Army of Normal Folks

For Shop Talk, we bring you former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's powerful letter upon his post, "My Parting Prescription for America". Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Khali started Downtown Boxing Gym to use boxing as the hook to teach vulnerable Detroit kids about life. Ironically, none of the kids are now using their boxing ring, but their STEAM Lab and other awesome stuff have helped 1,500 kids graduate high school and 98% go on to post-secondary education!  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Khali started Downtown Boxing Gym to use boxing as the hook to teach vulnerable Detroit kids about life. Ironically, none of the kids are now using their boxing ring, but their STEAM Lab and other awesome stuff have helped 1,500 kids graduate high school and 98% go on to post-secondary education!  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

For An Army of Normal Dead Folks, Larry Reed brings us the story of the pilot who dropped sweets & hope to the children of Berlin. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For "Shop Talk", Coach Bill shares the story of the motel where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr was shot and killed. And Jackie Smith's 34 year protest of it being converted into the National Civil Rights Museum.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While 94.6% of kidney donors give them to someone they know, Sam Fledderjohann felt called to give a kidney to anyone who needed it. Her being what is called an “altruistic donor” enabled a whole chain of kidney donations to be unlocked, resulting in 20 transplant surgeries over 2 days that saved the lives of 10 recipients!   Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join...

While 94.6% of kidney donors give them to someone they know, Sam Fledderjohann felt called to give a kidney to anyone who needed it. Her being what is called an “altruistic donor” enabled a whole chain of kidney donations to be unlocked, resulting in 20 transplant surgeries over 2 days that saved the lives of 10 recipients! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystu...

For Shop Talk, Coach Bill and Alex dive into one of their favorite speeches, President Teddy Roosevelt's "The Man In The Arena", and what the Army can learn from it. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the state of Tennessee, payday lenders can charge interest rates upwards of 459%. Travis Moody and his nonprofit Forward Memphis are on a mission to outcompete them, charging only 10%. In only 20 months, they’ve helped 600 families save a total of $800k! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the state of Tennessee, payday lenders can charge interest rates upwards of 459%. Travis Moody and his nonprofit Forward Memphis are on a mission to outcompete them, charging only 10%. In only 20 months, they’ve helped 600 families save a total of $800k! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For "Shop Talk", we share Army member John Norman's powerful note about donating blood. And a lot more of us need to be doing it.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After having been abandoned as a baby, Monica Kelsey has gone on to help save the lives of 227 babies! Her nonprofit Safe Haven Baby Boxes offers a compassionate and secure option for mothers in crisis who are unable to care for their newborns. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After having been abandoned as a baby, Monica Kelsey has gone on to help save the lives of 227 babies! Her nonprofit Safe Haven Baby Boxes offers a compassionate and secure option for mothers in crisis who are unable to care for their newborns. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

And they might just impact your life too. Our latest Shop Talk on visiting the elderly.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a 6 year old, Nate saw his parents die right before his eyes. He was living out of his car and then in prison, until his English teacher Stan Deen decided to try to save his life. This extraordinary story is the subject of Angel Studios’ latest film Brave the Dark, which is in theaters now. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

As a 6 year old, Nate saw his parents die right before his eyes. He was living out of his car and then in prison, until his English teacher Stan Deen decided to try to save his life. This extraordinary story is the subject of Angel Studios’ latest film Brave the Dark, which is in theaters now. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

For An Army of Normal Dead Folks, Larry Reed tells the story of the Polish hero who spied on the Nazis and the Soviets. And paid the ultimate price for it. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merriam-Webster’s 2024 Word of the Year was "polarization." For Shop Talk, we explore what we can do to ensure that this never happens again. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Todd is the founding director of Calvin Prison Initiative, an accredited bachelor degree program that’s inside of a prison. And one that’s not only transformed their students’ lives, but most fascinating is how it’s cultivated An Army of Normal Prisoners who've completely transformed the culture inside of Michigan’s prisons!  Support the show: https://www.no...

Todd is the founding director of Calvin Prison Initiative, an accredited bachelor degree program that’s inside of a prison. And one that’s not only transformed their students’ lives, but most fascinating is how it’s cultivated An Army of Normal Prisoners who've completely transformed the culture inside of Michigan’s prisons!  Support the show: https://www.no...

For our series "An Army of Normal Dead Folks", Larry Reed tells the story of his friend Nicholas Winton, who rescued 669 mostly Jewish children who were at risk of being killed by Nazi Germany.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Army member asked for producer Alex to share the origin story of An Army of Normal Folks. And so he did.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inga Arvin felt called to move to the challenging Louisville neighborhood of Portland, but her husband Shawn didn’t want to because he used to buy drugs there. Their obedience strangely led them to get a house for free if they bought a community center, which of course led them reinvigorating it with over 200 kids playing basketball, a 400 person fish fry, a school, and a thrift store. Welco...

Inga Arvin felt called to move to the challenging Louisville neighborhood of Portland, but her husband Shawn didn’t want to because he used to buy drugs there. Their obedience strangely led them to get a house for free if they bought a community center, which of course led them reinvigorating it with over 200 kids playing basketball, a 400 person fish fry, a school, and a thrift store. Welco...

For "Shop Talk", Coach Bill dives into the paradox of An Army of Normal Folks doing abnormal things. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.