Giving Hope to our children

Danella Hicks is the founder and executive director of All THAT – Teens Hopeful About Tomorrow, a nonprofit youth mentoring and enrichment program based in Columbus. 

All That mission is “To mentor teenaged youth in academic achievement, life skill development and career planning to succeed in school and beyond."

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Um what would happen to a kid who doesn't have any hope. In many cases, they they want money because money matters to all of us. And so they will try to find ways to help their parents pay the bills, to keep the lights on, you know, to pay the rent so they don't have to move again.

SPEAKER_02 0:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 0:20

And so we want to give them hope. In many cases, we're filling in some of the gaps, teaching them how to add, how to multiply, how to divide. And those are things that you assume that middle and high school students know how to do. Right. But our kids don't. Wow. They're not comfortable with that. So we want to push them academically. Yes, I had a parent last week to tell me that she was thankful that she felt loved by our staff and that we didn't beat her over the head with the Bible. But by participating in our activities, she now wants to learn more about God.

SPEAKER_00 1:00

Welcome to Turn Up with Pastor Charlie. First of all, we would like to say thank you to the River Radio's podcast studio for this space that we now occupy to broadcast worldwide and to our visionary Burton Stephanie Lindsay and the Lindsay Foundation, all of our partners, local churches, schools, 501c3s, nonprofit organizations who all have come beside us, all for the well-being of the community. And today I'm excited about my guests. I'm always excited about my guests, but today we have Danella Hicks in the studio. Welcome to the studio. Say hello to the watching and listening audience.

SPEAKER_04 1:42

Hello, everyone.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

Amen. Blessing. Um Danella actually has her story begins from the west side of Chicago. So she's a transplant. She's planted here in Ohio and has some Gary, Indiana um background as well. Um, where she learned resilience, hard work, and how to fix what's broken, lessons passed down from her late father, um, guided by lifelong mentors who saw her when she felt unseen. So, Danella, what was it like growing up on the west side of Chicago? Well, tell us a little bit about yourself for those who are watching and seeing you and hearing your voice for the very first time.

SPEAKER_04 2:27

Well, um, I love Chicago.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 2:31

Um, I was um the middle child, and so always surrounded by people and family. Lots of lots of love. Um, so my childhood was it was wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Yeah, good child.

SPEAKER_04 2:45

Learned a lot. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:48

Okay. Well, she now serves as the executive director of all that and teens hopeful about tomorrow, creating safe space where young people feel valued, encouraged, and empowered. Let's talk about all that. What what was the birthing of that? How'd that come about?

SPEAKER_04 3:09

Well, I um I was a Sunday school teacher for years, many years.

SPEAKER_00 3:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:14

And um, when I moved here to Columbus, Ohio, what I realized is that um the students in my Sunday school class, they couldn't read and write well. They didn't know what they were going to do when they graduated, had no idea about financial literacy. Yes. And I wanted to do more.

SPEAKER_02 3:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 3:31

So my um my desire to help them um and wrap them with all types of services um was birthed out of that position as a Sunday school teacher.

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Wow, that's great. Uh I remember um my Sunday school teacher who had an impact in my life. Um, you know, growing up in church, my father was a pastor, so uh, you know, I was a PK, you know, I am a PK, not was, I am. Okay. And my Sunday school teacher was a um high school teacher, and she just imparted so much biblical principles in our in in my life that I still remember today. So those Sunday school teachers, you don't forget, you always remember them. So um teams hopeful about tomorrow, and what problems were you trying to solve when you started that?

SPEAKER_04 4:27

Well, um, I wanted to address the academic issues that our kids faced. Wanted to expose them to careers so that they would have an idea of where they fit. Um, and then I wanted to help them with life skills, okay, financial literacy, healthy eating, healthy relationships. Um I just believe that all of our teens are naturally gifted. And so as they found their way, yeah, um, we needed to um attach their gifts with careers. Yes. And so that was that was and still is my my purpose.

SPEAKER_00 4:59

Okay, good, that's good. Um why was it important for that all that be more than just a program, but a s a safe space?

SPEAKER_04 5:10

Um so a lot of a lot of kids don't have a safe space. Home is not always safe. And so if they're going through things at home and they don't feel supported, they go to school and there's drama and they don't feel supported there by teachers or counselors there um in the community if they don't feel safe, they need a place where they can just be themselves, um, where they can learn to treat others kindly and where they're treated kindly so they can can flourish.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Yes, yes, that's good. So, what type of challenges are teens in our community are facing right now? I mean, you know, we see a lot of things on the news, we hear a lot of negative, but we hear some positive things. But what are some of the challenges that you are finding out that these teens are facing?

SPEAKER_04 6:00

Well, our kids, um, if you're from an unstable home or you move a lot, or your parents are struggling to pay bills, um, if they're often at work or they have other kids, they're distracted, our kids just don't feel seen. And so um academically, they're not where they need to be.

SPEAKER_03 6:20

Right.

SPEAKER_04 6:21

Our students struggle to pass the proficiency test.

SPEAKER_03 6:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 6:24

And so when I looked at the data for reading proficiency tests, um, our kids are in some of the lowest performing schools in the state of Ohio. Wow. Um, so reading and math scores are really bad. Um, Johnson Park, if I just point out that one school, um 2324 for that school year, only 2.9% of their students could pass the math proficiency test. Wow. So when you think about the jobs that they are qualified to um to be hired in, yeah, they're just not ready.

SPEAKER_03 6:58

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:59

And so my goal is to um to help them see that they've got to be smart, they've got to try.

SPEAKER_01 7:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 7:06

Many cases we're filling in some of the gaps, teaching them how to add, how to multiply, how to divide. And those are things that you assume that middle and high school students know how to do, right? But our kids don't. Wow. They're not comfortable with that. So we want to push them academically.

SPEAKER_00 7:21

Yeah. Um, so what's the age group?

SPEAKER_04 7:24

Um, we start at age 13.

SPEAKER_00 7:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 7:26

And um, so the all that program is between ages 13 and 18. We recently launched All That Works.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

All That Works.

SPEAKER_04 7:34

Which is our workforce development program. Amen. We receive funding from the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services and Aspire.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 7:42

Um, the Workforce Development Board, so that we are able to hold on to our students until they're at the age of 24.

SPEAKER_00 7:50

You know, I I failed to mention this. Let me say this now. Congratulations on Citizen Star Award in the month of September. I saw that. You were on the news as well and everything. So I know you and I don't talk a lot, but periodically I see something, I shoot you that that text or that video, you know, let you know I am still seeing what you are doing. You are truly making an impact. I want to make sure I said that while it was in my mind and in case I miss it in my notes. So congratulations again. You're doing marvelous work. Um, what role do consistency and trust play in the work you're doing with the youth?

SPEAKER_04 8:32

Um, it takes a while for um for our teens, well, just for anybody to trust, to build a relationship.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 8:41

So sometimes we show the the face that's expected of us. So when we meet teens and they are sad or um disengaged, it takes a while for them to to really believe that we mean what we say, that we're going to support them, that we'll be there. It takes a while for them to let the guard down to say I don't read well.

SPEAKER_02 9:03

Right.

SPEAKER_04 9:03

Or I really don't know how to multiply. Yeah. So when we get them to trust us, then that's when the most work is done.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Yeah, it's kind of hard for them to admit their um what their decision is. Yeah, their shortcoming, their efficiencies, you know, the lackability of, you know, uh, unless they then unless they come off real boba, I can't read, or you know, but normally if you know it's kind of hard to pull the shell off and pull the lever layers back, you know, on them. So yeah. So how do you help teens who feel invisible, unheard, or unlooked find their voice?

SPEAKER_04 9:43

Um, it's about bonding, about having a relationship with them, um, accepting them where they are. So, for example, I had a kid who joined our program, and this is right after COVID, so everyone was wearing masks. Yeah, start to take them off. I had a kid who had his mask, like up here. You can barely see his eyes. Okay, but he did not feel handsome.

SPEAKER_02 10:05

No.

SPEAKER_04 10:05

Um, he thought he was an ugly kid. He didn't like his hair, um, was very, very self-conscious. And so just by saying, Let me see.

SPEAKER_03 10:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:15

You know, I think you look pretty handsome. All right. So um getting them to smile, um, feel comfortable in their own skin, I think it's step one.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Yeah, a compliment will go a long way.

SPEAKER_04 10:29

A genuine, yes. Genuine compliment. So our students in many cases don't have a lot of the the outer things. They don't have the fancy clothes. Okay. Or if they do, they feel like that makes them um a whole person. And so we let them know that it's not about the fancy shoes or clothes. Right. It's about them being an individual.

SPEAKER_00 10:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:51

And that they are special and we like them.

SPEAKER_00 10:53

And what's on the inside of them, their heart, you know, their heart posture. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I say that a compliment goes a really long way because, and like you said, authentic and genuine compliment because I'm doing what I'm doing because my wife said I sound good on the radio. Okay. So when she your friend Miss Kelly said, You sound good on the radio. I was like, okay, I I literally had told um Bishop Mel Griffin no for an entire year. So uh that one compliment, and look where we at today. So um things can be done. God can make some changes in people's lives. So what type of um I mentioned the type of challenges, but what how can you do you have a story that you can share with us about a specific young person without you don't have to name them, but that's up to you, uh, whose life hadn't made an impact because of all that?

SPEAKER_04 11:47

Um I know you have bunch of stories. I can tell a lot, but so there's a student that I happened to see last week.

SPEAKER_03 11:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 11:55

Okay, he's graduated from high school. Um, but when we met him his freshman year, he was barely attending school.

SPEAKER_03 12:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:02

Um, his mom was working and she had issues of her own. And so it didn't matter to her that he went to school. She wanted him to go, but she couldn't make them.

SPEAKER_03 12:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:13

And so when he started coming to our program, he joined because he found out that we were paying $2 a day.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:20

And so he wanted to make some money.

SPEAKER_02 12:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:22

Um, and he realized that if he engaged, stayed off his cell phone, and if he tried, that he could he could get paid.

SPEAKER_03 12:30

Right.

SPEAKER_04 12:31

And so um that $2 incentive was enough to get him out of the house.

SPEAKER_03 12:36

That's good.

SPEAKER_04 12:37

We worked with him, helped him to improve his grades, took him into the community. Um, he gravitated towards skill trades and um learned to use power tools. One of the challenges that challenge challenges that I gave him was that if he passed his core certification, I would give him a box, a set of new tools. Okay. And that was also exciting for him. So he graduated. Yes, it was. Motivating. And so he learned how to, you know, use power tools, went into the community, found his way. Um upon graduation, he had certifications and thought he could just enter the job market. Well, he realized um that he needed a car.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 13:21

We helped him get his driver's license while he was in our program, but he still had not saved enough to purchase a car.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 13:29

So he was at home watching um TV, playing video games when I called to check on him, and we were able to convince him to get a job. You know, it's okay to work on the way to where you're going, right? On the way to that career.

SPEAKER_03 13:43

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 13:43

And so he's now working, um, has a job at McDonald's and is saving for a car, working on getting um just the uh the fundamental things that he needs to be successful.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:57

But he stays in touch. Um, stopped by family night last week, and so that's a a joy for me.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Amen. That's good. I like those, I love to hear those stories. Um, you know, I try to ask that when I'm interviewing someone because there's always a story that has an impact on uh the child, but the child has an impact on us. Yes, you know, his his consistency or his willingness to learn um is allow us to see our own selves sometimes, you know.

SPEAKER_04 14:31

So you know, I often think about um what would happen to a kid who doesn't have any hope. In many cases, they they want money because money matters to all of us. And so they will try to find ways um to help their parents pay the bills, to keep the lights on, right, you know, to pay the rent so they don't have to move again.

SPEAKER_03 14:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 14:53

Um, and so we want to give them hope that they can make it in society. That's right. So hard work pays off.

SPEAKER_03 15:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 15:00

And so we have to teach them how that process works, how to be responsible and respectful. And it pays.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Yeah. So what do you see for the future of all that? I'm gonna give you a few moments to share what you the vision, you know. Um you can even if you want to step back a little bit and say where you came from and how it has grown and to where you're at now, and then you know, where you see it in the future.

SPEAKER_04 15:25

Well, when we first started serving kids um in 2010, um, Columbia City Schools, they gave us a list of teens that needed our services. Okay. Kids who were either struggling academically, um, disengaged, disruptive, um, had high absences from schools. And so we um sent out letters and things like that to those families, and we got four students. So that's where we started with four.

SPEAKER_02 15:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 15:50

Um pre-COVID, we were serving about 620 teens. Um, and when things shut down, um, we did not shut down. Um, we got the acrylic shields and things that we needed so that we could serve our kids during COVID because we realized Okay, we're gonna sneeze. Uh but we wanted to help our kids during COVID, and so we had to pivot during that time. Um we have been doing our best for the past 16 years. Yes. And so it's my goal that we were able to hold on to our students because the goal is that for the all that program is that we get them to graduation. And we've been successful in doing that.

SPEAKER_03 16:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 16:38

Last year we had 40 graduates, 100% of them were accepted into Columbus State. That's awesome. And so we want them to know that they can get to the next level. But after graduation, I didn't have the staffing or the funding to hold on to them. Um so this year has been wonderful for us in that we have um the ability to hire eight new employees so that we can um connect with the business community and link our students to actual jobs. We did mock interviews in the past, um, so they could practice their responses and build their confidence, but now the goal is that we immerse them into training and um to help them get the skills they need so that they are able to um to find jobs and keep those jobs. Um so we are we're building out the all that works program. Okay, we're also designing a new facility.

SPEAKER_00 17:39

All right, we're excited about that.

SPEAKER_04 17:41

Yes, yes, yes so we we purchased the the Shady Lane Presbyterian Church um at Livingston Annie Lane. Yes. So in the midst of COVID, we were out trying to find funding so that we could buy that building. Um, I'm excited to say that we did. Amen. Even though it was Congratulations, thank you. Um it was an older church being run by older members that could not keep up um with the upkeep. But I just believed that God would bless us to renovate the building.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 18:12

And so we received funding from the city um to renovate the building. And so um we got a new roof put in, a new boiler. Um, so the facility itself is being upgraded. Okay, but we run out of space.

unknown 18:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 18:27

So I've got a waiting list.

SPEAKER_00 18:29

You you you wall to wall.

SPEAKER_04 18:30

Wall to wall. So um we recently had the rear of the sanctuary enclosed so that we could house um our staff and additional students, but um, even at that, we don't have space to accommodate the students in our community who want who want to attend our program. So we're in the process of designing um a 22,000 square foot facility um on our current property. We own three acres of land and um so we're gonna have an adjoining facility so that you know our students don't have to learn to cook using hot plates.

SPEAKER_02 19:10

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 19:10

We want to have a kitchen that will hold um, you know, 20 students at one time. We want to have a workshop where our students can practice building walls and doing um using the colours.

SPEAKER_00 19:24

Use using the tools that and so we do the work now. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 19:29

Um, we either take our drills outside or um we find a way so that our skill trade students can explore, but we want to build a workshop so that they can do it. Um we want our our new workforce development center to actually partner with businesses so that we can build a pipeline to purchase.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

Yeah, funnel right, funnel them right to the business, yes.

SPEAKER_04 19:54

And so um so we are looking for businesses who um who want to work with our students and want to teach them the skills that they need. Yes. You know, sometimes they're they're actual, you know, um workforce skills, but other times it's just the soft skills.

SPEAKER_02 20:11

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_04 20:12

So when I ask employers, you know, my first question is what are your pain points? In many cases, they say that they can't get um employees to actually show up on time consistently.

SPEAKER_02 20:25

Right.

SPEAKER_04 20:25

And so I link that to the chronic absenteeism rates that we see with our middle and high school students. So if you have a student who's missing 15 days of school or more, they will continue to miss 15 days when they start work. Working, yes. And so they they don't understand. That's right. So we have to teach them at an early age what it means to be on time every time, what it means to have a positive attitude, um, to be ambitious.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 20:53

Sometimes go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 20:55

No, no, you're you're good. I'm I'm excited. I'm sitting here getting excited about your future because I can just really see this happening. I mean, to have the land of three, you know, uh three thousand, wait, no, three acres. Three acres.

SPEAKER_04 21:08

Yeah, three acres.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

22,000 square foot facility is you know, that can be attached to where you're at now.

SPEAKER_04 21:16

That that's that's gonna be so so the work that's being done now, it won't go away.

SPEAKER_00 21:21

Right.

SPEAKER_04 21:22

So um continue. One of the things that we have that I'm excited about is a shower. We have a shower because hygiene is a barrier to graduation.

SPEAKER_03 21:31

Yeah, it is.

SPEAKER_04 21:31

And I don't think we talk about that enough.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

Right.

SPEAKER_04 21:33

If you're a teenager and you can't take a shower, you don't have clean clothes, other kids can be mean.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:40

And so we want our kids to be able to take a shower. We have a washer and dryer um so that they can wash their clothes, learn how to wash clothes.

SPEAKER_02 21:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 21:50

Um, so we teach them practical skills. Um, but we want to make sure that they are prepared. They're prepared to work and that they understand. That they can become great employees.

SPEAKER_03 22:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 22:03

So I think I mentioned earlier mock interviews. We want them to have actual interviews.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 22:09

So that we can say, you know, not just a job fair where you walk in and you meet an employer for the first time. We want to have relationships so that you're talking to employers consistently.

SPEAKER_02 22:21

Right.

SPEAKER_04 22:21

And employers can say, this is what we're looking for. This is what we expect. Exactly. This is what we pay.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

This is how you this is how you get it.

SPEAKER_04 22:31

This is how you can connect with us.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 22:33

And so if we build that pipeline, I just believe it will be successful. It'll impact our community, bring um some, I guess, hope to our East Side community.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Yes. Uh mentioning hope, um what does support look like from parents, from churches, from the schools, from the community? What what what do yeah, what kind of support does it look like? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 23:02

Um, I would say for our parents, um there are we have many parents who are working long hours. They still come home and take care of their children.

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 23:12

Um, but when simple things happen, they get a flat tire, they need $50 to fix that tire, they don't have the the time to take off work in order to to get their cars repaired and things like that. So sometimes they just need that boost. Okay, fifty dollars to fix their car so that they can make it to work and not lose the pay or lose their jobs. Right. Sometimes um if they fall behind because of a tragedy of some sort and they need an extra one hundred dollars in order to pay their rent, they need that type of support.

SPEAKER_03 23:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 23:49

And so we are not um we try to support our families just so that they are able to maintain what they have. Um when it comes to um our families, sometimes if their students um are suspended from school, they still need to go to work. We allow those students to come to our site during the day.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:15

And so we make sure that they stay connected to schools. We make sure that when they go back, they understand the attitudes that they need to have. And so we support our families that way. Um and it's also a support to our schools because sometimes the kids need to be removed. They need that reset, and um, we're there. So we attend hearings with our families, um, and we also let our students know they made a bad move, but we're not letting them go. Right.

SPEAKER_00 24:44

Learn from this experience.

SPEAKER_04 24:46

And let's move forward. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had a kid last week to tell me that he had been suspended so many times, um, that he had been told by family that he was he was worthless, wasn't going to be anything, wasn't going anywhere. And I said, I beg to differ. Right. So you are smart, you're one of the smartest kids in our program. I need you to act right. I need you to to follow the rules so that you can you can do better.

SPEAKER_01 25:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 25:11

And so this particular kid wants to be an attorney. He's very, very logical. Um, he just wants to to be heard. Yes. And so sometimes it's a matter of teaching them that you don't have to say everything that comes to mind. Sometimes it's self-control. It's quiet.

SPEAKER_00 25:29

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 25:30

And so teaching them those simple things will help them get to the next level.

SPEAKER_02 25:35

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 25:35

Sure will. Practical, practical advice. That's what we give our students, and sometimes our parents.

SPEAKER_00 25:43

Even some biblical advice, some biblical principles. So I principles.

SPEAKER_04 25:47

Yes. I had a parent last week to tell me that she was thankful that um that she felt loved by our staff and that we didn't beat her over the head with the Bible.

SPEAKER_01 25:59

Right.

SPEAKER_04 26:00

But but by participating in our activities, she now wants to learn more about God.

SPEAKER_02 26:05

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 26:06

And so ultimately that's um how I believe we should live. You know, you don't have to beat a person over the head with biblical principles. Just love on them real good, and then you can share those principles. What I tell our kids is that if a man doesn't work, man doesn't eat.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

And that's that's biblical principles. Biblical. Right. You know, they don't know what they they may not know where the game is.

SPEAKER_04 26:30

But it makes sense that I know that it is true.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 26:33

So the things that I know about the word of God, yeah, I definitely share those principles with our families. And sometimes I'll have um staff or volunteers look like, wait a minute. So we just smile about it.

SPEAKER_00 26:47

Yeah, yeah. Um, while we impart those those principles to our our students, those biblical wisdom and knowledges that they definitely need um that flows directly out of us at the right time for the right person.

SPEAKER_04 27:03

I believe it was it was Joyce Meyer that said you gotta catch them before you can clean them.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

That's right.

SPEAKER_04 27:08

And um, and that stuck with me. Yeah, you know, people, um, if you have a person, and so this is also scriptural, um, a person who's hungry, um, feed them first.

SPEAKER_02 27:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:19

Feed them first, and then they'll be willing to sit down and listen to what you have to say.

SPEAKER_02 27:23

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 27:24

But if you tell them while they're hungry, that let me tell you all these principles. No, feed them.

SPEAKER_00 27:29

Yeah, feed them first.

SPEAKER_04 27:30

And so we try to to love on our students, provide snacks, um, provide food, provide clothing, just those basic things that they need, the support along the way.

SPEAKER_00 27:42

Yeah. So I'm I was gonna ask you, um your relationship with Term. How was how was that developed and how has that helped you personally and the business, all that?

SPEAKER_04 27:56

Okay. So I met Ashley.

SPEAKER_00 27:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 27:58

Um, Ashley was my first connection um to the Lindsays.

SPEAKER_03 28:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 28:02

And she came out to learn about our business. She was kind of scouting the community.

SPEAKER_03 28:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 28:07

And she invited me to the first, the very first turn meeting. Yeah. Turn meeting that was held. Well, prior to that, I had taken um a group of students to Lindsay for a tour.

SPEAKER_03 28:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 28:18

I wanted them to see the business area, learn about working in the um the repair shop. And so we had done those tours. And so at the very first turn meeting, I remember meeting Bert and Stephanie. Yes. And they um basically talk about their desire to help the community to bring together um community leaders to brainstorm and to bring resources um to the east side of Columbus. So the the name Turn hadn't been developed yet. But from those meetings, um I saw Turn come into um come into existence.

SPEAKER_00 28:58

Yeah, from Risham. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I remember um you being there, um, seeing you from a distance, uh, didn't know you at the time. Um, but then um, you know, the relationship developed and interaction encounter. So it's been a blessing um seeing all that grow and be a partner of turns from pretty much day one. So it's been great.

SPEAKER_04 29:23

So it's it takes all of us.

SPEAKER_00 29:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 29:25

Um, one plants, another waters, yeah, but God gives the end. There we go. And so, you know, it's um as we think about what needs to be done um to benefit the citizens in our city, um, it's wonderful to know that we have caring people who are actually brainstorming and who are um doing the work to make a difference. So it takes all of us. Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

Um, I'm gonna give you a few moments. Is there anything on your heart that you would like to share that you want the watching and listening audience to know about all that? And um also give your location. I believe you did already, but give your handle how people can volunteer if you if they want to volunteer or what's the process, you know, things of that nature.

SPEAKER_04 30:12

Okay, so I'll do the contact information first.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 30:15

Um, so all that is located at 4117 East Livingston Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43227.

SPEAKER_03 30:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 30:25

Um, our website is www.all-that dot org. Um our phone number is 614-745-0007. And so that's how you can can contact us. Sure. Um, we are because right now what's on my heart is connecting with businesses.

SPEAKER_03 30:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 30:48

But we need to connect our students with employers who understand that given given an opportunity, our kids will work. Yeah. And so if there's um a work opportunity for a teenager, um, if you like to grow um with a student or help to grow a student, it's a great opportunity for um for us to partner. Um, I believe that we have diamonds in the rough. I believe our students are just as valuable as students in other communities. They just have not had the exposure, haven't had the training. But given that, um, I know we will produce amazing employees.

SPEAKER_02 31:35

That's good.

SPEAKER_04 31:35

So workforce development's on my heart right now.

SPEAKER_00 31:38

That's good. That's good.

SPEAKER_04 31:39

I'm definitely looking for partners.

SPEAKER_00 31:41

That's good, that's good. Workforce development um that's an area that um turn, you know, we are in, we have three teams. We have the social engagement team, the spiritual covering team, and our economic development team. And um, workforce development is one of those areas that's still um tough for us, but we are trying to solve that where it becomes one of our stronger pieces of the team. So um, you know, one thing that we do is connect some of the teams um to the Lindsay as far as their mechanical, the um not the not the body shop, but the um the automotive side. Automotive, yeah, the automotive repair product. Yeah, where they change tires. They they go in the windshield wipers. Yeah, they just do all the little change the oil, change tires. Those are and and like you said, we're inshill wipers. So we do have a little program that you know get funneled through there. So um, so we always looking to develop that in a bigger way, though. So we're working with it.

SPEAKER_04 32:45

Well, I look forward to working together.

SPEAKER_00 32:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We look forward to doing some more uh connection with you as well. So um I want to thank you for I know you're very busy.

SPEAKER_04 32:56

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule, coming, sitting, sharing with us, um, just reminding people that all that is out there on the east side doing amazing things and uh um a great partner and looking to expand and looking um for the future to be bright. So we're excited about that. So we're again thank you. All right, all right very much. All right. So to those who are watching and listening, you have been watching and listening to Turn Up with Pastor Charlie, and we like to thank the River Radio Podcast Studio for this space that we now occupy um to broadcast worldwide. And we like to say hello and thank you to our visionary Bert and Stephanie Lindsay and the Lindsey Foundation, uh, our partners, our local churches, 501c3s, and nonprofit organizations, all that has come beside us for the well being of the community. This is Pastor Charlie. Have a great day. God bless.