those are often the stories that leave the greatest impact. Not because everything gets resolved. But because people leave changed.

For Vance, success isn’t measured by attendance numbers or completed projects. It’s measured by whether someone begins seeing another person’s humanity in a new way.

A Lifelong Student of Stories

Away from work, Vance continues learning. With a background in film and television, he’s always paying attention to how stories are constructed.

Movies become lessons in character development. Scenes become examples of visual storytelling. Even quiet moments near rivers and creeks become opportunities to reflect. Those moments of stillness help fuel the work he continues doing across the country.

Meaningful stories require space to listen before speaking.

Why This Conversation Matters

Mission Control has spent years highlighting nonprofit leaders making a difference in their communities. Season 6 expands that mission by exploring the people who shaped UnoDeuce’s own story.

Vance Blackfox represents something that’s been true throughout the company’s history. The best partnerships aren’t transactional. They’re transformational. They’re built over years of trust, curiosity, and shared purpose.

Those relationships continue influencing how UnoDeuce approaches every nonprofit story it tells today.

Looking Ahead

As UnoDeuce celebrates its 25th anniversary, conversations like this serve as reminders that no journey happens alone. Every milestone is built on mentors who invested their time. Collaborators who shared their wisdom. Friends who challenged ideas and encouraged growth.

Vance Blackfox has been one of those people. His passion for relationships, community, and authentic storytelling continues inspiring organizations across the country—and continues shaping the work UnoDeuce does every day.

Because the stories that matter most aren’t always the loudest. They’re the ones that help us better understand one another.

HOPE IN ACTION POD: Yolanda Pope

HOPE IN ACTION POD: Yolanda Pope

Host Sheri Jones talks with Yolanda Pope, founder of DAP Services and Resources, about a mission born from experience on the front lines of senior care. As a licensed practical nurse, Yolanda kept seeing the same story: seniors and families disconnected from resources that could change everything. So she built the bridge herself.

Today, DAP Services offers case management, housing support through its Senior Stability Program, and Harbor House, a transitional shelter created specifically for elderly individuals with nowhere else to turn. Yolanda shares real stories of transformation, the growing crisis of senior homelessness in our community, and why she believes in doing the hard work now, before families are forced into crisis later.

It’s a conversation about hope, resilience, and what’s possible when one person decides to become the safety net.

📩 Have an event to share? Email hopeinactionsj@gmail.com
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CLIENT STORY: The Arbor Inn

CLIENT STORY: The Arbor Inn

A Warm and Compassionate Community

For many families, the search for assisted living or memory care begins with a difficult question: How do we find a place that truly feels like home?

At The Arbor Inn in Warren, the answer starts with relationships. Family-owned and operated since 1975, The Arbor Inn has built its reputation on a simple philosophy—treat every resident like family. That mindset shapes everything from daily care and activities to the way staff support loved ones through life’s biggest transitions. It’s not just about providing a place to live. It’s about creating a community where people feel known, valued, and cared for every day.

Care That Starts with Compassion

Every resident arrives with a unique story, and The Arbor Inn believes their care should reflect that. Whether someone needs a little extra assistance with daily routines or specialized memory care, the staff focuses on meeting people where they are while preserving their dignity and independence.

One team member summed up the philosophy simply: “Think of them as your parents, your grandparents, your aunt and uncle. What would you want for them? We all look at each other as a family.”

That perspective influences every interaction. From a morning greeting to helping someone navigate a difficult day, compassion isn’t reserved for special occasions—it’s part of the everyday experience. Families often talk about the warmth they feel when they walk through the doors. Residents aren’t treated like room numbers or schedules. They’re neighbors, friends, and members of an extended family.

Supporting Every Stage of the Journey

Moving into assisted living is often accompanied by uncertainty—not only for residents, but for the people who love them. The Arbor Inn understands that transition and works to make it as smooth as possible.

Staff members build relationships with residents from day one, learning their routines, preferences, and personalities. Whether it’s helping someone stay active, providing companionship, or coordinating healthcare services, the focus remains on creating stability and comfort. That personalized approach extends beyond the resident. Families become partners throughout the process, receiving updates, support, and reassurance as their loved one’s needs evolve.

Specialized Memory Care with the Reflections Unit

As memory care needs increase, having the right environment becomes essential. In 2020, The Arbor Inn expanded its services with the Reflections Unit, a secure community specifically designed for residents living with dementia and other forms of cognitive decline.

The goal isn’t simply safety—it’s quality of life. Specially trained caregivers provide individualized support while encouraging residents to remain engaged through meaningful daily activities. Cognitive stimulation, gentle exercise, grooming assistance, and social interaction all work together to help residents maintain purpose and connection. Even as memory changes, opportunities for joy, conversation, and belonging remain central to everyday life.

More Than Healthcare

While clinical care is important, The Arbor Inn recognizes that wellness includes emotional connection just as much as medical support. Residents enjoy opportunities to participate in activities that encourage movement, creativity, and conversation. Those everyday moments—sharing meals, attending events, or simply spending time together—help create the sense of community that families often notice immediately.

The Arbor Inn also collaborates with physicians, nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure residents receive comprehensive care tailored to their individual needs. It’s a team approach designed to support the whole person.

Helping Families Navigate Financial Questions

For many families, financial concerns become one of the biggest obstacles when considering senior living.

The Arbor Inn believes those conversations deserve the same compassion as every other part of the process. The admissions team works closely with families to identify resources that can help make care accessible, including Michigan’s PACE program and Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits for eligible residents. Their goal is simple: help families find solutions rather than roadblocks.

As one staff member explained: “No one ever runs out of money here. We find a way… to find a solution for them.”

That commitment provides peace of mind during what can often feel like an overwhelming decision.

A Place Families Trust

One of the strongest endorsements of The Arbor Inn comes from the families who have experienced its care firsthand. Many describe an environment where staff continuously look for ways to improve not only the resident experience but also the experience of loved ones walking through the journey together.

One family member shared: “They just always seem to be striving to better the experience for family as well as residents.”

That ongoing commitment reflects something bigger than excellent customer service. It reflects a culture built around relationships.

A Community That Feels Like Home

Finding senior living isn’t simply about choosing a building. It’s about choosing people. The Arbor Inn has spent nearly five decades creating an environment where compassion, respect, and family remain at the center of everything they do. Whether providing personalized assisted living, specialized memory care through the Reflections Unit, or helping families navigate complex financial decisions, the mission remains consistent: ensure every resident feels safe, supported, and at home.

For families searching for senior care in southeast Michigan, The Arbor Inn offers more than services. It offers a community where people are welcomed, cared for, and treated like family.

HOPE IN ACTION: Celebrating National Nonprofit Day

HOPE IN ACTION:
Celebrating National Nonprofit Day

This month, host Sheri Jones celebrates National Nonprofit Day by spotlighting three organizations quietly changing lives across the Lansing community.

First up is DAP Services & Resource Center, founded in 2021 by executive director Yolanda Pope, a nurse with nearly 20 years in geriatric healthcare. What began as a case management program for medically vulnerable seniors grew into something bigger after Pope noticed a gap in housing support — so she built the bridge herself. DAP now offers walk-in hours every Tuesday and Thursday, helping seniors navigate everything from doctor’s appointments to housing crises, all with the compassion of what Pope calls being a “professional relative.”

Next, Julia and Jackie of Youth Builders Community Development Corporation share how they’re turning teenagers’ ideas into real entrepreneurial ventures — from T-shirt printing to logo design — giving justice-involved youth ages 14-18 the tools and confidence to build financially stable futures.

Finally, Larry Johnson of Brotherhood Against Drugs joins to discuss his organization’s mission, along with the powerful reading program inspired by his mother’s work decades ago. Last year’s cohort saw remarkable results, with the majority of third and fourth graders jumping multiple reading levels — proof that early intervention changes trajectories.

Plus, catch this month’s community calendar for upcoming events across the nonprofit hub.

🎙️ Don’t miss the companion podcast for an in-depth conversation with Yolanda Pope about her journey founding DAP Services — available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

A special thank you to our visionary sponsor, LAFCU, for their continued partnership.

MISSION FOCUSED JUSTICE: Our “Why”

MISSION FOCUSED JUSTICE: Our “Why”

Content Warning: Sensitive topics discussed include physical and sexual violence.Get to know us! Join three impact leaders as we explore the “why” behind their work. We talk about what first drew us to mission-driven, justice-focused work, what continues to inspire us, and what keeps us going. Connect with us as we kick off this journey with stories of purpose, passion, and the people behind the mission.

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