Hi everyone. Today's guest describes herself as just an average girl doing good work. but when you look at the impact of her life and leadership, you realize there's absolutely nothing average about Linda Goldfield. She's the CEO of Youth Haven, the only emergency and residential shelter for kids in Collier County.
She's passionate about showing up for kids. Especially those who've been let down by adults, she's also leading a $20 million campaign to expand mental health services for these kids. Right, exactly. Yeah. Thank you. So welcome. Thank you for the opportunity to be here. Yeah, no, it's special. Thank you for, agreeing to be with us during this time of year and I was thrilled to get an opportunity to talk to you back in 2018.
There was, somebody who was involved with the Youth Haven organization and. She set up an event where the children came to the salon. The boys came on one day and the girls came on another day and we were able to do, transform. We were able to give them haircuts, but in our ROP way with a lot of love and, shampoo, head, neck, and shoulder massage and just pamper them in a way that was special.
And then I got to take 'em out for ice cream at Ben and Jerry's at, at the Village, and it was one of the most heartwarming, special experiences of my entire life. Those children were. Such blessings. The grad, the gratitude that they had, the gratefulness for just getting a, a haircut and looking and feeling better about themselves, was it moved me like no other experience in my life.
Well, thank you for doing that because for our children, they've been continually disappointed by adults and for, to have, for the community or, or for Robert of Philadelphia to show up and be there for the kids to give them aspiration, normalcy that our children deserve, just like every other child. Yeah.
It was, you could see in their hearts and in their eyes and just the, their appreciation for the love. 'cause we just were able to fill them up with tons of love and it was really special. I hope to be able to do that again and we're always here for you. Thank you. E especially for that. And I don't know if you're aware that you always help us at Christmas too.
You have a Christmas tree with tags on because for the holidays on our campus, for our children, they can be very, very difficult. Realizing that they can't go home to be with their parents. And so we shower them with lots of love, the meaning of the holidays, but also equally as important, making sure that they have other gifts that they ask from Santa, that they get those special treats.
Yeah. Well, we'll be there for that. Thank you. Anything we can do, for sure. Thank you. So to, being that this is a spotlight on good people and you are for us, a good person. A good person, our community. Thank you. I wanna get to know, who you are at your core. Aside from the titles and roles that you play, who are you?
As you said in my intro, I really think I am just an average girl doing good work. And I am, I grew up in a, middle class family in Pennsylvania that, Values were instilled into us to make a difference in the world and grew up with an extended loving family where I knew that I had every opportunity that I could be whoever I wanted to be.
That I had the support of a family, that my path forward was laid out for me, that I'd go to college, that I could see the world. anything that I wanted to do was within reach. And so I. To see that their children in our community, in this affluent community who don't have those opportunities, that don't have parents that have the resources or the skills to provide for their children.
Or frankly, living in a community that's so affluent that for middle class families, working class families, and working poor, they're one disaster or one accident away from a disaster in their children. Being removed from their home really is what inspires me to do the work that I do because these are the children of the future of our community.
They deserve everything that we can do for them. And so at the core of who I am is making sure the kids have the opportunities that I had growing up. Hmm. And growing up in a two-parent home where you got lots of love and were, and had a great upbringing, what is it that you want to give to these children that you got?
Well, one, I want them to have love. I want them to see, to understand that they, they are, they're entitled to that deserve to have unconditional love, that they too can be whoever they are, and frankly, the circumstances that brought them into our care. I make them the most resilient special children who.
Who overcome the obstacles that they've gone through, that they can be whoever they want. They just need to believe in themselves. The way that myself and our staff of 74 believe in them. Hmm. Wow. 74. Yeah. Wow. That's awesome. It really takes a lot of people to make sure that they have everything they need to be successful.
They live on our campus, they go to school. We have after school activities, therapeutic activities, educational. everything that you would do for your own children or nieces and nephews were doing for the children on our campus to make sure they have better outcomes because they are the future of this community.
If for not helping them now, sadly as adults, we'll be helping them in other ways. Hmm. Was there something I read about a, Former resident or somebody else who has received assistance from Youth Haven that's an attorney now, or a family. So the first graduate of Rob's cottage, which is our homeless teen transitional program, there's a cottage on our campus called Rob's, which is for ages 16 through 21.
Those are children that may ha should have been removed from their homes by the Department of Children and Family Services, but for whatever reasons. Fell through the cracks. There are close to 1400 unaccompanied or homeless children in our community. Children that may, or teens that may be couch surfing, living in their cars, living in a camp in the woods, living multiple teens to a housing unit without a parent.
We're getting those referrals for the school system. And that program is designed to ensure homeless teens aren't homeless adults. It has a 90% success rate. The first graduate of that program, of that program is assistant state's attorney here in Collier County. How cool is that? Oh, and she's in our county and she's in our community.
Yeah. Wow. So we're really helping ensure that homeless teens have a bright future. We're there to support them. again, it's a program with, with exceptional results. The challenge is, frankly, we live in a community that there is, there isn't anything that's affordable housing. And when an average one bedroom apartment costs $2,400 and perhaps you graduate from, high school or trade school and you're making $18 an hour before you're going on to college.
It's really hard to be able to afford rents in this community. And so we struggle to help them to ensure that they're not homeless and ensuring that they're staying in our community because the last two graduates ended up leaving Naples and going to Hillsborough County because that's all they could afford.
And we provide continual support and services for those teens when they leave us at 21. So part of our strategic plan at Youth Haven is to secure. A small apartment building, an old motel, a large house, that when they graduate at 21, we can continue to provide supportive services, subsidize their rent, and be there for them as they continue to find who they are through their twenties.
Hmm. You said a number? 1400. A hundred homeless teens in our community. Wow., in this slice of paradise, of Pleasantville, of whatever it looks like in our town, you would never. Imagine that there could be that here. Right. And I think we live in a community that is so affluent, so picture perfect that it's easy to, to not know the challenges that are going on in this community.
Mm. we've been, youth Haven has been in the community since 1972. So for over 53 years, we've been providing services to this community. For many years, we were hidden in the community by design. During my tenure, we've really worked at making sure the community knows that we're there. Having an opportunity to, to visit our campus, interact with our children, to have healthy relationships for them, for them again, for them to see that the community is invested in them.
For them to have the opportunity to meet successful people in the community, to see that there is a path forward for them. Hmm. What got you into this world of helping kids like that? So I've been, my first career was in, high with a high end hotel, four seasons, hotels. Served on a lot of event committees, did a lot of philanthropic work.
That was part of my job, and always knew at some point I wanted to make the transition from being a lay leader to being a paid professional. And about, 20 little over 20 years ago, I made that transition working in nonprofits. and when the outgoing executive director of Youth Haven approached me, to join Youth Haven, my background was really in community development and fundraising, and it was something that Youth Haven really needed.
I took that job, not frankly, realizing what I was taking, and I found my forever home. I love what I do. I love going to work. I. I love making a difference in those children's lives. Whether I have them, whether I get to be with them for two days or four years. It's a profound, they have a profound effect on me and when they leave us, whether they get reunited with their parents, of which 65% do or go to a foster care family of which we have a dire need for foster care families in this community, or they age out of the system when they leave us, they take a little bit of my heart with me because I just adore them and stay connected to them.
My. Program director and I make sure that they all have our cell phone numbers so that when they leave, if there's ever anything they need, they can reach out to us. The other, I joked the other day, a girl missed the school bus and called and said, miss Linda, will you send an Uber for me? Not really what I had in mind, but of course that's what we'll do.
Whatever they need to be successful. Like somebody would do with somebody in their family. Exactly. Right. I chose to not have children and so I joke now that I have potentially 74 children. Oh wow. What a blessing. Yeah, it is. It really is. Yeah. What are holidays like? I know you spend time with them on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I know that's part of your routine. I, well, Easter is coming up, so we'll be going to church together and then out to breakfast and there's a thousand Easter eggs that will be hidden on the campus. They'll have an Easter egg hunt, and then, one of our community partners is catering lunch and Easter lunch for the kids.
So being with the, so many of holidays are really center child focused. Mm. So it's wonderful to be able to, to spend holidays with the kids, to spend it, see it through their eyes, and see the enjoyment and joy they get out of it. Mm. So Christmas is incredibly important. We make sure each child has their own birthday.
For many of our kids, they've never had a birthday, so they get to pick out the theme of their cake. They get birthday gifts. Again, making every child feel very special, individualized. We are not a campus that one size fits all. Yeah. Hmm. Just reminded me of this campaign we did last summer. 'cause I have this special place in my heart for the self-esteem of children and we did this, we called it the Princess Pamper package and wait for free.
We did over a thousand. Children, girls from the age of, I don't know, four to 17. Wow. And, it was where they got to come in and feel like a queen, a princess, really? Where they got a, Shampoo, head, neck, and shoulder massage, a, a scalp treatment and, a consultation. And they got a full transformation look if they wanted that or just a blow out, but then some tinsel in their hair where they were just treated with a, a, a glass of, grape champagne.
And, just treated like they should be by hearing as they should be. And it's aspirational for kids to see. How other people live and have those experiences that they can see. You work really hard. You too can have that as your life. Yeah. Well they, they certainly, I certainly want the, would love the opportunity to, serve the children there in any way that we can like that too.
Thank you. Beautiful.
What would surprise you the most about Youth Haven and the kids that live there? What. So I think people have this misconception that the children of Youth Haven must be bad children, broken children, they are the most incredible children you will ever meet Again, it's your experience, the gratitude.
They're just struggling with mental health issues with trauma. Most of them have significant trauma that brought them into our care, have been in multiple placements over the years. So really all they need is someone to be there for them, listen to them, love them, and give them hope and an opportunity for a brighter future.
Hmm. I think the other thing that would surprise people if you've never toured our campus is how beautiful and residential it looks. That it really is a home where children heal. it's a sanctuary. It's, it looks like anyone else's home. it's not a shelter. I think people have preconceived ideas of what shelters look like.
Yeah. And there may be shelters that, that are cots lined up in a large room. Right. But that is not what ours is. Mm. the rooms look like. A room in your own house. They decorate the rooms. They have a private bathroom. I say they look nicer than a dorm room I had in college. It's not ideal, obviously, to be living in a group home, but they're, they're safe, they're taken care of.
They see the a bright future for themselves. Tell me more about the therapeutic center that's being, so we are in the middle of a $20 million capital campaign. Thank you for asking. we've raised 11 of that $20 million. So the heartbeat of the campus right now is the Telford building. It is where all of the therapeutic activities.
All of the enrichment activities, education programs, the programming staff, the therapeutic staff are housed. We have outgrown that space. so again, it's the oldest building on campus. It has served us well, 7,000 square feet. We are moving or building a 22,000 square foot building that will allow us to continue to expand the therapeutic component of the campus as children are coming to us with more and more.
Trauma, more and more therapeutic needs. We continue to expand that portion of our campus. Why every child has a therapist. Oftentimes children are intimidated or don't wanna participate in traditional therapy. So animal assisted therapy, art therapy, music therapy, all these other programs that we are doing on the campus or helping children heal in fun ways that frankly, they don't really realize that, that it has a therapeutic component to, it.
Sounds like something. The general population could use. Absolutely. Right. That's great. What do you wish every person in this community, community understood about these kids and their stories, that they're the future of this community? so children in foster care, sadly the statistics are bleak. At a age 18, 50% become homeless.
Children in foster care are more likely to end up incarcerated drug addict alcoholics. 85% of death row inmates are in the foster care system. We, as a community, have a responsibility to make sure the children in this community aren't those bleak statistics. because. They are the future, and if we're not helping them now, again, tax dollars will be helping them later.
Mm. For many people who are transplants, I don't think they realize that there aren't tax dollars that are helping social service organizations. Our budget this year is $8 million, 7 million of it comes from community support. That's awesome. And it's the community. It's allowing us to, To provide these services to help children heal, move beyond that trauma, find out who they can be and ensure that they have a better future and brighter future.
Yeah. So fortunately there's no, concern about Elon cutting anything out of the, out of your, budget. I am, well, I don't wanna be political.
I. Currently, we're not sure what will happen with funding through Department of Children Family Services, but we expect that we'll be fine because again, is that state agency? That's the state agency. Okay. Yeah. So funding comes from the state to my knowledge. nothing is being cut as it stands, but we really.
Thrive and are able to expand our services because of the community. so the generosity of the community is what's keeping our doors open, allowing us to expand, allowing us to create a more home-like campus. We are continually renovating a campus. when you have potentially 74 children living on a campus, it's a campus that takes a lot of wear and tear.
And it's the generosity of the community that allows us to continue to upgrade it, expand it, make sure it's the best, group home that it can possibly be. Hmm. Awesome. Your hair looks amazing by the way. It does. It looks beautiful. Thank you. Looks good. Just keep looking at it. Zach. Looks sort a fabulous job.
Thank you. Very everything. Yeah. And you got a Maria shampoo too? Yeah. Oh my gosh. Unbelievable. Wow. She, she not only has incredible hands, but she sings to you. Yes. Like serenade. She's unbelievable. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. She, you have a great staff. She used a healer back there. Yeah. Yeah. She's a healer. That's her, her specialty.
Well, all us women love a little pampering. Yes. And so deserve it, right? Yes. When, when life gets hard for you, who or what do you do for strength? So I am. Incredibly fortunate to have an, a wonderful support network. incredible girlfriends that are there to support me and incredible staff that, leadership team and management team that we support each other on the campus so that when someone is struggling, we're there to support each other.
I have a loving spouse. and two loving dogs that I go home to. but when I'm having a stressful day, get in the car again on 75, drive a little too fast with a loud music on, and that's my cure-all. Oh, awesome. And what, what's the music playing when you're, when you're, when. It's probably like 1970s rock music.
Led Zeppelin was probably people. Awesome. My favorite. That's great. So I'm the woman who was driving a little too fast on, on all the roads, actually, not just the highway. That's great. I love it. Little dire maker. A little Zeppelin flying there. Very good. Your prize possession is your mom's copy of the Great Gatsby.
With her handwritten notes in it. Right. What does that book represent to you? my mother was a brilliant woman. had a PhD in English. we sat down to a dinner table every night that we had vocabulary quizzes and, Shakespeare quizzes where she or, or are, quizzes from other, well-known authors where she would.
Recite a passage and you had to say who said it. So, the arts and language and were very important in my family. and, she was a teacher that gave her life to her students. So I think some of that I got from her. Hmm. And, sadly my mother had, Lewy body dementia. So I saw a woman that at the end of her life couldn't put a noun and a verb together.
Mm. and so to see, how brilliant she was and how thoughtful and caring and so to pick up whether it's a great Gatsby for years, I kept her, essays that she wrote for students when they were going off to college, for their admissions, just to, to have her written word. Hmm. so I'm very sentimental and love to have those things around me.
Hmm. So it keeps her close to me. That's special. Yeah. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. And Jane Austen, is your woman, another woman in history for you? Jane Austen's, a woman I love. there are a lot of women that were really special in my life. I like to feel I do that same thing for other women, giving them opportunities, being that they're for them to support them, that we all need to support each other and lift each other up.
If you could, have dinner with Jane, what would you ask her? How it was to be a trailblazer in an age when women weren't allowed to be trailblazers. Yeah. How? How to have a voice when people didn't want you to have a voice. Yeah. Yeah. And to be true to yourself. How to you be true to yourself when oftentimes you really can't be.
You are also a fellow Philadelphian. Yes. Bucks County girl. Yes. Bucks County was so Delco my side was the, there's a Delco Attitude side, and then Bucks County was where the. Or from our perspective was, was a lot nicer than Bucks County was. Well, my father grew up in inner city Philadelphia in a row house, so, I know Philly.
What's your maiden name? that is my, I never, oh, okay. Goldfield is my maiden. Okay. Yeah. I never changed my name. Okay. So, so he was a Philly guy. He was a Philly guy. Went to In a row home. In a row home. Awesome. Went to, Barra High School, John Barra. And so. Philly always feels like home. I try and go back two or three times a year.
I just love the energy. I love how Philly people are real and honest and Right. Isn that, right. Yeah. And it's just, it's a great city. Yeah. my favorite analogy of, a Philly person versus anybody else's, if you get a flat tire on a road and a person from LA pulls over to help you, they'll stop and they'll say
I'm sorry you have a flat. I'm really sorry about your flat tire. I'll call somebody for you. Good luck today and take off, and a Philly person will pull over and say, you idiot, what are you doing on the road? Why are your tires bald? As they're pumping up the jack and changing the tire for you, and there seems to be more.
Philly people coming to this town. Yeah. Which is nice. So isn't that great? Yes, yes. The other day someone said, I'm going to the shore for the summer, and I like, oh wow. You're one of us. Yes. Yes. It was always what shore. Exactly What shore, what parish or what, sre. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What was your shore? so it was a child we went to.
Oh my gosh. We were just talking about this yesterday, Avalon and Stone Harbor. Oh yes. Love those. Oh, yes. So we were wild widowers Wildwood. So my grandmother was a wild widower, had a, had a cottage in Wildwood Uhhuh the other day, was talking about some, I mean, I haven't been to the Jersey Shore in years.
My aunt and uncle, at We talk, we were just having lunch who, and we were talking about, oh, we should go back and rent a house for a week just to, for the good old days. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, there's something about it. It's, that's salt air, the saltwater taffy's, the fudge, the boardwalk. I went to Atlantic City a couple years ago.
That is not the same. No, no, not at all. Yeah. Was looking for, planters peanuts that's gone. The saltwater taffy wasn't the same. The Yeah. Yeah. The boards there just aren't the same. Yeah. It's a different world there. Yeah. But it, I find the Jersey Shore, it still feels wholesome. Yeah. Like where families go to have a good time to be with each other.
Yeah. Yeah. Last time I went there, which was quite a while ago, we went to Ocean City, which is still a dry town. It's still a fa considered a family. I mean, you can drive right over the bridge to get their liquor, but still it's, it's kept its ways, with the old, tradition of Ocean City. And I remember taking my kids who were raised here
I took my son up to Philadelphia and he got to see what a real city was like for the first time when he was very young. Yeah. And having grown up in Pleasantville here, him, me taking him into the city and seeing the inner city and, people so much less fortunate than what he is. I think that it's important to see how other people live Yeah.
And to go into neighborhoods. So as a child, again, my father made sure that we saw how he was raised versus how we were raised. and it really impacted for me, my values and appreciation and, I think with success and, doing well in life comes a responsibility to help others. Yeah. And seeing, seeing that firsthand.
And I think being in a city, I think that's the challenge raising children here, that they don't really, a lot of things are hidden in this community. Yeah. And when you go to a city, it is, it is prominent. You see it everywhere. And while no one wants to see anyone suffering, I think it's really important to see it because it really puts things in perspective, how fortunate we are living here, how easy life for the most part is here.
Yes. Versus people that are struggling living in a city. Yes. Yeah. When I'm complaining about. Tra something ridiculous. Some traffic. Right. Whatever. It's, it's a joke, right?, I lived in DC for, close to 20 years and would spend an hour and a half to go five miles to commute into the city. And so it's, when you complain about a little traffic on 41, I realize I have nothing to complain about.
Yeah. Yeah. to me it's a bl traffic. I love traffic. 'cause that means there's more people. That's good. I don't mind that. It's okay. There's more hair that needs to be done, so that's good. Yes. How this town has changed and expanded has been good, I think, for all of us. Yeah. It's, it's still paradise. It's, it still is.
It's beautiful vacation from anywhere from here. This is such a perfect area. It's, it's a beautiful place to live. Perfect. Yeah. As far as your legacy, what would make you feel like your life's work has been successful To fast forward and children who've lived on our campus, who are now adults, for me to hear how successful they are and happy and, move beyond their trauma.
And whatever success looks to them that they've had those opportunities in life. Hmm.
What advice would, would you give to someone listening who wants to be a good person, but maybe doesn't know where to start? I think all of us are good people. Hmm. So I think it's just finding, finding your passion. And going after something that interests you. So whether it's children or animals or nature, whether it's volunteering or, if you're in a financial position to make a difference by writing, making, writing a check, and allowing an organization to do what they need to do with that money to, to move an organization forward is important.
But it's really finding out your passion and what your skills are and translating them to other people. Was there a, a moment in time or an event for you where you knew what your calling was, where you knew, this is it, I'm in the right place, or I'm making the right move? so my second job in the nonprofit world, I worked for a women's health organization and when I did fundraising for them, and saw the women that we were helping, I knew that.
Having made that transition from the corporate world to the nonprofit world was the right decision for me. Hmm. What is a day in the life of a CEO at Youth Haven look like? Oh, it's never, it's the most exciting, rewarding job. It's never the same day, and in fact, I. Whatever I think the day is going to be.
It's not what the day is going to be. Mm. so it could be having children in my office who, are asking for things or just need someone to talk to. It's meeting with staff, looking at programs. It's fundraising. It's, looking at the campus. so I feel that my training at Four Seasons really has informed who I am.
When I will walk around the campus and do a spot check, I do it through the eyes of someone who worked at Four Seasons. so, no detail is left, unturned. Mm. and, Through all those experiences, life, life experiences from a childhood to my current life really has allowed me to move well with different groups of people in different places they are in their life.
Hmm. I think the Four Seasons training and development as a human who likes to serve is extraordinary only because we had a, a salon in the Ritz and we. We participated in their operations, we were a part of it on a daily basis. And, their intense focus on serving LA ladies and gentlemen, serving ladies and gentlemen every moment all the time, and always listening for opportunities to serve another human.
And I know four seasons chairs almost philosophy, same. Remarkable training for, I think it's like attention to detail, making sure people are taken care of, that their expectations are met as we've become a charity that has more and more philanthropic support, those that are investing in our organization expect more from us.
And so we are always raising the bar at our organization to make sure we're doing best for our children and for the community that we're serving. Hmm. How can people. Help, what do you need? So my first thing would be that people know we exist. Because it amazes me how many people don't know that Youth Haven exists.
That there, that people are, are incredulous, that their children being removed from their homes in our community. so that knowing Youth Haven exists, coming out and seeing our facility, taking a tour, and then sharing that in the community, what our campus looks like. Who our children are having an opportunity to interact with them.
Obviously there are ways to be involved as a volunteer, whether it's coming out and doing a done in a day project, whether it's planting flowers or baking cookies with the kids, or being a math tutor, or, serving on a committee. There's many ways to be involved to make a difference on our campus.
And all of that makes a difference in the children's lives done in a done, in a done in a day. That's a, that's a, opportunity, right? So people will, will have, religious organizations that will come out and want to bring a group of people and paint a, an exterior of a cottage, do some gardening
Cooking with the kids, doing arts and crafts with the children. There's many ways to be involved. Hmm. What is a recent book or podcast that you could share with people that would be interest? Do you listen to podcasts? Do you read books? I read books. I, so, I know probably from what you've read, I'm rereading the, well, I always read the four agreements.
Mm. So it's always on my nightstand. because I try and live my life by the four agreements, which are, integrity is one. Be impeccable with your word Uhhuh. Okay. Now I'm not gonna be able to say them 'cause you're asking me to say them. I know. And I should know them too, but, well, I'll have to refresh.
I wanna reread that now. Say that. so I find that. That's how I live my day-to-day life. Mm. and I am reading, I couldn't tell you the author. I'm reading a book that takes place. It's Autobi autobiographical, in India. So India is my favorite place in the world to go. It's where I go every year to Reground and, for.
And to get spiritually connected. and so I'm reading a book about India right now about a young woman who went home to trace her roots. Wow. Yeah. How and why India? So from the second grade when we studied India, I had a fascination with it. And I finally got there when I was the first time, 52, and fell in love with it and have gone back, five times.
And it's a place that I just feel, people do make a difference in people's lives. It's a community that takes care of each other. Mm. people aren't as obsessed with, material possessions about, it's about quality of life and enjoying each other. And there's this convergence of many, many religions and the spirituality, and I just feel very connected there.
And they're, while Youth Haven will always be my number one charity, my number two charity is an orphanage, for children in Calcutta. Hmm. That's the area that you go or you visit when you I go to different places every year. There are a few places I try and go every year. I love Calcutta, I love Deli.
And, just travel to the country. See it. Hmm. I say, I'd love to live there. I don't think in this life I will, according to astrologers, in my next life, I'll live there. I got, I kind of got a sense of peace. Just hearing you share about that, about your Yeah, I think it's one of those places that, it's sensory overload.
It is incredibly overwhelming. and the poverty can be, just leave you. Paralyzed. Mm. But if you go beneath all of that, you see a country and people that are kind and spiritual and caring. Yeah. And take care of each other. And it's just, the most peaceful place I've ever been in my life. Yeah. And is it like they're almost content with the way that it is?
Not that they want more or want better, but it's like they've accepted. There's a, one of the things I notice about. This area. When I go to other areas, especially in this area, it seems like a lot of people, whatever it is that they're doing is not, they have this behavior like, this isn't really what I'm supposed to be doing.
I'm gonna be doing that. I'm gonna be there. I'm, but when I visit, like small towns like Port Huron, where my wife is from in Michigan, whatever anybody's doing, whether it's at cashier at Walmart, or a server at Applebee's, they love what they do. They're passionate about it. They're there for the long haul.
That's where they want to be. It's not like they. Need to be anywhere else, right? They could be, but they're just okay with this and they're happy with serving in that way. And so when I see, and I don't know 'cause I've never been, but when you go to a country like that and see, that there's happiness inside of that in, even though there's that level of poverty or that level of, you see what they don't have and how much we have in the gap, and people are willing to share the little that they have regardless.
So I think it's about living in the moment and being present. And not always chasing what's the next excitement and Hmm. I think a lot of people have that. It's never enough. We want more. Yeah. And not finding the contentment in what we have. Yeah. and from spiritual, spiritual perspective, most believe that they're coming back for many, many lives.
And so this isn't their only life. Hmm. so. It's just a very different way of looking at life. Yeah. And it really takes a level of practice, I think, to live in the moment. It does to be here now. Yeah. Yeah. I saw this thing just last week. this guy was probably a motivational speaker, some type of speaker back from the day of Zig Ziglar and, Carnegie, he was, he had a, an hourglass and the, he was pointing to the top of the hourglass with all the sand in it.
And then the bottom of the hourglass that had the sand that had already gone through. And he pointed at the top and he said that we live, like we have this amount of time left. We live at, we look at this and say, well, we have all this sand left and there's the middle, the sand that's going down. And then we look at the bottom as if it's the past.
And then he put his hand in front of the top of the glass and he said, we really have no idea, but we live like we do, but we have no idea. And the past is the past That's already happened. All we really have is what's in that middle there with those little grains of sand that are coming down there. And that hit me in a way that was different because until something happens or until I'm abruptly waking up, I'm, I live like, oh, I got all the time in the world I got tomorrow.
We don't know if we do. So if you live every moment, like it's your last with, with joy and. Integrity and making a difference. Mm. I think then you feel really connected to the world, but we live chasing the next next excitement and yeah. I am, I say I'm trying to find enjoyment in the mundane Mm.
The daily activities of life that, whether it's just sitting outside, listening to the birds chirp and reading a book. Mm. or sharing a glass of wine with a friend. Hmm. Truly making a difference or contributing to another human being. I think there's nothing more re rewarding or nothing more fulfilling in, in my own personal experience.
'cause I chase things just like the normal way to chase, like got this brand new big screen tv. One that I've always dreamed would be my, I made it in life TVs that fit on the wall and fill most of the wall. And I got it the next day. I was like. Is this it like, right. Where is it? Like this did nothing for me.
It was such a joke. It's a silly representation of it, but not like it was everything to me, but I thought, oh, this is gonna be nice to watch it. It means nothing like it matters none. And I still think about the day I spent with those young men, young boy, the people who came to our salon to have their haircut from the, from Youth Haven and that day how, what those, what they did for me in that day.
Not what I did for them, what they did for me. Being able to impact their life was more impactful than me, than, well, it touched your heart in a way. It really, I have to say every day my heart sings because of something, some interaction I have with our children, and it's easy to, if I get the next pair of shoes, oh my life will be better.
You get those pair of shoes and your life isn't any better. But when you have an interaction, whether it's at Youth Haven, with our children or other charities and, and the population that they're serving. You really see how you can make an impact in someone's life. There was a study done at Harvard in particular for children in foster care.
All they need is one caring adult to make a difference in their, their life. we bring on our campus by six times a year, adults that were in foster care, that are successful now. For our children to see, wow, this person. Move beyond their past, that they're not stuck in, in the history of their trauma and what brought them to Youth Haven.
And that there is a path to be successful in making a difference in their lives. Mm, inspire them. Yeah. Yeah. Just for fun. So. I see you have coffee. What's your coffee order? It's actually hot tea. Oh. English, breakfast, tea, black. Okay. No coffee then. Tea all the time. Hot tea all the time.
Yeah. Any specialties you got while you're in India? Yes. I love the loose leaf teas of India, so I'll Darjeeling, yeah, I'll try any went to a tea plantation the last visit and sampled all these different teas. I love tea. Yeah. But every so often, a double, double, shot espresso. Oh, there you the, oh, there you go.
Right after my heart, that's my drink. Yes. That's my favorite. That's what I live by. Espresso. That's why we have espresso machines in the salon. My father was, he got me on the espresso world and it was always his drink before he passed in 2015 when he, while he was sick. Well, always in his life he would
Summon me to his house to visit by sending me a text of an espresso cup. and that meant let's go sit on the back deck and have espresso together, because that was kind of our drinks. And that's like living in the moment, sharing a cup of coffee. That experience is profound. Yes. Or can be. Yes. And I remember those, those are some of the best memories I have with him.
'cause they were just, he and I just sharing a moment on his beautiful deck, having espresso together. Yeah. In paradise. Yeah. Yeah. So much better than chasing a TV or shoes. Yeah, so true. If you weren't a not-for-profit, CEO, what do you think you'd be doing today?
Gosh, I can't imagine doing anything else. Well, if I wasn't doing this, I.
I really can't imagine doing anything else. Mm. I really can't At this stage of my life, I love what I do. I love giving back to the community. I love making a difference. It brings me, I, as I shared so much joy, I get so much more out of it than what is given to me. I. Yeah, I can't imagine doing anything else.
Mm. Other than on my bucket list is to write the Great American novel, but not disciplined enough to do that, so I don't think that's happening. That's your mother in you calling, right? Yeah. That's cool. That's really cool. what's something about you that most people don't know, but should
I then I'm a farm girl at heart. So I was sharing the other day that my grandfather owned a John Deere tractor and a truck dealership, and I grew up playing on farm equipment and my board chair was like, that's not you. And I'm like, yeah, I can drive a tractor. That's awesome. Any pictures of you on a tractor?
Do you? Oh, I'm sure there's plenty of 'em. Yeah. Awesome. So I think the. Persona that most people see would never think that's who I am, but in my heart. Yeah. I love being in a, on a farm, getting my toes in the soil. Yeah. Yeah. Communing with nature. Yeah. Your roots. Yeah. There you go. We're so blessed. Our community is so blessed to have you.
I, that's awesome. Oh, no, no. I again. I, I really dislike things being about me. I know, as you can tell. Yeah. It's all about Youth Haven. so the community, we're lucky to have Youth Haven in our community. Yeah. And I'm fortunate to, I. Again, have a group, a staff, and a board of directors that's committing to committed to moving the organization forward.
Why? We're told we're one of the best facilities in the state of Florida. Our vision is to be the finest in the country because the children in this community deserve it. and so always putting others first, of course, as a good person would do. Always putting others ahead of you and always in front of you.
Yeah, it's a beautiful thing. I feel really blessed. Every day I get up, I go to a job that I love. It's not a job. Hmm. It really feels like a calling, and to make a difference in someone's life. And again, the rest of the staff feels the same way. They have staff that have worked on our campus for 20 years.
Hmm. really committed to this children of this community and again, our community, their continual investment in the work that we're doing. And understanding where we're taking that organization and wanting to support us more and more is truly making a difference for these kids. Mm. Thank you. Thank you.
You said, and your words were, the words you said to live by are, find what you seek. That was a quote that you had ru me. Yeah. Today we sought out a good person and we absolutely found one in you. Thank you for who you are, how you lead, and most of all how you love. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you for the opportunity.
And thank you for your support of youth even and our children. It's an honor and a privilege. Thank you. Yeah, thanks so much. Thanks sec. Okay. Sure. Awesome. Because I know I won't talk about myself. I knew that was awesome. What you wanna hear,? Oh, yes. I took ballet in the second grade. I mean, I don't dunno.
Yeah. I'm really not very interesting as a person. Well, you are. No, I'm not. Yeah. Philly girl. That was a good, yeah, no, no. Yeah. Nothing better than a So are, you should have asked, are you a wiz? Oh, there's a out, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. The cheese steak thing. Yeah. Yeah. We didn't talk about cheese steaks because we have that new cheese steak place here.
What new cheesesteak? it's called it's cheese steaks.com. It's on the East Trail. and they ship in the rolls and they put a ton of meat on there. It's the closest I've, I mean, really, it's the real deal. It's the real deal. Yeah. And where is it? It's, at town center or I don't even think it's called town center anymore, east.
Just past the courthouse on 41 on the left. Really? Yeah. I have no idea. They run out every day. You have to, you have to get there by a certain time. 'cause they only get so many rolls in each day. And what is it called? Cheese steaks.com. Really? Philly people to a hundred percent Philly. You'll, you might even get yelled at a little.
Oh, it's okay. But you'll feel right at home. Yeah. It's awesome. Ah, nothing better than a cheese steak and a soft bretzel. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, they're great. They, they're really good people too. They're Philly people and really great. And they're killing it. They're, they're doing great. And it's, it's the real deal.
Like that's, wow., that's. I've never had, and they don't skimp on the meat. They get the good shaved rib. It's so good. Yeah. I can't eat 'em a lot, but when I do and I indulge, it's, it's hard. It's my comfort. Go-to food. Yeah. Between that and going to, oh my God. My favorite bakery on Christian Street.
I. And having cannolis. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We don't get that. No, we don't have any mess about up there. Yeah. Yeah. So I usually go up with an empty suitcase to fill with things I really don't eat anymore, but just give me fond memories. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. That's what it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The, I used to tell people before we had this, like, if, if you're going north.
And when you come back, I'll, I'll take you to the airport and bring you back. As long as you bring me, bring me back a cheese steak from, a any cheese steak up from up there. I'm not a Pater Gino's guy, but like outside of the area, like, yeah. At the end, Joe have tried them all.
In the end they all taste the same as long as the Yeah, yeah. They get into fights over. Yeah. What's the best. But to me, for being down here and the one here, you really gotta check it out. They're, they're great. Wow. We were trying to get 'em on here, but they were so busy that, that they're. Every day they're people are just really taking on them.
Good for that. Yeah. Yeah. There's nothing like good, bad Philly food. No, exactly. Yeah. We're so right. So it's exactly what it is. Good, bad Philly food. Yeah, it's, I'm going up for, Memorial Day weekend and taking my fiance and I'm gonna show him all. Take him to all those like my favorite water, ice place.
Yeah. All these things that no one should be eating. Yeah. Cream chipped beef and scrapple. Yeah. Scrapple. I just had scrape the other day. Oh my God. Where'd you get it? Publix. Really? They had Haber set Scrapple the real deal. Oh my God. There's nothing better than scrape my wife. My wife said, what's in that?
I'm like, you don't wanna know. Yeah. You don't need to know everything that was on the floor is put together. Oh, there's nothing better. People look at me when I say, I want scrapple and cream chipped beef. They're like, where are you from? From? I've even heard cream chip beef. My mom used to make that all the time.
I haven't had that since she made it many, many years ago, but I've never heard anybody heard 41 Diner in Bonita. Oh, he's a Philly guy, right? He's a Philly guy. Yeah. He has cream chipped tea. He has it on the menu. I didn't know that. Yes. Yeah, he does. Oh wow. So I'll only go with certain people 'cause I'm embarrassed that's what I want to eat.
Wow. That's a classic one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Philly food is delicious. Yeah. Yeah. Cream shake, beef. Wow. My mother's, one of my mother's and father's best friend who grew up on Atwood Road in West Philadelphia with them, is, is still alive. And she comes here every year and she makes. A lot of the foods that my mother made, the sauce and or gravy as we called it.
Yeah. And the, and the meatballs and everything. And the, and the raviolis and yeah. Everything. And she's real close to what my mother made. And it's just so comforting. 'cause I normally don't eat pasta anymore. I can't. 'cause I, well, I can, but I, yeah, I don't. Right. Makes me tired and, I don't know how I ate it all the time, but I did it one day in my life.
But anyway, I get to have that comfort food and it's such a reminder of what those days were like. 'cause my mother every Sunday would make those. Make the meatballs and the sauce and we would be outside playing football or doing whatever, and she would lift the lid off the sauce and literally the aroma God of the basil and the garlic and the sauce would float outdoors.
And we knew that we could run in and steal a meatball or two from the dish. 'cause the good home cooking that she had. Oh yeah. There's nothing better than the Italian food in South Philly too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have two girlfriends that are from, the Bronx who still do. Sunday gravy. Yeah. Oh, love that.
That it's still going on. Yeah.,? I see. I don't wanna see that tradition die. Yeah.,? Keep going. I love it. Yeah. You're making me hungry. Well, thank you so much. Yeah, my pleasure. Yeah, definitely Zach. Zach, thanks for getting us set up. Thanks for listen. Thank you for doing all of this. This is amazing that you're doing it.
Thank you for Yeah, I know. Helping to spotlight youth even. Yeah, I can't wait to, to see, to see or get involved in whatever it is that we can do because Perfect. Thank you. Really life altering experience for any human doing it, so thanks. I think so. Thank you. Yeah. Appreciate it. Thank you so much.