Small & Gutsy: Nonprofit Stories with Heart – Details, episodes & analysis

When the typical person thinks of Hollywood, they think of fame & fortune, the whirlwind of celebrities, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the celebrity hand and foot cement impressions, Groman’s Chinese theatre, The Hollywood sign, and many more iconic symbols of glamor, representing the rich and famous…there is another part of Hollywood though, the real people who live there, and some of those real people are disadvantaged and marginalized, and don’t often have the opportunity to reach their potential. If they are given that opportunity to fulfill their goals by living up to their potential, they will become contributing members of their community; this community that cares about sustaining their people’s future. One of the ways to do that is to focus on youth, ages 6-17, and to instill the belief that they can do anything. Whatever it takes to build great futures is the mantra of one very special organization that is also quite iconic.

Since 1937, the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood has provided a safe haven for children to discover, learn, lead, and succeed. It was known then as the Boys Club of America, designed to give boys and young men a ‘fighting chance’ to be successful. There is a tremendous amount of history that leads up to 1987, at which point the name was changed to include girls as it was recognized that girls needed that same fighting chance as their male counterparts.

The Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood’s mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring adults.

The Boys & Girls Club fills the gap between school and home. With so many distractions that can have negative impacts on our youth, this is one organization that gets it right; they inspire their young participants through education and empowerment. 

Contributing to quality education allows for learning and leadership opportunities; there are numerous programs that enhance the lives of the many young members: Girls empowerment, coding, the READS program which stands for  Reading Excellence Always Delivers Success, anti-bullying program,  the UCLA music program, the Tietjen scholarship program, Great Futures, and I am sure our guest today will fill us in on all of the activities that take place at the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood.

https://www.bgchollywood.com

Being the mother of 5 children, my 5th one, adopted later in his life and mine, the thought of losing any one of them, is unimaginable. This episode is about the unimaginable - a mother, a family, who lost a beautiful, funny, feisty, smart, caring, courageous 7-year-old to cancer. As many of you know, I have had my personal battle with cancer and currently, my younger brother is facing his - unless you have been through your own, it is hard to imagine the havoc that chemotherapy, radiation, and medications wreak on your body, not to mention your spirit when you are feeling sick and definitely not looking like anything familiar to your pre-cancer self - As a grown-up, there are certain expectations of how I should be weathering my cancer journey - after all, I have lived a life, even if I am not ready to say good-bye, but a child - that is an entirely different story; one in which they are just beginning their life’s journey, only to be shortchanged or at best, sidetracked for a period-of-time where we bear witness to their suffering through various cancer treatments - it doesn’t get much worse…

Isabella Joanne Santos had a rare form of cancer, neuroblastoma, at age 2. She endured chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, antibodies, numerous ups & downs, meaning multiple relapses for 5 years until she passed away at age 7; while many of us were reading our children bedtime stories…Isabella and her family were waging a war. What was so spectacular about Isabella was that she was truly a rare gift to her family and to those who were lucky enough to meet her; the word rare in this context means an unusual, talented, gifted, special little girl, and yet, in the cancer world, rare means 700 children are affected each year. It means children, usually under the age of 5, are diagnosed with a form of cancer.  It means scary statistics about survival rates and relapses. In the case of the latter instance, rare is not one of the words you ever want to hear.

Established in 2007, The Isabella Santos Foundation (ISF) is dedicated to eradicating pediatric cancer’s devastating impact while honoring the legacy of Isabella Santos, her courageous fight against neuroblastoma. Collaborating with medical institutions, ISF drives innovative research to pioneer new treatments and enhance young cancer patients’ lives. Over-the-course of seventeen years, ISF has provided over $7 million in funding toward expanding the scope of research and treatment and supporting families dealing with cancer in a variety of ways.

It was Isabella’s dream to Beat Cancer, Grow Hair, and Live Her Dreams. Although research and advanced treatments didn’t come in time for her dreams to come true, Isabella’s legacy will give other kids a fighting chance against rare childhood cancers.

Like so many smaller, gutsy organizations, they iterated in a positive direction to meet the unmet needs of their constituencies - in this case, all childhood cancers

Check out their website: www.isabellasantosfoundation.org

Getting the news I have breast cancer was one of the most devastating messages I have ever received, not only for me but for my family - we are all affected by this disease in ways that many people don’t realize. I remember thinking, I am almost the same age as my grandmother when she died of breast cancer and I desperately wanted to have a different outcome - with all the progress made over the last 50 + years, will I have a different outcome? How long will I survive? What will my life be like forever after? Life will surely be different, a new normal. There certainly was also the overwhelming feeling of trying to navigate the best interventions that will yield the best outcomes, staying abreast, no pun intended, of new medical treatments, medications, and options that may just be becoming available; the choices within those areas, as each of us, even with the same diagnosis, can have entirely different treatment plans and outcomes - it is frankly incredibly scary and we don’t want to second guess ourselves. 

How can a disease be both individualized and shared at the same time? Today’s podcast features one woman, who took her mother’s stoic approach to her own cancer and built a legacy that has been life-changing and life-saving for so many others. Olivia Achtmeyer Boger is to be commended for her bravery in honoring her mother, Cande’s legacy, in being a support to others facing similar circumstances. Runway for Recovery has various events & programs to support their efforts. 

Runway for Recovery is a nonprofit organization aimed at redefining the breast cancer experience for families. They accomplish this through events and programs that strive to provide normalcy amidst the unimaginable. Their goal is to support those who survive and those who live on as legacies because they know that breast cancer never just impacts one.

For more information, check out their website www.runwayforrecovery.org

What if you could financially support a nonprofit organization, doing what you personally believe contributes to making the world a better place, without actually spending even a dime? Sounds too good to be true, but this time it’s too good and very true! There is something in algorithmic data collection and internet savviness that makes even the most limited math student, me, understand the value of building a network of folks with shared values that frankly have the potential to become a movement.

Give Freely is that movement. Give Freely is a browser extension designed to connect consumers with sellers and that connection leads to a donation to a charity of the consumer’s choice…pretty darn creative to say the least; Give Freely transforms online shopping into acts of kindness. They find coupons and redirect commissions from purchases directly to the user's chosen charity, turning everyday buys into charitable actions. Give Freely’s mission is to generate as many donations to non-profit organizations as possible.  They do this by leveraging the commissions that online stores pay them when users buy something at a partner site, as well as occasionally placing advertisements on sites that users may visit. 

Give Freely is pioneering a movement for a more compassionate shopping future by blending shopping and giving (Frankly, two of my favorite activities, and for me, it makes shopping more enjoyable, knowing that it includes a charitable aspect) -They believe that everyday online errands can and should involve contributions to the communities the consumer cares about and this, of course, could lead to other everyday acts - they are just starting with shopping. Currently, they have over 10 thousand participating stores and a dozen or so influencers participating in and spreading Give Freely and, they have over a million nonprofits listed, Small & Gutsy is one of them. 

Think about the old Amazon Smile but with significant improvements!!

To sign up and learn more, check out www.givefreely.com

Leadership is a huge topic that is often so tough to define;  I have read articles that state that leadership can be taught; I have read articles that say leadership is something that is just inherent in you, either you have it or you don’t; - that seems quite ominous  - almost like a weeding out process - like being chosen first or last for the basketball or volleyball team in gym class - why was that practice started anyway vs, just randomly assigning two groups of kids to just play? We all develop at different rates and why be penalized by perceived popularity or early athletic ability? 

This must be so challenging for those who see potential in everyone and want to foster leadership in their communities where leadership perhaps is viewed as a privilege and should actually be an equitable opportunity like education - So, when we say leadership, do we mean the admirable qualities of a good leader? To define leadership by identifying good leaders and then trying to change our habits to improve our ability to be like that good leader…Isn’t that somewhat subjective? Do we mean the learning from leaders who have come before us and how they molded us and impressed upon us the value of being a good leader? Could those leaders be from our personal experience vs. those we may place on a public pedestal? Could it maybe foster a sense of community where leaders among us are recognized, encouraged, and often emerge as a surprise to them?

Founded in 2021, Born 2 Lead Foundation  is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing an ecosystem of support based on lifespan development. Their mission is to empower individuals at every life stage by providing comprehensive programs, resources, and services that foster personal growth, well-being, and success. By following individuals throughout their life journey, they aim to create a seamless and continuous support system that meets their evolving needs. They provide a wide range of services from Early Childhood Enrichment to Elderly Car, and have programs that focus on each stage of life. I think they have 7 programs to date, everything from financial literacy to mentorship, college readiness, parenting, mental health. I am not sure there is anything they don't offer. Their goal it to empower and mentor individuals so that they have the skills and resources they need to be successful and make a positive impact in their lives and communities.

Imagine you just heard the words, you have cancer or any other type of disease that needs treatment; I heard those words and my heart sank and my fear rose. However, I also knew that whatever medical care I needed would not be far away. I live in Los Angeles with some of the best medical care options; prior to that I lived in a suburb of Boston, also another amazing medical community. In fact, I often consult with an oncologist at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston while having my on the ground team, a combination from UCLA & Cedars here in LA- two teaching and phenomenal medical facilities treating my cancer with the most updated research and information. But, what if I weren’t so lucky…what if I lived in a rural area where access was limited or just not available…what could I do?

We all need medical care and many of us live in areas that are outside of catchment areas of great medical care…what choices do we have then? And what options do we have if we don’t have the financial means to take us to those far away medical facilities?

Transportation challenges create one of the most daunting barriers to healthcare—a barrier second only to the cost. Every day, Angel Flight West’s volunteer pilots fly people to their medical appointments at no cost to the passenger.

On the ground, Earth Angels drive passengers from the airport to the medical facility, also free of cost.

To learn more about volunteering or donating, check out their website: www.angelflightwest.org

How do you define ‘home’? - a place where you can let your hair down, be yourself, be safe, feel a sense of belonging? But what if that home were just an empty space, would you still feel the same? What if that home didn’t have your thumbprint, meaning your input on how it was decorated where you could truly find peace, knowing that this sacred space was a part of your caring community? It’s not the decorating and furniture per se, but what items that were chosen based on your preferences that make you feel you matter and are visible to both yourself and everyone who visits. What is particularly challenging is that many of those empty spaces are the first-time homes of aging out foster youth who have often experienced moving from place to place where they may not have had any sense of real belonging. Without this feeling of belonging and community, these young folks are at greater risk of becoming homeless and being part of a community that cares is the first step to ending homelessness.

What began as a random act of kindness, has adapted into an incredible community. A Sense of Home has created more than 850 homes – helping more than 2,000 former foster youth and their children.

A Sense of Home strives to prevent homelessness by creating first-ever homes for youth aging out of foster care with donated furniture and home goods. 50% of those struggling with homelessness are former foster youth. The homeless crisis can only end through prevention.

To share a quote from one of their recipients: When my home is empty, I feel empty

In 2014, Founders Georgie Smith and Melissa Goddard answered a call for help on social media from a foster youth who had aged out of foster care; responded by creating a first-ever real “home”. From there, A Sense of Home has grown into a community of its own with staff, volunteers, and dedication that reaches far and wide.

To learn more about A Sense of Home, please check out their website: https://asenseofhome.org/

THE TABLES HAVE TURNED for this Episode!!

Fully Alive's Mary Meduna Gross interviewed me! I had the opportunity to share both about Small & Gutsy - its origins, and some personal details about my journey and a recent hiccup - Breast Cancer!

Here are some Episode Highlights:

How do you handle things when life throws difficult circumstances and challenges your way? In this episode, Laura Wittcoff shares her wisdom and insight to weather life's storms in the midst of making a positive impact and pursuing self-growth.

• How are we showing up when in difficult circumstances
• The possibility and good that comes from open mindfulness
• Social impact, meaning and alignment of our work
• Reciprocity of giving and appreciating others

Mary is an executive wellbeing coach on a mission to empower conscious business founders to connect with their inner power so that their vibrancy will radiate positivity throughout their organizations. 

Mary is engaging and fun and I encourage you to check out her podcast here and her website here

Please reach out to me at lwittcoff@gmail.com with the name of any nonprofit or for-profit organization under $10 million in revenue with a social purpose or impact you'd like featured on Small & Gutsy

I remember putting my kids to bed at night when they were young - giving them the security and comfort of knowing that their worries should be about their little life, not the big issues of financially and emotionally supporting them, giving them a roof over their heads, food, clothes and the importance of having a safe space in which to sleep - a bed of their own which may seem like a privilege, that if we can, every child should be able to experience…I think it’s actually not a privilege, but a rite of passage in some ways or at least in our culture. A rite of passage is an event, ceremony, or experience that marks a milestone in a person’s life. Many are cultural, religious, social, and professional, across the globe, they range from an early age in some cultures, like Japan, as a 3-year-old girl, being allowed to grow long hair, and at age 7 shifting from a rope belt to an obi for their kimono, for a boy, at age 5 being allowed to wear a hakama, a formal garment - clothing for both represents entering into the formal stage of middle childhood. Various tribal rituals indicate the growth of an individual to the next level of development in eventually reaching adulthood. Rites of passage indicating milestones have also entered our social, educational and professional world with marriage ceremonies, funerals, 12-step programs, promotions, passing tests to the next level, certifications, graduations, licenses, too many to list; There are also many religious and spiritual milestones, from Deepak Chopra’s 7 stages of spiritual development to baptisms, to B’nai Mitzvahs..and so much more. One U.S. cultural rite of passage is something I hadn’t really thought about until I read about how my guest volunteers his time.

This more typical rite of passage is moving from a crib or a parent/guardian’s/siblings/shared bed to one’s very own bed. This milestone represents so many things in our culture that often go unnoticed or unrecognized and are truly significant. Having the capability of sleeping independently by means of having the privilege of having one’s own bed begins to create a feeling of ownership over one’s self, the feeling of self-reliance which builds self-esteem. Having one’s own space becomes sacred, a spot that is theirs to set up, take care of, decorate, and love within the natural shelter of home - it is so much more than just a bed. For many parents or guardians who can afford beds, it becomes an automatic expectation and a feeling sometimes of moving forward for their child in healthy ways - even if they keep getting up in the middle of the night to sneak into their parents’ bed, but for a child who has never had the experience of transitioning at a very young age, this becomes a journey of self-reliance that can translate into so many positive steps toward independence that may not have been a previous more typical step due to financial constraints.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace, our featured nonprofit organization believes that a bed is a basic need for the best physical, emotional, and mental support that a child needs.  They are a national organization, based in Idaho, but we are focusing on one of their growing chapters, in Texas; this is a response to the call of a national problem, one bed at a time, one town at a time.

To learn more about Sleep in Heavenly Peace, check out their website: www.shpbeds.org

What matters to you? It’s a different question than what makes you happy, according to our guest today whom I will introduce in a moment. Happiness stems from what really matters to the individual and many of us have lost our collective understanding of what matters means. But, it’s not too late - there’s hope for our youth and there’s hope for the rest of us!

Finding out what matters to each of us is a very personal journey. To be seen, heard and valued so that each of us becomes a valued member of society and can give back is the essence of understanding what matters and in turn, guides us in seeing others and encouraging the concept of mattering for them. 

Each of us has a uniqueness that once we intrinsically honor that, we are able to then actualize that and share our uniqueness in a positive way to others. However, when that is never offered or taken away through making us feel invisible, that we don’t matter, we make choices that can hurt us and society. 

The Mattering Movement created and spearheaded by an incredible dynamic foursome, one of whom we will meet shortly is my guest today Jennifer B. Wallace, Chief Mattering Officer - love the title, is an award-winning journalist and author of the new book Never Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About It.  She is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and appears on national television to discuss her articles and relevant topics in the news. She is a graduate from Harvard College, and began her journalism career at  CBS “60 Minutes,” where she was part of a team that won The Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Journalism. She is a Journalism Fellow at the The Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Jennifer serves on the board of the Coalition for the Homeless in New York City, where she she currently resides.

To learn more: check out their website: www.thematteringmovement.com