Small & Gutsy: Nonprofit Stories with Heart

SHOW NOTES: What if your charitable dollars could come back to you — and you could send them right back out into the world to do even more good? That's the elegant premise behind  Renewables.org , the first nonprofit that lets everyday people fund solar projects across India and the Global South for as little as $25, with monthly repayments over five years. Host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits dow...

So many mothers — especially those from patriarchal cultures — are conditioned to believe that everyone else knows better. The doctor is right. The priest is right. The attorney is right. Everyone except them. South Central LAMP Executive Director Diana Z. Pinto is on a mission to change that. For over 30 years, her organization has been helping mothers in South Central Los Angeles find their voic...

Imagine a place that dares to speak truths many are afraid to say. A place that celebrates communities too often forgotten and tells the stories rarely heard.  Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Raymond O. Caldwell, Artistic Director, and Johannah Maynard Edwards, Managing Director, of The Fountain Theatre — a nonprofit performing arts organization in Hollywood, California, that has been pr...

In this episode, host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Tarik Kitson, Executive Director and co-founder of Active Plus NYC, to discuss how a chance volunteering opportunity in East Harlem evolved into a transformative nonprofit serving thousands of underserved youth across New York City. Active Plus provides free fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and leadership programs to children and teen...

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Masha Merkulova, founder of CLUB Z, a national organization dedicated to educating and empowering Jewish teens to become articulate, knowledgeable leaders and advocates for themselves, Israel, and the Jewish people. Masha shares her remarkable personal journey from discovering her Jewish identity at age 16 in the Soviet Union...

Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff interviews Josh Thye, Executive Director of The Academy, about the transformational power of competitive drum and bugle corps for youth ages 15-21. The conversation explores the intense 11-hour daily rehearsals during the summer tour, the behind-the-scenes logistics, and powerful alumni stories that demonstrate how this experience shapes lives far beyond performance. Wha...

Carlecia Bell, Executive Director of Phenomenal She shares the inspiring story of how Phenomenal She was born from a simple birthday club among friends and has grown into a transformative mentorship program serving young women of color ages 12–24 in the Federal Way and Des Moines areas of Washington state. Learn how Phenomenal She is, interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline through mentorship,...

In this episode, Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Shilpa Alva, Founder of Surge for Water, to discuss how a childhood moment of witnessing inequality in Mumbai sparked a lifelong mission to bring clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and menstrual health solutions to underserved communities worldwide. Shilpa shares her journey from the corporate world to founding an organization that operates...

Dr. Laura Scherck Wittkoff welcomes Ann Medlock and John Graham, the founders and leaders of the Giraffe Heroes Project—an organization that has spent over 40 years celebrating ordinary people who "stick their necks out" for the common good. From their serendipitous Superman movie meet-cute to building a global movement around courage, compassion, and community, Ann and John share how storytelling...

In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff welcomes Antonis Politis and Panos Kokmotos, two young Greek entrepreneurs who co-founded Givelink, a donation platform transforming how people give to nonprofits. GiveLink connects donors directly to nonprofits' real needs through in-kind giving, creating transparency, measurable impact, and genuine engagement every step of the way. KEY T...

EverWalk is the brainchild of Diana Nyad and Bonnie Stoll, created to help all of us live longer, better, and healthier lives. Their mission and vision are to build community by walking side by side, leaving differences behind, and discovering the freedom that comes from striding together, instead of sitting hunched over a screen. EverWalk invites you to make the commitment to become your best sel...

  Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff reflects on the power of Indigo Arts Alliance's approach to artist development. She emphasizes that the organization understands a fundamental truth: the creative mind is a creative mind. By setting the right place, environment, and tone, Indigo Arts Alliance enables artists to engage with each other, explore materials, work through processes, and grow together. She no...

Michelle Etchebarren shares an inspiring journey from struggling single mother of four to founder of Attorneys in Motion, a groundbreaking legal tech company that transformed how law firms handle court appearances. But her story doesn't end there. At the ten-year mark of her company's success, Michelle founded the Attorneys in Motion Foundation—a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and empowering wo...

Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff welcomes Dr. Leah Hanes, CEO of Two-Bit Circus Foundation, to discuss how hands-on, experiential learning is transforming education for students across Los Angeles and beyond. After 13 years leading the organization, Dr. Hanes shares her personal journey from a student labeled a "slow learner" due to undiagnosed dyslexia to becoming a passionate advocate for reimagining...

One of the biggest travesties in our country is the number of unhoused individuals and families. Home Again LA is changing the narrative around homelessness by recognizing it as a  situational crisis , not a personal failure. Through innovative partnerships with faith-based organizations, corporations, and community agencies, HALA has helped over 600 families transition from homelessness to perman...

In this episode of Small & Gutsy, Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Keri Burgess, founder of The Farm Dog Rescue, and Nancy Zare, a dedicated volunteer foster parent, to discuss the critical work of dog rescue, rehabilitation, and responsible adoption in Martin County, Florida. The Farm Dog Rescue is a no-kill dog rescue organization that has made it a mission to rescue and adopt dogs, edu...

Rachel Miller, founder of Film2Future, joins Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff to discuss how her nonprofit is revolutionizing access to the entertainment industry for underserved LA youth. Rachel shares her personal journey, from discovering filmmaking at 16, to creating a comprehensive, completely free program that removes barriers to entry for talented teenagers from low-income backgrounds. The episod...

Join host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff as she explores the vital role of arts education with Gavin Cho, discussing how the Burbank Arts & Education Foundation is working to ensure every student has access to quality education and enrichment programs. Key Takeaways: The merger of two long-standing educational foundations in Burbank created a stronger, unified approach to supporting students Twice-yea...

Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff hosts a compelling discussion on the importance of intuition and personal safety with Barb Jordan, a safety expert and advocate. The episode explores Barb's personal journey, driven by family tragedy, to educate and empower individuals to recognize and prevent predatory behavior. Key Topics Covered: Barb's Background and Motivation: Barb's journey from being an elite ath...

In this enlightening episode, host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff talks with Christine Buckley, the Executive Director and Board President of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. The episode delves into the complexities and risks associated with brain aneurysms, highlighting the critical nature of early diagnosis and proper treatment. **Key Discussion Points:** 1. **Understanding Brain Aneurysms:** - The br...

I've spent decades working in, around, and now leading a small nonprofit called Small & Gutsy . And if there's one thing I've consistently seen across the nonprofit sector, it's this: a profound need for resources. Sure, financial resources are always a challenge — that doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out. But what often surprises people is how limited the resource toolbox is for many or...

Episode:  AMBITION - Transforming Lives Through Power Not Pity Guest:  Nancy Gale - Founder of AMBITION and JAMAH Luxury Handbags Episode Description: A powerful conversation about transforming lives through entrepreneurship, mentorship, and the unique approach of "power not pity." Nancy Gale shares how she integrated cause and commerce through her luxury handbag brand JAMAH and nonprofit AMBITION...

The Intrinsic Philosophy of Change Change from Within : We believe that the most enduring and meaningful transformations arise from the people most impacted—those who live within the system and carry its deepest insights. Embedded Transformation : Change is not an external imposition. It becomes intrinsic—woven into the identity of the individual, group, or organization. It's not just what they do...

This episode is about The Power of Connection: Giving, Learning, and Changing the World We live in a world where opportunities often come through connections — but not just any connections. The ones that matter most are built on trust, generosity, and shared purpose. Networking isn't just about knowing the right people. It's about being the right kind of person. Let me say that again; It's about b...

  The conference is coming up on October 16th For more information and to purchase tickets to  TechTainment™: https://www.laipla.net/techtainment-2025/ Being a professor in the age of AI — particularly generative AI — is both exciting and deeply challenging. As educators, we recognize that technology is evolving at a pace with which, even seasoned technologists struggle to keep up. Students are in...