Hello everyone.

I'm Rameca Vincent Leary, and welcome to this edition of Connecting the Community.

We love nonprofit organizations and during this broadcast will be highlighting several non-profits that are impacting lives for the better.

We'll explore what known this place is doing to help children suffering from grief and loss.

We'll also delve into what Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida is doing to help children succeed and thrive in life.

But first, we'll focus on the elderly with two amazing nonprofits that provide a bevy of services.

I'm talking about the Council on Aging of West Florida and the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging.

We have some wonderful people representing both organizations.

I'm honored to welcome Emily Echevarria, marketing communications director with the Council on Aging of West Florida.

She's joined by Leola Watts a foster grandparent volunteer.

Next, we're pleased to welcome David Alexander III information and referral supervisor for the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging.

It's a pleasure to have all of you here.

For having us.

You're welcome.

Such vibrant smiles.

Now, Emily, let's start with you.

How long has the Council on Aging of West Florida been in existence and what is the mission?

Council on Aging has been in the community since 1972.

So 20 No, 52 years.

52.

And we are a nonprofit that serves seniors.

Our mission is dedicating each day to serve support and advocate for older adults in Escambia and Center of the counties.

One of the things that I love and I went to the website serving 2000 plus seniors in those particular counties, some might be asking, how do they do this?

But for you, what would you say?

I would say we do that through the variety of services that we have, which include social services, Meals on Wheels.

We have congregate dining sites.

So a lot of people come out to our 18 different sites in the two county area and then just the caregiver support and the resources that we give to the community when they call us.

And we also have an adult daycare that serves our community as well.

Well, I will say this going back to all things edible.

So Meals on Wheels that pay home delivery meals.

Now, can you expand on that a little bit?

For someone who maybe just doesn't want to prepare meals, is it a weekly process where meals are delivered?

Yes, the meals are delivered by volunteers as once a week.

They are delivered on Monday or Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

And it's a week's worth of meals.

It might be breakfast, it might be a lunch or dinner options.

It's just whatever the person needs and signs up for.

All right.

Now, in contrast, Meals on Wheels, Is there a charge for that for anyone receiving those meals?

So there is an eligibility process for needs based, subsidized meals on Wheels that are free.

There's also the option to private pay if you have the capacity to do that and you have a loved one or you're an older adult who, Yes, doesn't want to cook the food every day, then you can get those Meals on Wheels.

So nice and convenient.

So what if there were an emergency situation where someone was in need and maybe just needed one meal for a particular day?

Have there been donations made toward that?

So for that it would be more of something where you might go to a food bank and we might send you to info and referrals at the Area Agency on Aging to get more information on that.

And we'll tap into that momentarily.

Now, only you are smiling and I'm smiling right back to you.

Now, how did you find out about this wonderful organization?

My mother was a foster grandparent before she passed.

So that made you become involved.

Is there a story, a little bit of history that you can share with us regarding that experience?

It's from grandma.

I lost a child and I was a lost.

Yes.

And my mother was a foster grandparent.

And she kept saying, You got to do something, baby.

You're not going to make it if you don't do something.

And so she convinced me that I should do this.

So talk about what you do specifically.

Okay.

Let's say you.

You go to someone's house.

Do you have a schedule or do they.

Kind of go to anybody else?

They come to go to the school.

Oh, you actually foster grandparents?

We go to the school.

Okay.

I'm a very elementary and I'm in the first grade classroom.

Where.

I have 18 students that I see after.

But I have five other students that are not in the first grade that I do reading pals with.

Okay.

We go into the classroom and we help them with their reading.

We help them with their eating.

You have them with social skills.

We talk to them when they need someone to talk to.

We give out a lot of hugs as school.

I'm not Leo one G.G..

Okay.

I like that.

Well, we'll get back to you in a minute because there's some other questions I'll definitely be asking you.

Now I have to step over into the world of David Alexander, the third good friend of mine, former Pensacola police chief.

And I must say, one of the nicest guys I have ever met.

You are so amazing.

And when I found out that you transition out to the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging, I was excited.

So talk about the mission of the organization and how you became involved, that transition, right, from law enforcement to this?

Well, one, when I retired from law enforcement, I did apply for several law enforcement jobs locally.

But at the core of what I wanted to do and what drives me, just connecting people with the resources and the help that they need, that's what I did in law enforcement, no matter what level I was at.

So in 2023, I was asked to consider a position at the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging and their information and referral department.

So the mission there is to connect people to the help that they need to live a better quality life through information and referral.

And I actually supervised the call center that that's the first call for help when people are calling for for the assistance.

So it was a to me it was an easy transition.

I had a lot of background in supervising dispatch, which is a911 center for law enforcement.

And to me it was an easy transition.

It's just it we went from emergency response to it's a much more detailed process.

Now, a lot of times when seniors call, they are stressed and in a tight situation.

But what we do is is is pretty much by referral into an assessment process or we actually provide them with the information they need.

But I have to say, we need to unpack this collaboration with your agency.

And of course, Emily.

So why don't you talk about that.

And Emily, if you would like to chime in as well, that would be wonderful.

Okay.

Well, we're we're a nonprofit organization contracted with the Department of Elder Affairs.

There are 11 planning service areas throughout the state of Florida, and we are planning service area one.

And we cover four county area and we cover Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton Counties.

And so we don't provide direct services.

We have providers, which is where the Council on Aging comes in.

And so there's a Council on Aging of West Florida, right in as the Emerald Coast Council on Aging.

And then there are the community organizations in those respective counties that are not covered.

And so what we actually are able to do is when we get that call into the call center, we can actually determine what course of action need to be taken and we can get them in touch or assess so they can get in touch with the direct service provider.

So, Emily, when you add to that, please share regarding the collaboration.

A lot of times people call us first because they just know us more out in the community and we have to tell them, okay, the step one is to take that elder assessment, to call that elder helpline, which is run by the North for the Area Agency on Aging.

Take that elder assessment and that is scored for the eligibility for the subsidized services.

So then they once they get that score, they're on the wait list and when they come off it, they come to us.

We send out a case manager to do an in-home assessment, and we start up services.

Whether that is we have a senior companion go out to their house, we deliver incontinence supplies to their house, and then they have a dedicated case manager or the Meals on Wheels might start at that point.

So that's how we work together.

That is exceptional.

Is there an age limitation of any sort?

Council on Aging of West Florida.

Most of the services are 60 and older.

Are volunteer programs like what?

Leela is foster grandparent senior companion that's active seniors who are 55 and older can take part in that.

And then but for the north, the sort of area agency on aging, they are also the disability Resource center.

So there's not an age limit for that.

I love the fact so much love in the house all over the place, Right, Leela?

Yes, sir.

I want to talk about the process When you became a foster grandparent, I'm sure there was a screening process.

Would you like to tell us about that?

What you went through reminiscing is some might say, Oh.

Well, again, my heart was broken, so I had to take a minute.

And then we we actually do a physical we do a background check, We do we go to the schools and we meet them.

We have a form of orientation period that we go through.

And and then we just go into the schools and we get to pick and choose our schools.

And I love that.

Now, are there any incentives?

Yes.

Would you like to speak to those.

Who see a kid who cannot read, begin to read, or to see a child who last year had our recognition program?

I had one of my students come and when I met her, she didn't speak at all.

She didn't say anything.

And she came to my recognition and she spoke and she was held back because she didn't speak.

But she wasn't didn't not know.

She just was so into her answer.

So I became her best friend and I got her to come out and she moved on to the second grade.

And so that in itself, it just was hard.

It warms my heart.

Well, Emily, are there incentives for, let's just say, a foster grandparents or another person that might be interested, But, you know.

There are some benefits to the program.

There is a stipend.

It's through AmeriCorps seniors.

So it's a it's a federally funded program where there is a small stipend, there is annual physicals, there's a monthly education, in-service training where different people from the community or other organizations or businesses come out and speak to all of our volunteers so that they're up to date on everything they need to know for both their role and service, as well as just for their their regular lives.

So there's a lot of community as well among that group as well.

Oh, I love that.

Okay, David, you mentioned the Elder Help Line briefly, but I really want you to expand on what seniors can benefit from if they call.

So that's that's key to your well.

And you mentioned an organization that we will actually make a not necessarily referral, but we'll give a grandparent or senior information on Big Brothers, Big Sisters, because sometimes we run into parent grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

All.

The time and sometimes in at various stages of development.

But the elder help line is a place that you could reach out and find out what's actually out there, whether it's a service that's, you know, where it's subsidized or it's a service that's just free to the community.

This community is rich in resources and and it's just a matter of finding out what's out there.

And so we have four young ladies that are on the phone every day, Monday through Friday from 8 to 5.

And and their job is to receive the calls, kind of do a triage as to what the most pressing need and kind of help to call prioritize their needs and then see what we can do to help them out.

So we receive requests for help via text message, emails, chats, facts, referrals, because we do work with social workers in the hospitals and other organized issues, as well as people who walk in and call on the phone.

I am sure you probably receive a lot of testimonials.

You sent us some images that we will definitely use, but just think about this, David, someone who is distressed and they call the help line.

Have you ever heard positive feedback from anyone who has used that?

Oh, yes.

Yes.

I mean, we have people that when they call back and say, you you helped us so much the last time.

So and when they they all remember the information referral specialist that they talk to and they'll call and ask for them by name.

And this is sometimes we have to we have to counsel them that when they need help, you don't want to call and ask for someone specific.

You just need.

You need help.

You need help right then.

So let's get this attend to your needs rather than trying to connect you to the poor.

But that's the impression that the person that helped in the last time left with them.

So it makes them want to call back again.

It certainly does now.

Emily, We have so many events that are occurring.

Caregiver support Group, grandparents raising grandchildren and other relatives.

Let's talk about that a little bit.

I think those are key elements.

Yeah, we have several caregiver support groups.

We have kind of a general caregivers support group.

We have the grandparents raising grandchildren and other relatives.

And we do have so much of that now in the community just for different reasons.

And it gives the the resources and the kind of support that someone needs when they're bridging that generational gap.

And maybe they feel a little, you know, adrift and they just need a little extra support.

So those are places where we can offer that.

Now I'm looking at Leola.

I'm thinking about coming of age television and coming of Age magazine.

I'm wondering have had I don't know, has the organization Considered featuring Leola have.

Already been featured.

On TV and.

Celebrity?

She's also a model for our annual report.

She has been in the past, so she's definitely one of our one of our superstars.

But our senior volunteers are they're all so vibrant and and wonderful and wear their heart, whether it's with children or with their peers.

The senior companions who are helping with other older adults that need help living independently, they they all just they're still active in the community.

And that's why they have chosen to serve in these roles.

Leola I must say that you are so humble and smiling at me.

We're revealing all these amazing aspects of your life.

What would you tell someone out there who might be considering becoming a foster grandparent?

And maybe they're on the fence right now?

I would say, come on.

Even when you go home in the evening, you would be so tired, but your heart would be so filled with love.

I have so many kids that I don't even know them.

But if I'm in the grocery store, JJ, you know, it means so much to me to have had the kids love me the way I love them.

And G.G., I love the name.

Why do they call you Didi specifically?

We are foster grandparents, but I was told when I first came into this program that I wasn't their grandmother.

Okay?

So I said, Okay, then can I be your Gigi?

Oh, I love that.

I said, Yes.

So that's.

I'm Gigi.

Okay, somebody else might pick that up.

Now.

David The history, the rich history that you have in the Pensacola area, and I know that you run into so many people.

Does your organization right now need volunteers?

And if so, in which areas?

Absolutely.

We always welcome volunteers.

We have a department is referred to as the shine on the state website.

They call the chip, but it's basically helping seniors select their insurance coverage.

And a lot of times in helping them, letting them know, explaining to them their options that they have available to them.

And and we need volunteers because that department is run with predominantly by volunteers.

And so this time of year, because the open enrollment is about to start and so they're busy.

I talked to one of our premier volunteers, Mr. Crane, John Crane, and he was getting their schedule together because they have seniors stacked up every year.

They come back for advice and they stay busy and they can always use additional volunteers as a to help out as counselors.

One of my colleagues in law enforcement was just finishing working with the Justice Department, and he was about to make some decisions about his insurance coverage, his health coverage.

And he ran into a volunteer.

And he was just so excited when he found out that that's where I was working.

And he actually had mentioned that he would like to become a volunteer once he's completely retired from it.

So it's a great volunteer opportunity and we like to collaborate with other organizations because we work together.

I mean, we can meet the needs of the community to a greater extent.

Now.

Emily, how about you on the volunteer side?

Sure.

We have a lot of different volunteer opportunities.

If someone's interested in committing to being a senior volunteer, whether a senior companion or foster grandparent, they can do that.

We have volunteers that drive Meals on Wheels, obviously, and we also have volunteers that are at our senior dining sites and in our adult day care at the retreat.

So there's a lot of different places to volunteer.

And rightly so.

Just look at Leola, who could not be inspired by her.

Okay, folks, we are just getting started.

As we head to break, we want to share this heart warming Council on Aging of West Florida.

Testimonial regarding the Benefits of Meals on Wheels.

We'll be back right after this.

I'm on Social Security after I'd pay all my living expenses and everything, I would hardly have any, you know.

Money left for food.

And then someone told me at the community center there, they served hot lunches every day.

That's when I started, you know, being introduced to Meals on Wheels, food that is delivered to, you know, senior citizens.

Now they have Meals on Wheels for Pat so she can get food from The Council on Aging has really touched my heart and meant a lot to me is when Council on Aging got with pain and rebuild my AC unit and put in a new thermostat, it makes me feel good to know that there's an organization out there that cares about us seniors.

There's something about helping someone who thought they had been forgotten, who thought that they didn't matter anymore, who thought that their time was up.

That is just so special.

But then someone walks into your life with an air conditioner or a meal, or even just a smile and offers to spend a couple hours with you talking about the good old days.

Suddenly you matter.

Suddenly your life has purpose again and suddenly you have a reason to wake up in the morning.

And I think that's what I really love about Council on Aging.

Hello, everyone.

During this segment, we're highlighting the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network.

Like Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

Now we're bringing our scope closer to home as we discuss Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Northwest Florida.

It's a pleasure to introduce Paula Shell, president and CEO of the Northwest Florida division.

She's joined by a big brother, Larry Gillespie, and his amazing little brother, Zorrian.

And how are all of you doing?

Good, good.

Listen, we are full of energy, aren't we?

Now, Paula, let's start with you.

How long has the organization been in existence and what sparked your interest in it overall?

You know, I prior to coming to Big Brothers, Big Sisters, I worked in the mental health field for about 12 years, and I was just ready to take it, make a change and I know I'm going to tell my age here a little bit, but.

You don't have to.

You looked for jobs back in the classified section, way back when.

And I saw that Big Brothers, Big Sisters was looking for a new executive director.

And so I told my friend, I said, that's my job.

And here I am and we're going to be 35 years old as an agency here in northwest Florida this next month in November.

Congratulations.

So it's our birthday month, All right.

I just had one.

Yeah.

What is the mission and why is accountability so essential?

You know, one of the things I think that makes Big Brothers Big Sisters stand out is just that we are accountable for what we do and we track performance and outcomes and measures.

And, you know, so our goal and our mission is to provide that 1 to 1 mentoring relationship to our communities, children, so that they can grow to be productive community citizens.

And so, you know, and then we track that performance along the way.

We don't leave a big brother or a big sister with their little unattended.

And that's very important for us.

All right.

Now, the county serves well, you let us.

So we serve the five counties here in the panhandle.

So I always say from Pensacola to Panama City.

I love that.

Yeah.

Okay, Larry, time for you to chime in, Big brother.

Now, how did you become involved.

As working at a company in downtown Pensacola?

I grew up without my father, so I can relate to the difficulty of needing a mentor and the they had a campaign 90 men for 90 days that they were running, and the ad was on to build the digital bulletin board in front of my office, and it rotated and rotated and rotated for about two months.

And then it went away.

And then it started again about a month later.

And I knew I wanted to do something, give back.

And I went home and told my wife, who at the time we had a six month old and I was like, I want to be a big brother.

She's like, What?

Uh, I'm not sure about that.

I was like, It'll be okay.

It'll be okay.

And I, I went and signed up and did it.

And Match was going here about ten years in April.

Now I see Zorrian shaking his head, but I first learned to find out.

Walk us through that volunteer process, the screening process for you.

So it's super easy.

You go you fill out the the interest form.

You go in for a meeting.

Of course, there's a background check.

We understand the world we live today.

They talk about your interests, what you're into, what you like.

And then they do the same thing with the little and they match you based on your personality.

It it's really smooth, an easy process.

Now, I'm seeing some synergy over here between you in Zurich and my little right now.

How long have you known your big brother?

Larry?

We've been met for nine years.

Well, going by two years.

Going on ten years now.

What was your first reaction when you first found out you had a big brother and you realize, okay, Larry, he's the guy.

We're always surprised.

Society is just a whole bunch of emotions.

And I was I'm glad that I was glad that I'll finally have a match with somebody.

So what were you expecting from Larry in your mind for a big brother?

Mm hmm.

Someone to look up to.

Someone I can be influenced by and become a great person.

And he definitely is.

Do you remember your first outing?

Where did you all go?

Oh, okay.

So probably too many in nine years, right?

Yes.

So we had went to a blue Wahoos baseball game.

Had you ever been to a baseball game?

Um, no.

That was my first home.

And see, that was an experience, right?

Yeah, I love that.

Now, Paula, we're just hearing all these good things over there.

Let's talk about age requirements for the littles.

Can you talk maybe expand a little bit more?

So littles can come into our program starting at kindergarten and they can stay matched until they're 26.

So our ultimate goal at the agency is that our littles are self-sufficient and earning a living wage by the age of 26.

So when they graduate from high school, we want to ensure that they're either enrolled, employed or enlisted.

Eligibility requirements for a little.

I'm sure Dorian passed with flying colors, but let's just say someone wanting to come in.

Can you walk us through that process?

Yeah.

So our primary focus is working with kids from single parent families, but we do assist a two parent household if there are special circumstances within the family that that we need to step in and help.

We assist foster families, military families.

We've seen a huge increase in the number of grandparents raising their grandchildren.

So grandparents, but we're finding it's not grandma grandpa any longer.

It's single grandma and she's raising multiple grandchildren.

But that primary focus is that single parent home.

We have gleaned a lot of positive research regarding the impact that the Littles have with their big brothers.

Big Sisters share some information.

I was perusing the website.

I was smiling from ear to ear.

Yeah.

You know, our littles, they say that if our littles are matched six months or less, that's more detrimental to them than it is good.

So we want long lasting match relationships to stay together.

So like Larry said, they are match based on compatibility and and just because we want to make sure that they stay together and so one of the things that we do is those outcomes and those measures are based around kids that are matched a year or longer that they are they're less likely to begin using illegal drugs, they're more sufficient and more confident of themselves, they're less likely to skip school, get involved with the wrong crowd.

You know, they're academic, they perform better with their academics and and actually what we're seeing recently is their mental health gets is better because of that relationship that's in their life.

So the impact is really great.

And when you have those kind of measures, our community is going to be better for it in the long run.

Indeed, Larry, families as partners, there is so much of a significant factor when it comes to the family unit.

So how do the parents really benefit from this as well?

Because I know the littles do.

But as a unit, yeah.

I mean, I think one of the biggest things is like Zoe and mother situation.

She was raising four kids and having to make sure that these kids were focused and good to go.

I'm sorry that well, good to go.

And everything was you know, they were disciplined and all that stuff.

And it helps when you as another voice, another person can help them, guide them in the right direction and provide them the kind of positive reinforcement that they need.

And that's the role that you help provide is a.

Big and I'm thinking about what you said earlier with a six month old and you become a big brother.

Now, what does that youngster think now about the fact that, hey.

My daughter Lacey absolutely adores Dorian and there are uncles or, you know, so she she she's got to see him every so often.

Birthday parties.

He comes to every one of them, you know.

So he went with me this past weekend to watch her cheerlead.

So she loves him.

Now, how often do you meet with Dorian?

Do you plan your own schedule?

Yeah, we do.

I try to keep it on every other every two weeks situation and then phone calls here and there.

Sometimes it because my work schedule, it might get three weeks or whatever, but pretty much every other week and I talked to him at least once a week on the phone or a text or whatever.

And I love that.

Zarian Having him as your big brother, talk about how it has impacted your life over this long time span.

Almost ten years.

Like having Larry as my big like it influenced me to like, become a better person, work hard, and it shows like help, like have him as my big It shows that working hard will pay off in the end.

It certainly will.

And I have a thought in the back of my head.

You're a big brother right now.

Few years down the road, would you consider becoming a big brother?

Hmm.

That's that's a that's something to think about, right?

Yes.

Well, honestly, Paul, I think he would be a great big brother.

I do, too.

In all aspects.

Definitely.

Yes.

Hands down.

Hands down.

You spoke about educational benefits briefly, but I know there's probably a little bit more that you could add because all of the statistics far reaching and going.

Yeah, you know, less likely to touch the juvenile justice system and get in trouble.

You know, a lot of the kids and what we're seeing these days, especially in the last four or five years, has been really around the mental health focus.

And, you know, we just want to be able to provide that extra support and guidance to.

I know Larry mentions Oregon's mom as a single mom, great mom.

But, you know, she she reached out and said, I just need a little bit of extra help.

I want to raise a good man.

And I just know I need somebody else to help do that and to help her make good choices and somebody that he can talk to.

And when you've got that extra person, the statistics shows that one in three kids will grow up without somebody else in their life to help guide them or nurture them.

That's over 57,000 children in northwest Florida, and that's over 22,000 children in Escambia County alone.

Can you imagine 20,000 children that doesn't have anybody to say, You know what, You can make it.

I'm behind you.

I support you.

And that is what Big Brothers Big Sisters does.

We have to talk about some of the amazing events.

And I know Larry and Zuri and you've probably taken part in, for example, the big gala.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Would you like to chime in?

Oh, great event, Esther.

You know, the whole idea behind the big gala, It's the biggest fundraiser.

You know, a lot of cost with backgrounds and office infrastructure and, you know, just making sure everything stays good with the match relationships.

It's the biggest fundraiser.

My company has been a sponsor for four or five years.

I told them when I came to work there that like that's a part of who I am.

So, you know, if you're hiring me, you're going to be involved.

Big brothers, Big Sisters, too, and they've been great.

The company I work for has been fantastic about supporting them.

Now, have you actually taken your your little to some of these events?

I see the big scoop now I'm an ice cream lover.

Oh yeah.

We were intimate.

We we went to the big whoop several times and Zorrian and I spoke the last gala.

We did the presentation and did a speech.

A little nerve racking standing in front of a room and talking.

About.

Stuff.

But, yeah, it was.

It was really good.

We really enjoyed that opportunity.

It was great.

But big scoop and I've also done the hibachi showdown that I do in.

In Bay County.

Well, I did the one actually did the.

One in Destin.

Yeah.

So but yeah I really they do great.

Everything they do is it's top notch.

And with the hibachi event basically celebrities dressing up and actually cooking.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think that's amazing.

Let's talk about some gumbo, Paula.

I'm a huge gumbo lover.

Gumbo, Ya, ya.

So we have a great partner with Buck Mitchell and those at Down Civil and we do a gumbo event usually around in the spring.

And so we will just put teams together.

They come out and then you vote for your favorite gumbo and you get to eat it.

So it's just a just a wonderful time.

What is the thinner ride?

So that's a century ride.

So if you ever thought about getting on a bicycle and riding 100 miles, that is what it's.

About, about it.

So every.

Every October.

So cyclists can choose to ride 18 miles, 40 to 62 or 100, and it runs up through the Blackwater forest.

And just a great way to get outdoors and enjoy the fall weather.

I think it's a wonderful opportunity.

I probably start with.

18 me.

Just to be safe now, Larry, let's talk safety.

Why is that of utmost importance for big brothers, Big Sisters?

Well, you know, as we know, the world is a dangerous place.

So they go out of their way to make sure that every potential big has a background check, make sure that, you know, they don't have anything that could put them at risk of harming the child or harming the little very important.

Obviously, if my daughter was involved with a program like that, I'd want the quality of the safety that they they go about it with the big brothers and sisters.

It's great.

It's amazing.

Now hearing you talk, it just inspires a lot of people, especially many who were in the green room that may have affiliations with the organization.

But why should anyone out there who's eligible consider becoming a big brother, big sister, in your words, specifically?

Well.

It's pretty simple.

As you move through the world and live your life, you have a responsibility as a human being to give back and to help.

And for me, growing up without a father, it was a very personal thing for me.

And what a better way to spend some time with somebody who, you know, you're going to be matched with.

It's going to be a good relationship and you can have a lot of fun.

And it does not it's not a big commitment.

It really is a really easy.

And before you know it, they're a part of your family, just like Zoe.

It's a part of my life.

I will say that we have some big brothers and sisters who work at Pensacola State College, and we love what they do.

They talk about their littles all the time.

Now, Zorrian and I have to ask you, because there are some people that are eligible that could be a little, but maybe they haven't decided just to take that leap yet.

What would you tell them?

I'd say give it a say.

It is really is fine.

You can find somebody to look up to see.

So far it's a huge win win on many fronts.

Now, Paula, volunteers and I think about that a lot because this is a huge organization.

Do you need volunteers in any specific areas?

All of them.

Everything.

But I would say the number one is bags.

And that's what we call the big brothers Big Sisters.

We need bigs.

We've got 280 children on our waiting list currently right now who.

Are waiting.

For a waiting for big.

Now, that's not an incentive.

What is that long waiting list?

And so how long does a normal person wait to be assigned a big brother?

So we do a matching process.

So you know, the skills that a volunteer brings to the table, to the needs of the child.

So there could be a little that is has been waiting six months and a volunteer comes through and they are matched with a child who's been waiting two weeks just because it's a better fit.

So we do a matching process.

So it's it depends on the volunteer that comes through the doors because we want to make good matches.

That's where the positive outcomes occur.

And so it's hard to say how long a child is going to wait because we've had some that have that have been waiting for a year.

Right.

As you mentioned, we don't want a child to wait for a long time.

And we have appreciated having all of you in this segment.

So heartwarming.

Thank you.

Yes, you're welcome.

Now, folks, we're having an amazing time highlighting some exceptional nonprofit organizations as we head to break, see how being a big brother or big sister can be so life changing on many levels.

Stay with us.

We'll be back right after this.

Hello, everyone.

It's a nonprofit organization that provides certified clinical therapy and counseling to children suffering from grief and loss.

I'm talking about Nonie's Place to discuss this further.

I'm honored to welcome Jennifer Haller, executive and clinical director of Nonie's Place.

She's joined by Aaron West, vice president of the Covenant Care Foundation.

We also have Adriana Harcourt, a parent whose children have utilized services offered by known East Place.

Welcome to all of you.

Thank you.

I love known his place.

And Aaron, I have to start with you because there is a connection with covenant care and Nonie's Place place, specifically the lodge.

So why you tell us about that?

Well, there is I mean, covenant care has been a health care provider of home health care services and other health care programs for over 44 years here in our community, a nonprofit provider.

And so through all of those years, when you're when you're providing health care episodes to somebody, you're naturally also engaged with their families, their grandchildren, their children.

And so for 44 years, we we've provided care to children and mental health care.

And just two years ago, we decided to take all of our programs we were doing for children and take them from all these disparate places that were all over the place, pull them into one place that we had, and that became Nonie's Place place.

Oh, right now, age ranges.

Can you talk about that?

Yes, just ages 5 to 18 and just 5 to 18.

That can come to know nice place and receive free counseling.

Free therapy.

That's a real, true clinical support for for children and oftentimes for their families or siblings.

I love the word free.

Everybody just throwing that out there and the funding when I was on the website.

I love the fact that funding comes through the efforts of generous contributors.

Well, 100%, 100% of funding.

And in fact, we're sitting in the Coleman Center here at SRP, and they are the Kugelman family who's very well known here, supported Nonie's Place in the beginning and and and named it after their grandmother.

All right.

Speaking of which, Jennifer, I know that you're going to elaborate more on that story.

Jane Kugelman, take us back.

Okay.

So now this place was named after her beloved grandmother and now is Italian, correct, for grandmother.

And so that was named after her.

It was a lot of it had to do with services that weren't available to the family back when maybe services were needed.

So when Jane's father had passed away, they would wish that there was something like this that existed in their community for their family as well.

And so the family had grown up listening about that.

And so as they have donated and found other agencies in the community, they they try to support those things.

Now, how long have you served in your role as director?

I gosh, I just celebrated my year, my anniversary.

Congratulations to you.

Thank you.

What drew you to this wonderful organization?

Why is it near and dear to your heart?

I have always loved working with children and family as my career has been from child welfare, guardian ad litem, infant infant loss, child loss, bereavement, hospice.

So it kind of all took all of those things and mixed them into into one.

I love that.

Adrianne, you are so happy over there.

How did you find out about this place initially?

So we want to hear your story.

So our story is, yes, our Grammy.

My mom was in in hospice.

Yes.

And when she passed those beautiful caregivers.

The support that we got, you know, that.

I've never been a.

Mom who didn't.

Have her mom before.

And so.

They reached out to us and.

Said, these are some things that we have.

And we got in contact with Jennifer over at Tony's place, and they have just created something.

Comfortable and lovely.

And I am so.

Grateful.

Because, listen, tools in a toolbox, when you're going through something like.

That is I mean, that's what moms are doing.

That's what parents are doing.

And so you guys provided something.

They provide something that's.

Just and I see it all over your face.

Can you expand a little bit?

I know there are a lot of services that are offered, but is there one particular thing that really stands out in your mind?

So I have two kiddos and they're very different humans.

They are just different humans.

My oldest is about to be 13 and he's more reserved and.

Sometimes.

You don't know how they're working through.

Those pieces of grief.

And it's Nonie's Place.

I met him where he was at.

Yes, I met him with Let's let's create a Pokemon card that helps celebrate what what you're going through.

And maybe they have special powers to kind of work through.

So they took this really imaginative thing and came to his level and his place and helped give him tools and language to make that transition of We've lost our Grammy, but also we're dealing with these things of being human.

And as a result, we actually like move states and all of that.

So they were it was very layered My my sweet kiddos.

And then my youngest is just vibrant and empathetic and he feels.

It from.

Other people but doesn't really know what to do with it when it comes to her.

And so they gave her a place in a camp that was just for her and she got this space.

So it was really great.

I'm just getting so emotional in a good way.

Yes.

Hearing this, Erin, she mentioned camp.

Now, I notice on the website we have Camp Connect.

Would you like to talk about that?

Yeah, absolutely.

And I love what she said about meeting the child where they are.

Yes.

And that was always the purpose of knowing this place.

It was meant to be in a place that did not feel clinical, did not feel like they were going somewhere where they had to get help.

But it was a place that was very mom's house.

It was a place to meet them where they are.

Camp Connect is a place to meet those children where they are also to where those, you know, whoever that is, whatever age they are, they can come to a place where they're engaged with other children and other families that are going through very similar circumstances and and understand in the place that they are and in a kind of a activity they like, that they're not alone in doing this, that that that's what we're here for.

We're here for.

And there's another camp.

Camp Monarch.

What's the difference between the two?

Camp Monarch is a very specific camp for children that we do at Caerwys right now.

It's funded it's funded through a different a different organization.

And so it's it's very specific to camp, to children at a school, but it's really meant to be for out-of-school program time and to keep children engaged after school.

Now, I'm on a roll right now, Aaron.

My wish, my wish is for you to tell me all about it.

Well, we started my My Wish program in 2008.

We've done over 3000 wishes.

That is a program that is intended for individuals, adults that are seriously ill or children who are grieving.

And so every child that comes through known these places offered the opportunity for a my wish.

And that is simply meant to be where we can take that child out of their fear, out of their anxiety, and give them some hours, give them a day or give them some experience that they can do.

That's purely something they want to do.

And so it's wonderful.

It's really wonderful to be able to do.

Well, Jennifer, I have to ask you, what are some of the things that these youngsters have done under my wish, some of the oh, goodness, creations or trips or events?

We redid one young lady's bedroom.

They after the loss of their grandfather, was the father figure in the home.

They didn't have the money for that.

So we redid a bedroom.

We had another young man who lost several family members and had lost his love for sports.

And after he completed counseling and found his voice again, he wanted to get back into sports.

So we sent him to the Wahoos game and he got to throw the first pitch and announce the players and participate in that.

And then we just recently sent a family up to an orchard where that was the last memory they had of their beloved sister that recently died?

And they were able to kind of visit that place again.

And then we had a memorial wind chime hung in the orchard in honor of their loved one as well.

So I like the memory maker boxes.

I read about that on the website.

You were talking about memories.

And explain that to our viewing audience, if you will.

So that's a legacy building tool.

It's a tool we use for families who are experiencing the potential loss or the anticipating the loss of a loved one.

And it's a way to build those memories.

So it includes things like journals to write down stories or different things like that, as well as a heartbeat bear, where we can capture the recording of a heartbeat or a message from that loved one.

So that way they can have it memorialize that forever and share it with other family members as part of that legacy building.

Adrian a back to you.

I know this outpouring of love has impacted you in so many positive ways.

There are some parents out there who maybe haven't even considered contacting Nonie's Place.

Will you talk about that?

Why should they do it?

Just we'll let them know.

As parents, we we want to give them what they need.

And sometimes we can't do that.

I know as a grieving daughter, I was not to do that as a mom for them.

And so when we reached out to Nonie's Place, it wasn't it wasn't big or scary because they made it a home.

It's like walking into Nonna's home or Grandma's house and you get to just sit and they have different spaces and it's meant for the kids.

And so not only do they do that, but they also provided me as a parent with tools and resources to help continue what they were building there.

And I know that they were talking about memory boxes, but we did lanterns, they gave us lanterns and we have cousins.

And so when we went to celebrate my mom's passing, my kiddos got to take lanterns and they got to take a moment that was initiated by them and their memories and what they wanted to see happen to honor their grandmother.

And they got to take ownership of it.

And I think that's a really important piece that maybe we don't always fully understand as the adults in the room, that kids taking ownership of those moments in their life is just a really special thing that gets to happen.

And I think, you know, I'm just very grateful that we were given that.

I'm also thinking about how this helps foster healing for the entire family.

Yes, right.

Yeah.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

The programs are all built about family and how do we how do we treat the family everybody from the parents, the grandparents, the guardians in many cases who have that whoever that is that the children are living with or where they're living that night, oftentimes that we're inclusive or inclusive of treating that whole family environment.

I'm curious and I know a lot of our viewers are there's just so much love.

We can we can feel it.

Volunteers.

Do you need any?

And if so, in which areas?

You can also chime in if you if you will.

Yes.

Volunteers are essential.

And any any organization that provides free services.

We can't do what we do without our volunteers.

We have volunteers that come to camp and help help the camp run and help hang out with the kids and support the kids through camp.

We have people who come and build the memory maker kits and boxes that you had mentioned.

They come and lovingly build those boxes for us so that way they're ready and ready to be delivered right when a family calls.

So there's a lot of different kind of indirect and direct services that we can utilize volunteers.

There's also opportunities for volunteers to get involved in making wishes happen for children.

And oftentimes that's a lot of fun to deliver a wish to somebody or make a bedroom makeover.

Lots of opportunities for those as well.

Hey, you're giving us a lot of ideas out there right now.

If you had a wish for somebody to come in and say, hey, I would like to grant a wish, what would that be?

Do you have a couple of ideas?

Well, I will tell you what.

I will tell you what my wish would have been.

My younger sister passed away and my wish would have been that we had thought about that for her.

And so that's what my wish does it.

It thinks about that for a family in a time where in a time where maybe they're not thinking about that because they're going through grief, they're going through some kind of pain themselves.

my wish comes in and says, What can we do for you?

So it allows the family to actually think, you know, to go through their grief.

But for us to come in and say, hey, we want to do something fun for you, take you out of it, So lots of fun.

A fishing trip.

A fishing.

Trip.

We've had lots of things.

We're about to do, a skydiving trip.

We're about to do all kinds of different things for individuals and for for for children and families.

You really are.

It's a lot of fun.

Jennifer, I am sure that you probably received telephone calls, maybe letters, maybe even cards, testimonials.

Let's talk a little bit about that because the impact and then we see on the other side how many people are are healing and just coping.

Yeah, we hear the stories we hear sometimes are heartbreaking, but then to be able to see it on the other side is it helps us continue our mission and know what we're doing is important, and especially when we see a kid, maybe after they've completed services with us and we see them out in the community interacting or teaching other kids the stuff that they learned at Nanny's Place is it's like, okay, we made a difference today and we're going to go back tomorrow and do it again.

Now, I love your coming back to do it again.

And I know that nobody's place.

Of course, we haven't been in existence too long, but could you foresee in the future some of these youngsters coming back?

And in which capacities do you think they could serve?

That's my hope.

We have a couple interventions that we do that's very legacy building and my hope is the kids come back.

Brett came and he's painted some Pokemon things in the house.

And my hope is as he gets older, he'll come back and see those and I would love to see maybe a kid decide they want to go into there.

Being the counselor and being a social worker, that would be.

We just had a young boy that was at an earnings place and I asked him, I said, Where are you going to college?

And he looked at me for a second.

I said, I know you're going to go to college somewhere.

And maybe he hasn't thought about that in his own home environment.

But he looked at me, he said, Harvard.

And I said, Hard, right?

I said, Harvard.

Well, don't forget about this place when you get there.

And he looked at me and said, I'm bringing my children here.

So we hope that all of them have that feeling that they want to come back, they want to participate and really get back to the next the next kids that need some help, you know?

Speaking of giving back, Adriana, how does that make you feel?

And I know that your heart goes out to everyone this listening, this viewing, but what would you say?

Because I know that there are so many people.

We talk about time and sometimes people say, well, I don't have time for this or that, but what would you say?

I would say.

That there are little things that you can do that don't take time.

That it just.

Takes thoughtfulness, thoughtfulness, thoughtfulness.

Actually did another.

He gathered art supplies.

It was just as much as putting a post out on our community pages.

And.

All the neighborhood wanted to be a part of it and they brought over art supplies that then he got to take over and be a part of giving back just a little bit.

Everybody giving back is how it all works.

So they are.

And one thing I like about it is the fact that your website is just beautiful, so well organized.

And when as I was perusing it, I was smiling.

And honestly, I just love what you're doing with Mooney's House and Jennifer as well.

Do you have any final words as we close out this segment?

We're just lucky and blessed to get to do what we do.

They have we've served over 300 kids in our first year, and I just want to keep seeing that number, just keep going up.

And I believe it will.

Many thanks to all of you.

Okay, folks, I'd like to thank all of our guests for joining us.

I'm Rameca Vincent Leary.

And remember to keep it locked in right here on WSRE PBS for the gulf coast