Crazy Good Turns

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 everything and take up the cause of helping incarcerated mothers and mothers-to-be.  Amy moved home, switched careers, and founded a nonprofit called Motherhood Beyond Bars. Today Amy’s organization assists almost every infant born in the Georgia prison system.  Motherhood Beyond Bars provides support for those children, preparing them – and their mothers – for an eventual reunification and life together. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amy. Stay connected to what she and her organization are doing by visiting motherhoodbeyondbars.org.  We invite you to share your feedback about this show with us on social. We’re @crazygoodturns on all of the platforms. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on the podcast service of your choice. If you already subscribe, we’d really appreciate a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes. Thank you! 

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 do instead  The incredible story of Grace, who went from house help to ROSE Women’s Foundation operations manager  The life-changing business curriculum Allie is spreading through Kenya What Allie wishes she had known to prepare for explosive growth  Stay current on all of the great work Allie and ROSE are doing at https://rosewomensfoundation.org/ Let us know what you think of today’s show on social. We’re @crazygoodturns on all of the platforms. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on the podcast service of your choice. If you already subscribe, we’d really appreciate a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes. Thank you!   

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 hometown to become a carpenter in Alaska. Along the way - almost by accident - he became a radio personality and writer.   After relocating again to Brattleboro, Vermont, Tom launched HatchSpace. His work there is bringing people together and teaching them a powerful lesson: That making things together matters.  During our show, Tom shares:  Two human qualities that Tom believes set us apart from beasts in the woods How woodworking helps heal brain trauma, including addictions – and how it helped heal Tom What changes Tom has seen in his own community after creating HatchSpace The book that opened Tom’s eyes to the importance of making things with his hands The Crazy Good Turn that saved his life   Stay current on all of the great work Tom and HatchSpace are doing at hatchspace.org.  Let us know what you think of today’s show on social. We’re @crazygoodturns on all of the platforms. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on the podcast service of your choice. If you already subscribe, we’d really appreciate a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes. Thank you! 

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 dedicated herself to helping audiences understand burnout better. During our show, Shirley will discuss:  What burnout really is (it’s not just being tired) Shirley’s personal experience and how she recovered Practical tips to prevent or bounce back from burnout Surprising insights on multitasking (and why it may not help you) Heartwarming stories from her Boston Globe colleagues, including how they rallied for her during a health crisis. Let us know what you think of today’s show on social @crazygoodturns. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on Apple Podcasts so you can stay up to date on the good news, including future shows and book giveaways. If you already subscribe, please leave us a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes with anyone you think will enjoy. Thank you!  

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 from her and organization founder Kim Derrick. Teens4Teens Help, a platform for teenagers who are suffering from mental or emotional health challenges. This nonprofit was founded by two parents, Jeff and Kathy Long, who created the help they wished they had when their daughter went through a tough time. They share the story. Joshua’s Heart Foundation, a Miami Beach nonprofit doing two crazy good turns: fighting food insecurity and helping young people develop job skills and life skills. Founder Joshua Williams, who started the organization when he was just 4 years old, joins us. Pine Ridge Reconciliation Center, a ministry located on the Pine Ridge Native Reservation of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Located in South Dakota in the poorest county in the nation, the center is the only place many residents can go for basic needs. Pastor Dan Johnson explains. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on Apple Podcasts so you can stay up to date on the good news, including future shows and book giveaways. If you already subscribe, please leave us a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes with anyone you think will enjoy. Thank you! 

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 like her.  In this episode, Luther and Jane share their experience. Jane describes what it’s been like to live with the disease – and how it hasn’t stopped her from achieving her dream of enrolling in law school. Meanwhile, Luther gives insight to their global search for the best minds researching muscular dystrophy, and how that may be leading to new and effective treatments.  We’re joined in this conversation by Frank’s friend Larry Powell. Larry has been an inspiration for and informal advisor to our podcast for a long time. He suggested that we feature Luther and Jane’s story, and we liked the idea so much we asked him to be a part of it.  Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on Apple Podcasts so you can stay up to date on the good news, including future shows and book giveaways. If you already subscribe, please leave us a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes with anyone you think will enjoy. Thank you! 

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.  Outside of the podcast, Dan is also a foreign policy expert, investor and author of two books about Israel, “Startup Nation” and, more recently, “The Genius of Israel.” That second book explores how things like national service and a sense of purpose unite the people of Israel, and seem to help them avoid modern maladies like addiction, depression and suicide.   Follow Dan on Twitter @DanSenor, or find more information about him at dansenor.com.  Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on Apple Podcasts so you can stay up to date on the good news, including future shows and book giveaways. If you already subscribe, please leave us a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes with anyone you think will enjoy. Thank you!   

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 interview, she’ll share lessons to help you conquer the mountains (metaphorical or otherwise) you face in your own life.  Want to connect with Jenn? Text the word “Everest” to the number 33777. She’ll send you a video of the Milky Way Galaxy going over Everest Base Camp. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on Apple Podcasts so you can stay up to date on the good news, including future shows and book giveaways. If you already subscribe, please leave us a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes with anyone you think will enjoy. Thank you! 

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 began in college, and has remained steady ever since. In this episode, Miller describes how his organization assists more than 100 communities throughout Kenya, Tanzania and Africa. Hear his incredible story.   

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 fundamentally sympathetic to the causes, but also clear-eyed about where they may have gone astray. Nellie's approach of reporting, rather than advocacy, is increasingly rare in today’s media. And the courage she showed by engaging these topics with an open mind is a crazy good turn.  Follow Nellie on Twitter @NellieBowles, or find more information about her at nelliebowles.com.  Don’t forget to subscribe or follow us on Apple Podcasts so you can stay up to date on the good news, including future shows and book giveaways. If you already subscribe, please leave us a 5-star review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-good-turns/id1137217687 We appreciate you listening and sharing our episodes with anyone you think will enjoy. Thank you!