Transformative Giving: Drs. Leighan and David Rinker's Philanthropic Journey and Lasting Legacy at Place of Hope

Ever wonder how impactful philanthropy really is? This episode takes you into the world of transformative giving with Drs. Leighan and David Rinker, unwavering supporters of Place of Hope. Get a glimpse into their life-changing philanthropic journey, their passion for travel and education, and their sincerely held belief in leaving a lasting legacy.

Taking a closer look at the growth and future of Florida, we journey into the legacy of Drs. Leighan and David Rinker's philanthropy. Hear firsthand accounts about David's father's role in their company's development, their support for various organizations, and their perspective on Florida's evolving landscape. Grasp the significance of a robust legacy, and its influence on the Rinkers' philanthropic endeavors. Their sincere efforts in supporting the vulnerable in our community is truly a beacon of hope.

In the final lap of our conversation, we delve into the hands-on approach of the Rinkers to their philanthropy at Place of Hope. Dr. Leighan Rinker's inspiring role in expanding the Angel Moms community and their forward-thinking preparation for the organization's future is truly thought-provoking.

Moreover, learn about the God's Children. Our Future Campaign, and Place of Hope's unique initiative to create an advisory council of youth. From providing insight into the organization's functioning to impacting lives, the Rinkers are the embodiment of thoughtful philanthropy.

Host: Charles L. Bender III, Founding CEO and Board Member of Place of Hope

Title Sponsor: Crypto Capital Venture | Follow Dan Gambardello's on Twitter (@cryptorecruitr)

Looking for assistance  in south Florida? Visit VillagesOfHope.net

Link:  Visit the Place of Hope Website, PlaceOfHope.com

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Email the Show: POHPodcast@PlaceOfHope.com 

Transcript

Charles Bender: 0:02

Hello and thank you for tuning in to Ambassadors of Hope. I'm your host, charles Bender. We're so excited that you've tuned in to hear from local South Florida leaders who are making a difference in our community and region through our charity Place of.

Charles Bender: 0:14

Hope.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 0:16

Dr. Leighan and David Rinker engage in a heartfelt conversation about their impactful philanthropy, focusing on their involvement with Place of Hope, our non-profit organization dedicated to aiding the most vulnerable in our community.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 0:31

Their commitment to education and travel led to the establishment of travel study programs with a primary emphasis on positively transforming the lives of children and youth. Dr. Leighan Rinker's deep passion for children and the desire to leave a lasting legacy became evident in their support for Place of Hope, and they commend the organization's financial structure, particularly its lack of debt and low overhead. This amazing couple highlights the transformative work happening at Place of Hope, emphasizing the importance of intentional philanthropy and the need for organizations to plan for the future by building endowments. Their support extends beyond financial contributions, with Rinker actively involved in the establishment of the Leanne and David Rinker campus at Place of Hope. This project faced challenges initially, but ultimately became a catalyst for positive change within the community. This conversation resonates with gratitude for the success stories of individuals who have benefited from Place of Hope's programs, creating a cycle of transformation and giving back. Overall, their dialogue underscores the couple's unwavering commitment to making a meaningful impact in the lives of disadvantaged children through intentional philanthropy and dedicated support for Place of Hope.

Charles Bender: 1:57

We want to give a special thanks and shout out to our presenting sponsor, crypto Capital Venture. Crypto Capital Venture acts as both a startup recruiting firm as well as one of the largest crypto communities in the cryptocurrency space, offering trailblazing content for over five years. If you're interested in crypto, you can join over 300,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel for the latest on crypto, just go to YouTube and search Crypto Capital Venture and make sure to subscribe. Thanks so much, dan and our friends at Crypto Capital Venture.

Maya Elias: 2:30

Welcome to Seat of Hope. I'm your producer, Maya Lias. Today, I wanted to share with you all the story of our 2023 outstanding youth of the year, Jayla Hazel. Jayla shared her remarkable journey as one of 11 siblings facing adversity at an early age during our 10th anniversary Hope Bash, Boca Gala with our supporters. Jayla shared that her mother had become overwhelmed with so many kids that she unfortunately ended up mistreating two of them, so much so to an extent that she locked them together in a closet for two years. Eventually, one of the boys was able to escape and report the situation to authorities. It was at that time that Jayla and her siblings were removed from the home.

Maya Elias: 3:15

Jayla, along with three of her younger siblings, were placed at Place of Hope. She was only 15 years old. Despite the challenges, Jayla found solstice and support at Place of Hope, where a compassionate staff led by the dedicated Gina Fosio advocated for her and her siblings. Reflecting on her foster care experience, Jayla expresses her initial fears, which were replaced by a warm and welcoming environment. In this safe and nurturing space, she flourished academically, crediting her foster parents for their impactful role in her life.

Maya Elias: 3:51

Having aged out of Place of Hope, Jayla seamlessly transitioned to university life and discovered her passion for elementary education. Grateful for the opportunity to pursue higher education, she is currently a senior at Florida Atlantic University, aspiring to obtain her master's in education, with the ultimate goal of becoming a principal. Jayla attributes her achievements to the unwavering support, encouragement and life skills provided by Place of Hope. She emphasizes the pivotal role it played in shaping her future and acknowledges the invaluable support that has allowed her to break barriers within her family. In closing, Jayla inspired by Proverbs 31-8, courageously speaks up for those who cannot advocate for themselves, urging continued support for the vital work of Place of Hope in the community. She extends a heartfelt thanks on behalf of all residents, both past and present, recognizing the collective impact of support in transforming lives.

Charles Bender: 4:57

Drs. Leanne and David Rinker. Thank you guys for being here today and being on our show. The ambassadors for Hope. You guys are the quintessential ambassadors for Place of Hope and have been for many years. Hard to believe we're already celebrating 10 years of our Leanne and David Rinker campus in Boca. That's crazy to me that we've already had 10 years fly by, but we're thankful for you guys to be here today and talk a little bit about what's going on at Place of Hope and your leadership in Place of Hope.

Charles Bender: 5:25

And I think you know a lot of people know especially if they have any kind of real history in this area the many philanthropic contributions you guys have made, your making and probably even plan to make in this area. You've just done some really breathtaking things, from the colleges to groups like Place of Hope to other places that you have a passion for and we're. So I know we're grateful for that, but I know our community as a whole is grateful for that. So there's that philanthropic point. But I want to have you guys just talk a little bit about just yourselves and what makes you go. And I know philanthropy is a big part of that, but there's the personal side too. So we want to see if you talk a little bit about that today.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 6:07

All right, well, I can kick it off. I'm, as I said, leanne Rinker and obviously I'm Dave's wife. We met at Stetson University he was a senior when I came as a freshman and we got married the summer of my junior year. He was in the army at Fort Bragg and we've been married now almost 60 years and have four children and 14 grandchildren and a new puppy, and which is a joy and the bane of our existence, both, but more than anything else.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 6:53

If I were to describe myself, I would say I'm a child advocate, because most of my life has been centered around children in multiple different ways. I'm the founder and owner of an early childhood program I started in 39 years ago, and these are the little bitty ones from 12 months up through five, so we give them a real strong, good beginning. I love doing that, and I'd like Dave to introduce himself and tell you all about what his passion is.

Dr. David Rinker: 7:37

I'm Dave Rinker. My father came to South Florida in 1925. He came from Indiana. It was a very different place in those days. It was hot and there was lots of bugs and people didn't stay down here in the summertime. As I went through school, I remember so much that everybody left in the summertime and we had our beaches to ourselves. It was an area that I enjoyed. It was a.

Dr. David Rinker: 8:15

I began to pay attention to the history of what went on down here and my father went, bought a dump truck, started hauling rock and sand, started mixing it with cement and making concrete and that was probably the most important thing you could have done in South Florida. We used to tell our people at Rinker Materials if you can't make money selling concrete in Florida, you probably shouldn't try. Say it because that's what we did and therefore we became very, very much a part of the community and my father got involved in things like the community chest and then he worked with the Boy Scouts and then he worked with the YMCA and things like that. He always told us that we gave, we didn't just consume. He was a real inspiration to us, yeah that's awesome.

Charles Bender: 9:13

So you guys were physically building this community. That was swamp and bugs in a lot of ways, and you were I guess maybe the word might be existentially as well, but philanthropically you were building the community as well, and so many lives have just been, you know, impacted as a result. I know you sit on board of a foundation, as do you, leanne. Tell us a little bit about that, because I know, look, I mean, here's the way it goes right, ambassadors for Hope. When people that are out there, and especially in the charity world and the philanthropic world, and there are great leaders out there, everybody's after you, everybody wants you to get involved, because we need to be surrounded by great leaders. Thank God, we've had you guys from part of this for the last 10 years and many, many more to come. But talk about some of the other things that you guys are involved in.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 10:00

Well, both of us are real believers in good, strong higher education and we very much want to make it accessible to those kids who have the desire and the ability to get a good education and then use that education in their lives. And so Dave is currently on the board of Stetson University. As I said, that's where we met, and I am on the board of Ferman University. Three of our four children went there. The fourth child went to Stetson, and we have both been on the board of Roberts Wesleyan University, which is in Rochester, new York, because we're firm believers in higher education and so much of what we have done through our foundation is also to support universities in terms of direct scholarships to children and opportunities for them to do research, internships, get their education paid for and so forth.

Charles Bender: 11:12

Changing their lives.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 11:13

But also, and again, a lot of this was started by his father, doc Ranker, and that is we currently support, through the foundations, the early childhood literacy. We support urban youth, we support habitat for humanity. We support many, multiple, multiple, different things in this community of Palm Beach County, because Doc Ranker always said I want to give back right here where I made my money.

Charles Bender: 11:48

Yeah, you guys have certainly done that and continue to do it in a big way. We didn't mention that. Dr. Rinker, you're also a member of the board of directors of Place of Hope now for many years, and we're grateful for that.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 11:59

I will tell you and I mean this from my heart my association with the administration, the volunteers, the staff, the house, parents and certainly the children at Place of Hope. This has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.

Charles Bender: 12:19

Really has. Well, you all have been a tremendous blessing to all of us too. You light up a room when you come in and people are excited to see both of you and talk with you. Now, listen, everybody knows that knows me. I am a Florida junkie. I love everything. Florida, old Florida, talk a little bit about over the years, especially with Rinker Materials being the main company that was involved in probably having its hand in the building of everything down here from Miami although which used to be called Miami right Used to be Miami.

Dr. David Rinker: 12:49

Still Miami, that's right.

Charles Bender: 12:50

Still Miami to me too, but all the way up to here and past here. But talk a little bit about how you've seen, because we talk about this growth and all these people coming here and it's good, it's not all bad, but it has definitely changed things. I mean, I remember one time you told me a story, dave, about in the historic building there that's there for the yacht club in West Palm, and you were telling me you pointed out the window, like look right over there and there used to be, I think, nbc studios, used to be their way back. Now there's a big tower condo, but before that, you said you used to roll up on the. What were those things? The bring in the ships that would bring in the creed and just dump it right there and the trucks would come and get the raw materials and take it to the plant. And talk a little bit about how you've seen Florida change.

Dr. David Rinker: 13:37

Well, there was a lot of people involved.

Dr. David Rinker: 13:38

First of all, my father was the moving person who started the company and such as that. The place you were talking about was right down near the Palm Beach Yacht Club and it was where he brought in his rock and sand from Dade County and it was the site of our first Ritimix plant. But there were a lot of people involved. I mean there were a lot of employees. A lot of those employees worked with my dad and also he helped create the foundation. So it wasn't just one person. It was a lot of people who looked at the community and said here's what we want to do to be part of the community and Leanne mentioned a few, but Place of Hope was a big one but Save the Children I made a list of the Boy Scouts and the YMCA that the people in the foundation and these are businessmen within West Palm Beach area supported it and it was wonderful to see them all come together and do things like Junior Achievement, Nicholas Healthcare Center, the Special Olympics. It was just what we knew we were supposed to be doing.

Charles Bender: 14:55

Yeah, I love it, but you've also seen, just as I mean, I think you told me one day too, maybe even close to where your school is there was a day when military trail was it right? You didn't go past like West of military trail far for much of anything, right.

Dr. David Rinker: 15:11

No, and now you didn't go West unless you wanted to go fishing, and that was a different kind of fish. Military trail for us was a dirt road when I was in high school. It originated on Loxanatchee River and went all the way down to the New River in what is now Broward County. And it was built after the Second Seminole War to bring troops from Loxanatchee to the New River and to build a new fort. And what was fun was the like. The major who was in charge of building the fort wasn't told what to name it, so he named it after himself. His name was Billy Lauderdale. It became Fort Lauderdale I love these tidbits.

Dr. David Rinker: 16:00

I can't go to Fort Lauderdale without thinking about Billy Lauderdale from Tennessee.

Charles Bender: 16:05

Yeah, that is awesome.

Dr. David Rinker: 16:07

Yeah.

Charles Bender: 16:08

What do you, how do you all feel about the future aspirations of our state? How do you, how do you think we're going in a good direction? I mean, I know we got tons of people coming. We got to be ready for that, and there's water issues and road issues and so forth, but what do you think about the future of Florida?

Dr. David Rinker: 16:23

It's getting very crowded and Florida grew very rapidly because we had no income tax and we had no inheritance tax as such, and now the people are coming in faster than the infrastructure can be built Right and it's it's going to change our tax structure and just driving here this morning you can see the intersections that are going to be needed to be changed. It's going to be very crowded and a lot of the people who come from the North they will be bringing things that they are familiar with and we're not, so I think there'll be changes.

Charles Bender: 17:04

Yeah, I definitely think, and it's, and it's all over the whole state of Florida to drive in order to see my mom very recently just going across, you know, highway 60, yeehaw Junction even that's all changing and then you get over there and onto the other side of the coast, other coast, and it's like it looks completely different, like where I grew up after Miami was. It was cow pastures and that's it for miles, and now pretty much all of them are gone. It's just completely different. But you know, and also unfortunately, one of the things that that brings is going to be an increase in an increase in the cases of child neglect and abuse and the exploitation of children and vulnerable populations. And so you know obviously more of the reason we need to see place of hope continue to grow and meet those needs. But overall I still think, personally I think it's the best, best state in the nation by far. Would you agree?

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 17:55

I would agree. I would say right now, at any rate, I wouldn't want to be living anywhere else, right, and I wanted to just interject that anyone who is interested in Florida history might want to read the book A Land Remembered.

Charles Bender: 18:14

I've read it, love it.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 18:17

I had not read it. Dave had urged me for years to read it, and so I finally read it this summer, and I loved it too, and it really gave me a totally different understanding of the origins of Florida, what it was like, and I would encourage anybody who, as I said, is interested in Florida history to get that book and read it.

Charles Bender: 18:40

One of the things I like is how you just talked about, was it Billy Lauderdale? Yeah, when you read that book you find all these other names and a lot of them were in Miami names of streets till to this day, but they reflect on them in that book where those people came from. It's just fascinating to me I love it it is.

Charles Bender: 19:01

So tell us a little bit about how you think you came to all the things you're involved in. You've also said, obviously, when we know that education is a big part of what drives you guys, but how about the vulnerable populations? How about these kids at place of vote? What got you really looking in that direction, to pour so much time and energy and resource into helping the least of these?

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 19:23

Well, if I may, I'd like to share a little bit answer that question, but also share a little bit of how we came to that About 10 years ago now. I've been on the place in place of hope nine years. About 10 years ago, dave and I were talking we usually do at the beginning of every year a lot of planning for that whole year and we were talking about the word legacy and what legacy actually means, and according to the dictionary, it means something passed down, and for us, as we talked about it, it meant that part of yourself that you leave behind after you go on. And so we further discussed this over a period of time and for Dave and he can interject at any time, but I think it's a little bit of a bit of a period of time and for Dave and he can interject at any time he really believed in the value and importance of travel, global travel in particular, to open up horizons for, again, children because that's our main focus and youth and how it can be life changing for them in a good way. And so he really thought, if there had to be one primary focus, he wanted it to be that, and, as a result, we created travel, study programs at a high school where our kids were going to school, and at three different universities, and they thrive to this day.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 21:22

For me, I got to thinking as we talked about it and later, what gives my life meaning? What is the one thing that is most meaningful to me and my life? And I realized it's children. It's my own children, our children, it's your children, it's everybody's children, and so I thought that is what I would like my legacy to be, and I have worked with children all my life. I was supposed to be a pediatrician, you know. I instead ended up an educator, taking care of children and educating them, and at any rate. So I thought I don't even though I was on two national boards at the time to raise the level of care for children throughout the United States. I wanted something right here at home, palm Beach County. So I started looking and doing research and, lo and behold, I came across place of hope, and so I just did a cold call for a tour.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 22:36

I remember this like it was yesterday and I liked what I saw and then I met with Charles and I met with members of the board and this was back in 2014 and so it went from there, and what impressed me most was not just the opportunity to transform children's lives which is the greatest investment you can make in your life, as far as I'm concerned, to transform them for better but it was because everybody I worked with and met, from the volunteers to the staff, to the administration, to the board, to everybody they had a passion. It was a passion that drove them in terms of creating the best life possible for the most disadvantaged and sometimes traumatized children in our county, and I thought this is where I belong and it's where my passion met. Part of the world's need.

Charles Bender: 23:51

And you're building that legacy now.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 23:53

That's the thing I like about legacy.

Charles Bender: 23:55

It's not just when we've moved on, because we're all gonna move, that's one thing we all know. We're all gonna move on from here one day, right. But to start building that legacy before, right and a lot of people.

Charles Bender: 24:05

Don't get that you know they're so busy on doing this and the other, but you're laying a trail, you're seeing rewards of that in the changed lives and it's just to me that's. That's super exciting. And I know and I'm gonna ask Lisa to speak to this too that you happen to be one of her favorite people on the planet. And we would not have, we would not have the Leanne and David Rinker campus, we wouldn't even have it called something else, if it wasn't for you guys, because that was a monstrous project for us to take on as an organization that had a ton going on already. And they, as many people know that Charity went out of business, handed us this tremendous asset of 15 acres in Boca, with buildings and so forth and a history that we needed to try to resurrect, because there was a time they were doing great things. But had you guys not stepped up the way you did, it would not be there today and not just stepped up but continued on with. And you know we talk all the time.

Charles Bender: 24:57

We were talking earlier at lunch about some of the cool things we're starting to do now for that campus.

Charles Bender: 25:03

But also that campus has become a catalyst for other campuses, for other initiatives, for new programs, for more changed lives, and you all are entrepreneurs too, just like we are, as we know, and it's like the thing that's been so exciting is that you've been there as a board member as well, and you both been there as tremendous supporters, allowing us to even be entrepreneurial in that campus as needs have arisen and changed over time, and to see that you know we started with this and now it's something different, and that probably never changed, because it that's part of the blessing of it is that you, in your leadership, you understand we're gonna be about meeting needs. We're not gonna be just about having this place to show people and say, look at us doing good things. No, no, no, we're gonna. We're gonna try to be on the cutting edge of it at all times, and I'm telling you we would. We just wouldn't have what we have if it wasn't for you guys.

Charles Bender: 25:52

And you're you're making a legacy now and your leadership in doing so.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 25:57

Well, I want to say two things. One, it's all God's grace. That's right. God is working through people, throughout place of hope, from its its initial conception to what it has become and is continuing to become. And in regard to legacy, because it's such a critical part of our lives, or should be, people are making legacies that are going to go on after they're no longer here, whether they're intentional or not, but now is the time. I don't care if you're 18 years old or if you're 80 years old. Now is the time to be intentional about it.

Charles Bender: 26:39

Love that word intentional intentionality. Intentionally, I love it, but not everybody gets that. We were talking earlier about how important is it for an organization to, at some point in its lifetime hopefully earlier than than later begin to think about the future and current leadership, moving on and so forth and building that endowment, that that that safety net of savings for the future. And I know both of you are huge advocates in all your different capacities for endowments and we're thankful to say we're on the road of doing that with your help and leadership as well, at place of hope.

Dr. David Rinker: 27:13

So one of the things that impressed me about what Lee and wanted to do was the financial structure of place of hope. How much debt do you have?

Charles Bender: 27:25

Is that a real question? None, you have no debt, that's right.

Dr. David Rinker: 27:29

And when the foundation, the Rinker Foundation, from the family looks at organizations to give to, that's one of the things we look at. We look at those that have low overhead and also have no debt, and so it was very, very easy to choose a place of hope to be involved with. Sure, they do a lot of wonderful things, but it's not putting a minute to debt and it's easy to bring other people in.

Charles Bender: 28:02

Yeah, well, thank you for saying that, but of course, you've been involved as a board member in making sure that that stays that way as well. Yes, lisa tells me particularly Leanne as an angel mom. Talk about that a little bit. About wow, because you just said you're bringing in other people right. That is so key. That's the whole point of ambassador as a hope we're hoping people here and get inspired and want to do something right. But that's how it's transpired with our angel moms in Boca and what would that be like had Leanne not stepped up and been a driving force still is.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 28:35

Absolutely Well. I'm so grateful for your leadership. And you said the word. You used the word intentional.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 28:44

You are very intentional about you don't just show up for the board meetings, you come to the campus, you get involved in putting events together. You're one of our event chairs for our 10th annual Hope Bash this year. You want to be kept aware and abreast of all the activities that are going on, whether they're volunteer opportunities with education and enrichment or through the angel mom leadership board or whatever else may be going on at the campus. You like to be kept aware. And then you also like to engage and be involved.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 29:19

You're very hands on and that is so impressive to me that you immerse yourself the way that you do and you're very intentional about that. But what is so valuable about that is that the other women in the community who are involved in us they see that you are that way and that is such a benefit to the organization because it encourages them to step forward and use their skills, their talent, their resources, maybe in the same way that you are, maybe in their own different way. And what Charles said about the growth of angel moms over the course of the last nine or 10 years. A big part of that is due to your influence and bringing friends. I think about one person in particular, and you know what I'm talking about.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 30:10

Yes, I do.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 30:12

And we were talking about hummingbirds and chickadees. Yes, she's a hummingbird, yes, and so I think about that, and I mean, that's how that whole family of amazing women have come together is definitely due to impart your leadership and your influence on those women.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 30:32

Well, you're very sweet to say that I hadn't thought of it that way. As a matter of fact, if you recall, back when we dedicated what I call my cottage for six girls, charles, when we had that dedication, I had brought you a little statue and I explained to everybody that Lisa is really the force behind all of this, and I feel that way. I believe that I've seen it, I've observed it, I've been part of it and I want to thank you, charles. The people you surround yourself with are extraordinary. They're extraordinary and, as I said earlier in conversation, the passion that they have for what we do at Place of Hope. I'm sure they run into obstacles and stumble on rocks and things on the path, but they get up and brush themselves off and they start all over again. They're amazing.

Charles Bender: 31:43

Absolutely. We have so much to be grateful for, just over the years too. But even just this point in time, now we're talking about this campaign that we've launched, because one of the other things you guys have both been big about and talking about is that, you know, looking at that transition for later for the organization, like what is our plan 10 years out, 15 years out, and preparing for that, and I don't think that we thought at that time. I thought we'd come up with some pretty standard answers to that, like most organizations do, and we did that. And then it became something bigger.

Charles Bender: 32:14

How are we ever going to get to the point of we're going to build this thing out that God's entrusted us to, that, given us these properties and these campuses, and do it in a meaningful way, keeping us with no debt, building up that endowment and then, of course, building, obviously debt-free. You've got to build those buildings debt-free. So now we're in it. It's just amazing, and so, yeah, I think the place of hope is going to look completely different nine years from now than it currently does, and as it does look completely different than it did nine years ago.

Charles Bender: 32:45

So, speaking to that, if each of you maybe think of what's one of the things that's excited you the most that you've seen happen at play, so whether it's an investment you made, whether it's one particular child you've heard speak or get to know, or the idea that finally because I know you've even said to me finally seeing us move in this direction of building an endowment for the future, that's, that's a seed you planted a long time back, and what's something that really kind of motivates you in terms of something that's just had a huge impact at play.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 33:16

So Well, you know, this may seem small to other people, but to me it was big.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 33:25

As I mentioned earlier, I was able to underwrite and help support the total renovation this was like in 2016, I think of a cottage and it was going to be a cottage for six girls, and Lisa led that charge and really did an incredible job, getting so many things, all the furnishings, donated and so forth, and when it the building and the reconstruction were finally complete, it was a beautiful place to live, for anyone to live.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 34:07

I would move in and I kept thinking in my head about these six girls and the kinds of backgrounds they would be coming from that were so traumatic and this would be a new beginning for them. Well then, we got, finally, our CEO, our certificate of occupancy, our CEO and we had the dedication and so forth. The next thing I knew place of hope maybe it was Charles got a phone call that there were five siblings, two boys, three girls, who were almost homeless. In fact, they were virtually in a very bad situation and they needed a place to stay quickly, right away, and we had just gotten the CEO, and so I think we sent a van over to get them. We did, and these children I get emotional about this were brought over because we did have the bets we could take them.

Charles Bender: 35:26

Life impacted immediately I mean, god knew it from day one, but we didn't know that that was gonna take place and the fact that you could say yes and have put the energy and the time and the resources into making that available and, as you know, it continued forward. After that, just one life after another.

Dr. David Rinker: 35:43

You asked what got me excited about Place of Hope and it's one part of our meetings when we have, I get together at the Boca campus and you have one of the students or one of the kids give a talk about what has happened in his or her life. And I began to realize that once they go through the Place of Hope program, they get involved in other things that we're familiar with, like habitat. As they get older they actually buy a house and get involved and then they get on the boards and in the management of these things and we're creating citizens that come on up. That I love when they stand up and you say we wanna hear from this person and what they're doing. We're creating some wonderful people.

Charles Bender: 36:43

I love that too. I was with one of our young men the other day and he came all the way up from the Boca campus to do kind of a magazine article thing that they were doing at Stuart Magazine that's coming out, and I looked at him and I said thank you for coming all the way. There are two young men. I thanked him separately and I said thank you to this one young man and he goes. He goes. No, thank you, he goes. This is my way of giving back now. I don't have money right now. He goes, but this is how I can help pay. I said, well, you don't owe us anything. He goes. I know he says, but this is what I wanna do and I'm grateful to be able to do it.

Charles Bender: 37:14

But one thing I can very cool thing I can report to you on is for a long time I've wanted to create an advisory council of our youth and so a non-fiduciary board council and I got someone on our team is making a bunch of the calls to a lot of the youth that we're still in touch with and right now I think we're up over 30 young people have all said yes, I don't think we had anybody tell us no, and a 30 young people have all said yes to wanting, and one of them said I prayed about this. I always hoped there'd be a way that I could formally get involved and give back and give my insights and my thoughts to how Place of Hope is and how it runs, and so forth. All of them are giving us quotes, like, give us a quote. Okay, you want one right now. Yes, and so Joy's on the phone with them and they're giving quotes about their experience and well, this one says a lot Because look, you could leave here and you could just be done.

Charles Bender: 38:08

You could just close the door behind you, and that was part of my life, right? But so many of them elect to come back to give us their highs and their lows, tell us when they're having a great time in life, introduce us to their own children and then join an advisory council like this now, where they're gonna sew into. And it's funny because we were talking before about how 10 years ago, it was one thing and 10 years from now it would be another. But a lot of these kids will say to us well, we didn't have a gymnasium when we were on the campus, or we didn't have an enrichment center. And they're right, they did. They still loved it, though, and they still talk so highly about it. But I think it says a lot when you can have these young people coming back and wanting proactively, with no strings attached.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 38:45

Well, that's wonderful and they're appreciative and they recognize the value that their lives have been transformed and they'll play it forward.

Charles Bender: 38:57

They'll pay it forward Well that's the idea, right, we honor God in it, and then we hope that lives and hearts are changed to where they never wanna repeat, maybe, what they had walked through. And certainly don't. We all wanna see a better time for our own children, right? That's the whole idea is we do our best so that they even have even better than we did, and I think we're inculcating that, we're getting them to understand that so that they don't end up in a pinched position that maybe they were in.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 39:21

And the wonderful thing also I have to mention is exciting to me that we have so many single moms with little ones, Because talk about creating, not only transforming a life of a youth, but creating and molding and developing a very positive life for a little one coming up Absolutely absolutely.

Charles Bender: 39:49

And a lot of times, when some of these moms are in a really bad position, they can't even see through the forest about a quality of life for their children and what we do see is that there is a repetition in that cycle and those kids will end up getting removed oftentimes, and it's super unfortunate. But if we can as a community, as an organization, as a group of leaders, ambassadors of hope, we can come together and actually change that trajectory by providing stable, loving housing and an example for them to live by Again, not giveaways, but lifting them up together and giving them the tools out of the toolbox to do well. And then, all of a sudden, they can start looking like that. They can look at their child and say not only is he or she safe and stable, but now they can start thinking about their futures for them and then showing them by example, because now they're doing it. They're doing the hard work, the hard steps to get past their past traumas and get on a stable footing and do something with their lives, be citizens, like you said, dave, and we're creating citizens.

Charles Bender: 40:44

And if we can keep those kids together out of foster care, out of the child welfare system, simply because it might've been a case of poverty or it might've been a case of just unstable housing. Well, we've accomplished a lot of things at one time, and so that's what this is all about. You all know that. We're thankful that you guys continue to sow into it, and we're excited that people are gonna hear this message from you guys as leaders in this community, much bigger than Place of Hope, but also a big part of Place of Hope, big for us at Place of Hope, and we just thank you for coming today and appreciate everything you guys are all about and why you do what you do and how lives are impacted.

Dr. Leighan Rinker: 41:24

Thank you very much. We are blessed, we are truly blessed, by being a part of this, so we have to thank you too.

Charles Bender: 41:32

Thank you, dave, thank you, you all bless you both. Thank you.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 41:37

Welcome to this segment called Hope and Action. Today, we would like to share with you all about our God's Children Our Future campaign. This campaign is a transformative initiative dedicated to shaping a brighter future for vulnerable children in Southeast Florida, with a visionary plan extending from 2023 and beyond. The campaign's $100 million fundraising goal over the next decade aims to address critical needs, including annual operations, capital improvements, residential housing and an innovation center. Backed by the unique advantage of debt-free real estate, place of Hope seeks to ensure sustainability and strategic expansion with the support of philanthropists in our community.

Lisa Inman-McDulin: 42:25

Central to this effort is the Solomon Society, a distinguished giving society comprised of individuals committing over $1 million in support for this decade-long fundraising effort. This distinguished cohort of supporters will lead and serve as ambassadors who guide, direct and bolster the effort and organization. They will be invited to share their stories and inspire others. Members will be celebrated, recognized and invited to invitation-only experiences, as well as gatherings with local leaders. The campaign's holistic vision includes enrichment programming, human trafficking recovery, transitional housing and an innovation center, all anchored in the organization's core values of faith, family and accountability. Place of Hope's history, beginning with a mission to Romania and evolving into a nationally recognized force since its 2001 inception underscores its commitment to providing a full continuum of care for abused, neglected, trafficked and homeless children and families in the region. Through this campaign, place of Hope aims to empower lives, restore broken ones and ensure a promising future for every child in its care.

Charles Bender: 43:43

Thank you for listening. Please be sure to subscribe and share with your friends so you don't even miss a thing, and if you really gained value today, please be sure to give us a five-star review so, of course, we can be put in front of more listeners For details and show notes about today's podcast and how you can connect with and support our guests.

Charles Bender: 44:00

Please go to placeofhopecom's forward slash podcast and please don't forget to email us at pohpodcastatplaceofhopecom. And, for sure, follow us on social media.

Charles Bender: 44:13

Aciders of Hope.

Charles Bender: 44:14

Placing Hope Child's Touch.