Do Something More-Nonprofit Spotlights & Ways to Serve Your Community

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Training for and running a 5k can not only be a great goal to accomplish…but also a way to champion the causes you feel passionate about. Many nonprofits and other organizations use 5ks to create awareness and raise funds to support the work they do. 

In this episode I’m giving tips and encouragement so that the next time you see a 5k for a cause that matters to you, you can go and participate with full confidence. Give it a listen and be inspired to sign up for a race this summer.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Couch to 5k Running Program

Hal Higdon's Training Programs

findarace.com

raceentry.com

Strava App

Wright Sock for running

Episode 18: Abby Whiting and Organizing Her 'Physical Health for Mental Health' Run

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‘Choose Kindness PG’ is a nonprofit located in Pleasant Grove, Utah. It all started after some citizens felt there was division in their community. They went to the city council proposing a plan to promote a culture of kindness and service in their city. It began with organizing kindness clubs in the local schools, and spread from there to community events, and now they also celebrate a ‘Choose Kindness’ month in February.

My guests on this episode of the podcast, Rebecca Cardon and Ruth Horsley, are the current co-chairs of ‘Choose Kindness PG.’ They share some great stories and experiences they’ve had while volunteering with this nonprofit, and also give a lot of fantastic ideas anyone could use to incorporate a similar movement in their own city.

Division and discord is unfortunately too commonplace in our society right now, but organizations like this one and people like Rebecca and Ruth are proving that we have the power to change that within our own communities, one person and one small act of kindness or service at a time.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Choose Kindness Website

Choose Kindness Instagram

Choose Kindness Facebook

We've Been Loved Service Project

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'Fish for Garbage' is a nonprofit that was organized by a bunch of outdoor enthusiasts who noticed significant amounts of trash littering stream banks and lakeshores of popular fishing locations in Utah. They started by encouraging local anglers to collect garbage each time they went out fishing, and then began organizing official events inviting volunteers and locals to come help pick up trash.

Now they organize around six cleanups every year in the spring and summer that mobilize hundreds of volunteers all over the state. They recently reached the impressive milestone of removing over 100,000 pounds of garbage since their first beginnings in 2015.

My guest on this episode is Jared Winkler, the President of 'Fish for Garbage'. He tells a little more about the work they do with educating kids and others about taking stewardship for the outdoors, and at the very end I had him share some of the most ‘interesting’ things they’ve found in all the cleanups he’s been a part of.

With the weather warming up and all of us spending more time outside, this is a great episode to remind everyone that picking up a little trash truly can make a difference. Give it a listen and you might even feel inspired to host your own local cleanup.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Fish for Garbage Website

Fish for Garbage Instagram

Fish for Garbage Facebook

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Looking for a very doable but also impactful way to serve someone around you today? Consider giving a genuine compliment, to a stranger or someone you know. It doesn’t need to feel forced either. Just take the good thoughts you’ve already had about somebody else, and have the courage to share them. You can do it through text, in person, or even write them a note.

I originally aired this episode in August of 2023, but I wanted to share it again because in it I tell a cool experience I had several years ago that taught me the true power a compliment can have. 

Giving a genuine compliment really is a beautiful way ANYONE can serve.

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Trigger warning: this episode mentions suicide

Jen Spencer had spent 20 years as a meth addict and was living on the streets of Ogden, Utah during a particularly cold and bitter winter. She remembers the feeling of cold completely overwhelmed her, zapping her energy and even her will to live. During a particularly dark and broken moment, she decided to reach out to God in prayer. The answer she received during that prayer helped her to start a rehab program. Only three months into her recovery she learned about the technology of foam clothing and instantly knew this was something that could help many in the homeless population.

It took a few years, but she was finally able to find affordable ways to use this technology and design a vest that could be given to homeless individuals. That was the beginning of her nonprofit, the ‘Turtle Shelter Project.’ Now through organized service events they are able to create and distribute over 1500 vests each year, but as Jen says it’s not really about the numbers. It’s about helping people be able to make the choice to stay one more day so they can find hope, healing, and recovery.

Listen to this episode to hear Jen share her story, her relationship with God, and how she knows He has helped direct her every step of the way.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Turtle Shelter Project Website

Turtle Shelter Project Instagram

Turtle Shelter Project Facebook

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Bryan Ware was out to dinner with his family one night when he wondered, could someone do something with all the restaurant crayons kids use and repurpose them? After pondering that question for a couple years and doing a little research, he finally started his nonprofit ‘The Crayon Initiative.’

Using his manufacturing background, he slowly figured out a way to collect recycled crayons, remake them into new crayons with a unique design, and donate those new boxes to children’s hospitals all over the country for sick kids to use.

At the end of this month, March 2025, ‘The Crayon Initiative’ will celebrate 1,000,000 boxes distributed. That’s a pretty amazing feat for something that started with just a simple idea. 

Listen to this episode to learn from Bryan about how his nonprofit is able to navigate all the logistics of what they do, and also get the reminder that what can feel like failure is really an opportunity to learn and move forward.

Links mentioned in the episode:

The Crayon Initiative Website

The Crayon Initiative Instagram

The Crayon Initiative Facebook

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Giving of our time and volunteering is important and a great way to serve in our communities, but in this episode I’m switching my focus just a little bit and talking about how important it is to donate money and physical goods as well…especially to the nonprofits in our community. Donations, large and small, are their lifeblood and they are truly appreciative of any amount someone can give.

I’m sharing a few tips on how anyone can make donating a regular part of their life by learning how to take advantage of opportunities that pop up every day. These can work even if you feel like you only have small amounts to give, because truly every little bit helps. I know that it is important to many people to be able to donate to the causes that matter to them. I hope this episode can give you some simple ideas on how to make it happen.

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While navigating her husband’s sudden job loss, Emily Buss wanted to still be able to provide a fun birthday for her daughters…but after looking around for community resources didn’t know how she could do it. A friend ended up anonymously sharing a list with the community, and packages started arriving on Emily’s doorstep…even down to the cute cat napkins her daughter had requested. From there Emily realized there was a real need in the community to provide birthday supplies to other families walking through difficult times, and that was the beginning of her nonprofit, The Birthday Box Foundation.

Emily shares some sweet stories of those who have served the foundation and those who have been recipients of their birthday boxes. She also has a lot of great insights and advice for anyone starting their own nonprofit.

The Birthday Box Foundation truly believes that birthdays are more than just cake and balloons, but a cornerstone of childhood memories. And they are committed to helping families be able to make those memories together, even in the toughest of times.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Birthday Box Foundation Website

Birthday Box Foundation Instagram

Birthday Box Foundation Facebook

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Allison Bond is 28 years old, has cerebral palsy, and lives in Lincoln, Arkansas. During the COVID pandemic she decided she wanted to do something to make a difference and started writing letters to various people. Several years and almost 6,000 letters later…she’s touched a lot of people and lives. She writes to individuals in many different situations…people in prison or serving in the military to people affected by natural disasters or even people in her own community. 

This candid conversation is a great reminder that anyone truly can make a difference. Hear about some of Allison’s experiences and why she thinks we should treat others with kindness no matter the situation.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Kindness Through Letters Instagram

Kindness Through Letters Facebook

Kindness Through Letters Amazon List

Kindness Through Letters PayPal

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I think many of us have found ourselves in a moment where we felt like we wanted to offer our service, or help, or assistance to someone…but we weren’t quite sure what to say or do. This is a topic I have pondered and studied for the last 7-8 years. I’ve even kept pages in notebooks where I’ve written down phrases and questions I have heard others use when they were trying to offer service or help to someone. So this episode is my attempt to share a small piece of that wisdom and advice. These questions and phrases I share have helped me to reach out to others, and I hope they can help you as well.

I do emphasize in the beginning of the episode, offering assistance and help to people is a skill! And just like many other skills you have to practice to get better at it. So my ultimate advice is to not worry too much about what to say when you see a situation where someone could use your help, just step in and do it! Give it a try. Don’t let fear and apprehension keep you from giving the service that is so uniquely yours to give.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Episode 66: Using Service to Cope With Grief with Camber Hess

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