Inspiring Good

Maggie Okponobi on Owls Club And The Loneliness Fix

We sit down with Maggie Okponobi of Owls Club and get specific about how a senior community can fight loneliness with daily connection, learning, and a place to belong. We also trace Maggie’s path from teaching to Peace Corps service to nonprofit leadership, and why she believes our community is stronger when we truly notice older adults.  • Owls Club’s mission for adults 55+ and why “active” matters  • Loneliness after retirement and the loss of identity and routine  • How the monthly calendar works and why “stay and linger” builds friends  • Lifelong learning led by members and the value of curiosity  • The founding story at Trinity and what fueled rapid growth  • No membership fee model and how diversified nonprofit funding supports it  • Volunteer power at scale and why it keeps costs low  • Peace Corps service in Gambia and the long view of resilience  • Senior barriers like grief, fear of showing up, and losing peer groups  • Owls Connect, tech support, and reaching shut-ins with care  You can go to Owls Club's website at owlsclub.org. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2277659/fan_mail/new] This show is a production of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. It is powered by equipment from Sweetwater and recorded in The Riverbend building in Elkhart's River District. Editing is done by the award-winning communication students at Goshen College, home of one of the best college radio stations in the nation. Listen to Globe Radio at 91.1 FM. Learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County at inspiringgood.org You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Music is provided by Sensational Sounds. Thanks for listening. We hope you are inspired and inspire good and your community.

Jane Allen On How Healing Starts for Kids

We sit down with retired educator Jane Allen to trace how Stable Grounds grows from a school mental health shortage into a trusted place where kids find calm with miniature horses and donkeys. We talk through the moment the community could not ignore, the fundraising miracles that followed, and what it takes to keep a youth mental health nonprofit sustainable.  • early warning signs in schools and why traditional services could not absorb the need  • the auditorium question about suicide and why it became a tipping point  • what groundwork equine-assisted therapy is and why Stable Grounds does not do riding  • the story of a miniature horse choosing connection  • how Stable Grounds gets land, a building, and community buy-in  • the school partnership that keeps the budget manageable  • current needs like feed, hay, veterinary care, and maintenance  • interest from other communities and what makes the model unique  • Jane’s path through teaching, coaching, leadership, and relationship-building  • what we hope kids learn about resilience beyond the screen  • the child Jane remembers most and the adults who stepped in  Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2277659/fan_mail/new] This show is a production of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. It is powered by equipment from Sweetwater and recorded in The Riverbend building in Elkhart's River District. Editing is done by the award-winning communication students at Goshen College, home of one of the best college radio stations in the nation. Listen to Globe Radio at 91.1 FM. Learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County at inspiringgood.org You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Music is provided by Sensational Sounds. Thanks for listening. We hope you are inspired and inspire good and your community.

Scott Griffey On Building A Food Bank

We talk with Scott Griffey about how a small weekend backpack effort for hungry students grows into Gymtown Food Bank, Elkhart County’s newest and only food bank. We trace the real mechanics of fighting food insecurity, from door-to-door deliveries during COVID to countywide partnerships that move food faster and with more dignity.  • teachers spotting hunger first and asking for help  • backpack meals evolving into doorstep food boxes  • growth pains that force nonprofit structure and a board  • what “food desert” means in daily life and tough trade-offs  • Hunger Ends Here building trust and sharing resources  • the difference between a food pantry and a food bank  • transportation as a linchpin including shared cargo vans  • Scott’s leadership roots, mentors, and the power of saying yes  • what gives hope that no neighbor goes hungry in Elkhart County  Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2277659/fan_mail/new] This show is a production of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. It is powered by equipment from Sweetwater and recorded in The Riverbend building in Elkhart's River District. Editing is done by the award-winning communication students at Goshen College, home of one of the best college radio stations in the nation. Listen to Globe Radio at 91.1 FM. Learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County at inspiringgood.org You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Music is provided by Sensational Sounds. Thanks for listening. We hope you are inspired and inspire good and your community.

Andy Murray on Why Calling, Not Career Ladders, Drives Real Change

We talk with Andy Murray, Chief Strategy Officer at the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, about aligning business discipline with community care to boost kindergarten readiness, expand trail connections, and coordinate hunger relief. A story-driven look at convening partners, funding systems, and building momentum that lasts. The episode includes: • role of a chief strategy officer as convener and funder • career shift from RV industry to purpose-driven work • translating business skills to nonprofit capacity • kindergarten readiness as a keystone metric • Countdown to Kindergarten summer camp and scaling plan • childcare affordability and provider sustainability • Pumpkinvine Trails vision, funding, and maintenance • connections as a better metric than miles for trails • forming a county food bank and coordinating 50 pantries • leveraging scale for bulk purchasing and logistics • what gives hope about Elkhart County’s culture Learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County at inspiringgood.org. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2277659/fan_mail/new] This show is a production of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. It is powered by equipment from Sweetwater and recorded in The Riverbend building in Elkhart's River District. Editing is done by the award-winning communication students at Goshen College, home of one of the best college radio stations in the nation. Listen to Globe Radio at 91.1 FM. Learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County at inspiringgood.org You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Music is provided by Sensational Sounds. Thanks for listening. We hope you are inspired and inspire good and your community.

Darrell Peterson and David Gaona on Passing The Torch At Lifeline

What does it take to carry a legacy without getting stuck in the past? We sit down with outgoing executive director Darrell Peterson and incoming leader David Gaona to explore how Lifeline Youth Ministries, a long-standing youth organization in Elkhart, turned a devastating fire into a season of growth, forged a culture built on intentional relationships, and executed a rare, joyful leadership transition. This conversation offers a blueprint for nonprofit leadership, youth development, and community partnership: keep the mission anchored, adapt the methods, and invest deeply in people. If this story resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who cares about youth and community, and leave a review with the moment that inspired you most. You can learn more about Lifeline at https://www.elkhartlifeline.com/ Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2277659/fan_mail/new] This show is a production of the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. It is powered by equipment from Sweetwater and recorded in The Riverbend building in Elkhart's River District. Editing is done by the award-winning communication students at Goshen College, home of one of the best college radio stations in the nation. Listen to Globe Radio at 91.1 FM. Learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County at inspiringgood.org You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Music is provided by Sensational Sounds. Thanks for listening. We hope you are inspired and inspire good and your community.