What if the fastest way out of predatory lending isn't a lecture on budgeting, but $50 saved at a time? That's the model behind Mint to Prosper Foundation, a savings marketplace built for asset-limited households to step away from payday loans and rent-to-own traps and build their first real financial cushion. Host Dr. Laura Scherck […]
What if the fastest path out of exploitation isn't aid, but a paycheck? That's the premise behind Theodora Africa, a nonprofit that helps disadvantaged women in Ghana escape poverty and exploitation not through short-term assistance, but through real, paid work. Small & Gutsy host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Theodora Africa Founder and CEO […]
What if the path to healing wasn't a straight line, but a trail — one that combines the physical challenge of hiking with the mindful presence of yoga? That's the vision behind Hike to Yoga, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit blending guided hikes, nature-based yoga therapy, and community connection into what founder Laurie Hang calls a […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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, […]
