Crazy Good Turns

Project D.R.E.W. brings together veterans and songwriters to turn their stories of service into songs. The nonprofit was founded by Marilyn Zeidner, Mike Winnen and Brian Ferguson in honor of Captain Drew Ferguson, an Army Green Beret and Special Forces team leader who carried a guitar with him on deployment. Frank sits down with Marilyn, Mike and Brian to talk about what happens when a veteran he...

Lindy Wood is the founder of Westonwood Ranch, a 10-acre working farm in the Florida Panhandle. When her son Weston was diagnosed with autism fifteen years ago, she realized a terrifying "services cliff" awaited him—and millions of others—the moment they transitioned into adulthood. Rather than letting her son fall, Lindy built an extraordinary hands-on community where teens and young adults with...

Luke Mickelson is the founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit dedicated to building and delivering beds to children who don't have one. What started as a family project in an Idaho garage has grown into a global organization with nearly 400 chapters and more than 300,000 beds delivered to date. In this episode, we discuss: The moment Luke discovered that kids in his own town were sleeping...

Bill Gurley is a venture capitalist known for early investments in Uber, Grubhub, Zillow and many others. Gurley joins us to discuss "Running Down a Dream," his new book — which is full of career advice that is as surprising as it is useful.  In this episode, we discuss: The Power of Mentorship: Why Bill feels a moral urge to share what he's learned with the world. The "Safe" Path Trap: Why the jo...

She's the mom of a child with a rare condition, and she wouldn't take "no" for an answer from doctors. He walked 500 miles for his granddaughter, who has the same condition. Together, they're helping a foundation develop a gene therapy treatment faster and cheaper than the big pharma giants. Today, we speak with Nicole Johnson, founder of the FOXG1 Research Foundation, and Tom Horton, former CEO o...

Walter Martin spent decades making and playing music, most famously with the indie rock bands Jonathan Fire*Eater and The Walkmen. Recently, he's started a new crazy good turn,  helping people like you and me rediscover the joy of music through his Walter Martin Radio Hour show and Substack. In this episode, we discuss: How a single instrument (like the organ) can change how you hear a song. Why W...

Frank Blake sits down with Goodwill Industries CEO Steve Preston and truck driver Michael West to discuss the organization's "second chance" mission. From running adult high schools in prisons to providing career paths for those overcoming addiction and incarceration, this is the story of how a 125-year-old mission is still changing lives today. In this episode, we discuss: The surprising scale of...

Crazy Good Turns received more than 500 nominations from listeners like you seeking to recognize organizations that are helping others. In this show, we reveal five winners selected to receive a $10,000 grant.  They are: The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation: Founded by a man who was wrongly imprisoned for sixteen years. Since being exonerated, he's used his own money to free others who've been falsely...

Grey Bull Rescue helps innocent Americans who are stranded, imprisoned, or otherwise trapped in dangerous situations around the globe.  BRYAN STERN founded Grey Bull in August 2021, during the fall of Afghanistan. Since that time, Grey Bull has helped rescue more than 8,000 Americans in 800 different missions.  Stern's own story begins decades earlier. As a young Army intelligence officer, he was...

It's a story about the best of the internet. A place 100 million people visit every year and post 1,600 positive messages every hour. It's CaringBridge. And the support and connection it makes possible can be truly life-saving. "Definitely I wouldn't be here without it, I think," says Jill Olecki, one survivor who's used the platform for years. We speak with Jill, her husband, Dave, and CaringBrid...

Brock Holt is a World Series winner and former Red Sox player. Caitlin Fink is the VP of the team's official charity, the Jimmy Fund. They join us to share how the longest-running partnership between a sports team and a charity has improved the lives of cancer patients around the globe. We invite you to share your feedback about this show with us on social media. We're @crazygoodturns on all of th...

Ken's Krew creates opportunity and hope for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities by helping them find fulfilling jobs — usually inside of a Home Depot store. In this episode, also you'll hear from Executive Director Suzy Goldberger, who shares how the organization has helped nearly 1,000 people across its 25-year history. You'll also hear from Crystal Hanlon, one of the top leaders at Home...

Derek Sivers is one of the most interesting thinkers of our time. He's been a professional touring musician, a circus performer, and a successful entrepreneur who sold his company for millions – and then gave away his proceeds from the sale. Since selling the company, Derek has become a speaker, writer and author of five books including his latest release, "Useful Not True."  During our show, we d...

Hal Donaldson has a goal to feed a million children every day. And his organization, Convoy of Hope, is on pace to make it happen. In this episode, Hal joins us to discuss how he overcame tragedy early in life to found one of the world's biggest charities. He'll share what it's like to come face-to-face with Mother Teresa, and the powerful advice she gave him. And he'll explain the "secret sauce"...

Just 5 years ago, Oklahoma State University and the Cherokee Nation launched a first-of-its-kind medical school.  The College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation is the first and only medical college to be founded on tribal land and linked to a native tribe. The school made history when its first graduating class of doctors received their degrees in May 2024.  Drs. Natasha Bray and Doug...

Each year, thousands of women give birth while in jail or prison. What happens to them, and their babies?  Amy Ard had been working as a doula (a caregiver for labor and delivery) for decades when she saw a prisoner who was in the hospital to give birth. Amy also saw a set of handcuffs hanging from a gurney, which said so much about the start of that prisoner's journey. That image led her to drop...

Alle Amoroso is the founder of ROSE Women's Foundation, which helps impoverished women in Kenya learn how to launch and run small businesses. To date, the organization has launched more than 3,500 businesses — and lifted thousands of people out of poverty.  Allie shares:  The awakening that led her to quit her dream life of venture capital and startups  What toxic charity is, and what people can d...

Tom is the spokesperson behind Motel 6's TV and radio spots and their famous tagline: "We'll leave the light on for you." His latest idea, HatchSpace, might be exactly what our world needs right now.  After all, Tom is more than a great baritone. He's lived a fascinating life — and now he's giving back in an excellent way.  In today's episode, Tom shares how he moved west from his Michigan hometow...

Leung is an award-winning business columnist and associate editor of the Boston Globe, as well as host of a Globe Opinion podcast called "Say More."  She's also a working mom who struggled to keep up with work and home-schooling her kids during the pandemic. Her motivation and abilities suffered until she finally acknowledged the problem and asked for help.  After she regained her stride, Shirley...

Crazy Good Turns listeners like you sent in more than 120 nominations of organizations that are helping others. In this show, we profile four of those organizations who were selected to receive a $10,000 grant. They are: Heart of Mary House, a hospice in the Nashville area that specifically serves patients who have nowhere else to go. Volunteer Rebecca Grunkemeyer nominated the group. You'll hear...

When Luther's daughter, Jane Lockwood, was just 5 years old, she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of muscular dystrophy.  Luther and his family resolved to do something about it. During the two decades since, they founded the McColl-Lockwood Laboratory and dedicated enormous resources to creating more effective treatments for the disease to help not only Jane, but thousands of others l...

We mark 1 year since the October 7 attacks by speaking with Dan Senor.  Dan is the host of 'Call Me Back,' a podcast that is home to some of the most thoughtful and thorough reporting on the multi-front war Israel now faces. Dan's work provides a valuable service to all of us – especially to people like myself, and many other Americans, who have only a general understanding of the conflict.  Outsi...

Jenn is the first woman to climb the "seven second summits," or the second-highest mountain peaks on all seven continents – which are arguably even tougher to climb than the tallest ones, for reasons which will surprise you.  She is also a successful businesswoman, a mother of seven children, and the author of "BreakProof: 7 Strategies to Build Resilience and Achieve Your Life Goals." During our i...

Alongside two African pastors, Justin founded Untold - a nonprofit that helps support the physical, spiritual, and mental health of those affected by AIDS and HIV in Eastern and Southern Africa.  During the past 17 years, their organization has helped more than 40,000 people let go of their stigma and embrace a more positive future.  Justin's story is especially impressive because his commitment b...

In her new book "Morning After the Revolution: Dispatches from the Wrong Side of History," Bowles documents how she risked her career – and her friendships – by continuing to ask questions after being told not to.  As a reporter for the New York Times , Nellie tackled some of the most controversial topics of our times, from the George Floyd protests to Defund the Police to DEI. Her writing was fun...