Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Chima Onwuka, Founder and President of Grind City Cares, along with his wife, Monica Onwuka, Vice President, who both highlight the nonprofit organization's mission and efforts to impact as many lives as possible by providing essential resources, creating solutions to pervasive social issues, and establishing opportunities for aid to both individuals and families. Chima explains that Grind City Cares was founded as a nonprofit to support community work separate from his business, Grind City Kicks. In 2026, Grind City Cares is dedicated to bringing awareness to perinatal care. This focus was inspired by the personal journey of the Onwuka family and their premature twins. Monica talks about their experience and the challenge of their twin daughter requiring continuous, dependent care through a feeding tube for 80 days. She shares how the support their family received from healthcare professionals, family, and friends motivated them to extend that same encouragement and aid to others.

Monica and Chima share their experiences with the NICU, highlighting the crucial support they received from nurses who provided essential advice and directed them to financial assistance and community resources. They emphasized the importance of education and awareness about available support for families with premature babies, including the specific needs of fathers and the emotional challenges faced by families. The discussion underscores the need to raise awareness about these resources and the gaps that exist in support systems for families in such situations. Grind City Cares aims to provide support, education, and resources to families facing similar challenges in the Memphis area and beyond.

Chima discusses plans for the Grind City Cares Mid-South Race for Perinatal Awareness event scheduled for June 6th at Shelby Farms Park / Hyde Lake. The event will be a 5K walk/run focused on raising awareness and providing education about perinatal issues, with resources and support from community organizations. Monica emphasizes the goal of building trust in the Memphis birth community and connecting participants with available support networks, while also celebrating the beauty of birth and postpartum support.

Chima discusses the event's details, including sponsorships, partnerships, and activities like bounce houses, face painting, and the race. He emphasizes the importance of community support and highlighted a custom shoe collaboration with Grind City Kicks, priced at $80, with proceeds benefiting the cause.

Visit https://www.grindcitycares.com to learn more and to get involved with Grind City Cares.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Happiness Researcher, Author, Keynote Speaker, and founder and CEO of Nonprofit Leadership LLC, Elle Benson, who shares her research on the science of happiness, emphasizing the importance of novelty, gratitude, and relationships in enhancing well-being. She discusses her approach of incorporating novel experiences into daily life to increase presence and joy, citing her own two-year experiment of engaging in 1,500 new activities. Elle explains how this concept applies to nonprofit leadership, fostering innovation, team-building, and sustainability. She highlights the power of gratitude as a quick route to happiness and the significance of human connections in long-term well-being. The conversation also touches on Elle's work as a keynote speaker and her upcoming book on translating novelty into routine. The conversation concludes with Elle inviting listeners to learn more about her work through her websites, ellebenson.com and nonprofit-leadership.com, and to engage with her nonprofit mastermind groups.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Judy Capps, Founder and President of the Board, along with Regina Glass, Executive Director of Hope Ministries of Northeast Texas, who both highlight the Mt. Pleasant, Texas-based nonprofit organization focused on empowering single mothers through a holistic, multi-generational approach to poverty alleviation. The organization serves 32 families at a time, providing comprehensive support that addresses financial needs, personal healing, and spiritual growth over a 4-5 year period. Through education, mentorship, and practical assistance, Hope Ministries has helped transform lives, with graduates achieving success in various fields including law enforcement, social work, and business. The ministry has expanded its impact by training other cities to implement its Hope model, including locations in New York, Tennessee, and Brazil, while also maintaining sustainability through facility rentals and community partnerships. The program's success is demonstrated by its ability to transform not just individual lives but entire communities, with each graduate potentially saving taxpayers $60,000 annually by moving from welfare to self-sufficiency.

Jeremy C. Park interviews Katie Spencer, founder and CEO of Zipline Consulting, who discusses her work with nonprofits and her background in nonprofit management and consulting. Katie and Jeremy explore topics including board engagement, strategic focus, and the evolving landscape of the nonprofit sector, with Katie emphasizing the importance of clear vision, effective communication, and making tough strategic decisions. Katie shares various ways people can connect with her to access valuable insights for nonprofit leaders, and they highlight the upcoming free cityCURRENT GET ON BOARD webinar Katie is leading on January 16, 2026, focused on sharing "The Blueprint for a Highly-Engaged Board."

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Christy Gilmour, Principal and Owner of Gilmour Consulting, who highlights her work with nonprofits in strategic planning, fundraising, and communications. Christy shares her background and explains her consulting approach, emphasizing the importance of early involvement in projects and tailoring strategies to each organization's unique needs. She discusses current trends in fundraising, including the availability of funding and the need for strategic communication with different audiences. Christy highlights the importance of authentic storytelling and being proactive in communication, especially during holiday seasons when engagement may drop. She also shares success stories from her work with organizations like Contemporary Arts Memphis and Madonna Learning Center. The conversation concludes with Christy expressing optimism about new developments in Memphis, including the new Museum of Art and the Metal Museum's move to Overton Park, as well as the arrival of new leadership in local nonprofits. Christy invites listeners to connect with her through LinkedIn and her website, www.cgilmourconsulting.com, for those seeking support in the nonprofit sector.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Debbie Radish-Respess, CEO and Alignment Alchemist of Invisible Horizons Coaching and Consulting, who shares her extensive background in corporate America and explains how her diverse experience led her to become a certified executive coach. She discusses her synergy strategy for aligning people with organizational purpose and improving execution, emphasizing the importance of empowering employees and building agility into processes. Debbie covers her BoardEX Ready leadership accelerator and her Executive HR Peer Advisory Group then discusses three major HR leadership trends, while highlighting the value of executive coaching in addressing leadership challenges and the importance of self-awareness in leadership development.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Stephen Bell, Director of State Operations with the Tennessee Department of Veteran Services, who discusses the department's mission and a new initiative, the Tennessee Veteran Ready Business Recognition Program. Bell explains that the department advocates for veterans, informs the public about benefits, and honors veterans through state cemeteries. He highlights their new program called the Tennessee Veteran Ready Business Recognition Program, which aims to support service members, veterans, and their families by recognizing businesses that recruit, hire, and retain them. The program is free and open to businesses of all sizes, regardless of whether they are veteran-owned. Bell explains that companies can participate by answering questions online, with the bronze level requiring only 4 questions. The program seeks to showcase the value of veterans in the workforce and provide resources for companies to better support veteran employees.

Bell discusses the importance of networking and collaboration in helping businesses become "veteran ready" and connect with veterans seeking employment. He emphasizes the need for businesses to provide tools and support for veteran hiring and onboarding, while also highlighting the challenges veterans face with the VA system and the solutions the Tennessee Department of Veteran Services is seeking to provide in collaborative support. He shares an example of a Nashville company that successfully integrated veteran employees into their program, allowing them to access benefits during work hours with the help of various organizations. Bell discusses upcoming symposiums where businesses can network and share best practices for hiring and supporting veterans.

Bell then discusses the economic impact of veterans in Tennessee, highlighting that veterans contribute over $32 billion annually to the state through compensation, median income, housing, and education assistance. He encourages viewers to explore the Tennessee Veterans Economic Impact Map on the state's website to see detailed data at the county level.

Visit https://www.tn.gov/veteran.html or call 615-741-2345 to learn more about the Tennessee Department of Veteran Services, the Tennessee Veteran Ready Business Recognition Program, and the Economic Impact of Veterans in Tennessee.

Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Bob Nardo, Executive Director and Founding Head of Libertas School of Memphis, who discusses the school's growth and recent achievements. Nardo highlights the transformation of Brookmeade School into Libertas, a public Montessori school serving children from infancy through adolescence in the Fraser community of North Memphis. He details the school's success, including being named a Tennessee Rewards School, and the opening of a new state-of-the-art middle school facility. Nardo spotlights the importance of the Montessori approach, which emphasizes hands-on learning and individualized instruction. He also discusses the school's partnerships with various organizations and individuals, including Southwest Tennessee Community College, philanthropists, and local leaders. The episode concludes with Nardo inviting listeners to get involved with Libertas School of Memphis by volunteering, mentoring, or tutoring, and encouraging them to visit the school's website or contact them directly to learn more.

On this episode of The cityCURRENT Show, Andrew Bartolotta sits down with Keith Windsor, whose journey is a powerful testament to redemption, resilience, and purpose.

After nearly 20 years of addiction, incarceration across multiple states, and repeated attempts at recovery, Keith reached a turning point that would change everything. What followed was not just sobriety—but a calling. Keith became the first certified forensic peer support specialist in the state of Mississippi, helping to shape and train peer recovery programs that now serve justice-involved individuals across Mississippi and Tennessee.

Today, Keith manages multiple outpatient clinics treating gambling addiction, works with families impacted by addiction, trains peers with lived experience, and is pursuing a Master of Social Work—all while advocating for stigma-free recovery. In this candid and deeply human conversation, Keith shares why lived experience is often the missing link in recovery, how gambling addiction hides in plain sight, and why recovery works best when people know they are not alone.

This episode is a reminder that a past does not define a person—and that sometimes, the very thing we’re ashamed of becomes our greatest asset in helping others heal.

Learn more: https://thegamblingclinic.com/

On this episode of The cityCURRENT Show, host Jeremy C. Park sits down with Andrew Bartolotta, Director of Digital Media at cityCURRENT, for a forward-looking conversation on technology, storytelling, and how artificial intelligence can be used for good.

Andrew reflects on key lessons from 2025, including the importance of amplifying empathy, reclaiming purpose, and using digital media as a connector—not a distraction. From large-scale volunteer initiatives and nonprofit storytelling to behind-the-scenes media production, Andrew shares how cityCURRENT continues to spotlight everyday people doing extraordinary things across Memphis, Nashville, and beyond.

The conversation dives deep into AI for Good, breaking down practical tools—like NotebookLM, ChatGPT, wearable AI technology, and automation platforms—that nonprofits, businesses, and individuals can use to save time, enhance creativity, and increase impact without losing human connection. Andrew also explores ethical stewardship, accessibility, and how emerging technologies can help reduce barriers for families, communities, and organizations.

This episode is both inspiring and actionable, offering real-world examples of how technology can strengthen—not replace—empathy, storytelling, and service. It’s a powerful reminder that when used intentionally, innovation can help us all power the good in 2026 and beyond.