Philanthropy in Phocus

They will get tools to go and get their dreams come true by working smart every day

Founder/CEO of the social enterprise Working for Women, Beth Bengtson, firmly believes that business can and should be a force for social good.

She has dedicated her career to designing purpose-driven business practices for corporate clients and her own small business.

Working for Women's goal is elevating women who are economically marginalized to financial independence by transforming the way businesses support nonprofits working for women.

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Segment 1

Tommy kicks off the show talking about the importance of nonprofit organizations for his 50th episode. He amplifies the sectors of non-profit work, from strategic partnerships and alliances/opportunities. He goes on to introduce the organization Working for Women, whose purpose is to elevate women who are economically marginalized by transforming how businesses support non-profits that support women. Following he introduces his guest, Beth Bangston, who is the CEO/Co-founder of Working for Women. Both joke how they are working from their attic. As a non-profit sector connector, Tommy, thanks his position and connections for being able to network with others such as Beth. He goes further into providing listeners with Beth’s education and career background. Tommy asks Beth what led her to start her organization which she dives into. Beth always believed businesses could be a force for social good. Businesses over the years have shifted in fundamentals including social and environmental change. People want to be aligned with purpose and flexibility and thats one of the big reasons Working for Women runs the way it does. 

Segment 2 

Tommy and Beth continue their conversation of purpose of flexibility, and why people are not settling for opportunities that don’t align with their beliefs. People are re-evaluating their work life which is puting pressure on companies/corporations to shift their purpose. While businesses purpose was to maximize shareholder profit, they are redefining the purpose to be about mazimizing the return for all stakeholders which includes employees, community, including shareholders which is at the end of the list. It’s a fundamental change that is causing businesses to consider the environment, community and employees. While businesses aren’t all there yet, they are shifting and the pandemic is helping that shift. Tommy mentions negative and positive incentives entirely effect businesses and their people. Competitive differentiation is causing businesses to address social and environmental justice, measuring their footprint. 

Segment 3 

Tommy reintroduces Working for Women, and their purpose in helping women to gain financial independence. They dive back into the leverage employees have in incentivising businesses to shift and improve their methods and purposes. Businesses have resources and its not just money, but it’s also skills. Beth goes on to say that non-profit and business are often seen as separate but in fact it is one and the same, non-profits are like businesses except their values have different alliances. Working for Women, focuses on their skills as resources that leads to a return on impact. Beth has seen first hand that experiential learning and growth opportunities that provide opportunities to employees to use and learn new skills are beneficial for both employees and businesses. They share the website for working for women.

Segment 4 

Coming back from the commercial, Tommy thanks Beth for being on the show. Beth runs down the deliverables of Working for Women. Their purpose to invest dollars in skills from businesses into non-profits that are working to help women who are economically marginalized entering and staying in the work force. She explains why the focus is on women. She states that when you support women it gives back to businesses. They don’t get the same economic support. Research has shown once you invest in women, they turn and invest back into their families and in turn back into communities. Women are by largely the biggest consumers which helps the GDP. They are also a good environmental investment. All this information is provided on the organization website.

A Kid Again brings hope, happiness, and healing to families raising kids with life-threatening conditions.

The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of A Kid Again serves more than 230 families in PA, NJ, DE, and NY. We are condition-agnostic, meaning we serve kids ages birth to 20 with ANY life-threatening condition. We also serve the entire family, as the siblings and parents are included in all of our Adventures, not just the child with the illness.

Our Adventures are year-round, year after year, and they are cost-free for our families. We exist to give people a time out from illness.

Rachel Lippoff has worked in nonprofits in the Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey region for more than 20 years. She has worked with organizations large and small, with varying missions. But she has never felt so deeply about her work as she does with A Kid Again. It truly feels like she changes lives, every day.

Rachel lives in South Jersey just outside Philadelphia with her daughter and their two dogs. In her spare time, when she's not hanging with her daughter, Rachel is an artist working with resin, ink, and macrophotography. She enjoys exercising, reading, cooking, and baking.

Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

The first segment begins with a brief introduction of Rachel Lippoff and then a bit of banter between Tommy D and Rachel about the music styles they are listening to and are enjoying. Tommy then asks a question about what drew Rachel to non-profit work. Rachel shares that her parents raised her to have an orientation towards community involvement and helping other people. Tommy D then provides a brief summarization of Rachel’s contributions and work within the nonprofit sector. 

Segment 2 

In the second segment of the interview, Rachel briefly describes the work she’s done with her non-profit organization; she discusses some of the programs her organization has facilitated and hosted with. The conversation then heads into a more light-hearted discussion between Rachel and Tommy and a little bit of banter between them. 

Segment 3 

In the third segment of the interview, Rachel shares more about the programming her non-profit organization does. She emphasizes that her non-profit organization offers services to the entire family and not just the child who has special needs or an illness. Rachel emphasizes how the programs enable children to just be themselves without feeling as if they are out of place or being made to feel that they are less than ‘normal’. Rachel shares that her organization has chapters all over the country and she highlights information about the different types of programs hosted by her organization throughout the year. Finally, Rachel speaks about the impact of her organization on different families.

Segment 4

In the final segment of the interview, Rachel shares a bit about some of the challenges that are faced by children who are in need of the services provided by her organization. Tommy then asks Rachel what her organization needs in terms of support of donors, stakeholders, volunteers and assistance from the general community. Rachel shares that her organization is looking for more partnerships with different companies and organizations. She shares about a recent partnership which was done with a farm and how this partnership has been very beneficial and advantageous to the children who participate in her organization's programs. She also shares that her organization is also looking for donors, companies and sponsors who can help the organization achieve its mission. Finally, Rachel shares that her organization is always looking for individuals and families who are in need of and can be supported by her organization's programs.

A Moment of Magic operates on the mission of restoring the magic of believing at a time when a child needs to ‘just-be-a-kid’ and reminding them to be brave, strong, and fearless.

Kylee McGrane is the Founder and Executive Director of A Moment of Magic Foundation, a President George H. W. Bush Daily Point of Light Honoree, a Sara Blakely and Spanx Red Backpack Fund Recipient, New York Yankees HOPE Week Honoree, and AERIE Change maker.

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Segment 1

Tommy begins the first segment of the show by listing Kylee’s credentials and accomplishments within the nonprofit sector. He then asks her what drew her to non-profit work. Kylee then talks about how her parents, who were both teachers, instilled the belief within her that one person is able to make a change in the world. She then attended a school in the Bronx which enabled her to learn while also engaging in community work. She then tells a story about how she had an idea to visit a children’s hospital and dress up as Elsa from Frozen. The amount of support she received inspired her to grow this idea and this eventually led to the creation and development of her nonprofit organization.

Segment 2 

Kylee discusses the first time went to the hospital dressed up as Elsa from Frozen. She had only expected to be there for an hour or an hour and a half and she ended up being there for about five hours. Kylee discusses the impact her presence had on the children in that hospital and how one person can change the trajectory of another person’s day. Kylee then discusses the level of outreach that occurred after her initial success; she realized that she was not able to travel to different areas of the country to do this work. This sparked an idea to begin different chapters of A Moment of Magic at different colleges in the U.S. She was then shadowed by a major media outlet who broadcasted her work and enabled the organization to reach new heights.

Segment 3 

In the third segment of the interview Kylee shares about the challenges that occurred when the Covid-19 pandemic first started. It became harder to do hospital visits with college student volunteers and sick children in hospitals and clinics. These challenges created a shift in the way the programs were able to be done. Kylee then discusses how the organization would like to do as much as possible, however, because they are a grassroots non-profit organization, they are limited in the amount of outreach they are able to do. She states that hospitals and other medical institutions would be the best institutions to partner with.

Segment 4

In the final segment, Kylee discusses the magnitude of the impact college students realize they can create while doing this work. She discusses the importance of college students having community and how that sense of community is achieved through this work. Kylee and Tommy further discuss the impact of the organization and Tommy emphasizes how this program is changing lives. Finally, Kylee shares her vision for the organization in the coming years. She shares upcoming events and encourages others to get involved.

Colorful Talks originated in 2020 from a mom, Vera Jones, living in Astoria, Queens NY who was concerned about the increasing violence and evidence of racial unrest in America.

She realized there wasn't a group or organization she knew of that aimed to specifically help parents facilitate positive and healthy discussions about race and diversity with their school-aged children....so she created one!

Their mission is to provide educational tools for families that will facilitate meaningful conversation and activities while developing an emerging awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion with their school-aged children and creating a lasting, positive impact on their communities and the world.

Vera Jones is the President of Colorful Talks and is also a motivational speaker, author, and professional development trainer with over 30 years of experience in varied disciplines. She offers leadership, communication, resilience, diversity, and inclusion, and conflict resolution coaching and consulting.

Vera has her master’s degree in television and radio from Syracuse University and ascertained in conflict dynamics and workplace conflict. A former ESPN and Big Ten Network basketball analyst, Vera is also featured in a 47-million view Goalcast viral video called “Trust Your Vision”-- the inspiring story of her young son overcoming the challenges of a brain tumor and blindness. Vera is a Prince George’s County, MD native, who now resides in Jacksonville, FL.

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The segment begins with a discussion about how Vera Jones came into the non-profit work. Vera tells a story about how her love for basketball led her to a sports broadcasting career. She shares that due to the disability of her son, she was able to learn more about the emotional challenges and struggles that arise due to issues such as bullying. She thought about the intersection between racism and ableism and discovered that children are often ill-equipped to deal with these sorts of challenges. She then created a grassroots organization to address these challenges and was eventually promoted to the role of president of the organization.

The second segment begins with a discussion about the value of this type of non-profit work and the importance of giving people the tools to succeed. Vera shares that time is often the resource that is limited or constrained when it comes to the work done by her organization. Vera is looking to get more people involved in the organization’s mission in addition to more sources of funding. Vera also shares that they also need parents to get more involved in the organization’s programs. Her organization would also like to form more connections and find more networking opportunities to grow the organization.

The third segment begins with a brief overview of the different types of modules which teach students how to acknowledge and accept differences; these modules are used to begin conversations with children about social differences. Vera briefly goes over the module and shares that the ultimate purpose is to teach children that across differences, we are all still human. Tommy then discusses the importance of the conversations and he shares that many people are not well informed about racism. Vera then reinforces the need for these kinds of conversations so that people are able to navigate differences. Vera emphasizes the importance of helping children understand that the world is full of differences and that differences don’t have to be negative.

The final segment of the interview focuses on the mission and the vision of the non-profit organization. Tommy then discusses that although there have been structures created to create divisions amongst people, all of us are members of ‘the human race’. Vera shares details on how to get in contact with her organization and Tommy re-emphasizes the needs of vera’s organization.

About Org: The League of YES is a baseball league for children with all "abilities." We are the League of YES because we do not say no to the children or their families. It doesn't matter your age or disability, you can always play baseball with our help!

Our mission is to establish and sustain baseball programs for people (of all ages) with disabilities. Our objective is to provide an opportunity for those individuals to experience the joy and benefits that come from playing our national pastime.

About Kristine: Executive Director and Founder of the League of YES. Kristine Fitzpatrick founded the League in 2010, formally known as the Miracle League of Long Island in association with the Miracle League Organization.

In 2014 Kristine made the bold decision to leave the Miracle League and create her own organization named, “The League of YES”, YES- where You Experience Success." Her mission is to establish and sustain baseball programs for people (of all ages) with disabilities and to make a positive difference in the lives of disabled children through recreation, and provide physically active outlets.

Kristine’s goal is to spread the word and joy of this program nationally. Currently, Kristine is a sales representative for American Recreational Playgrounds. Kristine is a proud mother of two sons Peter and Wade and resides in Dix Hills, NY.

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Segment 1

The first segment begins with a question about what catalyzed Kristine’s involvement in the non-profit sector. Kristine tells a story about a non-profit role she was offered in 2006 while she was still working in sales. While visiting the job site, she had an experience which touched her deeply and which motivated her to engage in non-profit work.  

Segment 2 

The second segment begins with a continuation of the story Kristine shares in the first segment; while visiting at the aforementioned job site, she met a young boy named Julian and her experience with him helped her to realize her calling in the non/profit sector. Kristine remarks that she never anticipated starting her own non-profit organization until this moment. She shares about her experiences gathering resources and community support to start her non-profit organization. 

Segment 3 

In the third segment, Kristine continues to share about the development of her non-profit organization. She discusses networking and the connections she was able to build through networking with individuals and organizations in the non-profit sector. She also shares how the networking and meeting process has been made so much easier through the normalization of Zoom meetings. 

Segment 4

In the fourth and final segment of the show, Kristine shares a story about being contacted by a woman whose brother is on the autism scale. Kristine’s organization helped to connect her to people who have family members on the autism scale and these individuals created a support group for one another. Tommy asks Kristine to share about what her organization needs. Kristine shares that they accept volunteers of all ages. Young volunteers may be accompanied by an adult or guardian. Kristine shares that her organization is also looking for board members with experience to help the organization grow to a national level.

American Friends of Neve Hanna (AFNH) is a non-profit children's 501(c)(3) organization associated with the Neve Hanna Children's Home in Kiryat Gat, Israel. They are the only Masorti Kehillah of its kind in Israel that assists with youth at risk children. American Friends of Neve Hanna raises funds to help support and sustain the individualized therapeutic programs, projects and extracurricular activities at the children's home.

In addition, they raise funds to maintain and develop the campus, fund birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs and holiday outings, provide psychological services, social workers, special tutors and religious instruction for the children.

Lisa Pollack is the Director of Business Development and Social Media Marketing for American Friends of Neve Hanna, a non-profit children's organization for the Neve Hanna Children's Home in Kiryat Gat, Israel.

Lisa was born and raised in Bayside, Queens, New York. Her background and education is in marketing and communications. Lisa has 30 years of work experience in the business world. The last 8 years have been concentrated in the nonprofit industry. Lisa specializes in publicity, marketing, fundraising, building and maintaining business relationships within the community.

Lisa has organizational relationships and ties within the Jewish Community including Masorti, Alpha Epsilon Pi (Aepi), Stand With Us, MERCAZ-USA, Women's League for Conservative Judaism, and the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs. She is also a Public Speaker, Israel Advocate, Activist and Photographer. Lisa blogs for the Times of Israel where she tells and shares the stories of Neve Hanna Children's Home.

Gilit Ullman Stein's grandmother, Hanni Ullmann, founded Neve Hanna in 1974. When I was 11 years old I ew to Israel to accompany my grandmother to the President's ceremony where she was granted the Israeli Prize for Volunteer Work. From that year forward I went to Israel every summer and stayed at Neve Hanna. I became very friendly with the children living at Neve Hanna that time and would assist them with painting the dormitory houses, cooking in the kitchen, cleaning the petting zoo and other chores around the Neve Hanna campus. I loved going to Neve Hanna each summer and it is the time of my life that I remember with fondest memories. My grandmother's legacy lives on through Neve Hanna and the children who live there today.

Janet Tobin is the Co-President for American Friends of Neve Hanna, a non-profit children's organization for the Neve Hanna Children's Home in Kiryat Gat, Israel. Janet attended and graduated Brooklyn College with a B.A., major: Education and Psychology. She was a Teacher and Assistant Director of the Summer School Program for Great Neck Schools. Janet also served on the Health Education Committee of the Great Neck Public Schools. Janet has a long history of volunteerism within the Jewish Community including serving as President for Women’s League for Conservative Judaism (WLCJ) as well as the Membership Chair, Adult Education Chair, Vice President and Israel Affairs Chair and many other roles.

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Segment 1

The first segment of the show begins with Tommy introducing all the guests of this interview. Each interviewee provides a brief overview of the non-profit work they do and how they came into this kind of work. They share about how they are connected, through their Jewish heritage, to do service work within the Jewish communities they were within. 

Segment 2 

The second segment begins with Gilit sharing about her connection to non-profit work; she talks about the legacy of social work which her grandmother created and her desire to continue and extend that legacy. They then discuss how the American friends of Neve Hanna came to be established. Janet then discusses a bit about the success of Neve Hanna and shares an anecdote to highlight this success. 

Segment 3 

This segment begins with a discussion about the value of connection and community which are created through this non-profit work. The conversation then shifts to a discussion about American Friends of Neve Hanna award-winning bakery. In addition to creating some of the most delicious and amazing breads, the bakery also helps to bridge together disadvantaged and disconnected families. The bakery also provides an opportunity for people to learn about how to run a business and to gain the necessary skill set for running a business. 

Segment 4

The final segment explores programs which are offered by American Friends of Neve Hanna which assist children who may be socially or otherwise marginalized. Tommy and the interviewees discuss the value of these programs in what they contribute to the lives of the children who are involved and participate in the programs. The guests share that they need more exposure and a broader donor base in order to be able to continue to be able to do this work and to offer services through their organization. They share their contact information for those who are interested in connected with them and their work

The mission of the Jordan Porco Foundation is to prevent suicide, promote mental health, and create a message of hope for young adults. JPF provides engaging and uplifting programming emphasizing peer-to-peer messaging promoting help seeking behavior, self-care, and coping skills. Their programs challenge stigma by talking openly about mental health, and educating about the risk factors and warning signs of suicide and other related mental health concerns.

Through awareness, education, and innovative programming, JPF is challenging stigma around mental health and help-seeking, creating open conversations about the prevalence of suicide and mental health issues, and saving young adult lives.

Marisa Giarnella-Porco is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Jordan Porco Foundation (JPF). JPF was founded in 2011 after the Co-Founders lost their son, Jordan, to suicide when he was a freshman in college. Prior to starting the Jordan Porco Foundation, Marisa has worked in human services since 1985.

She obtained her Masters of Social Work from the University of Connecticut in Administration. Her employment experiences range from the CT Department of Children and Families to various positions with local mental health authorities in Eastern Connecticut. She has volunteered for decades in her community and is currently an active member of the CT Suicide Advisory Board.

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Segment 1

In the first segment of the episode, the interview begins with Tommy asking Marisa how she became involved in this type of non-profit work. Marisa responds by sharing about how she grew up seeing the different issues within her family which were not openly discussed due to stigma and shame surrounding mental health issues. This inspired Marisa to study psychology and sociology and this enabled her to develop an understanding of the troubles that affected her family and other members of society. As she continued her studies, she developed an understanding of systemic problems that contribute to mental health issues.

Segment 2 

This segment begins with Melisa telling the story about how the organization came to be; she recounts the story about the circumstances and the aftermath of her son’s suicide. She describes her son, Jordan, as one of the last people who she ever expected would commit suicide. She discusses the expectations and ideas that must’ve led her son to feel isolated in that moment of his life. When Melisa decided to develop a program to promote suicide prevention and awareness, she first gathered the input from several individuals in order to develop a program that students would be willing to engage with. The program was very well received by students and the program was thus expanded to include more students. The foundation has since hosted hundreds of events which have impacted thousands of lives to date. 

Segment 3 

This segment begins with a discussion about the prevalence of suicide within society. Marisa shares a few stories about participants of her program whose lives were positively affected by the program: one young woman sought help after deciding against commiting suicide and another young woman realized, through her participation in the program, realized that she had been struggling with anxiety. Marisa and Tommy then discuss the specific mental health challenges faced by young people due to phenomena such as social media. Finally, Marisa offers a few ways in which young people can navigate these challenges.

Segment 4

In the final segment, Marisa emphasizes the significance of mental health programs, especially for college students. She frames the work of her organization as a form of preventative care which helps to prevent deeper and more significant mental health problems later in their lives. Marissa and Tommy highlight the importance of social work and share some information about how to get involved with the organization.

Exponents is a nonprofit organization located in the heart of New York City serving those impacted by substance use and other chronic health conditions.

Their mission is to deliver these services through a client-centered, strength-based approach, which greatly improves health outcomes and promotes overall wellness in our communities.

Joe Turner is the co-founder and current CEO of Exponents, a 30-year-old community based human services and harm reduction program in NYC. Exponents provides compassionate and person-centered drug treatment, recovery and wellness services to the most vulnerable New Yorkers. Since its founding in 1988, over 11, 000 program graduates have completed its programs-many of whom are in management positions of nonprofit agencies.

At Exponents, “…we meet people where they are, but we don’t leave them there”!

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Segment 1

The segment begins with a conversation about how the Exponents philosophy came to be. Joe Turner recounts his experiences and memories of the AIDS pandemic. He remembers how terrifying that time was and how the response of the LGBTQ+ community shaped the outcome of the lives of many individuals; instead of a philosophy of abstinence, Joey says the Act Up movement promoted ‘safer sex’ and in doing so, were able to provide a feasible alternative to the AIDS pandemic. 

Inspired by this philosophy, Joe Turner wanted to find alternatives to substance abuse treatments which are rooted in compassion. Joe states that his organization meets people at the stage of recovery they are in. 

Segment 2 

The second segment begins with a discussion about how the intersection of different social issues contribute to substance abuse and addiction. Joe says recovery “cannot be done in a vacuum”. Joe stresses the necessity of substance abuse programs which take into consideration or address different issues that contribute to addiction and the social effects of addiction. Furthermore, Joe highlights the conditions within different systems (such as the asylum system) which can actually exacerbate addiction. 

Segment 3 

The third segment of the interview begins with a discussion about the services they offer. Exponents offer multiple programs, some of which complement one of another. Joe refers to the variety of services as a ‘constellation’ of services which can help those who are addicted to substances to rebuild and reshape their lives. Exponents strives to create an atmosphere which allows people the agency to make choices. These services are low threshold services meaning abstinence is not a required condition to participate in these programs. All that is required to access these services is a willingness to show up and to make a choice about their recovery. After going through the programs, Joe says about 90% of people choose to participate in recovery programs

Segment 4

The final segment centers on a discussion about the needs of Exponents; certain services are not funded by grants and this creates a need for greater support from the community. Joe and Tommy also discuss the value of strategic connections and the importance of community engagement in the efforts of this non-profit organization. Joe shares some of the contact information of the organization for those who would like to connect with and get involved with the organization.

Tiegerman is a New York State approved non-public school program (K-12) for students with language disorders and developmental disabilities. Our programs focus on providing language-based learning for students to establish the foundation for their educational and social development and prepare them for a world filled with words, sentences, stories, and messages. We focus on the relationship between language development and academic success, providing intensive language immersion and academic instruction. The Tiegerman mission of “teaching the extraordinary” reflects the organization goal to substantively transform the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities from preschool throughout adulthood.

He received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland in 2000. Dr. Jeremy Tiegerman further pursued his education in the field of psychology and received his doctorate in school/community psychology from Hofstra University in 2005. Following this achievement, Dr. Jeremy Tiegerman acquired his NY State Psychology Licensure in 2006 and earned an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership from Stony Brook University in 2011.

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Segment 1

The segment begins with Jeremy sharing a story about how he became involved in this non-profit work. Jeremy tells a story told about his aunt who, at a young age, sustained a traumatic injury. This injury created certain “deficits” which resulted in learning difficulties. At the time, the only options available for special education students were very limited and Jeremy’s family felt unable to commit his aunt to the learning institutions that were available for his aunt. His grandfather then decided to take matters into his own hands; he purchased educational materials and developed an intensive learning regimen for Jeremy’s aunt. His aunt finished highschool, attended university, and then attended medical school. Jeremy’s mother then became inspired to do this kind of educational work and then Jeremy eventually came into his family’s legacy of providing educational services for people with learning disabilities.

Segment 2 

This segment begins with a discussion about how Tiegerman became involved in offering adult learning services. Jeremy discusses the development of these services which led to Tiegerman becoming a state-approved non-public school. Jeremy highlights that Tiegerman is approved to offer special education services in New York and Long Island. He also discusses the wide span of services offered by his agency for learners from preschool to adulthood.

Segment 3 

The third segment focuses on the Tiegerman language method. At Tiegerman, the subject teacher and speech pathologist work together to create a methodology to help students learn according to the students’ specific needs. Jeremy emphasizes the importance of learning strategies for languages as language skills are a necessary component of everyday life. Finally, Jeremy discusses the inequity in the distribution of funding and resources between public schools and non-public schools. He highlights that public school is not for every type of learner and emphasizes the need for different types of learning environments for different types of learners.

Segment 4

This segment begins with a discussion about how Jeremy would like to see Tiegerman grow as an organization. Jeremy remarks about how he would like to see the organization expand to include a vocational training program. He feels that this would help students to become work-ready after graduating from highschool. He highlights the importance of work-based learning and he shares the practical work experience that his organization has offered to students with special needs. This helps to ensure that students are able to take care of themselves after completing their highschool studies.

New Ground works with struggling Veterans and families to help break the cycle of homelessness and poverty. New Ground focuses support in key areas to achieve long-lasting success, including financial, literacy, career development, educational advancement, and more. Services are also provided to the children in the households to ensure the next generation will successfully complete school and move on to higher education programs and independent futures.

Shannon Boyle has been with New Ground since 2002, first serving as a front-line Social Worker, and then becoming Executive Director in 2006, She is a licensed clinical social worker in NY State with a master's degree in Social Work from Boston College. She has worked with the homeless for over twenty years, with experience also in psychiatric, addiction, and medical social work settings.

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Segment 1

The segment begins with a discussion about how Shannon became involved in the non-profit sector. She discusses her passion for community involvement and her work with homeless populations. Shannon and Danny then discuss homelessness as a social problem; Shannon describes the phenomenon of the ‘working homeless’ whereby homeless people may work one or multiple jobs and still be unable to afford rent. This keeps the homeless trapped in a cycle of poverty due to low wages and high rent costs in Long Island.

Segment 2 

This segment begins with a discussion about the unique challenges that families often face due to homelessness. Shannon also highlights the fact homelessness is often a long-term issue that can affect families and children for years. She shares some statistics of homelessness in Long Island, but she does state that many individuals and families are excluded from these figures. Shannon highlights that a large portion of the homeless population are composed of veterans, most of whom struggle with mental health issues that are related to PTSD. Finally, Tommy and Shannon briefly discuss the stigma around mental illness in our society. 

Segment 3 

This segment begins with more discussion about how homelessness keeps people trapped in a cycle of poverty. New Ground helps homeless people in many ways such as helping the homeless to manage their finances. Shannon also highlights the multiple barriers the homeless have to overcome and New Ground’s vision to support families through these challenges. For example, they help to pay for transportation to and from work and school, day-care fees and other expenses that need to be paid in order to keep a job and eventually maintain long-term stability.

Segment 4

In this final segment, Shannon shares some of the upcoming events her organization will be hosting. Shannon also states that New Ground is funded by private donations which allows them to be much more flexible in the services they are able to offer. Finally, Shannon shares that her organization is always looking for volunteers. Her organizations have different committees and boards that cover wide areas of interest- anyone can get involved with New Ground and support the organization’s mission.