find your cause

In this episode, Joseph interviews Jacque Stefanik, the Executive Director and Co-founder of Serving People with a Mission (SPM). SPM is a leadership development program that focuses on providing young people, particularly teenagers and those in their twenties, with the tools and resources to become servant leaders in their communities.

Jacque explains that the mission of SPM is to seek and provide people from all walks of life with the knowledge and resources they need to make a positive impact in their communities. Jacque shares the story of how SPM was founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a college student at Loyola University of Chicago at the time, Jacque felt the need to continue giving back to his community even when student organizations were unable to operate. Along with two friends, he co-founded SPM with the goal of empowering young people to become servant leaders.

The core program of SPM is called the Hand in Hand Leadership Program, which focuses on mentorship, teaching the principles of servant leadership, and providing exposure to different community-based nonprofits. The program includes workshops, field trips to organizations like Loyola University of Chicago and Grant Thornton, and a philanthropy project where students are given a budget to make decisions for the greater good of their community.

Jacque emphasizes the importance of teaching students fiscal responsibility and the skills needed to become successful professionals. SPM partners with various schools and organizations, including Loyola University of Chicago, Noble Schools, and Chicago Public Schools, to deliver their programs. They also have partnerships with environmental justice organizations like Plant Chicago and Grow Greater Englewood.

Jacque mentions that SPM is grateful for the support of funding partners such as The Chicago Community Trust and Grace Lutheran Church and School. In terms of measuring impact, Jacque states that SPM has seen around 55 students graduate from their programs so far, with a goal of expanding their alumni network and running simultaneous programs at different schools.

They also collect data through testimonials from students and parents, highlighting improvements in confidence, professionalism, and college readiness. Looking ahead, Jacque envisions SPM growing to have more staff and support to make it a full-time job for their leaders. They aim to expand their programs and partnerships, reach more schools and colleges, and continue making a positive impact in the community.

To engage with SPM, Jacque invites people to visit their website, follow them on social media, subscribe to their newsletter, and consider donating financially or donating clothes. He also encourages potential partners to reach out to collaborate on promoting servant leadership and making a difference in the community.

Want to learn more, donate, or get engaged?

Guest Information

In this episode we interview Timothy "Tito" Torres, Executive Director at Moral Compass Federation. Moral Compass Federation empowers veteran communities to address Moral Injury through education, advocacy, and action. By utilizing a coalition-based model, we are guided by our values of honoring promises made to our allies, taking care of those who served our country, promoting sound policies that prevent future crises, and veteran leadership. We are committed to providing a voice for positive change.

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In this episode we interview Sherese Reed, CEO at Reigning Pearls Organization. Reigning Pearls Organization’s mission is to help young ladies who have children with the necessary tools to prosper and attain their life goals. Reigning Pearls will provide our young parents the opportunity to excel, educate and explore a world beyond their expectations. 

Show them a different side of life. 

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In this episode we interview Raghav Aggarwal, Founder and President Chess For Trees. Chess For Trees’s mission is to create a chess community that extends past the board, making one move at a time to checkmate climate change. 

We host chess tournaments and offer chess coaching to raise money to plant trees and also support young chess players in their journey. We also partner with environmental nonprofits and help them with their events. 

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Guest Information

In this episode we interview Sarah Cady, CEO at REACT DC, Inc.. REACT DC, Inc.’s mission is to provide nationwide resettlement support for sponsorship and wraparound assistance for refugees, visa holders, and parolees in the DC metro area to help newcomers thrive. We value partnerships with non-profits, businesses, and a core group of community and volunteer members supporting our mission.

We're on the ground supporting refugee resettlement and helping refugees prepare to stand on their own.

REACT DC was founded in September 2021 by professional military spouses and veterans with backgrounds in law, intelligence operations, military service, education, and non-profit work. We came together to assist our Afghan allies in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.  Guided by core principles of empathy, fidelity, and adaptability, we are now at the forefront of innovative resettlement support operations, leading national and DC metro area programs to pilot new delivery methods, fill key gaps, and improve outcomes for refugee populations.

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In this episode we interview Patrick Keenan-Devlin, Executive Director & Youth Defense Attorney and Kristen Kennard, Deputy Director and Director of Social Work at James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy.

James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy provides community-based restorative services for youth and families. Our approach is holistic, healing-centered, client-driven. Our work advances the vision of a more just, racially equitable, and restorative society at the local, regional, and state level. The James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy champions justice and restores hope with a lifeline of innovative, holistic legal and social work programs because ALL kids deserve justice in the courtroom, access to the classroom, and restoration in the community.

Our goal is to provide Evanston youth and their families with the support to successfully emerge from a challenging legal situation, tools to make positive life choices, and the ability to thrive in the Evanston community.

We meet critical community needs through programs and services including:

- Youth and Emerging Adult Criminal Defense Practice: Advocates for children and young adults caught in the criminal (in)justice system.

- Education Advocacy Program: Represents diverse learners to obtain the services they need to make progress in school.

- School-Based Civil Legal Clinic: Stabilizes low-income families challenged by civil legal problems so that children can stay on track in school. 

- Criminal Record Relief Program: Supports expungement and sealing of eligible criminal records.

- Mental Health Services: Provides wrap-around case management, crisis intervention, and trauma-informed therapy to foster legal clients’ emotional health and resilience.

- Roger Pascal Restorative Justice Initiative: Advocates for restorative practices and principles throughout Evanston.

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In this episode we interview Erin Barnett, Founder and Founder & Director of Black Girls Dance. Black Girls Dance’s mission is to showcase, highlight, and empower dancers of color through quality training, performance opportunities and monetary scholarships.  

Black Girls Dance is inspiring  the next generation of leaders and using dance as a vessel to cultivate confidence, time management, teamwork and accountability. Lessons learned inside the studio resonate in academic, professional and personal spheres and our aim is for our students to be happy, healthy humans with an appreciation for the arts.  With the help of incredibly talented and dedicated staff, we instruct 25 classes per week for up to 160 students.

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Guest Information

In this episode we interview Elisa Stampf, CEO & Co-Founder at Insure Equality. Insure Equality’s mission is to uplift the voices in our industry that are typically excluded or minimized.

Insure Equality is here to make insurance a more welcoming place! Whether you work in the industry or just have to have it, your experience shouldn't be something you dread. Our broader goal is to make insurance a dinnertime conversation - because you can't change what you don't know, and you can't know what you don't talk about. 

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In this episode we interview Alex and Moses at David’s Den. David’s Den is a one-of-a-kind 501c3 nonprofit resource in Nashville for musicians and the creative community. It is a safe space where they can get support, guidance and friendship if and when they are feeling self-destructive, having suicidal thoughts or experiencing internal pressures due to depression or other mental health matters.

They champion a culture of kindness and support in our community and maintain the highest standards of caring in all that we do through nurturing, understanding, compassion and insight. 

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In this episode we interview Liz Veyhl (Executive Director) and Mikka Parrish (Outreach Manager) at Small World Yoga. Small World Yoga’s mission is to connect people and create community by increasing access to yoga

We believe in the power of yoga to transform individuals through healing and connection. We envision a world in which everyone has access to these benefits. By empowering people, we strengthen communities, and ultimately make a big world feel small.

Want to learn more, donate, or get engaged?