1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks. 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: And we continue now with part two of our conversation 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: with Christina Mendez. Right after these brief messages from our 4 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: generous sponsors. Okay, let's return to Christina on what her 5 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: first job was at Servant's Heart. 6 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 2: It's an insistent to John the director. You know, certainly 7 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 2: wasn't a promotion from what I was working in the city. 8 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: I would imagine it financially step. 9 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 2: Back, Oh, absolutely, But I think I think I had 10 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 2: in the years since I had come back from overseas, 11 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: it had been this journey of like, I want to 12 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 2: do something that has more purpose that serves the community. 13 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 3: I want to. 14 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 2: Do that more often than just my job, than just 15 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 2: on the weekends. And so by that point, again, it's 16 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 2: funny because I look back and I'm like, it seems 17 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 2: like such a spontaneous thing to do, But it was 18 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 2: just something that I feel like God had prepared me 19 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 2: to want, and so took a took a pay cut, 20 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: and signed up to serve in this ministry that didn't 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 2: have a lot of formality and kind of come alongside 22 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 2: and help manage the office. So what are you now 23 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 2: so now I'm a director of kind of operations in marketing. 24 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 3: We're so a little small some wearing two different hats. 25 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 2: But now I basically help help the director kind of 26 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 2: lead and operate the ministry. So kind of taking vision 27 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 2: and how do we how do we create marketing isn't 28 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: as fancy as some of these big, big car corporations, 29 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: but it's a lot of I mean I do. I've 30 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: designed all the website and all the marketing materials, and 31 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: I was doing all the social media up until maybe 32 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: two years ago, and kind of formulating. 33 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 3: I added. 34 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 2: When I first came into the ministry, there was a 35 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: rough mission statement, some rough kind of like a brochure 36 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 2: that was made, and so kind of it was fun 37 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 2: because I came into just kind of work in the office, 38 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 2: but I got to use all of my creative gifts 39 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 2: to kind of figure out, Okay, well, how do we 40 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: use how do we brand this in a way that 41 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,959 Speaker 2: really communicates the heart of what's already happening. 42 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 3: How do we make this look as legit than as 43 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 3: it is? 44 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: So all right, so, so how does it work a 45 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: nonprofit as a house for Like in North Memphis, there's 46 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: a thing called a Hope House, Okay, and Hope Press 47 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: Materian Church, which is out in the county forty miles 48 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: from here. Twenty miles from here put in a thing 49 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: called the Hope House. And the Hope House was a 50 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: house that they fixed up and made nice for kids, 51 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: latchkey kids to have somewhere to go after school ended 52 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: and before their parents came home that was safe and 53 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: there would be snacks and quiet places to do homework. 54 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: And the person that ran the house was there to 55 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: help with homework and just called it. It was a transition 56 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: place between the end of school and when Paris got home. 57 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: They call them Hope House. But it wasn't an old, 58 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 1: crappy house in a dilapidated area, and they fixed it up. 59 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: So if someone wanted to put that in New Jersey 60 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: and had the volunteers for it, but didn't have the 61 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: school to fix it up, would. 62 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: They call you, Yeah, we've got an application on our website. 63 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: They would fill out an application, we'd send our project 64 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 2: managers for a site visit. 65 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 3: And then no staff. 66 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 2: Now we've got so at the time, the director was 67 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: doing all of it, So the director would go, we 68 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 2: didn't there was no application actually, but they would call, 69 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: the director, would visit, kind of reassess, and then basically 70 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: project manage and send out our volunteers with their volunteers 71 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: if the nonprofit had and then basically GC the project. 72 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: Oh and so, and then all of the labor, all 73 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 1: the contractors are volunteers. 74 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: All everyone's volunteers. 75 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: What about the materials cost? 76 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 3: They would pay for materials. 77 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: Okay, So let's say a project to rehab this place 78 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: was fifty thousand dollars. Typically the materials might be twelve 79 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: to fifteen of the labor thirty five s. You're telling 80 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: me they take that fifty thousand dollars project and with 81 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:43,239 Speaker 1: your help, reduce it to a twelve to fifteen thousand 82 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: dollars project. Well, I mean that's huge, and you're not 83 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: actually doing the ongoing work, but you're providing them the 84 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 1: space to do their work. 85 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 3: Absolutely, which is why. 86 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: I say you're a nonprofit for nonprofits. 87 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 3: Absolutely, it's very cool. 88 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: That is very It's very cool. Okay, So how long 89 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: have you been there? 90 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 2: So I'm about a little over five and a half years, 91 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 2: and so. 92 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: You've gone from this handful of middle aged guys that 93 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: taught her twenty seven year old girl how to do 94 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 1: something other than tote pails of water. 95 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 3: I'm never gonna little bit DoPT. 96 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: That's pretty cool, but I'm just thinking like mules. Anyway, 97 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: what what is it now? 98 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: So now meaning like in size people. 99 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 3: So we've got a staff. I think I just scheduled 100 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 3: a staff meeting for next week with fifteen of us. 101 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: You're kidding, Yeah, yeah, how many volunteers? 102 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 2: So we probably so we've got kind of a blend 103 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 2: of volunteers. We've got, you know, some people that come 104 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 2: like every so often, and then we've got regulars. So 105 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 2: we probably have over three hundred throughout the year. But 106 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: then between our job sites and our trades program, which 107 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: we haven't talked about yet, we'll probably have about one 108 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 2: hundred consistent ones that keep us going. 109 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: And then what is consistent ones weekly? 110 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 2: So yeah, we've got a lot of We have a 111 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 2: lot of volunteers that come like almost every Saturday or 112 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 2: all of our trades program, which we'll talk about, is 113 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 2: run completely by volunteers. 114 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: Now, that is unbelievable how much has grown. 115 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 3: It is unbelievable. 116 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: In the midst of all this, you started this trades program, 117 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: say that right, yeap? 118 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 2: So what is that So our trades program is a 119 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 2: training and mentorship program. So in twenty nineteen, John had, 120 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 2: our director, had this vision to have more intentional training 121 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: of the next generation because. 122 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 3: Our job sites. As much as everybody cares about training 123 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 3: people up, there's still a job to do. 124 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 2: So it's kind of a hard environment to get the 125 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 2: project done and train people. So we have this vision 126 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 2: for this trades program. He connected with another a contractor 127 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 2: who's really passionate about it. Obviously, you know, the world 128 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 2: knows what's happening in the industry and the need for workers. 129 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: Well, let's talk about that because that affects my business absolutely. 130 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: I'm in the lumber business, right and my stuff doesn't 131 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: build houses. It furnishes it softwood spelled house hards furnish 132 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: it of it that way, right, So my stuff goes 133 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: to make furniture and flooring and cabinets and case goods 134 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: and molding and millwork things like that. Well, I'm still 135 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: able to find enough labor to soldier through. It's not easy, 136 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: but I can't tell you how many people I sell 137 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: product to in the United States. A cabinet shop for us, 138 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: instead of having the hardest time in the world finding 139 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: one someone to run woodworking machinery to mighty orgether parts 140 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: to make furniture or cabinets, are flooring, and then two 141 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: when that's made, and there's a construction worker out Yeah, 142 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: there's a construction contractor out there who actually is building 143 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 1: the house or the business or whatever and needs to 144 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: install this stuff and build the fram and off they 145 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: are struggling mightily to find brick layers and floor layers 146 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: and framers and oh my gosh, mill wrights and guys 147 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: to hang moldings, trim carpenters, holy moly, and roofers and 148 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: all of this, and every year seems to get worse. 149 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: There's few and fewer in Like the builders that I 150 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: talk to tell me, what's really scary is, not only 151 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: are there fewer and fewer, the ones they're depending on 152 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: aren't forty anymore, they're like fifty five. And they know 153 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: in five, six, seven, eight years these guys are going 154 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: to retire. Yeah, and there is nobody in the bike, 155 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: no one coming to continue these skills. 156 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. 157 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: So that's what's really going on, isn't it? 158 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:56,439 Speaker 3: Absolutely? 159 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 2: Absolutely and everywhere, And you know, obviously I'm to this world, 160 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: but I've being in this world I've learned that everywhere, 161 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 2: all of New Jersey, all of these contractors that are 162 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 2: coming out to serve, they're all hurting for workers. And 163 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 2: so I think some of our momentum of our growth 164 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 2: is because we found a need that needed to be 165 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 2: met and everyone gets it. It's like, so he connects 166 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 2: with this with one of our volunteers who runs his 167 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: own contracting company, and basically we start working on this 168 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 2: vision for this trades program which would not just teach skills. 169 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 2: But then the other side of that need is we're 170 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 2: in this this inner city of Patterson where I imagine 171 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 2: it's not unlike Memphis, right where you've got a whole 172 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 2: generation that's kind of struggling to get out of poverty, right, 173 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 2: and there's you've got this world, this industry that needs workers. 174 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 3: But then no one's t this generation. 175 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: So you've got this industry that's dying for lakers and 176 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: people think, you know, to be clear, a guy that's 177 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: really handy framing people are happy to pay them twenty 178 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: bucks an hour more. Absolutely, so you got this need 179 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,199 Speaker 1: for what is called skilled labor that is actually because 180 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: there's such a deficit of that labor, the pay for 181 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: it's really high. Meanwhile, you got this labor pool who 182 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: is highly uneducated and untrained, not stupid, uneducated, on trained, 183 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: begging for jobs, living in poverty and success is where 184 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: the two would meet, and you're providing away for him 185 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: to meet. We'll be right back. 186 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 2: This was kind of a meeting of the two worlds 187 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 2: and the two needs. And so we call it a 188 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: mentorship program because it's not quite a trade school because 189 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 2: you know, trade schools, the cost is skyrocketing, right, and 190 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 2: so our population can't afford that. 191 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: That's everybody says, well, the trades are the way to go, 192 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: and trade school is the way to go. I agree, 193 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 1: but how do how does a person living in poverty 194 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: pay for trade school? And especially because most of the 195 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: pell brand and that kind of money is only for 196 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: for your anniversary and for your anniversaries for your universities. 197 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 1: So there's a problem getting into the trade schools, right. 198 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 2: And even if you commit to a trade school, you 199 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 2: better know which trade you want because the second you 200 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 2: sign up, you're gonna pay all this money. And then 201 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 2: when you get out into the field and you decide, 202 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 2: oh wait, maybe electrical wasn't for me. H. 203 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: Facy sucks, But I really like framings. Now I got 204 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: to start. 205 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 2: All over, right, and you know, I think you know 206 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 2: our director and a lot of these trades guys, you know, 207 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 2: they grew up with parents that showed them all of 208 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: these things, right, they grew up learning how to swing 209 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 2: a hammer, and they had this exposure that they can 210 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 2: make an educated decision on which to. 211 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:11,199 Speaker 3: Navigate the right. 212 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 2: But like, how can a Patterson kid that can barely 213 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,719 Speaker 2: afford you know, one year of these trade school let 214 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 2: alone all. 215 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 3: Of that choose choose a field when they've had. 216 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: No also never had anybody in the orbit doing any 217 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: of this work. They don't even you say, h VAC, 218 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: I don't even know what that means. 219 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,319 Speaker 2: Right, They don't know what the career, what that career 220 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: holds looks like. And each one is very different in 221 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 2: terms of personality and preferred skills. So even though there's 222 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 2: a lot of skills that unite all the trades, there's 223 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 2: still you know, each you know, each person is fit 224 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 2: for a different kind. 225 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: Kind So you have a mentoring program. Yeah, and now 226 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: how do you get kids and I'm saying kids, young adults, teenagers, 227 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: high school grads whatever from Patterson to come to your 228 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: mentorship program to learn a trade. They how did they 229 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 1: know it's available? And how do you convince them it's 230 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: a good thing? And then what does it look like 231 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: when those kids, who largely come from a place where 232 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: that work ethic isn't always well demonstrated, interact with people 233 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: who have unbelievable work. Yes, sure, I've got to believe 234 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: there's a cultural clash that happens at first, you know what, It. 235 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 2: Not as much as you'd think. And I think it's 236 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 2: because well, I'll answer a few one question first. Okay, 237 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 2: the course that we started with, now we've got four 238 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 2: courses running, but the course we started with is called 239 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:45,439 Speaker 2: the CPM course stands. 240 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 3: For Critical Path Method, which is. 241 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 2: Basically, for those that don't know, the process of construction 242 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 2: established by the Army Corps of Engineers. That means that 243 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 2: says you can't run electrical before there's a roof on, 244 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: basically like it's the common sense logic of the process 245 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:05,959 Speaker 2: in which you build. 246 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 3: And so we call it right foundation first. So we 247 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 3: call it that because it's. 248 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,599 Speaker 2: A twenty night course that walks through all of the 249 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 2: key trades. So you get three classes on plumbing, three 250 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 2: on electrical, and the whole goal of the course is 251 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: to give a student the basic foundational skills like that 252 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 2: are as simple as reading a tape, measure, holding an 253 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 2: impact driver, you know, hammering nails, but also mentor them 254 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 2: into figuring out which trade is for them. 255 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 1: So they get to they're getting a twenty day crash 256 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: course right from greenfield to finished product. Sure what it 257 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 1: takes to build auct a house or a structure. 258 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: And they're getting hands on experience. 259 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 2: They're going to learn how to sweat a pipe and 260 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 2: get you know, get all stuff to your hand. 261 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: Then they get to say, well, you know of that, 262 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: I really enjoyed this and this right okay, and so then. 263 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 3: What So basically they go through the course. 264 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 2: We've got different systems in place to kind of check 265 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 2: in and feel out where they want to go. And 266 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 2: then our goal is at the end of that course 267 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 2: we help them navigate which is the direction and okay, 268 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 2: you know, this kid wants an apprenticeship. So we've got 269 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 2: this wide, you know, network of different trades guys that say, hey, 270 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 2: so and so is looking for a carpentry apprenticeship. You know, 271 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 2: do you have some space and kind of connect them 272 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: plus all of the all of the contractors and subcontractors 273 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 2: and all these trades guys are there, you know. 274 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: Sharing anyway, they're teaching, meeting you know, they're learning these 275 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: candidates by actually tasso. Yeah, that's phenomenal. 276 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 3: It's it's kind of like you and they're donating their time. 277 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: But in donating their time, they're also finding the very 278 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: valuable needs of personnel and are able to evaluate them 279 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: as these guys are learnings, are learning, and that's awesome. 280 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 3: They're volunteering is really what keeps us. 281 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 2: You asked that question about like you know that don't 282 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 2: necessarily come from this hard working environment. A lot of 283 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 2: what I hear from our students is I wanted to bail, 284 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 2: but then I saw how many hours these guys were 285 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 2: coming in to teach me after they've spent all day 286 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 2: on a roof, you know, to come in and volunteer 287 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 2: three hours twice a week for me that I stayed 288 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 2: because they're watching these people models. 289 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: So the actual philanthropic side of it is what keeps 290 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: people in the program because they recognize the effort. 291 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean a lot of these a lot of 292 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 2: these students come from a world, not all of them, 293 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 2: but a lot of them come from a world where 294 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 2: they've never really had anyone believing in them, and a 295 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 2: lot of them no male role models believing in them. 296 00:16:58,960 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 3: Again, not all. 297 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: It's not necessarily a paramount. 298 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 3: Word, right right. 299 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 2: And so you've got I mean, all of our volunteers 300 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 2: just have this real heart to like really empower these kids. 301 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 2: And so they're coming into this free program they didn't 302 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 2: have to pay for. They're given all these tools and 303 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 2: stuff to use in class. They have these teachers that 304 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 2: are coming in after a long, hard work day to 305 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 2: help give them skills. It's like, for the first time 306 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 2: they have somebody that's that's saying, hey, we believe that 307 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 2: you've got you've got some skills, and you've got some talent, 308 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 2: and you have a capacity to learn and build a career. 309 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 2: And I don't I don't think a lot of them 310 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 2: heard of that before. Not to mention, you know, I 311 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: think a lot of the students that are drawn to 312 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 2: this like maybe didn't cut it in formal education, and 313 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 2: so now for the first time they're like, wait, maybe 314 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 2: I was made for this kind of work. 315 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: And it's got to provide them hope too. 316 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely rewarding. 317 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 2: It's very cool, it's very cool to witness and watch 318 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 2: the student's journey from the first day of class. 319 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 3: To the end. 320 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: This just got to cost some money, though, it does. 321 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: Where does all this money come from? 322 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 2: We fundraise, we've got partners, we've we've had the privilege, 323 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 2: I mean being in the trades industry. I mean, it 324 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 2: doesn't take much to approach you know, someone, you know, 325 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 2: a lumber company and say hey, we want to train 326 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 2: up the next generation of tradesmen for them to be like, yeah, 327 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 2: we get. 328 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 3: It, we want to. 329 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 2: I mean, we've got a lumber company by us Cukan 330 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 2: Brothers that donate all the lumber every semester. 331 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:41,880 Speaker 1: You're kidding, Yeah, wow. 332 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 2: Just like and and not just them, but all these 333 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 2: different companies that are like, we want to be part 334 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 2: of the solution. It doesn't I mean, it doesn't take much, 335 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 2: but there is. You know, there's a lot of fundraising. 336 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 1: I think I've read did you win a grant from Impact? 337 00:18:59,240 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 3: Yes? 338 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think do you know the founder of that organization, 339 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: Wendy Steele, has been a guest. 340 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 3: Yeah. Alex was telling me it's such a small world. 341 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: When she the very first one she started, and she said, 342 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 1: you know, she got sick of watching females work their 343 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: butts off for two weeks to put together a yard 344 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: sale on a bank sale to raise six thousand dollars. Wow, 345 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 1: guys raised twenty thousand dollars by writing checks at the 346 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 1: golf course. And she said, you know what, women can 347 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: write checks too. 348 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 3: How cool? 349 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 1: And started Impact and yeah, Impact one hundred and now 350 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 1: I think they've raised one hundred million dollars hundred twenty 351 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: three million, give way one hundred thousand dollars at a time. 352 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: And you guys were sipping about thousand dollars grant from 353 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: that chapter up in wherever. 354 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, up in Jersey. A small world is such a 355 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 3: small We. 356 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:59,479 Speaker 1: Have talked about three different podcasts. Yes, since we've started talking. 357 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 3: Can I listen to that podcast? 358 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 2: I think they're actually, I mean they're going to have 359 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 2: to fact check me, but I think they're funding We're 360 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 2: going to start an auto mechanics program in the fall. 361 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 2: And I think they funded our lifts. 362 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 3: Yeah. 363 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, So there's another connection to the army of normal. 364 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 3: Folks in that wild It's very cool. 365 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: It is very cool. So I found Alex provided this, 366 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 1: which I think is really interesting. So New Hopes Ministry, 367 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: which helps families and poverty with the myriad of services 368 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: has grown rapidly. Since we took on the air quarters 369 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: in twenty eighteen, we helped them transform another two four 370 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: resident home into a food pantry. The demo was twenty 371 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 1: five thousand dollars and you guys did it for ten 372 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: and save them fifteen grand, And that's fifteen thousand dollars 373 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: they can put us for service. Another one was in 374 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: power sports camps. The job estimate to do their thing 375 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: was thirty four eight hundred. You guys did it for 376 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: ninety eight hundred and save them twenty five thousand dollars. 377 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: So you really are the nonprofit for nonprofits. And what 378 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: that the beauty of it is is what you save 379 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: these nonprofits and go on into their pockets. It's just 380 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,479 Speaker 1: money that they're working to raise to serve that they 381 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: can turn around and give. So your work not only 382 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: saves the nonprofit, but it saves the people they're trying 383 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:41,159 Speaker 1: to serve exponentially. And in the meantime, you've got a 384 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,920 Speaker 1: mentorship program teaching people who really don't have a way 385 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: to make a living to not only make a great living, 386 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: but fill needs for contractors that they can't otherwise filly. 387 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a full circle. It's very cool philanthropy. 388 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 2: It's very cool because you know, like there's a lot 389 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 2: of efforts that you could say, you know, it's the 390 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,239 Speaker 2: teach a man to fish kind of concept. You know, 391 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 2: you could solve the immediate need, but if you're not 392 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 2: figuring out how to create sustainability in that, it'll only 393 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 2: go so far. And I think again, it's such a 394 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 2: been so cool to be a part of just seeing 395 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 2: the the sustainable impact in all directions that we had 396 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:36,239 Speaker 2: this small part, but it ripples into their ministries and 397 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 2: it's very neat. 398 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:41,880 Speaker 1: Tell me about Gamer virgin Am I saying, yes, tell 399 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 1: me about him? 400 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,880 Speaker 2: So he he was in one of our first few 401 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 2: semesters of the CPM course. So funny he he came 402 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:57,199 Speaker 2: in on like the second day of class, held up 403 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 2: his phone to the director and said, Hey, I'm redoing 404 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 2: my my apartment and I have no idea what I'm doing. 405 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 3: Can you can you tell me what to do? 406 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 2: And he's just this personality that's like I'm going to 407 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 2: figure out, I'm going to do it. But he he 408 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 2: came into our program to learn construction, did really well 409 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 2: in the program. 410 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 3: That is a really good question. So he came. 411 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 2: I'm trying to remember if he was born here or 412 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 2: he moved here from Jamaica, but I think he was 413 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 2: doing work with his father in terms of real estate 414 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 2: was kind of what he was doing. But he was 415 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 2: trying to make it in the trades. 416 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 4: And certainly that I'm gainfully employed, yes, definitely not didn't 417 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 4: hadn't built a career here basically, And so he went 418 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,400 Speaker 4: through our program, did really well, and then we brought 419 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 4: him on as an intern and he stayed. 420 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 2: On staff for I'm trying to remember how many years, 421 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 2: quite a like maybe like two years, two to three years, 422 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 2: and then kind of just grew and skill working working 423 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:11,640 Speaker 2: alongside our staff. Then got a job in like leadership 424 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 2: management for like a building management kind of moved moved 425 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 2: onto that, and then now has grown so much that 426 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 2: now he runs his own remodeling company. 427 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 3: How it just make you feel, man, It's just it's 428 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 3: very very cool. 429 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 2: And he you know, he still comes back every so 430 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 2: often and visits class, and it's like it's amazing to 431 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 2: see the fruit of the impact. 432 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 3: In his life. Right Like now he's married with two 433 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,439 Speaker 3: little ones and has his own company and has his 434 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 3: own company. 435 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: He changed his life. We'll be right back. Do you 436 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 1: do you take the time to look in the mirror 437 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: and say, wow, what we're doing. 438 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 2: I take a lot of time to sit reflect and 439 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 2: I don't know, thank God and all the people that 440 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 2: really just mentored. 441 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 3: Me to get here. 442 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 2: You know, I'm really passionate about the fact that any 443 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 2: of us can. 444 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 3: Make tremendous impact. 445 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 2: We just got to know what we're good at and 446 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 2: got to use it to serve people. And so, yeah, 447 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 2: it's it's been a wild ride. I would have would 448 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 2: have never expected it, but it's been really cool to 449 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 2: be a part of I have a cool story about 450 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,640 Speaker 2: a student that I think epitomizes kind of yeah. 451 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, so actually this past year. 452 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,920 Speaker 2: So let me just start by saying, like, my favorite 453 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: part about our program is that it's not just about 454 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 2: skill building but about like life building and mentorship. And 455 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 2: I think our whole program, because we're run completely by volunteers, 456 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 2: it creates this culture that there's a family that comes 457 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 2: out of these classes. And so there's there's this one student, Kevin, 458 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 2: who I think his story kind of epitomizes that. I mean, 459 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 2: he came into came into the CPM course, really fun personality, 460 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,919 Speaker 2: really clicked with all the teachers, and even like I 461 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 2: would say, about halfway through the course, was already doing 462 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 2: some jobs with three of the Mason's one of the contractors, 463 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 2: just really embodying really building all these relationships with ours, 464 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:32,360 Speaker 2: with our teachers, and there's a few that really kind 465 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 2: of mentored him throughout the process. But uh before you know, 466 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 2: by the middle of the course, he was also showing 467 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,360 Speaker 2: up on Saturdays with his with his friend Jared, who 468 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 2: was also in the program, and they were coming to volunteer. 469 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,360 Speaker 2: So they were going to class during the week and 470 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,160 Speaker 2: then coming on Saturdays. And so I just to kind 471 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 2: of illustrate the importance that you know, our ministry kind 472 00:26:57,560 --> 00:26:58,959 Speaker 2: of built in terms of community. 473 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 3: First of all, Jared was canceling his. 474 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 2: Paid job just to com and volunteer, Wow, and work 475 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 2: with us, right probably need no, I mean, two best 476 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 2: friends from Patterson, you know, still really young, building their career. 477 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,679 Speaker 2: But I think the community that was built and the 478 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,360 Speaker 2: education and the mentorship really really gave them something that 479 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 2: they maybe didn't. 480 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 3: Have before them. 481 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: How to do the work, but how to live. 482 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:30,959 Speaker 2: Absolutely absolutely, we start every night with a core value 483 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 2: and we tie that to the industry and tie that 484 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 2: to life. But one time, keV so So one Friday 485 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 2: night at like two am, gets into a car accident, 486 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 2: car totaled, you know, like just it was a little 487 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,199 Speaker 2: it was a bit of a scary incident. I have 488 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 2: permission to share this story. 489 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 3: But he comes in. 490 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 2: The next day, he shows up to the site and 491 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 2: he had like he had no car, had this like 492 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 2: traumatic accident and had walked like three miles to get 493 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 2: to our site just to volunteer with the crew. And 494 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 2: and you know, it's you know, it's just one one 495 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:09,120 Speaker 2: little story of his journey. I mean, he there's there's 496 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,399 Speaker 2: tons of things of the relationships that were kind of 497 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 2: built in his life. 498 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 3: But but it kind of. 499 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 2: Shows the impact that our communities are, our program is 500 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 2: making on these these kids that the guy had, The. 501 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: Guy totaled his cars, walk three miles in order to volunteer. 502 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, to come up with to come and volunteer. 503 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean he's doing He's working three days a 504 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 2: week with one of our lead contractors that teaches the class. 505 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 3: He also has got. 506 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 2: Some real estate stuff going on at the same time. 507 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 2: He'll pick up work for another one of the Masons. 508 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 2: That really just he really clicked with that Mason and 509 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 2: came part of the family, went to the church for 510 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 2: the first time with him, and really there's yeah, it's 511 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 2: there's a lot of really really cool stories that happen 512 00:28:57,560 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 2: with these students and and yeah, it's at. 513 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: That's kind of how it works in it get you 514 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: find your inspiration and your payoff and the work you 515 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:13,479 Speaker 1: do in the most unlikely places often absolutely, and I 516 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: guess a story like Kevin is what feels you to keep. 517 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 2: Going, absolutely absolutely, because it's it's more than I mean, obviously, 518 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: equipping him with a skill to get a job is incredible, 519 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 2: but it's it's more than that. It's you know, providing 520 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 2: a place where you know they want to work harder 521 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 2: because they now have the confidence because people are believing 522 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 2: in them, and gives them the motivation to to, you know, 523 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 2: grow in life. 524 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: This all started from you know, one dude and some 525 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: guys like your dad wanting to help and just kind 526 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 1: of a loosely organized thing that is now a great 527 00:29:56,080 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: organization teaching and serving and being a financial for philanthropies. 528 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 1: And the other thing I think that's amazing about it 529 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: is is scalable why couldn't you do this in every city? 530 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 3: Well, that's that's a thought. Actually, we've tell me. Yeah, So. 531 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 2: We've been I feel like the last two years we've 532 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 2: been in conversations about, Okay, how do we take what 533 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 2: we have and put it on paper and figure out 534 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 2: how to replicate this. There's talks of there's another town 535 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 2: in Jersey that we're in talks of another building and 536 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 2: another location of Jersey where there's talks of planting another 537 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 2: location there. 538 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 3: I think I think it's very. 539 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 2: I think it could really spread and have multiple locations. 540 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 2: Obviously there's Jersey, isn't the only state that's hurting for 541 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 2: workers and. 542 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, literally every day. 543 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 2: And so our process has really been the last two 544 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,800 Speaker 2: years trying to figure out how do we so much 545 00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,479 Speaker 2: of this has been organic and in our heads, and 546 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 2: how do we put this in a system on paper 547 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 2: that we can kind of pass it off and say, hey, 548 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 2: let's do a location here, let's do a location there. 549 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: So obviously we pay attention to all of the building 550 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 1: data and analytics in my business. And one of the 551 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 1: one of the starkest reminders of the shape we're in 552 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: is that my children are twenty five, six, seven, and 553 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: eighty eight, seven, twenty six, twenty five. Their generation, what 554 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: are they? They're not millennials. What are they generation? What 555 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: are my kids? 556 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 2: They might be low end millennial into Gen Z. 557 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 3: They're I'm kind of like the middle. 558 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,719 Speaker 1: Whatever they are. They're definitely low end that but anyway, 559 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:54,800 Speaker 1: I think they are j Z's there. That generation is 560 00:31:54,880 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 1: the first generation. No, I'm not saying this. That generation 561 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: has waited longer to marry and buy property. It's the 562 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 1: longest waiting generation in American history. But as a result, 563 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 1: these kids are ready to get out of their parents' basement. 564 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: They're ready to quit renting. That generation is finally starting 565 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 1: to enter the market, the housing market, and as a 566 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: result of the housing market, the furniture market, results of 567 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: the furniture market, the flooring market, and it's a very 568 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:36,240 Speaker 1: large generation. And because Baby Boomers are still living, there's 569 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: few and fewer used houses becoming available, so you've got 570 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,239 Speaker 1: second hand home is being lived in longer, and a 571 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: large generation who hasn't been buying now entering the marketplace. 572 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: And as a result, there is a seven year estimated 573 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 1: deficit of housing coming up over the next decade. Seven 574 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 1: year deficeit of housing both single family a multi family 575 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,800 Speaker 1: meaning stand alone homes and condos or apartments. At the 576 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: exact same time, there is sixty fewer people in the 577 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: trades than there were ten years ago. So we have 578 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:16,040 Speaker 1: a seven year deathsit of housing with a massive demand 579 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 1: coming up and half of the people available in our 580 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: country to build these structures than there was only ten 581 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: years ago. What does that mean? Housing is going to 582 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 1: be expensive because it's supply and demand. There's huge demand, 583 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: less supply, less people to build the supply, thus is 584 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: driving housing up, and that is exacerbating the problems of 585 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 1: overly expensive housing in places like Manhattan and LA and 586 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: San Francisco where you see this homeless boon, which is 587 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 1: also why you see housing in places like Texas and 588 00:33:55,600 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: Florida and Tennessee absolutely exploding because it's much there and 589 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: there's still some labor available. 590 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:03,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 591 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, So when you put all of that together, when 592 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 1: I hear your story, I think there's a need for 593 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 1: your organization literally in every city in the country. The 594 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,879 Speaker 1: training part, the mentoring part, and the growing the nonprofits 595 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 1: part that are getting involved in doing this work. I mean, 596 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 1: I think the little thing that you guys now have 597 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:28,359 Speaker 1: grown into a big thing in that area could grow 598 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:35,440 Speaker 1: into a national thing with a lot of welcome mats 599 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 1: back contractors in cities. I mean, so, do you want 600 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 1: to export it or do you want to just share 601 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: the idea with others to do it? 602 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:48,240 Speaker 3: Yeah? I mean or both kind of both. 603 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 2: Actually, funny story, we had this group from Wisconsin that 604 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,879 Speaker 2: found us online, reached out and said, hey, we want 605 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,399 Speaker 2: to do this, can we come and learn? They flew 606 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 2: out to New Jersey, stayed with our director for like, 607 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:05,520 Speaker 2: I don't know, maybe like four days, kind of learned 608 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 2: all these things, went back, started asking around, and we 609 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:10,880 Speaker 2: have like a meeting in a week or two just 610 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 2: talking through the minutia. They formed a board, they formed 611 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:17,839 Speaker 2: an organization, and and in that way, we just want 612 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:19,759 Speaker 2: to help them start their thing right. 613 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 1: And so best in keeping with your whole topic, I mean. 614 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 2: We don't we don't need to profit from it. I 615 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 2: mean we see a need and we want we want. 616 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 2: Our heart is that we want to equip other people 617 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 2: to take take the skills that they've been given, the resources. 618 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:38,560 Speaker 3: They've been given, and to serve the community. 619 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:41,560 Speaker 2: And if it means inspiring other groups to do it, 620 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, our world's better. 621 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:46,440 Speaker 1: You're doing it in Wisconsin, but why not the rest 622 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 1: of the country. 623 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:49,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a fair point. 624 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 2: So that's kind of what we're trying to We're trying 625 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:55,920 Speaker 2: to systematize our our back end to figure out how 626 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:57,799 Speaker 2: we can kind of be prepared to do. 627 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 1: So if anybody wants to start their own or partner 628 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 1: with you guys, which you'd probably be open to either. 629 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:05,440 Speaker 3: Absolutely. Absolutely. 630 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 2: We've been in the process of like copywriting our curriculum 631 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 2: and kind of really trying to formalize these things so 632 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,960 Speaker 2: that you know, we can be kind of a catalyst 633 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:16,879 Speaker 2: to other people stepping up and doing it in their 634 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:17,600 Speaker 2: own communities. 635 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 1: So if somebody listened to us wants to do this, 636 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: how do they get in touch with you? 637 00:36:22,719 --> 00:36:25,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I would say reach out on our website. 638 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:27,839 Speaker 2: I mean they could, they could reach out. 639 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,960 Speaker 3: We've got an info email. I see all of them, 640 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:32,440 Speaker 3: So tell me what it is. 641 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, So it's info at Servants heartenjay dot org. 642 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,120 Speaker 1: Say that's slower, you said it like somebody from New 643 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:40,280 Speaker 1: Jersey from Memphis. 644 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:44,760 Speaker 3: That's rights info at Servants. 645 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,080 Speaker 1: Heart Servants plural. 646 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 2: Heart servants heart njay as in New Jersey dot org. 647 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 1: Got it and they come to you, and. 648 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:57,120 Speaker 2: They come to us, fill outur contact form, email, send 649 00:36:57,160 --> 00:36:57,600 Speaker 2: an email. 650 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:01,399 Speaker 1: Last question still got to be pretty much a male 651 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:06,840 Speaker 1: dominated thing. Yes, what's it like for you? You're now mid thirties. 652 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 1: I guess I'm trying to do the math form. Ye, surely, yep, 653 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:14,839 Speaker 1: mid thirties female, you know, fashion person that thought they'd 654 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:16,000 Speaker 1: be total pails to. 655 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 3: The men males of the meal. 656 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, and now this male dominated construction thing is is 657 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:26,279 Speaker 1: there any chance that girls see you and say, hey, 658 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 1: I can do this too, because that because we don't 659 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: need to limit this opportunity and need to half the population. 660 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 3: Absolutely for sure. Yeah. 661 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:40,960 Speaker 2: I mean it's been a wild, very cool experience coming 662 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,880 Speaker 2: from like only ever working with women to only working 663 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:48,400 Speaker 2: with men. But but it's been it's been really cool 664 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:53,280 Speaker 2: because I just feel like I work with the coolest 665 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 2: group of. 666 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:56,440 Speaker 3: Guys and girls. Now we've have a lot of girls. 667 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 1: They are coming in now. 668 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, our sites are filled with female else but 669 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:05,360 Speaker 2: and and actually with our program, we graduate about fifteen 670 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:06,440 Speaker 2: percent females. 671 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:11,439 Speaker 3: That's all program, which is really cool, all of them going. Yeah, 672 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:12,440 Speaker 3: like different ones. 673 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:16,799 Speaker 2: We've had different interests, you know, all around, but we've 674 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 2: got I feel like there's been a decent amount interested. 675 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 2: We have a welding course that are going into welding. 676 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,680 Speaker 2: But I mean part of I mean part of my 677 00:38:25,760 --> 00:38:28,840 Speaker 2: heart when I'm still serving on Saturdays, because I just love. 678 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:33,160 Speaker 1: Being you still volunteer on Saturdays an organization. 679 00:38:33,239 --> 00:38:35,440 Speaker 3: You know. I mean, I'm I'm paid to be there. 680 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 3: I'm not a volunteer. 681 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:39,000 Speaker 2: I can't take all that credit, but but I still 682 00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:42,880 Speaker 2: love working alongside the volunteers, and I do. I really 683 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:48,680 Speaker 2: I love being able to serve with the females because, yeah, 684 00:38:48,719 --> 00:38:52,040 Speaker 2: I think there it's fun to watch things click as 685 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:55,280 Speaker 2: they learn and the confidence kind of developed. This summer, 686 00:38:55,640 --> 00:39:00,879 Speaker 2: I hosted a program, a summer program called Girls Shop Talk, 687 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:05,960 Speaker 2: which was a wood shop and Bible study for teen girls. 688 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 3: And it was just. 689 00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:09,160 Speaker 1: Wood shop and Bible study. 690 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:12,880 Speaker 3: I haven't heard yet, Yeah it was. It was a 691 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 3: weird combination. 692 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:16,359 Speaker 2: But it was just the coolest because I had all 693 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,879 Speaker 2: these thirteen to sixteen year year old girls come in 694 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 2: and I rallied up some of my friends who are handy, 695 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 2: and it was really cool watching them go from being 696 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:31,480 Speaker 2: terrified of a chop saw to just like kind of hammer. 697 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:33,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was. It was the first time. 698 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:36,560 Speaker 2: You know, I'm kind of on the outskirts watching all 699 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:38,920 Speaker 2: these trades guys engage with these students, and it was 700 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:41,120 Speaker 2: the first time I was like, No, I get to 701 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 2: be in the in the teacher and kind of empowering these. 702 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 2: I mean, I really like carpentry, but I've become the 703 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 2: go to tiler on site. 704 00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:54,080 Speaker 1: Really. 705 00:39:54,719 --> 00:40:00,719 Speaker 2: Yes, So I've tiled a lot of bathrooms, ironical, and 706 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:04,280 Speaker 2: it was my first one clicked, and it was it's 707 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 2: it clicked. 708 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 1: And have you learned enough that you could build a house? 709 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:11,759 Speaker 1: You think you could do it with guidance? 710 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:14,239 Speaker 2: No, I couldn't build a house myself, but I think 711 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:16,000 Speaker 2: I could do I could do a decent amount. 712 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:18,440 Speaker 3: I mean I I've sat. 713 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:21,160 Speaker 2: And formulated all the curriculum with the trades guys. So 714 00:40:21,239 --> 00:40:23,920 Speaker 2: I learned and now I can. I know enough to 715 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:27,480 Speaker 2: be dangerous, but I think I could help. 716 00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:31,120 Speaker 1: Did you ever think sitting in design school would be 717 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:32,120 Speaker 1: the track of your life? 718 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,719 Speaker 3: No, it would have never ever crossed my mind. But 719 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:38,280 Speaker 3: it's I was, I was telling Alex in the car. 720 00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:42,160 Speaker 2: You know, I look back and it's just like I 721 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:46,600 Speaker 2: would have never expected any of the stuff that I've 722 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,800 Speaker 2: done in the last few years. But it's weird until 723 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 2: you try something, you don't know if you're made for it, 724 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:56,960 Speaker 2: and it's just I would never go back. It's just 725 00:40:57,160 --> 00:41:01,759 Speaker 2: the coolest environment I've loved. I've loved learning construction and 726 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:05,120 Speaker 2: being around all these guys and really meeting needs in 727 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:06,400 Speaker 2: our tangible. 728 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:06,720 Speaker 3: Needs in our community. 729 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:13,320 Speaker 1: Uscina Mendez the daughter of two hardworking children of immigrants 730 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:16,920 Speaker 1: from Cuma, Puerto Rico, growing up in New Jersey and 731 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:24,920 Speaker 1: a really average, middle class, hard working family whose parents 732 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:29,520 Speaker 1: always gave and I guess illustrated you the importance of service. 733 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:37,040 Speaker 1: And here you are, a former fashion designer running a 734 00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:41,640 Speaker 1: nonprofit both teaching kids young adults how to enter the 735 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:47,160 Speaker 1: trades and a very needed capacity, and being part of 736 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:51,960 Speaker 1: running a philanthropy for philanthropist, a nonprofit for nonprofits, and 737 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:56,279 Speaker 1: changing lives in the process. What an amazing story. Well, 738 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:59,799 Speaker 1: your work is amazing, your work is needed, your work 739 00:41:59,880 --> 00:42:08,160 Speaker 1: is appreciated, and your humility is I guess passed down 740 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:12,040 Speaker 1: to you naturally. Bless your parents and bless you, and 741 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:13,480 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining me. 742 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having me. 743 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:24,680 Speaker 1: This is so fun, and thank you for joining us 744 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:28,640 Speaker 1: this week. If Christina Mendez or another guest has inspired 745 00:42:28,680 --> 00:42:31,879 Speaker 1: you in general, or better yet, to take action by 746 00:42:32,719 --> 00:42:36,239 Speaker 1: donating the Servant's Heart Ministry, by starting something like it 747 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:40,919 Speaker 1: in your own area, or something else entirely. Please let 748 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:43,480 Speaker 1: me know. I'd love to hear about it. You can 749 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:48,400 Speaker 1: write me anytime at Bill at normalfolks dot us, and guys, 750 00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:52,200 Speaker 1: you can ask anybody who's emailed me. I will respond. 751 00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:55,759 Speaker 1: And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with 752 00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:59,319 Speaker 1: friends and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate and 753 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:03,279 Speaker 1: review it. Become a premium member at normalfolks dot us. 754 00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:06,720 Speaker 1: All the things that can help us grow an army 755 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:20,160 Speaker 1: of normal folks. I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see you next week.