Escape into a Cause

Join us as we escape into Family Eldercare!

We're excited to welcome Dr. Aaron Alarcon, Chief Executive Officer at Family Eldercare, to the conversation! In this episode, we dive into the power of community and why collective care matters more than ever. We discuss how investing in the people around us builds connection, trust, and a sense of belonging that gives back when it matters most.

Family Eldercare is a non-profit serving Central Texas that helps older adults and adults with disabilities live independently by providing housing, supportive services like meal prep, transportation, and case management, financial advocacy, and programs promoting mental and physical wellness. Their mission is to promote dignity, stability, and prevent abuse and neglect, connecting people to vital community resources so they can age with independence and quality of life.

Ways Family Eldercare makes an Impact:

Providing Safe and Affordable Housing – Ensuring older adults and adults with disabilities have stable homes to live independently. Offering Supportive Services – From in-home care and peer groups to financial counseling, helping clients stay healthy, connected, and financially secure. Promoting Dignity and Well-Being – Reducing isolation, preventing abuse, and empowering individuals to live with confidence and respect.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some "Good Bragging" Rights:

Donate – Your gift helps provide housing and essential services for older adults and adults with disabilities and every dollar is matched through December 31 to double your impact. 👉 https://familyeldercare.donorsupport.co/page/EOY2025

Attend a Friend-Raiser – Tour one of Family Eldercare's communities, hear from the people they serve, and connect with others while learning about their life-changing programs. 👉 https://www.familyeldercare.org/events/

Volunteer – Bring companionship, help with errands or finances, or make special events brighter for residents and create meaningful connections along the way. 👉 https://www.familyeldercare.org/volunteer-program/

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into Project Schoolhouse!

We're excited to welcome Selina Serna, Executive Director, and Shannon Fohn, Board VP, at Project Schoolhouse to the conversation! First we explore how technology can help mission-driven organizations do more with less. We discuss how AI, automation, and smarter tools can support small teams, strengthen messaging, and expand impact without expanding budgets.

Then, we escape into Project Schoolhouse! Project Schoolhouse believes every child deserves a quality education, every community deserves clean water, and schools can be the foundation for stronger, sustainable communities. They work with local communities to build schools, provide clean water, and improve sanitation, helping families keep kids in the classroom. Focused in rural Nicaragua, many villages are remote, lack basic utilities, and families survive on less than $2/day. By addressing education, water, and sanitation together, Project Schoolhouse creates lasting, community-driven change.

Ways Project Schoolhouse makes an Impact:

Building Schools & Supporting Education – Partnering with communities to give children access to quality education. Providing Clean Water & Improving Sanitation – Ensuring families have safe water and healthier living conditions. Empowering Communities – Facilitating grassroots projects with local volunteer participation for lasting change.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some Bragging Rights:

Donate: Supplies, books, and monthly contributions directly support schools, clean water, and sanitation projects in rural Nicaragua. 👉 https://www.projectschoolhouse.org/donate/

Volunteer: Join a Service Adventure Tour to help build schools and water systems while connecting with local communities firsthand. 👉 https://www.projectschoolhouse.org/careers-and-volunteer-opportunities/

Join Impact Hour: Dec 4 · 5 PM at Lazarus Brewing Co. · Enjoy drinks while learning how small actions make a big difference for children. 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/impact-hours-with-project-schoolhouse-tickets-1824674072269

Stay connected: Follow @projectschoolhouse and subscribe to their newsletter to learn more and get involved. 👉 https://www.projectschoolhouse.org/newsletter/

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into We Are Blood!

In this episode, we explore why purpose-driven work deserves more respect, recognition, and investment. We discuss how teachers, social workers, and nonprofit professionals shape our communities and why their impact is often undervalued.

We also sit down with Nick Canedo, Vice President of Community Engagement at We Are Blood, the nonprofit dedicated to saving lives in Central Texas!

We Are Blood is dedicated to providing and protecting the community's blood supply, inspiring Central Texans to save lives locally, and treating everyone they serve as family. They collect, test, and distribute donated blood to more than 50 hospitals across 10 counties, ensuring patients in our community always have access to the lifesaving care they need.

Ways We Are Blood makes an Impact:

Saving Lives Locally – Ensuring patients in Central Texas have access to lifesaving blood every day. Engaging the Community – Inspiring and supporting thousands of local donors to give back regularly. Supporting Hospitals – Partnering with more than 50 medical facilities to maintain a reliable blood supply for patients in need.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some Bragging Rights:

Donate Blood – Every donation can save multiple lives in your community. Whole blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors every 7 days. 👉https://weareblood.org/donate-blood/

Volunteer – Help at donation centers, transport lifesaving blood, or educate the community. 👉https://weareblood.org/help/volunteer/

Host a Blood Drive – Organize a drive with your company, school, church, or neighborhood to make a real difference in your community. 👉https://weareblood.org/ways-to-help/host/

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into Special Olympics San Marcos Wolverines!

We're excited to welcome the the Special Olympics San Marcos Wolverines Soccer Team to the conversation!

The Wolverines have been selected to represent Team Texas at the Special Olympics USA Games next year in Minnesota! For these athletes, this is more than a game. It's about growth, courage, teamwork, and the joy of pushing themselves to be their best. The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and share gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, fellow athletes, and the community.

Ways Special Olympics San Marcos Wolverines make an Impact:

Empowering Athletes – Helping individuals develop skills, confidence, and courage through competitive sports. Building Teamwork and Friendship – Creating a supportive environment where athletes encourage and inspire one another. Fostering Inclusion and Community – Giving athletes with intellectual disabilities the chance to participate fully in sports and life, celebrated by their families and communities.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some Bragging Rights:

Donate: Use the link below to help cover travel, lodging, meals, uniforms, and training gear. 👉 https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/6502775

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into Mike & Sherry Project!

We're excited to welcome Sam Hellman-Mass, restaurant industry veteran, owner of East Austin favorite Suerte, and founder of Mike & Sherry Project, to the conversation!

Founded in 2019, the Mike & Sherry Project partners with Capital Area Counseling (CAC) to provide affordable, accessible mental health care for Austin's restaurant and bar industry. Through fundraising, the Project helps cover costs for workers facing financial barriers, offering income-based sliding scale appointments starting at $25. To date, over $124,000 has been raised, supporting more than 6,400 appointments.

Ways Mike & Sherry Project make an Impact:

Supporting Mental Health – Providing affordable, high-quality counseling to service industry employees. Building Community – Helping workers navigate the challenges of a high-stress industry with care and support. Financial Accessibility – Using fundraising to ensure mental health care is accessible regardless of income.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some Bragging Rights:

Donate: Help ensure Austin's hospitality workers never face financial barriers to mental health care. 👉 https://www.mikeandsherryproject.com/donate/ Join the Project: If you work in the industry and need affordable therapy, reach out to [email protected] to learn more.

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into Level!

We're excited to welcome Alex Wright, Executive Director of Level, to the conversation!

Level creates and distributes educational and job training content for people in prison, helping them thrive after release and break the cycle of incarceration. Their programs focus on the unique needs of incarcerated learners and their supporters on the outside, believing in the power of education to transform futures for individuals, families, and communities.

Ways Level Make an Impact:

Building Career Skills – Providing job training in entrepreneurship, computer science, and internet technology to prepare learners for success after release. Supporting Personal Development – Offering guides in meditation, art, and self-improvement to help learners grow holistically and navigate prison life. Expanding Access to Education – Delivering self-paced, printed guides to learners in over 1,000 correctional facilities, even in maximum security or solitary confinement.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some Bragging Rights:

Volunteer: Help transcribe handwritten completion forms from incarcerated learners. You can do this from anywhere- home, school, or office—and directly support someone's educational journey. 👉 https://learnlevel.org/volunteer/ Donate: Your gift empowers people in prison to find purpose, gain skills, and increase their chances of success after release. 👉 https://learnlevel.org/donate/

Bonus: Share your support on social media! Every post helps Level reach more families and learners. 👉 @LearnLevel

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into LifeWorks!

We're excited to welcome Liz Schoenfeld, the Chief Executive Officer of LifeWorks, to the conversation!

Every young person deserves safety, stability, and the chance to shape their own future. Yet in Central Texas, more than 1,000 youth, many aging out of foster care or supporting a child, do not have a safe place to sleep. LifeWorks is changing that by providing housing, mental health care, education, and job support while walking alongside each young person as they pursue their goals. Their Youth Resource Center in East Austin offers a welcoming space where youth can access essential services and begin planning for their future. Serving over 2,500 individuals annually, LifeWorks uses data, compassion, and youth voices to provide long-term solutions and a national model for solving youth homelessness.

Ways LifeWorks Make an Impact:

Housing & Basic Needs – Offering personalized support to help youth find safe, stable housing and meet their immediate needs.

Mental Health & Well-Being – Providing mental health services and peer support for youth navigating family conflict, trauma, and big life transitions.

Education & Workforce – Helping youth finish school, build job skills, and prepare for meaningful work through personalized collaboration.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some 'Good Bragging Rights':

Volunteer: Give your time, help stock the food pantry, or support in other ways to make a lasting impact.

Donate: Help provide housing, mental health care, education, and workforce services for youth. Pledge long-term and join the LifeWorks Legacy.

Project Holiday Help: LifeWorks matches donors with youth or families to brighten the holidays, from essentials to special gifts. Sign-ups start in November, with gifts due early December.

Visit LifeWorksAustin.org/Get-Involved to find your way to help. Every act of generosity creates real momentum forward.

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into GirlForward!

We're excited to welcome Johanna Hosking-Pulido, the executive director for GirlForward, to the conversation!

GirlForward is a community of support dedicated to creating and enhancing opportunities for girls who have been displaced globally by conflict and persecution. GirlForward supports girls in grades 9-12 who are refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers through three core programs: mentoring, education, and safe spaces. Every girl in their community has a unique story that continues to be written, and each year they serve over 200 girls, helping them overcome barriers like disrupted education, language challenges, and isolation.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some 'Good Bragging Rights':

Become a Mentor! - Become a mentor and help girls build skills, confidence, and connection. 👉 https://www.girlforward.org/mentoring

Volunteer - Join their community of support! 👉https://www.girlforward.org/volunteer

Donate - Your support directly funds services girls need most—from camp lunches to computers and school supplies. 👉 https://www.girlforward.org/ways-to-give

Gratitude Night - Join this special community celebration on Nov 12 in Austin and Nov 19 in Chicago to share joy, connection, and gratitude. 👉 Email [email protected] for more details.

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into NAMI Central Texas!

We're excited to welcome Colleen Gallion, executive director for NAMI Central Texas, to the conversation!

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization, dedicated to improving the lives of millions of Americans affected by mental illness. What began in 1979 as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table has grown into the nation's leading voice on mental health. Today, NAMI is an alliance of more than 600 local affiliates working in communities to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available.

Ways NAMI Central Texas makes an Impact:

Providing Support & Education – Offers programs, support groups, and resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Crisis & HelpLine Assistance – Connects people in need with trained volunteers and professional resources during times of crisis. Advocating for Change – Raises public awareness and influences mental health policy to reduce stigma and improve access to care.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some Good Bragging Rights:

Donate: Help ensure no one faces their mental health journey alone. https://namitexas.org/get-involved/donate/

Join NAMIWalks: Mark your calendar for Oct 18th and join in on the largest mental health event series in the country, celebrating stories, community, and progress. https://www.nami.org/get-involved/find-a-namiwalks/

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.

Join us as we escape into The Church Lab / BridgeBuilders Lab!

We're excited to welcome Reverend Carrie Graham of The Church Lab / BridgeBuilders Lab to the conversation! Stephanie and Courtney also dive into a topic that matters - The "I can't make a difference" dilemma that people may face when deciding whether to give back to nonprofits or their community. The Church Lab (TCL) was founded in 2013 to respond to a growing need for innovative ministry experiments. While many are stepping away from institutional religion, the hunger for spaces to ask spiritual questions and grow remains timeless. TCL offers a creative and inclusive environment where anyone, whether you've distanced yourself from religion, practice devout faith, or are still exploring, can find room to grow spiritually. By fostering dialogue and collaboration, The Church Lab helps individuals and churches reimagine the future of faith, serving as a bridge between traditions, leaders, and seekers, and sharing what they learn to inspire others.

Ways The Church Lab Makes an Impact:

Hosting Interfaith Dialogues – Bringing together people of diverse faiths and worldviews for deep, respectful conversations.

Supporting Pastors and Leaders – Partnering with churches and faith innovators to explore new approaches to ministry.

Building Bridges Across Communities – Creating tools and practices that strengthen understanding, connection, and spiritual growth.

How to Get Involved & Earn Some Good Bragging Rights:

Donate: Every contribution helps sustain their grassroots mission. https://thechurchlab.org/give Join a Dialogue: Bi-weekly conversations (online + IRL) with people of all faiths and perspectives. https://thechurchlab.org/new-calendar

How to Do Some Good in Austin & Get Rewarded 🏒 + 🎟️ = 💚 Sign up for updates on causes you care about or share your #GoodBrag showing how you've volunteered or donated—then DM us for a chance to win Texas Stars tickets!

Follow along: 👉 Facebook 👉 Instagram

Special Thanks:

A huge thank you to Nightlight Insurance Agency for making this podcast possible. We also appreciate Todd Thompson for editing & mixing, Ashlynne O'Neal for content management, Graham Thompson and Jaden Dyer for the music, and Cory McKane at Just Push Record Studios.