We talk with Lindsay Aguilar about how Building Strong Brains brings more than 80 partners together to help more children enter kindergarten ready to learn. We get specific about the no-wrong-door approach, what readiness really means, and how the summer Countdown to Kindergarten program removes barriers for working families.

• Lindsay’s path from youth development to leading a countywide early childhood coalition
• Why systems change helps community foundations and nonprofits move the needle
• No-wrong-door support that reduces “door knocking” for parents
• Coalition structure with action teams focused on health, community supports, and quality early learning environments
• Funding through the Community Foundation of Elkhart County and investments from community partners
• What kindergarten readiness measures and why it predicts long-term outcomes
• Countdown to Kindergarten’s growth from a small pilot to serving more than 300 children
• Removing barriers through transportation, meals, before- and after-care, and bilingual instruction
• Adjacent challenges such as hunger, housing, and transportation that can derail progress
• How family voice stays at the center so decisions remain grounded in real needs

Learn more about the Community Foundation of Elkhart County at inspiringgood.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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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.

We talk with Jim Conklin of Cultivate Food Rescue about why hunger keeps showing up even when our food system produces massive excess. We trace how a local, logistics-first model rescues perishable food, turns it into real meals, and helps communities aim for near zero hunger.
• Cultivate’s pivot from culinary school roots to perishable food rescue
• How food waste and food insecurity intersect across the supply chain
• Transportation as the biggest barrier to getting food to people
• Hunger Ends Here as a collaboration model for funders, distributors, and pantries
• Rural vs urban food insecurity and why logistics differ by place
• The difference between a food bank and a food pantry
• How rescued food becomes frozen backpack meals for kids
• Why chef-made meals and better nutrition change long-term outcomes
• Hypergrowth challenges in a nonprofit without a clear template
• Leadership advice about thinking beyond constraints and building strong teams
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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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Life and Legacy: Vince Turner's Transformative Journey

In this episode of the Inspiring Good Podcast, hosts Marshall King and Kevin Dearie sit down with Vince Turner, a communications expert from Goshen, Indiana, known for his prolific career in broadcasting, sports writing, and community service. Vince shares his journey from being a foster kid at Indiana State University to becoming a celebrated broadcaster, journalist, and dedicated community volunteer. The conversation touches on his impactful roles at the Boys and Girls Club, his broadcasting accolades, and his significant contributions to the nonprofit sector, particularly at Bashor Children's Home. Vince reflects on the unique and supportive nature of the Elkhart County community, the influential figures that shaped his path, and his upcoming move to Fairhope, Alabama. The episode concludes with a heartfelt thanks and an expression of hope rooted in faith and the community's resilience.

00:00 Introduction to the Inspiring Good Podcast
00:26 Meet Vince Turner: A Community Icon
02:30 A Journey in Journalism and Broadcasting
05:33 Memorable Interviews and Broadcasting Highlights
08:13 Choosing Elkhart County: A Personal Decision
16:36 Transition to Nonprofit Work
23:22 Banking and Beyond
29:25 Final Reflections and Farewell

Send us Fan Mail

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.