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(upbeat music) - [Narrator] And now "Rob on the Road," Exploring Northern California.

- We are thrilled to have Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday join us now from the California Volunteers Office of the governor.

Hey, Josh.

- Hey, so fun to be with you.

Thank you.

- I'm thrilled to have you here, and I've wanted to have you join us because what a cool job you have with such a fantastic mission: Chief Service Officer.

That is so cool, Josh.

Just tell us what that means to you and what it means to the state.

- Yeah, well, thank you.

It is very cool, and it's very cool that California has a Chief Service officer.

It shows how California values deeply the need to engage all of our people in service and volunteerism and be involved in their community.

So the fact that the governor created a cabinet level position to just focus on service and civic engagement, I think shows why California continues to be such a special place to live.

And we're creating really special programs.

And for me, it's a continuation of my life where I've had a chance to serve and see the power of service, and now we get to provide that opportunity for many others across our state.

- I love the power of service.

Service helps so many people and oddly sets us free in the meantime.

It's an extra gift, if you will, that comes with service.

We'll get into that in a moment, but California Volunteers, what are you looking for from the people of California?

- Yeah, we're looking for the people of California to step up and be involved in their community and wanna be connected to one another again.

We live in an era, and I think we all sort of feel this in our gut where we're so divided.

We're divided politically, we're divided economically, geographically, but we've also created this society where we're isolated from each other, where we're disconnected from each other.

We all have these phones and these devices, but we're on our screens, and we're no longer out in the streets helping each other.

So what we're looking for is for Californians to step up in their communities, to be engaged again in a very real way.

But what we know is we can't just say that.

We actually have to invest in creating real opportunities for people to be able to serve, to be able to volunteer.

And that's what we've been doing over the last five years.

- How does that happen, Josh?

Does your office reach out to communities?

Do communities reach out to you, individuals?

How does that happen?

- It happens in a variety of ways.

One of the things we've done is create the California Service Corps, which consists of four programs of paid service opportunities that we've created over the last four years.

- Paid?

(cross talking) Wow.

- Paid service opportunities, that's right.

One of the things I like to remind people when we think about volunteerism and service and the power of it is when I served in the military, I volunteered to serve, and yet I got paid because as a society, we value our service members.

We value our military members.

And what we're doing in California is saying if we're really gonna tackle the biggest problems facing our society, whether it's climate change or poverty or natural disasters moving forward, that we're gonna value service, that we need Californians to step up, and we're gonna create paid opportunities.

So with the California Service Corps, we have four main programs.

We have our AmeriCorps programs, which run through all of our office that are doing a variety of tutoring and mentoring and environmental work around the state.

We created the country's first statewide climate core, which is engaging people across California in taking climate action.

We also created a program called College Core, where we're now providing debt-free pathways for thousands of students across California who are serving while they're in school.

So it's a deeply American idea, like the GI Bill, that if you serve your community, we're gonna help you pay for school.

And then we've also created a Youth Service Corps, which is providing opportunities for our low income and most vulnerable youth, our formerly incarcerated youth, our foster youth, low income youth that deserve the chance to be able to give back and have a positive impact in their community as well.

So we've created these opportunities.

We're investing in them in a very real way, and now we're calling on Californians to step up and join them and be a part of it.

- Josh, you touched on this a minute ago, but I think it is so important to bring up and for you watching to really hear us when you say this.

I believe that polarization happens when people are separated.

We forget the ties that bind.

We forget the universal truths that connect us all, right?

Like we are just, when we become separate, people throw darts at each other.

They just, they forget the humanity, and they forget the human in humanity.

So when you come together, together, you build better.

And I just feel like serving is the best way to bring people together.

Do you agree, and why?

- I agree very much.

I think you hit the nail on the head, and it's exactly why Governor Newsom and California volunteers is investing in these programs.

Listen, I know because of my own personal experience where I had a chance to serve in the military, how when you serve with people side by side, when you have a common mission, when you have a common purpose, when you're trying to accomplish something together, and you're doing it with people from very different backgrounds, very different perspectives, who I guarantee vote differently, you do, you get to experience that common humanity.

And then you have a common bond.

And it's those bonds that are so critical, especially in a democracy for our society to thrive.

And we just, we look around right now, and we see the division, we see the polarization, we see the loss of trust, not just in our institutions, but I think, I think honestly more dangerously our loss of trust in each other, where we don't know each other anymore, where we don't, we don't know our neighbors, and we haven't had these common experiences to create.

- And that's heartbreaking.

That's heartbreaking.

- It's heartbreaking, and it's dangerous.

And I look at, I just think about the last generation where since 9/11, we fought the longest wars in our country's history, and less than 1% of us served in the military, had a chance to.

Our leaders didn't ask us to serve or create the opportunities for us to serve together.

And we look at the fact that if you think about like "Bowling Alone," the book "Bowling Alone," about how Americans are no longer joining clubs, and they're not joining institutions, they're not joining organizations anymore.

Faith-based organizations are declining in memberships.

So the opportunities for Americans to come together and to forge bonds and to have a common purpose are just not there anymore.

And we have to recognize that, where that's led us.

That's led us to a place where we don't know each other anymore, where we are divided, we're isolated, we're lonely.

The Surgeon General of the United States this last year declared a public health epidemic around loneliness.

And we see that it's tearing our country apart.

And so the question that we're trying to ask in California is, with all of this, what do we do about it?

How do we actually create the opportunity for people to come together again?

And that's why the California Service Corps that we've created, we think is so fundamental to getting our state and ultimately our country back on track.

- You connect and you help others, but you also form a lifelong bond, and those bonds for people who might be watching, particularly younger people, you will have those bonds for the rest of your life.

And that is something that I cannot stress enough, is that when you serve, just like you did in the military, you serve with someone, and your humanness rises above the things that separate you, and you're connected forever.

And then you want the best for each other.

Can it be done with our environmental concerns?

We'll talk that first.

How do volunteers help with the environment?

Fires, all of that?

- Yeah, beautifully said, because service does, it's about connection.

It's about connection to our communities.

It's about connection to ourselves as individuals where we get to connect to our own humanity, and we get to experience the actual joy of giving back and being part of something that's bigger than ourselves.

And it's also about being connected to the earth, which is why our programs like our Climate Core have been so fundamentally successful.

Where right now with this last year, we had more than seven applications for every one position we had available.

- [Rob] Wow.

- This shows that people want to serve.

People wanna step up.

And these are programs where you commit to a year of service in the state of California, to organizing your community around climate action, to help on everything from dealing with wildfire mitigation, to composting and building community gardens in communities, to urban forestry and tree planting.

So our Climate Core members are taking a variety of environmental action throughout the state of California in a way that's protecting our planet, but it's also protecting our communities.

And then it's at the same time, and this is what's so powerful about these programs, is it's building community.

- Civil engagement is, those words kind of sound, you know, lofty, right?

Civil engagement.

But the bottom line is it is the road to civility.

And I do believe that it seems so far away, but if you step into it, it starts the moment you enter.

Once you put your mindset into a volunteering service mindset, and listen, I get it.

People are busy.

We're all busy, but you will make a better life for yourself by serving and volunteering.

If you're going through a tough time in your life, if you're going through grief, if you're struggling with something, if you're struggling with any area of your life, I have to say that service will set you free.

And you're offering a pathway that just fills me with true joy.

You also respond to people when they need it the most.

We're talking about service, helping people when they need help, but disasters that you respond to help people tremendously.

- They do.

And what we know from the research, and we've experienced this here in California where we're no strangers to disasters, unfortunately.

But what we know from the research is you are more likely in a natural disaster to be helped first by a neighbor than you are from anyone from government.

And that's just a fact.

And so the challenge that we're trying to address is we now have a society where many people don't know their neighbors.

Where they, because you're on your cell phone or we live busy lives, and we're disconnected, our communities have become disconnected.

So we've launched a program called Neighbor to Neighbor, where we're just focusing on, and we're working with mayors and leaders across the state, just focusing on neighbors getting to know each other again, so that when a disaster does strike, you know if one of your neighbor down the street is on an oxygen tank or maybe is not able to get outta their house as quickly so that when a disaster happens, the neighbors are on the front lines of helping each other first.

And that's what we've seen.

When I was on the city council in my hometown in Novato, California, and the Santa Rosa fires happened that devastated the community, what we saw was overnight we had thousands, and we were in the city right below where Santa Rosa was.

We saw overnight, we had thousands of climate and disaster refugees in our communities.

And it was volunteers who stepped up to help them, to provide 'em shelter, to provide diapers, to provide clothes.

And that's what we see in times of disaster.

And what we need to continue to do is foster that sense of community across our state.

- You know, we saw that, that's a, and I'm so sorry that you had to go through that with your hometown.

And I'm sorry for anyone who's watching who's been through that devastating experience.

We saw that after September 11th, 2001.

You know, you talk about a neighbor helping a neighbor, you would have an executive assistant being carried down the stairwell by the CEO.

It didn't matter who you are.

You're human, and seconds matter in time of crisis.

And if you know your neighbor, you have a quicker way to serve your neighbor in good times and in bad.

You know, this isn't just about the bad times.

This is about creating the good times, and I love that too.

That's what service does.

Are you-- - Can I touch on (cross talking) one other disaster?

- Go ahead.

- Sorry, wait, one other disaster I think is worth talking about.

It's not just natural disasters, but we're in a mental health crisis right now in our.

- Yes, yes.

Go back to that.

Thank you.

- Yeah, no, and you talked about how service can save us as individuals for a variety of reasons.

And that's what the research shows.

Harvard just came out with a study around youth mental health in our country and then listed what we actually need to do to come out of this mental health crisis we're facing.

And their number one recommendation was we need to recreate a sense of purpose with young people.

And then they cited service and volunteerism as one of the main ways to do that.

And I think that's what we're seeing is that across our nation, people are in deep need of being connected to their communities again and connected to each other.

And that's not just about solving problems, which it does, but it's actually a human need.

Are you familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

- Absolutely.

- So you have the top, you know, basic needs, food and water, then physical security number two.

People often forget what our number three need is, love and belonging.

We need it.

It's who we are as human beings.

And we need to not only receive love, but we also need to give love.

And that's what service gives you the opportunity to do.

- It's interesting when you go like this with those three, that's the foundation.

It may be number three of the scale, so to speak, in hierarchy, but I believe it's what fuels all of it.

In fact, I believe in making our messes a message.

I have no problem doing that.

And when, I had to quit drinking, I drank way too much.

And it was a huge problem for me.

And in 2013, I quit.

And the way it saved me, service is what saved me.

- Wow.

- Because I'd lost a sense of service, if you will, of import, of need.

I needed to find something greater, and service saved me.

It can save you too in any area.

I also want to say, this doesn't necessarily just mean you have to have access to get out of your house.

If you are home bound, there is a role for you in volunteerism.

If you are bed bound, there is a role for you in volunteering.

Everybody can play a role in the greatest role of our lives.

And that's helping save each other from this crisis of loneliness.

That's a big deal, and I'm glad you brought that up.

- Thank you for your courage in both sharing that, but also taking that step in your life and sharing your story 'cause that's inspiring.

More people need to hear how service can save you.

And it's certainly been transformative in my life, which is why I'm so inspired by what we're doing in California Volunteers.

And we absolutely agree with you.

We believe that every Californian has something to contribute.

And we mean every Californian.

And now the question that we have as a state and as leaders is how do we actually give every Californian that opportunity?

How do we create that?

And that's what we're investing in in a very real way.

- I love that.

What is your why, Josh?

What is it about, and I know probably a lot of it is your service in the military, but what sustains you on a day to day basis?

You're busy, you're all over the place.

I mean, when speaking with your staff, you have a lot going on.

It's not all fun and games.

You are one busy man with one busy office, and you have the people of California that expect a lot from you.

How do you keep your why in check?

What is it that makes you do what you do?

- Well, I think the thing that keeps me most busy, that is also my why is my three kids.

I have three sons, and I think about what kind of world they're growing up in.

I think about the existential crisis of climate change that they're facing.

I think about this epidemic of loneliness.

And I think about how can they live happy, fulfilling, purposeful, meaningful lives?

And how can everyone around them do the same?

And that's my why.

I want people to be able to thrive and fulfill their potential and not have any barriers.

And I think unfortunately our society has been constructed in such a way over the last, we'll call it couple generations where people just have not been exposed to the power of service.

It's not been expected of us, and people haven't been given the chance to do that.

And and I think that when we don't give people the chance, we don't give them a chance to live a fulfilled, meaningful life as you've described earlier.

And so I think about how can I give my kids, how can I make sure they live a purposeful life and a happy life?

And then how do we do that for all the Californians?

And I think service has to be at the center of that.

- I'm sure that for someone who is not familiar with service, it might sound completely scary to you.

It might sound foreign to you.

And it's not your fault.

There hasn't been a, you know, as Josh just illustrated so beautifully, it's been generational that this has not been there, but it is there.

And Josh, what is your pitch to someone who is listening right now and on the fence about, hey, should I lean into this?

Like, is this me they're talking to?

- We are absolutely talking to you.

Here's my pitch.

California needs you.

We need you in a big way.

You are needed by your community.

We need you to help us tackle big issues like climate change and poverty and education disparities.

And you have something really meaningful to contribute.

Every single Californian has something to contribute.

And if you step up to be part of what we're creating and volunteering and being part of the California Service Corps, it's gonna be good for you too.

We're gonna help you pay for college.

We're gonna give you a pathway to a career that you're gonna be passionate about and is gonna be meaningful.

And then if you take action on the kinds of things that we're asking people to take action on with our Climate Action Counts campaign, where you can help us tackle climate change and save money at the same time, you will start to see that there are so many benefits to volunteering and serving.

They're personal, they're professional, and they're purposeful.

And we want you to be part of this.

- I love that.

I really want to talk about the awesome 2024 effort and beyond for the 90,000 trees in honor of a beloved person.

Tell us all about that.

- Well, we're just so lucky and fortunate to have the chance to both partner with and to honor Dr. Jane Goodall, who is someone that I think just transcends every geography, every background, every age, someone who inspires us all.

And in California, we've been given the chance to both honor her and partner with her.

She turned 90 this year, and in her honor, California, led by our California Climate Action Corps is planting 90,000 trees across the state of California, which is super cool.

And what we're showing with this effort, and we're already mostly there.

What we're showing with this effort is that when you do things like plant trees that make a difference, and when you do it in community, it can be fun.

And our Climate Corps members and our volunteers who are going out there and planting trees are having a blast doing it.

And we get to do it in the spirit of someone who really embodies what we're trying to accomplish in California around service, which is that we can protect our planet and we can protect ourselves when we come together and work together.

- And you know what, she got to where she is by serving.

- That's right.

- And when you said that she's celebrating 90 years of living, I view her as ageless.

And it is because of her service.

You think of her as someone who's constantly doing something for the greater good.

- Yes, yeah, her legacy is unbelievable.

And I think we're seeing the continuation of that.

And I'm very confident that every tree that's planted of the 90,000 trees planted in Jane Goodall's honor, that's gonna inspire the next generation and generations to come to continue to make a difference in their community.

- I love that.

That's fantastic.

I do want to ask you, and I love this question because it's something that I hope just opens up to you to say whatever you really want.

What is it that you feel must be shared today?

If you walk away from this and did not say this and would wish you did, what would it be?

- I think America's at a crossroads right now, and we're at a crossroads where we have to decide what kind of country we want to be.

What kind of society do we want to be?

Do we want to live in a country that is defined by isolation and division or do we wanna live in a society that's defined by compassion and connection and community?

And the reality is is that's a choice.

We get to make that choice.

As Americans, as Californians, we have a choice of what kind of society we wanna live in.

And we choose in California to live in a society where we're connected to each other, where we collaborate with each other, where we build communities.

We don't break down communities, but in order for us to actually build that society and create a culture where that's expected, and everyone's given that opportunity, we need people to step up in a big way.

We need people to wanna serve, to wanna be connected.

It's why we've created the California Service Corps, which gives people paid opportunities to serve.

It's why we created the Neighbor to Neighbor Initiative which gives people opportunity to get to know their neighbors and work side by side with the neighbors.

And it's why we created the Climate Action Counts campaign to say that every single Californian can take climate action in a meaningful way.

But if we're gonna create the kind of society that we need, we need to make that choice, and we need to come together quickly.

- That's amazing.

Josh, I have to say this, you are a human being that helps others with being human in such a beautiful way.

And I mean that.

I see why you're in this role.

- That means so much, that means so much.

And I am so inspired by the thousands of Californians every day who have stepped up and are showing me that as well.

So thank you for this opportunity to talk about their work and talk about all of the Californians that are stepping up to create the kind of society that we all wanna live in.

- Absolutely.

Thank you so much, Josh, thank you.

(upbeat music) Thanks for joining us.

You can watch when you Want at RobOnTheRoad.org - [Announcer] Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld, LLP focusing on business law and commercial litigation is proud to support "Rob On the Road: Region Rising."

More information available at murphyaustin.com.

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