Army of Normal Folks

When Jim and Melinda brought presents to a low-income family, they felt off and weird that the relationship would stop there. So they kept coming back to their largely immigrant mobile home park and families asked them to help their kids with homework. Today, their accidental nonprofit Path United operates community centers in 7 mobile home parks and serves 600 kids every week! Support the show: h...

For our latest “Shop Talk”, Coach Bill responds to a listener who is interested in working in government and disheartened by our tagline that our country's problems won't be solved by fancy people in DC. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Rhonda has assigned listening to and reflecting on our podcast to over 400 of her college students. And just wait until you hear her story that led to an extraordinary life of purpose. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Rhonda has assigned listening to and reflecting on our podcast to over 400 of her college students. And just wait until you hear her story that led to an extraordinary life of purpose. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our host brings us a special short episode on his difficult and yet redemptive experience with Father’s Day. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For our latest “Shop Talk”, Coach Bill pays tribute to Ole Miss’ former Dean of Students who changed his life and countless others. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don is on the frontlines of challenging our broken 20th century education system with 21st century innovations. As a teacher, he brought unheard of things like “Genius Time” and “open-source learning” to his classroom. And his latest innovation is the StartedUp Foundation, which has helped Indiana teachers engage over 6,000 students with the most elite entrepreneurship pitch competition! Support t...

Don is on the frontlines of challenging our broken 20th century education system with 21st century innovations. As a teacher, he brought unheard of things like “Genius Time” and “open-source learning” to his classroom. And his latest innovation is the StartedUp Foundation, which has helped Indiana teachers engage over 6,000 students with the most elite entrepreneurship pitch competition! Support t...

She taught me a whole lot about grace. For our latest “Shop Talk”, Coach Bill pays tribute to his Gram. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carly has experienced molestation, prostitution, sex trafficking, addiction, loss, homelessness on Skid Row, and almost every trauma that you could imagine. Her escape and recovery have fueled her radical empathy for the least among us, starting with welcoming the homeless gentleman who appeared in her garden one day. Today, Miss Carly's has fed thousands out of her own home, and most importantly...

Carly has experienced molestation, prostitution, sex trafficking, addiction, loss, homelessness on Skid Row, and almost every trauma that you could imagine. Her escape and recovery have fueled her radical empathy for the least among us, starting with welcoming the homeless gentleman who appeared in her garden one day. Today, Miss Carly's has fed thousands out of her own home, and most importantly...

Not well enough at least. For "Shop Talk," Coach Bill Courtney gets vulnerable.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Ronda Paulson found out that kids entering foster care slept in government offices while they waited to be placed, she got mad at God and heard ‘These are my children, what are you going to do?’ What Ronda did is build a beautiful home to welcome them into and there's now 22 of these Isaiah 117 Houses around the country. And they've loved on over 5,000 kids on what is often the worst day of t...

When Ronda Paulson found out that kids entering foster care slept in government offices while they waited to be placed, she got mad at God and heard ‘These are my children, what are you going to do?’ What Ronda did is build a beautiful home to welcome them into and there's now 22 of these Isaiah 117 Houses around the country. And they've loved on over 5,000 kids on what is often the worst day of t...

For our "Shop Talk" series, Coach Bill Courtney gives his hot take on a topic that a listener recommended he address... travel youth sports.   Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert was the beneficiary of older black men who assigned him to a church, placed him in a job, bought him $2,200 worth of professional clothing, and mentored him. They challenged him to do the same for the next generation and he's doing just that through his initiative called Friends After 5, which hosts happy hours to fix the sad reality that not enough black and white Americans are friends aft...

Robert was the beneficiary of older black men who assigned him to a church, placed him in a job, bought him $2,200 worth of professional clothing, and mentored him. They challenged him to do the same for the next generation and he's doing just that through his initiative called Friends After 5, which hosts happy hours to fix the sad reality that not enough black and white Americans are friends aft...

For our "Shop Talk" series, Coach Bill Courtney talks about why he calls his kids delicious. And promises that he's not into cannibalism.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turkish immigrant Hakki Akdeniz ended up homeless in New York City after a friend didn't keep his promise to help him settle there. Through hard work and a ton of normal folks supporting his greatness, Hakki has built a food empire with 20 restaurants that includes Champion's Pizza and frozen pizza that's in 1,600 stores! This walking billboard of the American Dream has 35 million followers on Ins...

Turkish immigrant Hakki Akdeniz ended up homeless in New York City after a friend didn't keep his promise to help him settle there. Through hard work and a ton of normal folks supporting his greatness, Hakki has built a food empire with 20 restaurants that includes Champion's Pizza and frozen pizza that's in 1,600 stores! This walking billboard of the American Dream has 35 million followers on Ins...

For our "Shop Talk" series, Coach Bill pontificates on vacuums and when they can hurt you.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott is the founder of Church Health, the largest faith-based privately funded health clinic in the country. Over 1,000 doctors volunteer to serve 80,000 underinsured patients in Memphis! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott is the founder of Church Health, the largest faith-based privately funded health clinic in the country. Over 1,000 doctors volunteer to serve 80,000 underinsured patients in Memphis! Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For our “Shop Talk” series, Coach Bill tells the inspirational story of Paralympic gold medalist Katie Holloway. And what we can all learn from her.  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 16 years old, Jeff was wrongfully convicted of raping and murdering a classmate. And after sixteen years in prison, he was finally exonerated. Rather than being dominated by victimhood that no one would have blamed him for, Jeff went to work fighting to free others who’ve been wrongly convicted and he's already freed 11 folks!  Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join See omnystudio.c...