Giving Back Podcast

John Cefalu is the founder of Health 2 Humanity, an organization that teaches communities, in poor rural areas of Africa, how to make and sell soap. When John traveled to Kenya at the age of 17, he realized that we take hygiene for granted in the United States and that over 1.4 million deaths can be prevented each year just by hand washing with soap. He also believed that the charity model of giving what you have to someone in need today was not sustainable in the long run. Through his grassroots efforts, he and his volunteers have taught people, in 12 locations in 3 different countries in Africa, how to make and sell soap to their community.

Key Takeaways:

[3:15] What's John's story? Why did he decide to volunteer?

[5:35] When John was 17-years-old he went to Kenya and volunteered at an orphanage for two weeks.

[8:35] John noticed the volunteer model wasn't sustainable for this particular scenario. It's great to give shoes to a child who needs them, but what about 8 months from now? How do you keep it going?

[9:10] We often take hygiene for granted.

[10:00] John and his charity, Health 2 Humanity, sell soap domestically so that he and his volunteers can fund international programs.

[12:00] It was John's goal to make the programs overseas sustainable, long after his charity and the volunteers were gone.

[14:50] Giving someone an item today will not make a difference in the long run.

[16:55] John is teaching people how to fish. He's not just giving them the fish and leaving them to fend for themselves.

[19:40] John currently has 12 locations in 3 different countries around the world.

[20:10] Illness has dropped by 25% in these locations and many skin diseases have been eradicated.

[21:55] You can take advice from almost anyone, but you don't really know how well it'll work until you put it to the test.

[26:00] What kind of challenges has John faced when he was setting up his charity?

[33:15] John shares a success story about his friend and business partner who grew up in a Kenyan orphanage.

[44:45] If John fails, he knows that the 12 communities his charity has touched will be OK.

[46:45] You can't teach people how to have a passion. You can only give them the resources.

[47:15] There's this misconception that people on that side of the world just aren't as smart. This is completely untrue. They've just never had the opportunity.

[50:45] John talks about the differences between American and African culture.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.thinkkindness.org

www.h2hglobal.org

www.h2hsoap.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 530-307-2314

On March 13, 2011, Nancy's 27-year-old son, Peter, was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Since that day, Nancy and her family have immersed themselves in the ALS community and helped make the ice bucket challenge go incredibly viral on social media. In the past couple of years, she has traveled and networked with CEOs, Senators, Congressmen, top medical professionals, and governmental authorities in light of bringing awareness to the disease and to hopefully find a cure.

Key Takeaways:

[3:20] Rob participated in the ice bucket challenge without even knowing it!

[3:55] The ice bucket challenge has raised over $220 million.

[5:45] What is the ice bucket challenge?

[8:35] Peter was giving the ALS community a new face.

[12:45] Nancy saw a drastic decline in Peter's health, between when he was diagnosed to six weeks later, when they got a second opinion.

[13:40] How much money is needed to cure this disease? A billion dollars.

[14:40] As a mother or even as a parent, you really don't know how you're going to face something until it hits you.

[16:40] Nancy is doing this for Peter.

[19:40] Nancy knew she wasn't going to become a doctor overnight, so she looked inward. What can her family bring to the table to move this disease towards a cure?

[20:15] Three months after Peter was diagnosed, 1,200 people came to their fund raiser from all over.

[22:05] Peter has lost his voice and cannot type. It has come to a point where he can only communicate with his eyes.

[24:05] The majority of people in this world are GOOD people. Don't believe what's on your TV.

[28:35] Nancy talks about Peter's latest tweets.

[32:10] Peter knows there will not be a cure developed in time for him, but he hopes that other families won't have to go through this in the future.

[39:45] August is an important month for Nancy. She explains what she's doing on the fund raising side of things for this year.

[43:00] Anybody can take action and make a difference.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.petefrates.com

www.alsa.org/

Nancy Frates on TED

Frates family on Facebook

Ajay Prasad is a successful entrepreneur and business strategist, with a plethora of experience in helping small and medium size businesses maximize their return on investment from the Internet. On this episode, Ajay speaks about his charity of choice, The Salvation Army. He shares why volunteering was one of the best life experiences he gained as a young adult in college and how it helped him succeed in the corporate world. He also talks about some of the work rehabilitation challenges the Salvation Army is currently facing with a changing digital economy.

Key Takeaways:

[3:20] Ajay is a big believer in getting everyone a job.

[4:25] Ajay is a first generation immigrant. 

[5:55] How did volunteering start for Ajay?

[8:30] Back in India, if you were born disabled, then tough luck to you. Ajay was surprised organizations like The Salvation Army even existed.

[9:35] Salvation Army will give people jobs in their stores to help them develop stable work.

[14:25] When someone leaves the Salvation Army, it's a time of celebration. They've gained their confidence back and learned productive work skills they can use in the future.

[17:35] Just by being a volunteer, Ajay has learned some important life skills which have helped him in the corporate field.

[20:20] What has really helped Ajay in life? When he worked at the Salvation Army cafeteria and was forced to talk to every single person who came in.

[22:40] The main benefit of Salvation Army is they get people who have lost their way and they teach them how to become productive and working citizens again.

[24:45] Ajay believes Salvation Army needs to work on their marketing and to bring more awareness to what it is that they do.

[27:50] Will the Salvation Army manage to train people for the digital economy?

[33:00] You can always donate money, but the goal needs to be bigger.

[36:30] Have questions for Ajay? Feel free to reach out to him at www.gmrwebteam.com.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.gmrtranscription.com

www.gmrwebteam.com/

www.salvationarmyusa.org/

Dr. Laura Sicola is a leadership communication expert, coach, speaker, and linguist. She is the founder of Vocal Executive Presence (VEP) and talks about her involvement with the Hope Partnership for Education charity on this episode. Hope Partnership for Education focuses on about 15 kids per grade, providing them with education beyond the classroom. The charity also provides night education classes for adults and is actively working to break the vicious cycle of poverty, by providing adults and parents with real-life work skills. If you're in the Philadelphia area, be sure to check out what Hope Partnership for Education offers to its at-risk youth and consider the many ways you can help.

Key Takeaways:

[4:05] Dr. Laura discusses the charity, Hope Partnership for Education.

[5:40] Hope Partnership for Education helps children in the poorest zip code of Philadelphia.

[6:20] Less than 50% of all high school students, ever graduate in this area.

[7:40] Despite those odds, Hope Partnership for Education has turned that number on its head, and 95% of their supported students end up graduating.

[9:20] This charity understands what poverty does to people and they have other programs in place to support the community.

[10:30] You need to have parents who are employable.

[13:45] It's not just about academics either. Children need other experiences beyond school, like field trips, gardening, dance, and more.

[15:10] What allows this charity to be so successful is that the school itself is so small. They have about 15 students per grade.

[15:25] These at-risk kids need more personal and hands-on attention than most children.

[16:10] Rob grew up in a good school area and sometimes he takes his education for granted.

[17:00] If you're in the Philadelphia area, volunteer and help these kids!

[17:30] Who is Dr. Laura? What's her background?

[19:45] What is Dr. Laura currently working on now with Hope Partnership For Education.

[23:45] Dr. Laura talks about the executive director, Dr. Rose.

[27:45] So, how can you personally help the charity?

[28:45] The charity was founded by two Catholic nuns, but it is not a Catholic school. It is open to all, regardless of your sexual orientation, race, faith, or background.

[31:20] If you cannot volunteer your time, please consider other ways to help this charity. Dr. Laura explains ways you can give back beyond your personal time.

[33:00] Advocate for your own local public schools to make sure they get the resources they need.

[37:15] If you're interested in establishing a program similar to this, listen here.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.hopepartnershipforeducation.org/

www.vocalimpactproductions.com/

Stephan Spencer is a successful entrepreneur and a 3-time author. Growing up in foster care as a young child and faced with some harsh myths, Stephan busts some of those myths and tells us how to help a foster child near us. You do not always have to adopt a child in order to make a difference; there are plenty of other ways you can give back without taking a child into your home.

Key Takeaways:

[4:10] Stephan was able to get President Carter to blog for the first time in 2004.

[5:10] Stephan believes in giving back in a way where it hurts. He explains what he means by that.

[6:25] Very few people know this about Stephan, but he grew up as a foster child.

[13:10] Stephan talks about common foster care myths he's faced in his life.

[20:40] Stephan has been involved with the Foresight Institute for well over a decade.

[21:30] There's two types of sharing – reactive sharing and proactive sharing.

[24:25] The foster care system is broken.

[25:20] People believe children in the foster care system have medical or behavioral needs that make them difficult to manage. This is not true!

[25:40] Another big myth about foster children is that they are underachievers.

[26:55] It's still possible to thrive after leaving the foster care system.

[27:25] Stephan talks about the C.A.R.E formula.

[28:45] The requirements are simple to be a foster parent.

[31:35] If you're interested in finding out more, please visit Stephan at www.stephanspencer.com.

[34:10] Final thoughts? Lead by example.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.stephanspencer.com/

www.cartercenter.org/

www.singularityu.org/

www.foresight.org/

www.imm.org/

www.watchimpact.com/

www.conservationvolunteers.org.nz/

www.togetherwerise.org

www.davethomasfoundation.org

www.casaservices.org/

www.pajamaprogram.org

www.childwelfare.gov/nfcad/

www.optimizedgeek.com/

www.marketingspeak.com

Julie Austin is an award-winning writer, inventor, and entrepreneur. She's appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX News, along with dozens of TV shows, magazines and radio shows around the world. Julie noticed something surprising about homeless people one day - quite a number of them had dogs by their side. For many of the homeless individuals living in the United States, dogs have become a link to their sanity and given them unconditional support when there's been no one else to turn to. Julie started the charity Doggie Food Bank to help feed the companions of the homeless population. Find out more on today's show.

Key Takeaways:

[3:35] Sometimes when you've become so busy, you don't see things that are right in front of you.

[3:55] Julie lost her home and her life savings.

[5:05] Anybody can become homeless.

[5:35] Homeless people tend to have dogs by their side more than any other animal.

[8:25] Helping someone else will make your day better.

[9:35] Magic happens when you give without expecting anything in return.

[11:55] What's in the work for Julie's charity, Doggie Food Bank?

[14:00] There's only one homeless shelter all throughout L.A. that will accept dogs.

[14:25] People would rather sleep on the street than give up their dog.

[15:00] Rob didn't understand why homeless people even had pets at first.

[16:45] Pets have the ability to give you hope, companionship, and love.

[17:25] Julie talks about her volunteers.

[17:30] The need is out there.

[20:35] Please check out Doggie Food Bank's GoFundMe campaign.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.doggiefoodbank.org/

Doggie Food Bank on GoFundMe

The Money Garden by Julie Austin

www.dankennedy.net/

John Lee Dumas is the founder and host of Entrepreneur On Fire (EOFire), a top ranked business podcast where he interviews amazing entrepreneurs 7-days a week. On this episode, John tells his story on how he ran a Kickstarter campaign to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals and give back to his charity of choice, Pencils of Promise, all at the same time. Remember, there's more than one way you can give back.

Key Takeaways:
[3:15] Who is John?

[5:25] Through his Kickstarter campaign, John has already built three schools with the money raised.

[6:50] Why is John so passionate about education?

[7:35] John believes he was educated in all the wrong areas.

[9:35] Tony Robbins spoke on John's show about giving back.

[10:50] It doesn't take a lot to vastly improve people's lives.

[11:00] For only $25,000, you can build a school in a community that had no school before.

[12:05] How was Pencils of Promise founded?

[13:10] No act of kindness is insignificant.

[14:45] Be sure to share this message and podcast with other people you know.

[15:10] How can people get involved with Pencils of Promise?

[17:10] Find a cause that makes you proud to even talk about it.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.eofire.com/

www.pencilsofpromise.org

www.thefreedomjournal.com/

Marni Battista is the founder of Dating with Dignity and part of the Just Like My Child Foundation. Marni talks on how she was able to get the whole family involved with charity, including her ex-husband. Marni has taught lessons to her daughters that go well-beyond helping another person. Marni and her family are currently working on the Girl Power Project, which focuses on empowering and educating young girls in Uganda. Find out more about Marni and her charity today.

Key Takeaways:

[2:35] Marni talks about how she started giving back.

[8:00] How has philanthropy changed Marni's family?

[10:15] Mom is taking us to Uganda!

[12:10] Marni's daughter was able to raise $10,000 from an Indiegogo campaign she started.

[17:15] It's really powerful when young people start to see they can actually make a difference.

[17:40] Marni is so proud that she has inspired her daughters to give back.

[20:05] What happened in January?

[23:40] Marni talks about the Just Like My Child project.

[25:25] Most girls do not go past 7th grade because they're either pregnant or they have to work.

[25:40] We need to create strong and educated women.

[29:35] The young girls in Uganda had never even seen photographs of themselves before.

[31:15] How can people get involved with Just Like My Child?

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.datingwithdignity.com/

www.justlikemychild.org/

Girl Power Project

Engelo Rumora is a successful property investor, motivational speaking, and soon to be author. He quit school at the age of 14 and started playing professional soccer at 18. Engelo has a lot of big things in the works right now and reveals what they are for the very first time on this episode. Engelo shares his opinions on wealth, lifestyle, and the legacy he wants to leave behind. Tune in for more and to hear about today's surprises!

Key Takeaways:

[3:25] Who is Engelo?

[4:25] In the beginning it was about having enough money to have a lifestyle. Now, it's about the team and giving back to others.

[6:40] You can't take anything with you when you die. So why not make a difference and leave a powerful legacy behind?

[8:20] What legacy does Engelo plan to leave behind?

[12:00] Engelo wants to give a house away to a family who needs it.

[19:25] What's really important and the key to success is by surrounding yourself with great and passionate people.

[22:20] Engelo is currently in the works to have his own Reality TV real estate flipping show.

[23:25] Engelo doesn't want to get paid for it. He genuinely wants to give back as much as possible.

[23:50] Why do highly successful people still charge for this once they've reached the level they're comfortable with? 

[26:25] It is in Engelo's plan to give away more houses in the future? 

[27:25] You don't need to get behind a particular charity in order to give. Engelo is a great example of that.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.engelorumora.com/

Jim Palmer is a marketing and business building expert and an in-demand speaker and coach. He is the founder of the Dream Business Academy as well as the host of Dream Business Coach TV. Jim is also the father of Jessica Rhodes, another successful entrepreneur with a big heart. Jim talks to Rob about the various charities he's involved with and why he makes it his personal mission to give back, even on the days where he feels like he has no time.

Key Takeaways:

[2:45] What charities does Jim support?

[5:35] Writing checks doesn't always get the job done.

[6:50] Sometimes Jim feels like he doesn't have time for charity, but once he goes out there and does it, he remembers why he does what he does.

[9:55] So many people are in survivor mode on a daily basis.

[12:40] Jim talks a bit about his audio book and his faith.

[14:40] Why does Jim feel so blessed?

[20:25] Was charity always a part of life for Jim?

[22:35] We live in a cashless society, but one of the things Jim has learned is that you always want to see cash. 

[25:30] Jim was feeling unqualified when he was asked to mentor someone for the Bridge of Hope charity.

[25:50] Charity is about exposing people to a different way of life.

[28:15] There are many ways to give back, which can take different forms.

[32:10] No matter what cause you're passionate about, you can start anywhere and at any time.

[32:25] How can people get started with these three charities?

[33:35] Try to find something local.

Mentioned in This Episode:

www.givingbackpodcast.com

www.getjimpalmer.com/

Serve First by Jim Palmer

www.unitedway.org/

www.goodworksinc.org/

www.bridgeofhopeinc.org/

www.hohc.org/