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In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Dawnté Early, CEO of United Way California Capital Region. United Way is one of our region’s longest-serving nonprofits, with more than a century of impact — but what struck me most in this conversation is how intentionally the organization has evolved to meet today’s realities.

We talk about what it really takes to “end poverty,” why education remains the strongest ladder out, and how United Way is stepping beyond traditional grantmaking to provide direct services that stabilize families, support children, and strengthen entire communities.

This conversation spans early childhood literacy, housing stability, guaranteed income for former foster youth, free tax preparation, collaboration, policy change, and the growing pressure facing nonprofits as safety-net funding tightens. It’s thoughtful, data-driven, and deeply human.

What We Cover in This Conversation

• How United Way has evolved from a trusted community funder into a hands-on, direct-service organization
• Why education is central to breaking generational cycles of poverty — starting at birth
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and how monthly books are changing outcomes for families
• Kindergarten readiness, literacy tutoring, and closing opportunity gaps after COVID
• Guaranteed income for former foster youth — and why $500 a month can mean the difference between dropping out and graduating
• Free tax preparation and how tens of millions of dollars are being returned to local families that might have otherwise gone unnoticed
• The role of collaboration, collective impact, and shared infrastructure across nonprofits
• Why poverty is also a policy issue — and how United Way is working upstream
• The financial realities nonprofits face as government support pulls back
• Leadership, sustainability, and what it takes to grow impact without losing mission

Why This Matters

United Way’s work touches every stage of life — from early literacy to college completion to financial stability for working families. This episode offers a clear look at how layered, connected solutions can create real, measurable outcomes, and why collaboration is no longer optional in today’s nonprofit landscape.

If you care about education, housing, economic mobility, or the future of our nonprofit safety net, this is an important conversation.

Learn More

Find programs, volunteer opportunities, free tax prep locations, and upcoming events by visiting your local United Way website. Information on United Way Capital Region and their annual gala can be found in the links below.

Website link: https://www.yourlocalunitedway.org/

Tax preparation link: https://www.yourlocalunitedway.org/our-work/financial-security/free-tax-preparation/

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

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Big Day of Giving returns on May 7, 2026, and once again the Sacramento region will come together around generosity, philanthropy, purpose, and community impact.

In this NewsPod, I’m joined by Vasey Coman, Senior Director of Communications at the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, to talk about what’s new for 2026 and why this day matters so deeply to our local nonprofit ecosystem.

We discuss how Big Day of Giving has evolved far beyond a single day of fundraising into a year-round opportunity for nonprofits to build capacity, strengthen relationships, and collaborate across the region. We also explore the lowered minimum donation, how families and young people are being introduced to philanthropy, and why unrestricted dollars remain so critical for nonprofit sustainability.

Whether you’re a nonprofit considering participation or a donor looking to make a meaningful impact, this conversation highlights how one day of collective generosity can fuel year-long change.

To learn more or to register, visit bigdayofgiving.org.

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

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Imagine a 13-year-old student—overweight for her age, already pre-diabetic—who has grown up surrounded by food but never truly learned how to use it. Vegetables feel unfamiliar. Cooking feels out of reach. Then she joins a food literacy program at school. She discovers there are fruits and vegetables she actually enjoys. She learns how to prepare them. Over time, her eating habits change, her health improves, and eventually, medication is no longer part of her daily life. Her family follows her lead—because food literacy doesn’t stop in the classroom.

With food literacy, stories like this aren’t hypothetical. They’re happening.

In this episode, I speak with Amber Stott, Founder and CEO—and proudly titled Chief Food Genius—of the Food Literacy Center. We talk about childhood obesity, food insecurity, and why teaching kids how to cook may be one of the most effective long-term health interventions we have.

Why This Matters

• Nearly 40% of children in the Sacramento region are considered obese, many while also experiencing food insecurity
• Cheap, calorie-dense food and a lack of basic food education are driving diet-related diseases at younger and younger ages
• Once unhealthy habits are formed, they’re hard to undo—but kids don’t have habits yet, we can make a difference with the right programs

Food Literacy Center focuses on prevention, not correction—building healthy behaviors early, when they’re most likely to stick.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why hunger and obesity often exist side by side
• How hands-on cooking changes kids’ attitudes toward food
• Why 94% of students in the program try new fruits and vegetables
• How behavior change happens at school—and carries home
• What it takes to scale impact without losing quality
• Why adults consistently underestimate what kids are willing to try

By the Numbers

• 40% – Childhood obesity rate in the Sacramento region
• 94% – Students who try new fruits or vegetables in the program
• 75% – Students who ask for those foods at home
• 23 schools – Current reach, with plans to double by 2027
• $160 per child – Cost of prevention versus far higher long-term health costs

Who This Episode Is For

• Nonprofit leaders focused on prevention and early intervention
• Educators and school administrators
• Funders interested in scalable, evidence-based programs
• Anyone concerned about childhood health, food access, and equity

Find out more about the Food Literacy Center by visiting their website: FoodLiteracyCenter.org

Episode Chapters

00:00 Why Food Literacy Started
05:20 Childhood Obesity & Food Insecurity
10:45 Why Schools Change Habits
17:30 Kids Try New Foods (94%)
25:15 Getting Food Home t

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

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In this NewsPod I speak with Trent Simmons, Chief Program Officer of Sacramento Steps Forward to unpack the latest Point-in-Time (PIT) Count and what the data actually tells us about homelessness in Sacramento.

The PIT Count is more than a snapshot—it’s a federally required tool that shapes funding decisions, policy direction, and how resources are deployed across our region. In this conversation, we talk about what has changed since the last count, where progress is being made, and where challenges persist.

We also explore why the numbers matter beyond headlines—how they reflect real people, real systems, and the long-term work required to move individuals from crisis to stability. This NewsPod is about context, clarity, and accountability—understanding not just what the data says, but why it matters.

If you care about housing stability, public investment, or the effectiveness of our local response to homelessness, this is an essential listen. It's also a call to action to volunteer for the count. The goal is 1000 volunteers to get the most accurate count possible as numbers matter. The details on registration are below.

What You’ll Hear in This NewsPod

• What the PIT Count measures—and what it doesn’t
• Key takeaways from Sacramento’s latest data
• How PIT Count results influence funding and strategy
• Why year-to-year comparisons require nuance
• The importance of viewing data through a human lens

2026 Point in Time Count

When:

January 26 & 27, 2026. 5:00–11:00 p.m.

Volunteers are highly encouraged to participate in both nights of the count if possible.

Where: Volunteers will meet at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center (6151 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95819) before going out to pre-determined routes across the County.

How: Volunteers are required to register by January 16, 2026.

https://www.sacramentostepsforward.org/data-and-analytics/2026-sacramento-point-in-time-count/

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and this conversation lands right where awareness must lead: action, support, and long-term pathways to stability.

In this episode, I speak with Emily Sanders, founder of Connect2Change—and a survivor herself—whose work is redefining what happens after someone escapes exploitation. Emily’s organization began with crisis support, but it has evolved into something rare and powerful: an empowerment-through-entrepreneurship model designed to help survivor-leaders build sustainable independence.

Emily recently won Sacramento Venture Philanthropy’s Fast Pitch 2025—a major community vote of confidence in a young organization with an innovative approach. We talk about what that moment meant, why mentorship and ecosystem partnerships matter, and how entrepreneurship can interrupt cycles of dependency by rebuilding confidence, capability, and financial stability—one micro-enterprise at a time.

This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, and what it really takes to build “what comes next.”

In this episode, we cover:

• Why Human Trafficking Awareness Month must include survivor-led solutions
• How Connect2Change evolved from crisis intervention to entrepreneurship
• The difference between “services” and sustainable empowerment
• Why strengths-based coaching and mindset work are central—not optional
• The 5-week cohort structure (AI training, assessments, business basics, money, ecosystem tours)
• The role of mentorship and community partnerships in long-term success
• What Emily would build if funding weren’t a limitation—and what she needs most right now

Learn more / Get involved

• Connect2Change: https://www.connect2change.org/
• Contact Emily: emily@connect2change.org

CHAPTER SUMMARIES

00:00 – Human Trafficking Awareness Month & Why “After” Matters
Why awareness must extend beyond rescue—and why long-term pathways to independence matter for survivors.

04:30 – Fast Pitch Victory & Community Validation
Emily reflects on winning SVP Fast Pitch, what it meant for a young organization, and how belief from others fuels momentum.

11:45 – From Survivor to Founder
Emily shares her personal story of survival and the moment she realized her own journey could become a roadmap for others.

17:30 – Rethinking Support: From Crisis Care to Empowerment
How Connect2Change evolved from emergency services into an entrepreneurship-based empowerment model.

26:00 – Inside the Program: Building Confidence, Skills, and Stability
A practical look at the cohort structure—mindset work, strengths assessments, financial healing, business basics, mentorship, and ecosystem connection.

41:30 – What Comes Next: Funding, Partnerships, and the Call to Action
Emily outlines what the org

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

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In this episode, I welcome back an organization that continues to shape the way our children—and our communities—understand disability, respect, and inclusion. A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) is celebrating 30 years of hands-on empathy-building, reaching more than 157,000 students across 10 counties with wheelchairs, white canes, prosthetics, lived experience, and powerful conversations that students remember for life.

I sit down with Executive Director Meghan Adamski and longtime volunteer and speaker Karen Parsegian, whose personal journey and unforgettable humor bring the mission of ATOU to life. Together, we explore:

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• The origin story — how a five-year-old’s moment of clarity became a decades-long movement for understanding and respect.
• The speakers — volunteers with and without disabilities who help kids ask brave questions, break down assumptions, and discover what they have in common.
• The hands-on experience — wheelchairs, canes, prosthetic limbs, braille, learning-difference simulations, and the “dark meal” that helps students feel, not just hear, someone else’s experience.
• Impact across generations — students who experienced ATOU as children now bringing the program to their own classrooms.
• Community partnerships — from Boys Team Charity and National Charity League to speakers referred through Society for the Blind and Progressive Employment Concepts.
• What it takes to grow the movement — and how ATOU is preparing for the next 30 years of expansion both locally and nationwide.

Karen’s stories alone remind you why this organization works: joyful curiosity, unexpected connection, and the brave honesty only children can deliver. And Meghan shares the vision of an ever-expanding “family” where people with disabilities are not just welcome—they are wanted as teachers, leaders, and role models.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like when understanding becomes action, this conversation paints the picture.

Learn More

➡️ A Touch of Understanding: https://touchofunderstanding.org
➡️ Volunteer opportunities, virtual programs, and their upcoming 30th Anniversary “Evening of Insight” celebration.

CHAPTER SUMMARY:

(00:00) '30 Years of Nonprofit Service
(11:00) Engaging Educational Program for Students
(21:22) Impact of Touch of Understanding Program
(27:46) Community Engagement and Funding Strategies
(32:24) Impactful Program Enhancing Empathy and Inclusion
(46:53) Building Strong ATOU Family Bonds

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

What if one of the most effective ways to protect California’s quality of life—for generations to come—starts with something as simple as native plants?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jun Bando, Executive Director of the California Native Plant Society to explore why native plants may be one of the most practical—and overlooked—investments in California’s future.

CNPS operates at the intersection of science, community engagement, and advocacy. Their work touches climate resilience, biodiversity, water systems, and education—often quietly, always with a long view in mind.

We talk about why conservation requires patience, how local action connects to statewide impact, and what it means to steward something today that may not fully show its return for decades.

This conversation is for anyone curious about thoughtful and responsible philanthropy, and the power of caring for what endures.

To learn more about the California Native Plant Society, you can visit their website https://www.cnps.org/

⏱️ Chapter Timestamps

00:00 – Why Ask the Plant Question Now?
Why native plants have become a quality-of-life issue—not just an environmental one.

03:10 – What CNPS Really Does (Beyond the Name)
The scope of CNPS work across science, education, policy, and grassroots action.

07:05 – Native Plants as Infrastructure
How ecosystems quietly support water, climate resilience, and community health.

11:40 – The Long Game of Conservation
Why this work resists shortcuts—and why that matters for lasting impact.

16:20 – Community, Volunteers, and Local Action
How everyday Californians connect to conservation through CNPS.

20:45 – Climate Reality Without Alarmism
Addressing environmental urgency while staying grounded in data and hope.

25:30 – Stewardship, Philanthropy, and Legacy
Why donors play a critical role in protecting what won’t trend—but will last.

29:10 – Looking Ahead: What Gives CNPS Hope
The future of native plant conservation and why optimism still belongs here.

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

As the year comes to a close, I’m pressing pause on our regular programming to reflect — and to say thank you.

In this brief holiday message, I share what this past year has revealed about the power of storytelling, the strength of our nonprofit community, and the quiet, human work that truly builds impact. The stories we’ve had the privilege to hear — and help be heard — remind me that community isn’t built by headlines, hashtags, or algorithms. It’s built by people. By commitment. By heart.

I also extend deep gratitude to our founding and sustaining partners — CAPTRUST, Western Health Advantage, CxORE Fractional Leadership, and our newest partner heading into 2026, Five Star Bank — whose support allows hundreds of nonprofits each year to share their mission with clarity and dignity.

You’ll also hear a little holiday fun — because even meaningful work should leave room for play.

From all of us at the Nonprofit Podcast Network, thank you for listening, supporting, sharing, and believing in the power of community storytelling.

Wishing you peace, warmth, rest, and renewed purpose this holiday season — and a hopeful year ahead.

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.