The Heart of Giving Podcast

Healthcare Without Barriers: Amanda Missey & BVMI's Life-Changing Mission

Step into the remarkable world of volunteer-powered healthcare with Amanda Missey, CEO of Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative (BVMI). Discover how this innovative organization provides comprehensive medical care to the uninsured through an extraordinary network of 160+ volunteers, including a 95-year-old diabetes specialist who still serves patients via telehealth!
 
Key highlights:
"Powered by volunteers - that's how we're able to achieve what we achieve on a relatively modest budget. We're saving the system thousands, maybe millions of dollars." Learn how BVMI delivers $2,600 worth of comprehensive healthcare per patient annually.
 
"They can be the kind of doctor they imagined they would be when they went to medical school." Hear how BVMI creates a unique environment where medical professionals can practice medicine without insurance constraints while making a profound impact on their community.
 
"Bergen County is a really expensive place to live. If they have to make the choice between putting food on their table, paying rent, buying school supplies for their children, and going to the doctor, they very often put their healthcare at the very bottom of the list." Understand the critical gaps BVMI fills in our healthcare system.
 
Don't Miss: Building Hope in Mississippi with John Damon
Our previous episode features Canopy Children's Solutions CEO John Damon sharing:
- How personal tragedy shaped his mission to help 8,000 children annually
- The innovative approaches to delivering mental health care across 82 Mississippi counties
- Why trust and vulnerability are essential to creating lasting impact
- The power of combining high-tech solutions with high-touch care
 
Listen now on Give.org or your favorite podcast platform.
 
#HeartOfGiving #HealthcareAccess #CommunityImpact #MentalHealth
 

Hope is Real: John Damon's Mission to Transform Children's Mental Health in Mississippi

Step into the world of transformative mental health care with John Damon, CEO of Canopy Children's Solutions, Mississippi's largest nonprofit provider of children's behavioral health services. From personal tragedy to purpose, Damon shares how one meaningful relationship changed his life's trajectory and now drives his mission to help over 8,000 children annually across Mississippi.
 
Key moments:
"Hope is not a wish that the future can be brighter than your past – you have the power to make it so." Damon reveals how his organization uses hope as a science to transform lives.
 
"We're not just running programs – people don't come to us for a program, they come to us for a solution." Learn how Canopy's innovative approach spans behavioral health, education, and family support across all 82 Mississippi counties.
 
"Leaders have to go first and be vulnerable." Discover how Damon builds trust from the inside out to create lasting impact in communities.
 
🎧 **Also Available: A Giving Tuesday Special with Asha Curran**
Don't miss our conversation with Giving Tuesday CEO Asha Curran, exploring:
- How $3.1B in global donations are tracked and measured
- Why declining charitable participation doesn't mean declining generosity
- The power of connecting giving to civic engagement
- Building year-round community impact across 105 countries
 
Listen now on BBBGive.org or your favorite podcast platform.
 
#HeartOfGiving #MentalHealth #ChildrensMentalHealth 
 

Our Annual Giving Tuesday Episode with its CEO, Asha Curran

It's #GivingTuesday so naturally, our latest episode is with Giving Tuesday CEO Asha Curran, who takes us behind the scenes of a movement that's revolutionizing global generosity. With real-time tracking of $3.1B in donations across 105 countries, Asha reveals how data is reshaping philanthropy's future. She challenges traditional giving narratives, showing how everyday acts of generosity create lasting community transformation. Through rich storytelling and compelling insights, she illustrates how Giving Tuesday has evolved from a single day of giving into a year-round force for positive change.
 
In our previous conversation, Sean Carroll shares his remarkable journey leading Anera's $100M humanitarian mission across the Middle East. Drawing from 25 years of experience and personal insights from living in East Jerusalem, Carroll offers a powerful perspective on transforming communities through innovative aid. His leadership spans from delivering critical medical relief to pioneering tech training programs that create sustainable economic opportunities. Carroll's intimate knowledge of the region and dedication to building lasting change shines through in this compelling discussion.
 
These conversations will transform how you think about global impact and the power of giving. Listen now on BBBGive.org or your favorite podcast platform.
 
#HeartOfGiving #GivingTuesday #GlobalImpact #Philanthropy
 
 
 

Building Hope: Sean Carroll's Mission with Anera in the Middle East.

This week's show is my eye-opening conversation with Anera CEO Sean Carroll, who takes us inside the immense challenges of delivering aid in Gaza. Sean shares the stark reality of what's happening on the ground:
 
• How Anera's team has managed to deliver 41 million meals and 8 million medical treatments despite tremendous obstacles
• Why only 20% of needed aid is getting through, and what that means for families
• The daily risks faced by humanitarian workers
• How everyday people can make a real difference, whether through $5 monthly donations or spreading awareness
 
Sean's perspective is both heartbreaking and hopeful: "People want to respond. People want to bring out the best in themselves and in their community in terms of supporting humanity."
 
Did You Catch Last Week's Episode?
 
YMCA USA CEO Suzanne McCormick shared how the Y is tackling one of America's biggest challenges: social isolation. Learn how they're:
• Building bridges across communities through the innovative "Team Up Project"
• Creating spaces where everyone belongs
• Serving 13 million members while staying true to their 175-year legacy
 
🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts or watch the full conversation on BBB Wise Giving Alliance's YouTube channel.
Breaking Social Isolation: The Y-USA’s Role in Modern America
This week, we explore how the Y-USA is adapting to serve America while staying true to its 175-year legacy. CEO Suzanne McCormick shares insights on:   • How YMCAs serve as community hubs, engaging 13 million members nationwide (5 million under age 18) • The innovative "Team Up Project" partnering with Interfaith America, Catholic Charities USA, and Habitat for Humanity to bridge societal divides • YMCA's response to the "epidemic of social isolation" through intentional programming and community spaces   Memorable insights: "The Y is a partner to parents. Parents know their children are in a safe place that allows them to balance work and school schedules."   "We represent the diversity of real America within our movement... we have people who think differently but come together to work on a common mission."   
 

Breaking Social Isolation: The Y-USA’s Role in Modern America

This week, we explore how the Y-USA is adapting to serve America while staying true to its 175-year legacy. CEO Suzanne McCormick shares insights on:
 
• How YMCAs serve as community hubs, engaging 13 million members nationwide (5 million under age 18)
• The innovative "Team Up Project" partnering with Interfaith America, Catholic Charities USA, and Habitat for Humanity to bridge societal divides
• YMCA's response to the "epidemic of social isolation" through intentional programming and community spaces
 
Memorable insights:
"The Y is a partner to parents. Parents know their children are in a safe place that allows them to balance work and school schedules."
 
"We represent the diversity of real America within our movement... we have people who think differently but come together to work on a common mission."
 
ICYMI: Check out last week's episode with Network for Good CEO Abby Ross
 
Key takeaways:
• Network for Good has facilitated $5 billion in donations to half a million charities
• The organization is launching the Giving Platform Collaborative to reduce friction in online giving
• They're leveraging AI to improve fund delivery and accessibility
• New initiatives focus on supporting Black-led nonprofits and grassroots organizations
 
Listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on BBB Wise Giving Alliance's YouTube channel.
 
#HeartOfGiving #Nonprofits #CommunityImpact #YMCA #NetworkForGood
 
 
 
 

Making Generosity Frictionless: A Conversation with Network for Good's CEO

This week, I spoke with Abby Ross, CEO of Network for Good, for an enlightening discussion about the future of digital giving. Her entrepreneurial background brings a fresh perspective to how technology can unleash generosity:
 
"We think of ourselves as the engine for meaningful giving across the world's most influential platforms" - Abby explains how Network for Good is helping major brands like Walmart, YouTube, and Patagonia create accessible giving moments for everyday donors.
 
A highlight of our conversation was learning about the new Giving Platform Collaborative, bringing together major players like PayPal and Facebook to reduce friction in charitable giving. As Abby notes, "It feels like the least we can do is make it easier for them." This collaborative spirit is already showing results, with initiatives like their Black Philanthropy Month program.
 
On meeting modern donor expectations: "Consumer technology has evolved... donors expect a certain level of e-Commerce ease." Abby shares practical insights for nonprofits adapting to these changing expectations.
 
Her enthusiasm is contagious when she reflects, "I often tell people I have the best job in the world... we've done $5 billion to half a million charities." This impact showcases how technology can democratize giving.
 
AND DON'T MISS: Last week's conversation with William Warshauer of TechnoServe, where we explored how business solutions are transforming lives in developing nations. Through their work, every $1 invested generates $5.60 in additional income for participants, creating lasting change in communities worldwide.
 
New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or watch on BBB Wise Giving Alliance's YouTube channel.
 

Sustainable Programs Addressing Poverty

This week, I sat down with William Warshauer, CEO of TechnoServe, who shared remarkable stories of sustainable poverty alleviation through business solutions. Some powerful insights from our conversation:
 
"Intelligence and industriousness is distributed equally around the globe, but opportunity is not." William shared how TechnoServe turns this reality into action, helping create $5.60 in additional income for every $1 invested in their programs.
 
The impact is tangible - from Lubaba in Ethiopia, who transformed her coffee farm and sent both children to university (where only 1% of the population holds degrees), to Eugenie in Rwanda, who turned 100 chickens into a thriving business employing 22 people. Last year alone, TechnoServe's work generated over $400 million in additional income for participants across 35 countries.
 
Key Quote: "If you are doing development work... you want to try to take a long view because your impact is going to be multiplied if you can do it in a way that the people themselves pick up and carry forward."
 
AND DON'T MISS: 
New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe now to join these vital conversations about creating lasting change in our communities.

Jane Wales and Kenneth Hodder on American Generosity

What happens when charitable giving declines in America? The Generosity Commission set out to answer this critical question, and I sat down with two key leaders to discuss their findings.
Jane Wales, Co-Chair of the Commission and VP at the Aspen Institute, explains why this matters: 'Civil society is a singular asset of American democracy... powered by everyday givers, everyday volunteers.' She shares how declining participation threatens not just charitable organizations, but the very fabric of our democratic society.
Salvation Army National Commander Kenneth Hodder brings this down to earth with a powerful perspective on individual impact: 'If they will commit themselves to saying, I want to feed one person... I'll tell you the ramifications, like a stone falling into a pool, will resonate throughout their lives.' His insights on how small acts of generosity create lasting change are not to be missed.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T LISTENED YET: My conversation with MADD CEO Stacey Stewart reveals crucial developments in the fight against impaired driving. Three key takeaways:
Despite MADD's success in reducing drunk driving fatalities by 50% since the 1980s, we face new challenges with a 33% increase in impaired driving deaths between 2019-2022, highlighting the need for renewed focus on education and prevention.
The profile of impaired drivers has evolved - two-thirds of fatal crashes involve drivers at nearly twice the legal limit (0.15+ BAC), indicating a deeper substance abuse crisis requiring new approaches and partnerships.
Game-changing technology is on the horizon: New federal legislation mandates anti-drunk driving sensors in all new vehicles, with the potential to save 10,000 lives annually - representing a major shift in how we prevent impaired driving.
These conversations reveal how organizations are adapting to meet today's challenges while staying true to their founding missions. Subscribe now for new episodes every Tuesday!

MADD: Working to Eliminate Impaired Driving

This week on The Heart of Giving Podcast, I had an illuminating conversation with Stacey Stewart, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). She shared powerful insights about MADD's impact and evolving mission.
 
Key Themes from Stacey's Interview:
 
- Despite a 50% decline in impaired driving fatalities since MADD's founding, recent years have seen a concerning 33% increase during 2019-2022
- Two-thirds of impaired driving fatalities involve drivers with blood alcohol levels nearly twice the legal limit (0.15 or higher)
- Game-changing technology is on the horizon: new legislation mandates anti-drunk driving sensors in all new vehicles, potentially saving 10,000 lives annually
 
Notable Quotes:
''The world needs a lot of good... I've enjoyed the idea of being able to do good in lots of different ways.''
 
''We have to do what is in the best interest of public safety.''
 
''If we have a solution that we know exists that can save 10,000 lives a year... the question is why would we not do that?''
 

Ruth Holton-Hodson Solar Cookers, The Means to Prepare a Meal.

I'm excited to share this week's just-released episode with you. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ruth Holton-Hodson, board member of Solar Cookers International. Our conversation reveals how this innovative organization is addressing hunger, improving health, and protecting the environment in vulnerable communities worldwide.
 
Ruth shared some powerful insights that really stuck with me. On the impact of traditional cooking methods, she noted:
 
"One family of four uses one ton of wood a year to fuel their fire. So where's that wood coming from? It's coming from the forests and the woods near the villages, which slowly get cut down, which creates tremendous deforestation."
 
I was fascinated to learn about their strategic approach:
 
"We've moved in a policy direction where we actually serve as the hub, if you like, of this worldwide solar cooking movement. And so we divide our work into three pieces: advocacy, research, and capacity building."
 
Ruth also offered a beautiful reflection on the importance of service in retirement:
 
"I think for me, service is an essential component about what I need to do. It's not just about filling the time... you get so much more back."
 
I found our conversation both enlightening and inspiring. Join me to learn about sustainable solutions to global challenges and finding fulfillment through service!