JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio and Evolve502 CEO Marland Cole joined us as this month's podcast guests because our missions closely align. As our Family Success Center celebrates 10 years of providing year-round educational and social development opportunities to the next generation, we are grateful for our partnership with them.
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Here were some conversation topics...
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Do you truly care about the homeless? CEO Jennifer Clark encourages us to build empathy for the unhoused population in this podcast episode.
If you haven’t heard the news, Jennifer was promoted to St. Vincent de Paul Louisville’s Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director upon Dave Calzi's retirement in late July, who will continue to support SVDP in a newly created advocacy role. Jennifer serves as the first female leader in the organization’s 170-year history!
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Jennifer talks about...
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If you hope to learn more about the state of homelessness in the U.S. and what we can do about it, Kevin Adler's new book, “When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America,” is a must-read guide.
Watch: YouTube
Kevin’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, on a billboard in Times Square, and in his TED Talk.
As the Founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization Miracle Messages in 2014, Kevin leads a global community of volunteers and referral partners, who have successfully reconnected more than 900 people experiencing homelessness with their loved ones, matched 350 unhoused individuals with volunteers for weekly calls and texts, and launched one of the first basic income pilots for the homeless in the U.S. This has resulted in more than two-thirds of people getting housed.
Our CEO Dave Calzi spoke virtually with Kevin about these topics:
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Have you ever had one of those days? Well, Whitney Austin had herself a day on Sept. 6, 2018. In our 26th podcast episode, she opens up about her survival story during the mass shooting in the lobby at Fifth Third Bank Headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.
For Whitney to survive after being shot 12 times is a miracle in and of itself, but even more incredible is how she started the nonprofit Whitney/Strong less than a month later to find common ground to end gun violence. You can download to listen, or watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/kX_LSr_M1yY
Our CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Whitney to talk about these topics:
To learn more, visit www.whitneystrong.org/.
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If you want to grow as a leader, then listen to Churchill Downs Incorporated President & COO Bill Mudd and Vice President of Corporate Communications Tonya Abeln open up about what they've learned as high-level leaders over the years.
In our 25th podcast episode and ahead of the 150th Kentucky Derby, we hear from Bill and Tonya as they talk about what's new at Churchill Downs and give leadership advice. You can download to listen, or watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/dGr5INxvp4o
Bill has been the President and Chief Operating Officer of CDI since 2015. He joined CDI in 2007 as the Executive Vice President and CFO after working for several years at General Electric and was promoted to the role of President and CFO in 2014. Under Bill’s leadership CDI’s business has expanded through the development of live and historical racing entertainment venues, the growth of TwinSpires horse racing online wagering business and the operation and development of regional casino gaming properties. CDI follows a long tradition of corporate social responsibility and has been a committed charitable partner for decades.
In her role as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Churchill Downs, Tonya is responsible for the strategy, implementation and oversight of internal and external communications and revels in the opportunity to share the thrilling and inspiring stories behind one of America’s most iconic brand—the Kentucky Derby. Additionally, as President of Churchill Downs Foundation, she drives strategic charitable initiatives and manages community partnerships across the company’s entire portfolio of racetrack and gaming properties.
Our CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Bill and Tonya to hear about the rich history of the Kentucky Derby and CDI:
To learn more, visit https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/.
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Scarlet Hope founder Rachelle Starr used to drive past "Theatre X" everyday on her way to work without thinking twice about the sex entertainment industry. Today, she goes into strip clubs with home-cooked meals and brings hope to the women inside.
In 2007, Rachelle founded Scarlet Hope, a nonprofit that shares the hope and love of Jesus with women in the adult entertainment industry. Scarlet Hope has since expanded across 10 cities in the United States from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to Atlanta and Orlando. Rachelle is a national speaker who has trained thousands of people to launch similar nonprofits worldwide. She is also the author of “Outrageous Obedience.” You can download to listen, or watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/WnzD9wFdLpw
Our CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Rachelle to talk about the local and global sex entertainment industry:
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What's it like to win a Grammy? Teddy Abrams tells us in his own words ... and his answer might surprise you.
This podcast episode is powerful, especially for anyone who has a passion or dream! For the last decade, Teddy has been a conductor, pianist, clarinetist, and composer and presently serves as the Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra and the Britt Festival Orchestra. Under his leadership, the Louisville Orchestra has experienced unprecedented success and its attendance has increased 30%. As Musical America’s 2022 Conductor of the Year, Teddy has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, the New Yorker, and NPR, among other media outlets. You can download to listen, or watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/2EJ519TZ7UM
Our CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Teddy to talk all things music:
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How do Legos help explain housing segregation? Louisville Metro Government Planning Supervisor Joel Dock shares what they have to do with one another.
This is an eye-opening podcast conversation! On the topic of housing segregation, author Leah Rothstein and Joel are global and local leaders, respectively. They are passionate about what we can do in our own communities to begin to challenge and redress segregation. You can also watch now!
Watch: Video
Leah is a nationally known housing policy expert and coauthored “Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law,” which released last year. Joel has worked at Louisville Metro Government for 11 years, and oversees zoning changes and land development code in the Louisville area in the Office of Planning.
Our CEO Dave Calzi talks with Leah and Joel helps put housing segregation into layman's terms:
To purchase "Just Action," go to https://www.justactionbook.org/ or visit justaction.substack.com.
Joel and his team's interactive exhibit/story map of “Confronting Racism in City Planning and Zoning": https://arcg.is/1Snbj4.
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Tony Cash was an outlaw whose story is truly one of amazing transformation! From the age of 11 to 49 years old, he spent an accumulative 36 years incarcerated and two of those decades in and out of solitary confinement. Now, Tony is on a mission to help men like him. You can also watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/C9T2F19Br_Q
Alongside his wife, Kim, their nonprofit organization, Freedom Lake, has a nearby property with a 20-bed dorm inside the facility to provide a place for recently released men to reintegrate into society and find purpose in their lives. Joining this episode to share their journey are Kevin and Travis, former addicts who have been helped through Freedom Lake.
Our CEO Dave Calzi covers these topics with our guests:
Tony and Kim have served inside the prison system since 2018 helping men affected by substance and alcohol abuse find their identity in Christ, reach their God-given potential, and discover God’s purpose for their lives. To watch Tony's story and learn more about Freedom lake, visit https://freedomlake.org/.
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If you've ever lost a loved one and need help finding purpose again, this podcast is for you. St. Matthews Mayor Rick Tonini shares how the unexpected and tragic loss of his daughter, Lauren, led to serving at our Open Hand Kitchen in Christmas 2003. You can also watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/R3vhyT7wRAk
Our CEO Dave Calzi spoke with Mayor Rick about a variety of topics:
To learn more about finding support through Compassionate Friends, visit www.compassionatefriends.org/chapter/tcf-of-louisville/.
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If you've always wondered how we grew from the small beginnings of gathering inside a church basement in 1853 to housing 450 nightly and feeding 330 people daily, then lean into this podcast. We condensed 170 years of history into one episode!
This podcast is truly special because we’d love to take you on a history tour as we celebrate our 170 year anniversary, especially because you are the ones who have invested so much of your time, talents, and treasures towards this mission over the years. You can also watch now!
Watch: https://youtu.be/qmQ8jDbzSXI
To help us, our CEO Dave Calzi spoke with longtime Board Member and former Executive Director Jim Williams, Director of Conference Affairs & Volunteer Services Donna Young, and Board Member and history guru David Neill.
Here's our guided tour through SVDP Louisville's history:
To learn more, visit https://www.svdplou.org/.
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LDG Development cofounder Chris Dischinger quit his job less than a month into his marriage and went into real estate. You can listen to or watch how the rest of the story unfolds!
Watch: https://youtu.be/CCV3ow9tfP4
In 1994, Chris and his wife, Lisa, cofounded LDG Development in Louisville along with business partner Mark Lechner. The Dischingers are committed to building better lives through developing quality, affordable communities for hard-working families and active seniors. Today, LDG has over 200 employees and developed more than 20,000 units in multiple states. Resident Services Manager Elly Green shares about providing residents with extra support through onsite medical care, after-school programming, cooking classes, and more.
They hit on these topics:
To learn more about LDG Development, visit https://www.ldgdevelopment.com/.
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Can we really end homelessness? One housing expert believes we can, and tells us how in this podcast!
New York University Silver School of Social Work professor Dr. Deborah Padgett teaches “Homelessness in Perspective," where she breaks down the assumptions that students come in with about the homeless. The coauthor of "Housing First: Ending Homelessness, Changing Systems and Transforming Lives," Padgett joins our podcast to talk with CEO and Executive Director Dave Calzi about what housing first is, the evidence to support it, and why it matters. She's also a UK graduate!
They touch on these topics:
To learn more about Housing First, Padgett recommends https://endhomelessness.org/resource/housing-first/
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How does the game of musical chairs help explain homelessness? This podcast conversation breaks down that analogy!
Author Gregg Colburn shares how a lack of affordable housing impacts homelessness from his recently released book, "Homelessness is a Housing Problem." He's an Assistant Professor of real estate at the University of Washington and studies affordable housing. Colburn joins our podcast to talk with CEO and Executive Director Dave Calzi about why homelessness isn't the same in every city and varies significantly by region—from Los Angeles and New York to Chicago and Charlotte.
Here are some hot button issues raised during the podcast:
Here's a link to purchase Colburn's book, "Homelessness is a Housing Problem."
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If you need purpose in your work, are unsure about your second act, or love a good story, then check out this conversation!
St. Vincent de Paul Louisville CEO Dave Calzi is a guest on the Catholic Education Foundation's podcast with CEF CEO Rich Lechleiter at Talgrace Studio. Dave was formerly CEF Board Chair. Both of our organizations are working hard to improve the lives of others, whether through the public school system or on the streets of Louisville. Our missions have a lot in common!
You can also watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my32eq2KmFw
Dave and Rich go way back, and their conversation is one of mutual admiration and respect for one another and the organizations they lead.
Here are some topics raised during the podcast:
CEF was founded in 1995 for the primary purpose of supporting the growth and vitality of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Louisville. To learn more, visit www.ceflou.org/.
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In this conversation, Lab Director Carl Gershenson at Eviction Lab opens our eyes to the eviction epidemic in America! With a Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University, Gershenson studies the causes and consequences of housing instability, with an emphasis on how eviction leads to further economic and residential insecurity.
Gershenson joins CEO Dave Calzi via Zoom to talk about:
The Eviction Lab at Princeton University is a team of researchers who believe a stable, affordable home is central to human flourishing and economic mobility. They believe that understanding the sudden, traumatic home loss through eviction is foundational to learning about poverty in America. This team has published the first-ever dataset of evictions in America with an interactive national map at https://evictionlab.org/map/. You can zoom in and find Jefferson County for specific statistics about our Louisville community. Eviction is often something our clients have faced, and in Kentucky, evictions can stay on someone's record for roughly seven years.
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In this conversation, Dare to Care's President and CEO Vincent James will inspire you to serve others! As a nonprofit partner of SVDP, James and his team help feed those in need. A ton of the food we cook for clients or hand out to them—try 27,000+ pounds of food last month to the Open Hand Kitchen and Food Pantry—comes from Dare to Care.
CEO Dave Calzi talks to him about many exciting topics, and come to find out, they have a lot in common! They chat about their mutual love for Muhammad Ali, coming from financial backgrounds, and sharing the same mission.
James opens up about:
Visit https://daretocare.org/ for more information about this local nonprofit.
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Donna Russell’s journey is one of perseverance. She had to expand her education and career as a single mother raising two children all the while ensuring they had a roof over their heads. As St. Vincent de Paul Louisville’s newest Board Member, Donna has lived experience with avoiding eviction and finding affordable housing.
SVDP CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Donna to hear her story. She also talks about joining the SVDP Board of Directors and her frontline role as a Clinical Therapist at Volunteers of America's Freedom House.
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If you want to look behind-the-scenes and learn how clients receive help at St. Vincent de Paul Louisville, this is a don't miss discussion! SVDP CEO Dave Calzi talks to our very own Dominique Batts about housing and programs major shift to better serve those in need. Batts also shares about growing up in the Catholic school system, secondary trauma vs. secondary success, and balancing two jobs with two young children. By the way, she also loves ballet!
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If you need a good laugh, listen to this! St. Vincent de Paul CEO Dave Calzi talks to Quentin Childers about having empathy for clients and leading the daily operations of four major housing programs. "Q" also talks about starting out in dental school and ending up in social work. He even shares his love for gardening and cooking in his spare time.
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St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director/CEO Dave Calzi talks to Greer Hannan about the importance of a nonprofit securing accreditation and ensuring regulatory compliance with the government. Greer also shares an incredible story of how one homeless man, Danny, changed the trajectory of her life. Not to mention, she discusses her podcast, "Femammal," and her love for contra dancing.
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