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

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Holly Christensen is a wife and homeschooling mom of three children, running her nonprofit ‘The Magic Yarn Project’ from her home. It all started several years ago when she decided to make a soft Rapunzel wig for a friend’s little girl who had been diagnosed with cancer. The wig was a hit…and Holly then started making more wigs for her local hospital, and from there her nonprofit took off. They’ve now delivered over 60,000 wigs to all 50 states and 52 countries around the world.

I loved this interview because Holly really shares some personal and tender stories. And she talks about The Magic Yarn Project's two-fold mission… to not only provide these fun character wigs and beanies to children experiencing hair loss because of cancer treatments or other conditions, but also their desire to give others the opportunity to experience the benefits of service and giving back.

Holly truly lives by the motto of ‘I can’t do everything, but I can do something.’ Listen to this episode to be inspired by her story and also be reminded that even small acts of love can make a difference.

Links mentioned in the episode:
The Magic Yarn Project Website
The Magic Yarn Project Instagram
The Magic Yarn Project Facebook
The Magic Yarn Project YouTube video

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With Hurricanes Helene and Milton that have recently hit the United States, the topic of how to help after a natural disaster is at the forefront of many people’s minds. In this episode I’m sharing just a few ideas of ways you can serve and support communities that have experienced a natural disaster.

Many of us have good intentions and truly want to offer help where it’s needed, so one thing I stress in this episode is making sure you offer your service in a coordinated way through reputable organizations. When done in the right way, every little bit of money or time we have to offer truly can make a difference for so many as they work to put their homes and communities back together.

Links mentioned in the episode:
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Website
List of Current Members of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
Donate Blood through American Red Cross

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This week on the podcast I am featuring my niece, Mckell Draper. Mckell is currently serving as a service missionary for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a service missionary, she is dedicating 18 months to full time service at a variety of church and community organizations. Mckell takes us through what a typical day and week look like for her, she shares about some of the service sites she gets to work at, and she tells some really touching stories of times she’s been able to connect with and lift people one on one.

Missionaries in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints truly see themselves as representatives of Jesus Christ, and I love how Mckell shares her testimony of that and the ways she has found that to be true in her unique experiences as a service missionary.

Links from the episode:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
More info about Service Missionaries

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Ashlee Taylor has worked with nonprofits for her entire career and she now serves as the Executive Director of The Refuge Utah, a center that assists victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. This can be a sensitive topic to cover, but I think an essential one as well. I really appreciated the ways Ashlee shared about the variety of services they offer, the real needs their center is actively fulfilling in their community, and even the stories of some of the people they’ve been able to help. I love how Ashlee shares that one of her biggest why’s for what she does is to better her community by strengthening families, and helping to make sure more children can grow up in homes that are healthy and safe.

Listen to this interview to learn more about the good and necessary work The Refuge does and the many different ways they fulfill their mission of empowering those who come to them for help.

Links mentioned in the episode:
The Refuge Utah Website
The Refuge Utah Instagram
The Refuge Utah Facebook

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It’s that time of year when many families are finally getting settled into their school routine and schedule. Life can be busy! Running kids around, balancing many responsibilities in and outside our homes, and keeping up with all that life has to offer. So with this episode I wanted to take a minute to give the reminder that volunteering in our children’s schools is a great way for parents…and even grandparents…to serve and make a difference!

I share my personal reasons for why that is and give some encouragement and ideas for anyone who has ever thought about volunteering in their kid’s schools. There is no one size fits all answer…every person needs to know what they can say yes to and sometimes what they have to say no to when it comes to helping out at school. But I hope after listening to this episode I give you some inspiration and motivation to see the many ways you can say yes and how that can be so beneficial for you, your family, and your children’s schools.

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Danielle Simko graduated from high school this last May and along with everything else that you can imagine a busy senior doing, she also competed in her local city’s pageant with the Miss America organization.

On this episode Danielle shares about the community service initiative she started called ‘Lead with Light’. Her goal with it is to teach different areas of leadership to children and youth, giving an especial focus on service and helping those around you. I love how we were able to discuss the ways that service can help you naturally build leadership skills.

Danielle also takes some time to talk about what competing in one of these pageants is like and emphasizes that for everyone involved, at the heart of it all is service and giving back to their communities.

Links mentioned in the show:
Lead with Light Instagram
Miss America organization
Just Serve

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Anadine Marshall has done work with many nonprofits in a variety of ways…and right now she’s serving as the Programs Director with the nonprofit Charity Vision. I was so inspired by this nonprofit and the work they do to not only restore curable sight impairment worldwide…but also the goal they have of empowering the communities they work with to be self-sustaining and giving them the tools they need to facilitate their own solutions for the work of giving vision care.

Anadine talks about the Sight Buddies program that Charity Vision runs here in the U.S. and in other countries, and she gives some insights and tells inspiring stories about the cataract surgeries and other services they help physicians provide all over the globe. And I loved her final message that the ultimate goal for any non-profit or really anyone trying to help and do good…should be not to enable people, but to empower and give them the extra bump or nudge they need so they can then help themselves.

Listen to the episode to learn more about this inspiring nonprofit, Charity Vision.

Links mentioned in the episode:
Charity Vision website
Charity Vision service opportunities
Charity Vision Instagram
Charity Vision Facebook

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In the United States, September 11 has been officially recognized and established under federal law as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Organizations all over the nation…including nonprofits, employers, faith and religious groups, cities and schools…organize projects and use this day to encourage the people of our nation to serve and reach out to others. On today’s episode I’m giving you just a little background on this day and also some ideas for how you can participate.

Links mentioned in the episode:
JustServe.org
American Red Cross-sign up to donate blood

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Amy Francis is the Founder and CEO of Rocky Mountain Therapy Dogs. They are a non-profit that offers training and certification of dogs, as well as connecting dog handlers with service opportunities in the community. Therapy dogs are a little different than service animals. While they are working dogs, instead of providing a service to one individual, they are used to serve and provide therapy in a myriad of different ways to many different people.

 That is one of the things I loved learning about this non-profit. Their therapy dogs are involved in the community in so many different ways! From schools and education, to the elderly, outreach programs, hospitals, one-on-one interaction, and community events. Amy also shares some especially touching stories about all the good they get to see the dogs and handlers do. 

This episode originally aired November 15, 2023. I wanted to share it again because it’s a great reminder about how anyone, even our furry friends, can serve and help others in their own community.

Links mentioned in the show:
Rocky Mountain Therapy Dogs Website
Rocky Mountain Therapy Dogs Instagram
Rocky Mountain Therapy Dogs Facebook

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This podcast episode is a sweet and tender interview with my husband’s cousin, Camber Hess. Camber lost one of her daughters as an infant several years ago, and has also experienced infertility and miscarriage. In this episode she talks about those experiences, and shares how receiving heartfelt service from others helped her cope with her grief. I really appreciate how she also gave genuine and simple ideas anyone can use to help them serve and be a support to those they might know currently walking through grief. 

Camber also relates how reaching out and giving service to others has been another way to help her navigate those losses in her own life. At the end of the episode she shares about her ‘Infant Loss Stories’ project and website, where she hopes to provide a safe space for women to share their own unique stories with infertility, miscarriage, and infant loss.

This really is a beautiful interview that originally aired October 3, 2023. I’m so grateful to Camber for being willing to come on the podcast and be so open with her own story and wanted to share it again for anyone that might benefit from hearing what she has to say.

Links mentioned in the episode:
Infant Loss Stories Website
Melissa's Story on Infant Loss Stories Website

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