Season 2 EP17 - RESET Inc. - Alicia Dunlap

Welcome to Season 2 - Episode 17 of The Bridge to Kindness Project Podcast.

On this Episode you will hear from the following organization:

RESET Inc. - Alicia Dunlap, Executive Director                                       00:00 - 30:30

Each episode features interviews on how you can be involved, volunteer, donate and make a difference being a part of these non-profits in our region.  To learn how your organization can become a part of The Bridge to Kindness project send an email to theBridgetoKindness@gmail.com.  Thanks for listening!  New episodes air each week at 1pm on Saturdays.

You can also find out about The Bridge to Kindness Project by visiting our website at www.TheBridgetoKindness.com.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Welcome to Space I show with episode 17 of the Bridge to Kindness Podcast Fest. This podcast is made possible through the generosity of EPS, signature perfect care, Pathways Financial Credit Union, Expressions Oral Design, and Lindsay Honda. On our website, theBritztoKindus.com, you'll find out more about our mission and have access to links to the organization's website that we spotlight, as well as an archive of the interviews we have here on the podcast. We would love to hear from you. Whether you're a volunteer or you lead a nonprofit organization, you can reach us through the website or email us at thebritz2kindness at gmail.com. Our guest today is Alicia Dunlap, Executive Director of Reset. Reset Incorporated is a nonprofit organization that aims to foster hope and spiritual development in youth through biblical principles, serving students in Columbus City and Delaware City schools with weekly lessons. The organization also provides education and resources for mental health and wellness and offers food assistance to families in its community, partnering with entities like the USDA, Southeastern Food Bank, and Feed the Children. Welcome, Alicia. Share with us your background and what led you to the work that you do today.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

So my life and my assignment in the earth has been media and social services. I did not realize that at the very beginning. But of course, as I look over the journey of my life, that is how it's always been. I got married at 21, and my husband was already a youth pastor when we got married. However, um probably took me about, you know, five or seven years for the Lord to solidify that that was what I was supposed to be doing as well. Sometimes we step into things, especially traditionally, um depending on what faith you're you are, you know, what are the roles, what you're supposed to do. But um I really begin to learn that it's not always about the expectation, it's never, let me say that, it's never about the expectation of man. God said that our expectation is of him and not of man. Uh, but that's hard, you know, when you're trying to figure out, God, you know, what is my gift? I know what my gift is now, but how do I use it and all those pieces? And so always I've been working with young people for I've been married 35 years this year. So for 35 years, um, actively with understanding, probably around 20-ish. Um, and so in the church, we are working with young people, um, uh doing trainings, ministering, you know, all the pieces. And then in the secular war, the Lord invited me to work for an organization called the Urban Minority Program, where I started working with young people doing prevention work, um, centered around drug and alcohol prevention. We ran school-based programs focusing on different areas from self-esteem to violence prevention. Really, it was really based upon the need of the school. Um, the Lord has allowed me to be a part of a lot of pilot programs as I reflect, which has really been gracious. I've been in different leadership programs in Ohio that were the first. Um, that particular program, as actually, as I go back, the director of the program, I met him when I was 15. And so I was a part of a pilot program at that time called the Self-Esteem Team. They gathered 10 kids from all different sides of the city, brought us together, and gave us a prevention program to do. Um, fast forward 30 plus years later, and um, I'm doing that on a different level as far as serving young people. And so when I began to know that that was part of my assignment and call, um, it looked different in different seasons. I am a writer by profession. So, you know, English is my background. And so um I got married at 21, had my daughter at 22, had my son at 23, and my youngest daughter at 25. Um, and then you might have to edit this out. I got my tubes tied to 25. And I I got um, I was working in the schools at the time, and uh I was running school-based programs from I think we were doing first grade through twelfth grade at the time. And so I was in the school every day. I was writing curriculum, but having my own kids, I started to get burnt out. It was a lot to, you know, to be dealing every day with the with that piece and um then starting my own family. And so at that time I took a shift, started working for a local newspaper called the Columbus Call and Post, which was actually right across the street from my job. Uh so I started out as a contributing writer or a stringer, is what they called. And the Lord was gracious because they brought me in and placed me in the faith department. And so my church had a lot of exposure at the time because I needed stories. So I wrote about every aspect of faith with God was gracious. And um, he, I think he gave me a little reprieve as far as the youth ministry. Uh, but then over time, if you look at my career, it it went back and forth. And there was probably a time where I was like, okay, Lord, you know, am I unstable? Am I do I not know, you know, what it is that I'm supposed to do? But the Lord began to show me the Bible talks about, you know, um, one is given one talent or one gift, some is given more, our much is given, much is required. Um, and I happen to be a person where the Lord has given more than one gift and more than one assignment. When you look at wherever my job is, as far as where I'm working at, for me, that is what the Lord is magnifying as the primary in that season. That's my own revelation, okay? Um, but but I believe that has been the pattern of my life. And so worked at the Carlin Post. Um, then I worked for uh Who Sue, a couple other entities as far as writing. Um, probably about 10 years in, I went to work for a dropout recovery high school. And at the time when I went to work for the high school, they had actually met me as a writer. So they contracted me to do their magazines and to do other stuff. And then I asked about working in the school. And I was like, in the school. I was like, I actually did this before I came, became this part of who you see. Um, and so for that next seven years, I wore a double hat. So during the school year, I would work in the classroom. Um, I started in the English classroom, I did the girls' mentoring program. Um, I spent a couple years as a paraprofessional in uh special education. So working with those students, I had a caseload of up to 60 students. Um, I learned the city of Columbus very well because I had to do home visits. And and I'll say, I'll say this. I was telling my boss at the time that I looked at the concept of how we engage with students, and from my lens, I was like, this is an evangelistic model because many times, even with churches, excuse me, people say, you know, depending on what size church you go to, if people are gone, you know, there's no extra contact. So, but our process was if a student didn't come to school the first day, they got a phone call. If they didn't come to school for three days, you got a knock on the door. And I was saying, I saw that as a piece as far as evangelism. If when people are, you know, they don't come to church, if they get a call or somebody comes, you know, or sends something, it's that engagement that keeps people engaged. That was my own perspective. Um, but I would spend my school um during the school year in the classroom, and then during the summer, I would spend it down to corporate uh because I would do the the marketing, the writing, and all those pieces. Now they have a full-blown marketing department um at the time. And um, but I was praying during that time of asking the Lord, helping me to work smarter, not harder. And um, when I left NCUS, I went to work for Rhema Christian Center and I came in as their communications director. Uh, when I left, I was the creative arts director. And um during that time when I was there, as I was making that prayer, what I came to realize was that I didn't know how to do that. I'm praying, Lord, help me to work smarter, not harder, and had no idea really what that meant because I'd always worked hard at a very fast pace. I was used to, we have a uh we have an idea on Tuesday, all hands on deck on Wednesday. By Friday, we're executing two masses of people in the city of Columbus. Um, good, bad, and indifferent definitely has given me some skills, but I believe it was also a season where the Lord was just trying to slow me down. Um, then I got introduced to reset. Praise God. And during that time, it was also um coming off of COVID, and our church was praying about strategy, how to reconnect with youth, how to connect with people. And when I got introduced to reset, and as I sat there at a particular fundraiser, I was like, Lord, this is strategy. This this is this is you. And so um right now um I sit in this the seat of executive director. When I came on board, I was the development director. And a year into it, my supervisor decided she was retiring. And and you know, I had the invitation to come into this, but um, it's it's been a place of there have been some unknowns along the way, but God has always reaffirmed, you know, where he has invited me to. And and I think changing the lens of being able to see that it's been an invitation to to not just serve, but to walk in the steps that he's ordered.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

You've experienced so much through those unique experiences on your career path that he has had you on. Can you share with us how you have experienced the impact of your work and clearly shown you why you have been on this journey?

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Well, many, I was 21 when I first started actively working in programs. And as I'm around, Columbus is a big city, but yet it's small networks. And there are many times when I'm out, you know, and somebody, anybody says, Hey, Ms. Dunlap, I know they know me from, you know, either the school or pieces like that. And to to just come across young people who um share, you know, where they are or share, you know, even I had a student who um he was living a lifestyle that's contrary to what I believed. And he wasn't actually my student. He had requested to for me to help him with a project. So when he was in my classroom, we were going before we got started, you know, he was like, you know, you hate me, don't you? And I was like, sweetheart, I don't hate you, you know. Um, and so it was basically it was his lifestyle that he was referring to. And I said, I don't hate you. I said, I don't agree with the lifestyle that you live. I said, but what you are doing now does not define who you are. God already defined you. I said, so I love you. I said, but I don't hate you. And I saw him years later, and he began to share the impact of just that simple conversation, the love of God. And I think for me, is you know, the Bible says the one plants, one waters, and God gives the increase. And sometimes we don't see, you know, the increase or the growth process. And it can be discouraging sometime, you know, when you're doing things like, Lord, am I really making a difference? Is any pastors probably feel that way. Let me say that, probably preaching Sunday after Sunday. Like, are they getting it? God, are they getting it? And the moment when you see, you know, um, the increase of God, or whether it's a word, it's it's just not that God has to affirm it, but it's it's just so amazing just to see, Father, you know, your word is true. It is nothing that we do that the Lord invites us to do is in vain. And I think my encounters just with young people, I had a one of the girls who I used to mentor just got elected um to, I think, the as a representative for the state of Ohio. And she was talking about, you know, um the honor I had of being one of her first mentors. She was 15 when I met her, you know, um, but I'm a part of that process too, because someone else, you know, was in her stead, you know, um, in in my life. And so I just just to see um God's graciousness to allow us just to encounter the seeds, you know, and and that have been planted.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Where do you see the Lord leading you with the role of executive director of respect? Where do you feel the call is to go next?

SPEAKER_01 12:51

With reset, you know, we are in a um a building and a rebuilding season right now. Um, as a staff and as a board, we are reading the book of Nehemiah. That's where the Lord left led us, which, you know, I I appreciate the Lord um identifying, you know, um what growth looks like in this season. Um, our assignment is um Franklin County and Delaware County. And one of the things that I think that sometimes people can get lost in, and I'll say even myself that I have in the past, um, is that there's so much that needs to be done. And there's so much that you can do. Um, but the question is, are we staying true to our assignment? And so really have been focusing in on that. Um, we will be uh growing, you know, um over the next couple of years, even next year. We're already kind of praying into, you know, what does growth look like? Uh God has increased our numbers year after year. This is the 10th year for Reset to be serving, you know, Columbus and Delaware. And Pam Johnston is the founder of Reset. And when God first gave her, you know, the vision and the assignment, she said she was content with one school. She's like, praise God, amen. We're gonna do this, amen. And year after year, school after school, God began to expand grade after grade, you know. And so um really I believe what's next for us is leaning into um the next growth spurt. Um, we're revamping some things as we're building and rebuilding. Um, God is allowing some things to, you know, I think we're really leaning into what is conducive for this season, you know. Um the word of God is the word of God, but there is a relevancy in every moment, which is why, you know, you can read the same scripture 10 times, but depending on what God needs you to get in that moment will determine what comes out of it. And so um we're just really leaning into um the the growth where he's where he's inviting us to in the season. We will be adding some new schools this year, some church partners. Um, you know, God has been gracious and just leaning into the new territory.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

When we come back, we'll talk with Alicia about respect and how the program works so efficiently with local school districts. That comes your way next. As the Bridge to Kindness podcast continues, I'm Ron Smith. We'll be right back.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

You're listening to the Bridge to Kindness Podcast. The purpose of this podcast is to encourage you to identify your gifts and talents and to help you identify ways that you can use those to bless others and serve your community. For additional information about the Bridge to Kindness Project or any of the guests appearing on today's podcast, visit www.thebridge tokindness.com or email us at thebridge tokindness at gmail.com. This podcast is made possible through the kindness of EPS, signature carpet care, expressions floral design, and linking high.

SPEAKER_02 16:22

Tell us about Reset and its mission and the impact it has made on students in the schools.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Reset is a release time education program in the state of Ohio. Um, it is legal and it is the law that students can be released in the middle of the school day to um essentially experience Bible study. The school classifies us as a social emotional learning program, and I add the tagline that is biblically based. So we the Lord is allowing us to do those pieces, but the curriculum is uh based off of the Bible. We have been um serving students for 10 years now. Um, again, I said in the city of Columbus and in Delaware, those are our assignment territories. Um, currently we serve 11 schools, grades third through eighth. And um this year we started back, we had a middle school, um, but this year was probably the first year in maybe three years where we've served middle school, um, Yorktown middle school, and it's really exciting. Um, even the curriculum that the Lord is allowing us to use is is exciting, you know, for them. And um so we um we reset um there are three pieces that are connected to the legislation that it has to have parental consent, it um has to take place off-site and it cannot be federally funded. And so everything about the program is free. God has allowed um our sustainability to be based upon um the giving in the hearts of people. I've got a greater understanding. You know, I'm I'm very ingrained in the church community. Um, and even when I took this job, like I know people, you know, who work for the commissioner's office and different places. I'm like, okay, Lord, we can get a grant from here, we can get a grant from here. And that's not the process of this, but over the last year, the Lord has allowed me to really lean into the scripture that says that the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous and that there are kingdom um sowers out there that are advancing the kingdom agenda that are not a tie, not not tied to um the government resources. Um, and God has been gracious, you know, and so we're just excited. There's so many things that He allows us to see His Word come alive within our students. I had a student one day who was we were teaching on the Holy Spirit and the teacher was teaching, and I I have the opportunity to say this. I have the opportunity because I have worked um both in leadership and on the front line. Um, I've been blessed to be able to have multiple lenses. And so I know that many times what we put on paper does not always translate into what happens in real time. And but uh this particular time I was able to be on site and I was just listening to the teacher and she was teaching about the Holy Spirit, and one of the little girls raised her hand and she said, Well, I'm filled with the Holy Spirit. And the little girl began to share her experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Her sharing it changed the whole atmosphere of the lesson in the room because it went from an adult sharing, you know, this experience with God to your peers, you know, sharing her experience with God. And it's it's just so amazing just to see God's word come alive with them. We have had this year um within the last three months, seven students take a step of faith and become baptized. And and it's like, father, you know, I think this is the first year so many students, my understanding, you know, have taken that step. And but that is also the strength of partnership. Um, reset is not a program where we do it alone. Uh, there are many partners that we have. Our church partners are um are vital to the connection. I think even when they wrote the legislation, you know, they wrote it from one perspective, but God's peace was like that's a way of bringing us together to strengthen, you know, um getting my message out there. We have um our program is set up with working with some amazing volunteers, you know, people who have a heart, you know, to serve students, to give back um teachers and um administrators and mentors. All of those things are a part of our program. And together, God is allowing us to see the fruit of his word, you know, and and it's it's we have students um right now Tuesday through Friday. So we're running programs every day all around the city of Columbus. And just it's it just is it's so amazing and it's exciting, you know, to just see and talk to the kids. Um, I'll share this one part. We have a program at Woodcrest Elementary, which is our largest program. We serve almost 70 students at that particular site. Um, believe church is the host church, however, because they have such a large capacity, their team consists of volunteers from multiple churches. And so um, that's a great piece of coming together. But at the beginning of the year, they were talking to the kids, and um, one of the new programs that was being implemented in the school was music. And so the music teacher was talking to the entire school about having music. And um, so how many of you guys want to be a part of it? So kids raised their hand, definitely excited about music. So she said, I want you to stand up if you're interested in being a part of the music program. So most of the rooms stood up because they were excited. So then she was talking, she said, Okay, you know what, music will be Friday. Friday at lunchtime. So then somebody says, Well, that's when reset is. And 80% of the room sat down because they said they wanted to go to reset. And when that story was shared with me, I was like, Lord, that is that is a testament to you. You know, that you said if you be lifted up, that you'll draw on men unto him. And I think in a time, I'm sorry, get emotional. I think in a time where the enemy has um escalated his plan to still kill and destroy our young people with all the things that are going on with violence, and especially in our city, you know, even though the I think the numbers have dropped this year, praise God, as far as um murders and stuff where we are right now, but there is an intensity of the enemy to tie take out our young people. And while he has amped up his peace, of course, the aggression of the spirit, we have to do the same. But when you see, you know, Father, you know, where the enemy, according to the news, may be winning, God is saying, not so. God is saying, my sheep and my children and these kids are being reset. And our mission is resetting today's youth with hope and trust in Jesus. That's what our mission is. And we are seeing this reset, not just with our students, but I always say that God is always doing more than one thing at one time. While we're talking, and I may be the person praying, I always believe that it comes from heaven down to whoever he's giving it the assignment to and then out. But I appreciate God because when it goes out, there's residue that is left for me, whatever is needed. And so just to see what God is doing and the excitement, because they are an extension and they are the seed that sows into their family. And that is also the premise of reset at this evangelistic tool, that as we as our touch points are with the students and with the child, they're going back home and they're talking about what it is because their parent has to sign off on it. So they know that they're there, but going back and talking about what it is that they are learning and what is being sewn into them. And the prayer is that that church partner that we are connected to becomes the church that the family visits because it's in their community and it's that pipeline, that evangelistic pipeline that just causes. I know we talk about uh many times they talk about um young people in particular, like their senior years who have maybe even been in church. And then some reason when they graduate, it's like, oh, I gotta find who I am in the earth. But I believe that God is establishing um that pipeline. And it and again, it's not a singular piece. It's as us working with the church, it's us working with other organizations. You know, we um lifewise is also um a release time education, excuse me, program that we do outreach with, you know, as well. And and partnering with things like FCA and RTI and other programs to where, you know, they're in reset from third through eighth grade, then there's this handoff to the parable project, which takes them from eighth to twelfth grade. And so by the time they graduate, um, if they go to church, they're getting reinforcement from there. If they've been in these programs, they're getting reinforcement in there. And when they graduate from high school, they're not saying, God, who am I? They're saying, God, I know who I am.

SPEAKER_02 25:29

With the number of programs you're pursuing, what are different ways that people can be involved with reset?

SPEAKER_01 25:34

Well, definitely prayer starting there. Um, that is the premise of what we're built upon. We have prayer, we have a prayer call um the first Wednesday of every month. And so definitely as far as praying for the program. Secondly, would be volunteers at our sites, you know, and going through our building and rebuilding season. We are trying to establish we have strong sites and we have good sites, but the restructuring will allow us to build a structure that makes it um not as weighty for people, you know. So we right now we have some sites that have two teachers. We have some sites that everybody who is on the team teaches. You know, it doesn't have to be that way, but definitely being able to volunteer um at one of our sites. Um, we also have outreach opportunities. So we do outreach throughout the summer and sometime throughout the year, always looking for people to kind of help in that regard. Um, mentoring is a part of our process as well. And so um, then people can also go to our website and it shows you all the schools that we're in and other ways that you can volunteer.

SPEAKER_02 26:38

What is the best way to reach out to you and connect with you?

SPEAKER_01 26:42

Uh well, you can go to our website, which is reset um r-e-se-t-inc.org, and all the information is on there. Uh, my contact information is on there as well. Um, and that's definitely the place that you can connect.

SPEAKER_02 26:58

This is a program that relies on giving and support, and you're currently in your champion campaign. Share with us how people can come along to be a part of your amazing effort.

SPEAKER_01 27:08

Our program is free, and so we are not federally funded, and so throughout the year we run several campaigns, and we are currently in our bloom campaign. Um, early I shared that we are seeing the the blooming definitely with our students. And so we're in our bloom campaign that is running through um the end of May. However, giving is all year long. Uh, we invite people to become a monthly partner, um, whatever the Lord lays on your heart. There are different levels from $25 a month on up. Um, you may be a one-time donor uh or one-time, and we're calling you champion. Let me say that because we're not looking at donors, we are looking at um people that desire to come alongside us and champion the mission that God has given us as it aligns with your heart and that's sewing into our young people, resetting them uh with hope and trust in Jesus. And so that information is also on our website to invite people to pray about championing with us um for our balloon campaign and just continue to pray, you know. It is um we are one entity and one voice, but the kingdom agenda, God's agenda is going forward, you know, and it's just amazing. Um, I'm very ingrained in the church community, but I've said that I feel like over this last year and a half, the Lord has introduced me to his hands and his feet and really seeing at work from a whole different dimension. And from the introduction to turn to just, I mean, so many things that I just I just didn't know were there, you know, um the bridge to kindness, you all just just just resources and and connection points that God has established to be in the earth that are advancing his kingdom. And so I just ask that people continue to pray for us, to pray for our students, to pray for their families. We are always looking for for resources for them. We um only serve during the school year, but as the summer approaches, we look for connection points to be able to refer them to summer, faith-based summer programs, you know, all those pieces that um are gonna holistically, you know, help to address um life is real, you know, you know, being hungry is real, not having, you know, a house is real. And, you know, as God outpositions us, we are releasing his word, but also allowing them to see that when Jesus says he loves you, it's not just words, but there is a tangible manifestation of it.

SPEAKER_02 29:41

That brings to a close this edition of the Bridge to Kindness Podcast. This podcast is made possible through the generosity of EPS, signature carpet care, pathways point intercredit union, expressions oral design, and Lindsay Honda. Special thanks to Alicia Dunlap with respect for being with us today. Take a moment and think about how you can engage with a nonprofit or an organization in your community to make a difference to those around you. Join us again on our next episode of World Profile More Individuals and Nonprofits in the Clovis Region to ensure how they help people and how you can be involved. Until then, from all of us for the bridge to finance, I'm Ron Smith. Make a difference, make an impact.