Thrive in Joy the Nick Fagnano Foundation - Through Tragedy Comes Purpose with guest Mary Fagnano.
Release Date: 05/12/2019
Erin Pheil: Discovering the root cause behind what is holding you back.
Dreaming of Cooperstown
So, this podcast is about sharing inspiring stories of people doing meaningful work. The stories of people making a positive difference in the lives of others. And, if you are a regular listener or if you know me personally, you know that I believe that each of us has a story to share. A story that can help others. But you know what’s way more important than what I believe? It’s what you believe. Too many people are stuck and their best self is not showing up each day. Why? Often it’s because that best self is shrouded in ego, fears, limiting beliefs and other delusions. And that is why...
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Empowering teens to become leaders with Michelle Pagtakhan of You Run This Town Foundation.
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Today’s guest, Michelle Pagtakhan co-founded You Run This Town Foundation with Fred Noya. "You Run This Town Foundation is committed to developing the next generation of leaders by providing underserved youth with enrichment programs, work-study internships, scholarships and community partner engagement projects." Her passion is to empower youth and provide them with key skills to succeed in life. Michelle is a small business owner with a big heart and a big vision for serving others. Michelle is a great example of how businesses of all sizes can find meaningful ways to enrich others and...
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Team Matters: A Special Episode for National Diabetes Awareness Month
Dreaming of Cooperstown
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. I’ve decided to focus my attention on the positive things happening within the T1D community including important lessons I have learned. In this episode I discuss how the T1D community has taught me that my personal and professional growth is impacted by who I let on my “team”. scottrmorris.com
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Cathy Heying is changing the world one car at a time.
Dreaming of Cooperstown
My guest today, Cathy Heying, founded The Lift Garage an affordable, non-profit auto repair service for people of limited means. It's an innovative idea that meets a pressing need. Working with people experiencing homelessness, Cathy repeatedly saw how devastating the prohibitive cost of commercial car repair could be. In a domino effect, people who couldn’t afford to get their cars fixed couldn’t get to work and so lost their jobs. Without jobs, they lacked the money to pay for housing and ended up in shelter or on the streets. It was also evident that many people who could not afford the...
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Kristyn Stillwell with H.O.P.E. Haven
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My guest today, Kristyn Stillwell, is the Executive Director of H.O.P.E. Haven. Hope Haven seeks to move people from crisis to lifelong self-sufficiency. Their mission is to help the homeless find a path off the streets and to mentor them throughout their life journey to succeed and thrive as contributing members of their community. Hope Haven builds relationships with individuals on the streets as a means to inspire a sense of purpose that empowers them to achieve stability and change in their lives. They work with each client to create a personalized plan to get off the streets and...
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Seniors With Skills wants to end social isolation of seniors | Jaya Manjunath
Dreaming of Cooperstown
Do you have a senior friend or perhaps a parent or grandparent that you fear is feeling lonely or isolated? There are serious physiological and psychological components to loneliness and isolation. Studies have found that socially isolated elders are twice as likely to die prematurely, with a mortality rate comparable to smoking. Some studies even show that loneliness is nearly twice as dangerous as obesity. It can wreak havoc with your immune system and increase inflammation, leading to diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and other serious health conditions. My guest today, Jaya Manjunath,...
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Ciera Granger and Koala Corps is spreading care, compassion and cuddles.
Dreaming of Cooperstown
As you listen to today’s episode, there are children with life-threatening illnesses sitting alone, in a hospital bed, without a parent or loved one nearby to comfort them. Sadly, many of these parents cannot be fully present for their child at this critical time, often because they are single, working, or have other children to care for as well. Despite the tremendous efforts by nurses and staff at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, there are simply not enough hands to hold these children at a time when they need it most. Babies need human touch and to be held. Especially, as a means of...
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For Goodness Cakes
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FOR SOME KIDS, BIRTHDAYS ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED. Imagine that. No presents. No birthday cake. No candles to blow out. No well wishes. No celebration. That didn’t sit well with Jaime Lehman so she decided to take action. Jaime founded For Goodness Cakes, a non-profit organization that matches volunteers to make and hand-deliver birthday cakes to foster children and at-risk youth on their special day. The mission at For Goodness Cakes is to give individual youth at least one special moment that is about them. By providing a child a treat made especially for them, it gives them some much...
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Change4Children's - Get a jar. Fill it up. Change a life.
Dreaming of Cooperstown
Change4Children’s was never a grand plan—just a simple idea that is growing bigger and more impactful by the day. It is the brainchild of three families, all of whom have had kids treated at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. When Jeff Kreshek’s son Eli was there for back surgery, Jeff spent four nights with him. He was always at the cafeteria getting a cup of coffee or something to eat. At the end of each day, he would throw his change in his overnight bag. “I have always been a bit of a hoarder of change and always donated it to some sort of charity,” says Jeff. “On the way home...
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Grit Matters
Dreaming of Cooperstown
In this episode of Dreaming of Cooperstown I share the greatest lesson I have learned thus far from my guests, the importance of grit. Listen to discover: What is grit? How grit and resilience differ. Why we need grit. Is grit available to everyone? Four keys to developing grit. The importance of our community and how it relates to grit. Grit begins with awareness and choice. More on Angela Duckworth and her book can be found at, https://angeladuckworth.com/
info_outlineI never met Nick Fagnano but I’ll always remember the day, in 2015, when I met his father Jay.
I was attending a pre-season meeting for the parents of Notre Dame High School’s baseball players. It was a baseball meeting like many I had attended before, until suddenly it wasn’t. After the usual announcements and requests for volunteers, Tom Dill, Notre Dame’s head coach, introduced Jay who, coach Dill informed us, had an announcement.
Everyone in attendance grew quiet as Jay stepped to the front of the room. I think most if not everyone in the room that night were familiar with the story of Nick Fagnano, the former Notre Dame Student and baseball player, who the previous summer had tragically lost his life when a lightning storm struck Venice Beach. The lightning strike claimed 13 victims. Nick was the only fatality.
Jay fought back tears as he told us of his plans for the upcoming baseball season. He would use his passion and background in food service to transform the Notre Dame Baseball Stadium concession stand into a venue offering restaurant-quality food. As Jay continued, it became clear his vision wasn’t just about delivering delicious food; it was about reconnecting with the Notre Dame community and, in particular, the baseball team. And, most of all, I believe, it was about connecting with Nick.
Jay and his wife Mary know that no greater heartbreak exists than the loss of a child. Yet, in spite of their pain, they have found the strength and courage to share Nick’s story through Thrive in Joy the Nick Fagnano Foundation (TJNFF). What they have achieved in a short time is impressive and inspiring.
Today is Mother’s Day and I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce you to Nick’s mom, Mary Fagnano, as she shares Nick’s story. No, I never met Nick Fagnano but through Mary and Jay’s charitable mission I feel like I know Nick and that he has touched my soul. I am sure that if you listen to today’s episode and choose to follow and support Thrive in Joy Nick will touch yours as well.
There are many ways to support Mary and Jay in sharing Nick’s story. Visit www.thriveinjoy.org to learn how you can help. And, be sure to check out the NDHS/TJNFF Baseball Extravaganza on June 15, 2019.
Connect with Thrive in Joy on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TJNFF/
VisionTrust International - www.visiontrust.org
Multiplying Good - www.multiplyinggood.org/what-we-do/jefferson-awards
Neal Petersen - http://nealpetersen.com
Consider participating in one of Mary and Jay’s mission trips to the Dominican Republic. Watch this 2 1/2 minute Video about their March 2019 DR Trip with USC students: https://vimeo.com/327205474