Be the Difference

Today, Chris and Sammy are joined by Caleigh Willis and Cristen Johnson. Both work for the Anthony Munoz Foundation; Caleigh is the Assistant Director and Cristen is the Director of Programming. The Munoz Foundation seeks to impact the lives of the Greater Cincinnati area youth mentally, physically, and spiritually through their seven Impact Programs. After over two decades of service, more than 5...

76 | Warrior of Eden | A Conversation with Beth Guckenberger March is International Women’s Month, and today Chris and Sammy are joined by Beth Guckenberger! Beth is a wife, mom, beloved abuela , author, and speaker. Beth joins us today  to talk about her newest book, Warrior of Eden and how she hopes to facilitate conversations honoring women all around the world through it.  In this episode, Bet...

Kevin Corey is an Indiana native, a husband, father, grandfather, Veteran, and the Executive Director of Wesley Chapel Mission Center. Wesley Chapel is a guiding light and trusted haven that empowers children and families in Over-the-Rhine to practice Christ-like actions that transform the community. Kevin is a former DARE officer, youth coach, and mentor; he has documented his own upbringing and...

To kick off February’s episodes, Chris and Sammy discuss two statistics concerning after-school programming and what access means for a child or teen and how do we measure the things that don’t happen as success? In this episode, Sammy and Chris dive into why after school programming matters so much, and why these programs are a solution for everyone, not just youth who have difficult home lives....

Patience Dimka is a wife, mother, psychologist, and the Assistant Site Director of Back2Back Nigeria. Her time with Back2Back began as a staff psychologist using innovative and unique approaches to provide presence and trauma-informed care to vulnerable children when and where she could. She now helps lead an entire staff team in providing holistic care to those in her own country. In this episode...

Happy New Year! This week, Sammy and Chris are discussing what it really means to be an expert. How much training is necessary, why training matters, and how they have each seen it make a difference in the experience of being the difference in the lives of others.  In this episode, Chris shares a recent statistic he heard on how much training is required for several different career paths. Hear ho...

As we close out 2023 we are grateful for another full year of stories of everyday people being the difference for one! Together, we’ve listened to stories of grit, determination, following promptings without knowing how things will end, and how people, everyday, choose to show up for others and leave an impact that won’t be forgotten. Thank you for joining us, sharing with us, and gathering around...

As 2023 is drawing to a close, Chris and Sammy come together today to share reflections on the last year and the many guests who are being the difference right where they are, and discuss how you, the listener, can be a difference, too! In this episode, Chris and Sammy share their top ten ways you can make a difference right where you are. Bring holiday cheer to those around you by surprising a ne...

Azubike Kalu is a husband, father, former tutor, and current Director of Back2Back Nigeria. His journey with the ministry began with tutoring, and over time, he became captain of a children’s home, then an assistant director, and now he leads an entire staff team in providing holistic care to vulnerable populations in his own home-country. In this episode, Azubike shares who mentored him well in h...

In the midst of headlines of war, civil unrest, embattled opinions and election news the world can quickly become overwhelming. How can we be the difference when headlines feel so heavy? Sammy and Chris dive into this question and discuss ways they each navigate the call to be the difference even when the world feels overwhelming.  In this episode, Sammy and Chris share the ways they each navigate...

On October 11th, many people joined Back2Back staff in-person and virtually at the annual A Night of Hope. It was a night for many to recall just how many different people are being the difference in the lives of those around them. It was a night filled with conversation, emotion, and story. A special part of the evening was hearing directly from Beth Guckenberger, Back2Back Co-Executive Director,...

Rick and Lisa Bursey are husband and wife, mom and dad to two boys, and officially the new Site Directors for Back2Back’s ninth global site in Linares, Mexico! Originally from Ontario, Canada, the Burseys have long served children and said yes to every big and small moment God has extended an invitation. In 2008, they quit their jobs, sold their belongings, and moved two hours south of Monterrey,...

Today, Sammy and Chris welcome back Beth Guckenberger! Beth is the Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries, an author, speaker, wife, and mom. Today, she is sharing about her newest children’s book!  In this episode, Beth shares about a conversation she still remembers having with her mom in the third grade and how it still impacts her today. Hear how Beth defines spiritual warfare, how to f...

Happy September! This month, Sammy and Chris are discussing all things books! How their love of reading began, why reading leaves a lasting impact, and how they have each seen it make a difference in the lives of the children they love and serve.  In this episode, Sammy shares an article from Child Mind Institute, why it says we should all be reading to the children in our lives, and the many bene...

Michael Sickles is former college athlete, a father and leader of the Juvenile Justice Initiative and Youth Development at Back2Back Cincinnati. He is known for his voice, both the sound of it and the way he uses it to advocate for access to hope for every youth in Cincinnati.  In this episode, Michael shares how he learned to get back up when he tripped over obstacles in his path, how those exper...

Continuing the theme of justice and the hope that is possible when we choose to be the difference, Chris and Sammy share their reflections on  the TBRI Trauma-Informed Courts Podcast. Join them as they dive into a conversation on the exponential impact of small changes and the ways these changes can make a difference in our everyday lives.  In this episode, Chris and Sammy discuss specific strateg...

Michelle Clifton earned her PhD in social ethics at Loyola University Chicago and has worked in higher education for twenty years. Michelle’s passion is interrupting the US’s over-reliance on incarceration, finding creative alternatives, such as equitable and accessible education or restorative justice solutions, through collaboration with those most impacted. In 2018, she founded the “School of R...

July is here, and that means Chris and Sammy are sharing a new statistic and a new focus on the Be the Difference Podcast! Join them as they dive into a conversation on justice for juveniles at risk of incarceration, how the Back2Back Cincy team is stepping into this conversation and returning years to local youth who would otherwise be behind bars, and the reasons why these conversations matter....

Sara Jensen is multilingual, the podcast’s first Norwegian guest, and is the Back2Back Monterrey Coordinator of the Transition Program, which comes alongside in transitioning students to independence. Sara has lived all around the world and is very passionate about travel and coffee. In this episode, Sara shares how old she was when she first felt called to be a missionary, what song influenced he...

It’s a fresh month, which means a fresh focus on the Be the Difference Podcast! Join Chris and Sammy for a delicate conversation in which they discuss social media, its effects on children and teens, females specifically, and the staggering statistics that accompany them. In this episode, Chris and Sammy discuss something that influences most of us and dive into discussion on developing good rhyth...

Matt and Julie Cooper met in high school and have since married, parented both biological and foster children, and have been in ministry together for over 20 years. Matt is the Director of Staff Care for Back2Back Ministries and Julie is the Senior vice President of Training for Trauma Free World. Welcome to part two of this in-depth conversation with the Coopers about their aligned passion to ser...

Matt and Julie Cooper have been in ministry together for over 20 years. Matt is the Director of Staff Care for Back2Back Ministries and Julie is the Senior Vice President of Training for Trauma Free World. Matt and Julie met in high school and eventually came to accept Jesus on the same day, at the same event. From a solid friendship to a marriage and years of serving alongside one another interna...

New month, new topic! This week, Chris is joined by Back2Back staff and Be the Difference Podcast Producer, Mikeyy Evans. Mikeyy is a videographer, husband to Katie, and father to five-year old twins. In this week’s episode, Chris and Mikeyy discuss how our definitions of family change as we age, what led Mikeyy and his wife to foster care, and why defining family doesn't have to come  with ti...

Rob Hall is a former educator, administrator, and counselor. He is a husband, father, advocate, and President of Trauma Free World. Trauma Free World is a community based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, and is dedicated to helping people around the world heal from childhood trauma. Through in-person and online training, their desire is to assist anyone with an internet connection or mobile phone in heali...

It’s a new month, which means our co-hosts have a new statistic! This week, Sammy shares a staggering statistic about children around the world and their experiences with trauma. It is a stat at the root of the holistic care Back2Back seeks to provide globally.  In this week’s episode, Sammy and Chris discuss what we are to do with numbers like this and how do we keep from remaining in a state of...