Wanda L. McArn is the driving force behind the forming of Next Step Development Corporation (NSDC) and serves as the CEO and Chair of the Board of Directors.   Wanda lived in and traveled to some of the largest cities in the U.S. during her career and was overwhelmed by the sheer number of homeless Americans sleeping under highway underpasses, in tent cities or the parks, streets, and storefronts.   Closer to home, she has several family members dealing with substance abuse issues and mental illness. Others are couch surfing, paying daily for hotels, or sleeping in their cars, all with jobs but can't find affordable apartments.   This firsthand experience has made her an advocate for an improved and more robust mental health system and affordable housing strategies that meet the community's needs.  Wanda developed the idea for Next Step Development Corporation and contacted seven passionate and community-focused individuals to serve on the Founding Board of Directors.   

Next Step Development Corporation addresses the issue of chronic homelessness in North Carolina. Their mission is to provide supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness or unhoused by developing tiny home villages, affordable housing units, and emergency shelters.   They provide case management, job training, life skills training, mental health, and substance use support groups, as well as, resident focused community services such as vegetable gardens, food pantries, clothing closets and basic essentials.   They aim to address their need for safe permanent housing and give them a sense of belonging.  

Contact her at [email protected] or visit www.nextstepdevelopmentcorporation.org!

In this special episode I am talking with Wanji Banda! She is the other half of Elevated Co. and the Community Lifeline Podcast. She is here with me to teach the audience about Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). This is the beginning of our SDOH series as we will talk in detail about each of the determinants for the next 5 weeks.

Tiffany Beaudine, the Chief Executive Officer of Rainbow Days, Inc.⁠, served on the staff for over 20 years with a background in communications and development. ⁠

As Chief Executive Officer, Tiffany provides the strategic vision of Rainbow Days and works closely with the Board of Directors to help further organizational goals through impactful and measurable services, fundraising, community awareness, and fiscal oversight. ⁠

Rainbow Days' mission is to help children and youth in adversity build coping skills and resilience to create positive futures. Their award-winning prevention services have supported children's social, emotional, mental, and behavioral health for over 40 years. Using Rainbow Days' own evidence-based Curriculum-Based Support Group (CBSG®) Program and trained staff mentors, Rainbow Days improves children and youth's self-confidence, ability to cope with difficult problems, awareness of healthy choices, ability to resist negative peer pressure and set goals for a positive future, including staying in school and staying drug-free.⁠ 

Through weekly support groups at partnering schools and shelters, classroom presentations, themed summer day camps for homeless children, mentored events, family outings, and tangible items to meet basic needs, Rainbow Days is making a positive impact in the lives of over 9,000 children, youth and families annually. ⁠ ⁠ Additionally, Rainbow Days expands its impact beyond Dallas through training services, which trains other nonprofit staff, teachers, and counselors throughout the U.S. in its award-winning CBSG® Program.⁠

Visit them @ https://rainbowdays.org/ today!

People Incorporated welcomed Veronika E. Mix from Atlanta, Georgia as the Vice President of Community Engagement in 2021. Mix brings more than 15 years of experience in healthcare, specializing in client engagement, integrated marketing, and community relations with a strong history of building relationships and programs that support the client experience. 

Mix has an MBA in Marketing from Strayer University in Atlanta and a BBA in Management from Robert Morris University in Chicago.

People Incorporated was founded in 1969 to believe that those living with mental illness could be ‘incorporated’ into society, and society can incorporate efforts to support these most vulnerable individuals in need of care. 

Since then, People Incorporated has been committed to supporting mental health and wellness in communities through collaboration, innovation, integration of care, and training throughout Minnesota. 

PEOPLEINCORPORATED.ORG | 651.774.0011

Nancy Wallace is the Dallas Metropolitan Chapter President and the Co-Chair of the National Fund Development Committee of The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.

For more information visit https://www.ncbwdallas.org/! 

This episode tells the story about how Community Lifeline Podcast came about. Our host, Neshe' Conley, talks about her upbringing and how public health resources helped her and her family to survive social injustices and health disparities. Her mission is to close the gap between vulnerable and low-income communities and the resources that are out there by providing health education and having guest speakers from national organizations tell their stories and services!

Dr. Mercia Martin is a physical therapist in Houston, TX, treating patients with orthopedic and neurological conditions. Originally from the Republic of Congo, Mercia immigrated to the United States in 2012 to pursue higher education.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences from Sam Houston State University and her Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy from Texas State University. Mercia’s principal areas of interest are community and global health. 

In her free time, she enjoys providing pro bono physical therapy services to uninsured or underinsured Houstonians. She also mentors minority students interested in the PT profession and assists them with essay and resume editing, mock interview, and academic advice. Mercia’s long-term career goal is to extend her public health efforts into the non-profit medical world to improve access to health services in both her home country, the Congo, and here, locally, in Houston. 

She is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion and hopes to continue working on projects that make this world a more welcoming place for all individuals, regardless of their racial, social or economic backgrounds.

Connect with Dr. Martin @TheGratefulPT on all social media platforms!

Angela Burgess currently serves as the Executive Director of RaiseUp Families through her company, Broad Oaks Consulting, LLC. A former philanthropic director and financial planning executive, she now serves as a trusted advisor to not-for-profit organizations on strategic planning, revenue generation, and investment development.

With over 20 years of experience she is a compassionate, business-minded leader and clear communicator who develops concrete, achievable strategies that create financial stability and drive growth in reach and impact.

Angela participated in a prison ministry through The Order of Malta and has been a mentor with Big Brother Big Sisters of Houston. She currently serves on the International Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and is a Court Appointed Guardian ad Litem through Child Advocates of Houston.

Since 1994 RaiseUp Families has been providing financial assistance to parents of school-age children while helping them attain higher income jobs and teaching invaluable budgeting skills. This leads parents to become self-sufficient - prepared for future financial challenges where they will not have to utilize social services again. Our relational and individualized care gives parents the training and confidence to realize a better future for their children.

RaiseUp Families' mission is to stabilize parents from vulnerable communities who face unexpected financial crises so their children can focus on their education, giving them the opportunity for a better life.

Their vision is families across Greater Houston are stable and their children are excelling in school.

Learn more by visiting them @ www.https://raiseupfamilies.org/!