Using Your Gifts for a Greater Good: Wendy Sadusky and Renee Feder

Discover the inspiring stories of Wendy Sadusky and Renee Feder, two remarkable angel moms whose unwavering dedication to Place of Hope has sparked a community movement rooted in compassion and service. Their journeys, laden with the virtues of Proverbs 31, serve as the heart of our latest conversation, where we navigate the waters of personal tragedy, innovative fundraising, and volunteerism. We share in their creative strategies that not only raise awareness and support for the organization but also foster a robust sense of community among those who serve.

Wendy and Renee exemplify the joy and fulfillment that emanate from channeling one's talents into charitable endeavors. Our discussion opens a window into how these women balance the bustling tempo of daily life with their commitment to service, transforming event planning into an art form that empowers others. The stories we unfold reveal the magnetic draw of long-term volunteerism, the teaching of new skills, and the collective pride stemming from contributing to a cause greater than oneself.

In this heartfelt episode, our guests Renee and Wendy take us through the defining moments that sculpted their paths to service and how these experiences have enriched their lives and those around them. They recount the influential role of family values and the profound impact of being part of a child's journey towards stability and self-worth. As we celebrate the success stories from Place of Hope, they also offer advice for the next generation on weaving volunteerism into the fabric of a busy life, ensuring the flame of giving and community involvement is passed on to light the way for others.

Takeaways

• Using your individual gifts and talents to serve others is a powerful way to make a difference.
• Volunteering and giving back can have a positive impact on both the giver and the recipient.
• Teaching children the importance of giving back from a young age can instill a lifelong commitment to service.
• Being an ambassador of hope means being a positive example and inspiring others to get involved.

Host: Charles L. Bender III, Founding CEO and Board Member of Place of Hope

Title Sponsor: Crypto Capital Venture | Follow Dan Gambardello's on Twitter (@cryptorecruitr)

Link:  Visit the Place of Hope Website, PlaceOfHope.com

Connect with Place of Hope on social media: Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn

Email the Show: POHPodcast@PlaceOfHope.com 

Chapters

• 0:02 Angel Moms
• 14:51 Empowering Women to Serve and Share
• 24:08 Volunteering and the Importance of Giving
• 28:30 Volunteering and Community Involvement Importance
• 40:05 Impactful Volunteer Experiences and Personal Stories
• 53:34 Celebrating Antsy's Achievements and Collective Pursuit

Transcript

Charles Bender: 0:02

Hello and thank you for tuning in to Ambassadors of Hope. I'm your host, Charles Bender. We're so excited that you've tuned in to hear from local South Florida leaders who are making a difference in our community and region through our charity Place of Hope.

Lisa McDulin: 0:18

Hi, my name is Lisa McDulin. I'm the South County Director of Advancement for Place of Hope. I'm delighted to share a heartfelt forward for this episode as part of our Women to Watch series on the Ambassadors of Hope podcast. Throughout this series, you will have the privilege of meeting some remarkable women, many of whom have the cherished role of being what we call an angel mom. What is an angel mom? Well, this woman beautifully encompasses the qualities that are drawn from Proverbs 31, a familiar passage and a source of inspiration that encourages us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of those who are destitute, speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and the needy. As we delve into the stories of these exceptional individuals and women, we are reminded of the immense value of their contributions. They hold a special place within our hearts and within the broader mission of Place of Hope.

Lisa McDulin: 1:15

In the epilogue, the description of the wife of noble character from Proverbs 31 paints a vivid picture of dedication, strength and compassion. This series will shine a light on women who rise early, work diligently and bring immeasurable goodness to their families and their community. They are like ships bringing sustenance from afar and like skilled traders, ensuring their efforts are not only fruitful but also serve a greater purpose. Our featured women embrace the ethos of industriousness and generosity. They exemplify the idea of strength and commitment, from overseeing tasks with vigor to ensuring that their endeavors positively impact those who are less fortunate. Their outstretched hands to the needy embody the core mission of Place of Hope. Thank you for joining us on this journey. As we celebrate these incredible women within our Women to Watch series, their stories are sure to inspire an uplift, reminding us all the transformative power of hope.

Charles Bender: 2:24

We want to give a special thanks and shout out to our presenting sponsor, Crypto Capital Venture. Crypto Capital Venture acts as both a startup recruiting firm as well as one of the largest crypto communities in the cryptocurrency space, offering trailblazing content for over five years. If you're interested in crypto, you can join over 300,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel for the latest on crypto, just go to YouTube and search Crypto Capital Venture and make sure to subscribe. Thanks so much, Dan and our friends at Crypto Capital Venture.

Lisa McDulin: 2:58

Thanks for joining us today on another episode of Ambassadors of Hope, a podcast by Place of Hope. I'm Lisa McDulin and in this heartfelt conversation, Charles Bender and I have the privilege of sitting down with two of our beloved angel moms, Wendy Sadusky and Renee Feder. These women both will share their experiences as dedicated volunteers at Place of Hope in their roles as angel moms over the past several years, and their stories will definitely underscore the profound impact of giving back and the transformative power of service. Interestingly, Wendy's personal journey, including her role as a caregiver for her nephew after her sister's passing, will beautifully exemplify how adversity can inspire compassion and service to others.

Lisa McDulin: 3:50

And both Wendy and Renee. They bring exceptional creative vision for all of our signature fundraising events and they're very mindful stewards when it comes to reducing expenses and just creating the most beautiful and inviting environment and atmosphere for our guests to enjoy and be a part of, whatever the event is that we're doing. We're so grateful for their creativity and their ideas and their resourcefulness. These ladies' commitment to Place of Hope not only reflects their deep empathy, but it also serves as a beacon of inspiration for others in the community. Their collective efforts, marked by the joy of giving, illuminate potential for positive change and the importance of fostering a nurturing environment for those in need.

Charles Bender: 4:47

Wendy Sadusky and Renee Feder. Thank you guys for being here today. You know we've told you a little bit about what ambassadors of hope is, because you both are ambassadors of hope and you're ambassadors for place of hope, so shouldn't find it strange that you're some of our first guests to be on our show. The whole purpose of this show is really to show the community examples, strong examples, of leaders that are involved with place of hope, just doing great things for the both of you, you know, for a period of years now in different kinds of leadership, and so we're thankful for you guys to be here today to share a little bit.

Wendy Sadusky: 5:24

Thank you, happy to be here, yes.

Charles Bender: 5:27

And one of the many things you guys have been a part of is starting up and keeping it moving is our angel moms down primarily in the South County operations of what we do. And so obviously, lisa, that was one of your brainchild things that you guys came up with, so maybe tell us on our listeners a little bit about angel moms.

Lisa McDulin: 5:47

Yeah, so we started angel moms Gosh it'll be 10 years next spring Just as a way to create awareness in the community about the work that place of hope does, to raise financial support, raise up volunteer, give the women in the community opportunities to engage with our mission and tangibly serve our youth. And it's been a really great thing. And I think when you walk on the campus, you take a tour, you come to any of the events, you can definitely see the handprints of women and their influence all over what we've done in Southern Palm Beach County for sure.

Charles Bender: 6:24

Anything you guys want to say about angels of mom, why it's special to you. That's the angels of mom. Angels of mom Okay.

Renee Feder: 6:34

I think the people we volunteer and work with are just so special and everybody serves with such humility and grace and it's just so fun to be around all of them and I think we feed off each other and we become even better and bigger as a whole. A lot of synergies amongst us.

Charles Bender: 6:51

I think synergies is a great word. I think also another word would be attraction. Like your group, people are attracted to be a part of it. They learn who's on there, they come, maybe experience something real quick at a lunch and learn or whatever. However we introduce, and people want to be a part of your group because you're all just awesome and you can do so much good.

Charles Bender: 7:13

Let me read this scripture. It's 1 Peter, 4, 10 and 11. It says each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. That's what we're talking about here today service as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things, god may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. It's a big part of the reason why we do what we do, what drives place of hope as a whole, and our ambassadors and our angel moms. So how do you guys perceive the concept of using your individual gifts and talents as instruments to serve others?

Wendy Sadusky: 7:56

So I early on, found a talent for design and making people feel welcome and good with having a nice surrounding. No matter what your income is or your stage of wealth or poverty or everybody deserves to have something nice to look at and be around. I went to interior design school. I found early on that that was easy for me and easy way for me to give back, and so I use that talent in broad areas. When my children were little, I stayed home and I sewed, did sewing. I sewed curtains. I sewed, you know, headboards. I made all kinds of things for people's homes that couldn't afford an interior designer. I had retired from interior design Back then. It was a $10,000 deposit just to have us walk in the door.

Wendy Sadusky: 9:01

I use my talents through the church group and the women that were serving on the mothers uplifting mothers board. So it's always been a part of my life too. It makes me feel good when people feel good about their surroundings, whether it's at an angel mom brunch and trying you know, renee and I trying to make that the best we can on a budget or within their home. You know just new bedding. You see it at Place of Hope when you turn your places around and you redo them. So I feel like the talent that God gave me I have to use in a way that serves people that are otherwise unable to have that part of their life which I think gives them confidence, gives them a safe place, makes them feel special, and it's instilled. It was instilled in me young, with my mother and my grandmother, and you know I'm happy to use my talents to serve.

Charles Bender: 10:00

What a great example too, because, like you know, you think, a lot of people think, oh well, what can I do to provide for? You know, abused, neglected, abandoned children, homeless moms. Okay, everybody thinks, oh, I have to be a social worker. No, you don't. We're trying to create place, we're trying to create home, you know, we're trying to create an environment of dignity, you know, and so that's a great example of how to do that. You know, I'll never forget, years ago, when we first opened the first home for Place of Hope and there was one social worker who actually came there were a lot of them, but one who went out of her way to tell me how this beautiful environment is not realistic for a lot of the kids that you serve, Trying to say basically that we were like creating a Disney world of home life when it's not like that for them. And I basically looked at her in an ambassadorial sort of way and said you know that she was wrong, because, you know, we're not.

Charles Bender: 10:52

We're all about showing what life can be about outside of some of the traumas and traumatic events and things, circumstances that they've been in or are in, so that they have something to lean forward to, right, I mean, that's what you're talking about. You give them hope, you give them dignity, they see what it can be like, and then the Place of Hope way is what that? They have to go after it themselves. They have to figure out how to get there, just like everybody else does, right. But it can be done, and we and you, you prop them up with those kinds of things to show them how nice it really can be and how good it can be. How about you, renee?

Renee Feder: 11:25

Oh gosh, I think Place of Hope has definitely been a wonderful place for me to have an outlet for creative sources. Wendy and I have so much fun working on decor for events and sometimes we set the bar too high and we roll our eyes like how in the world are we going to accomplish this?

Wendy Sadusky: 11:43

It's amazing.

Renee Feder: 11:44

It always works out and we say we're never going to do this again. But of course the next year we do it again. We set the bar even higher and we just have so much fun and we, we laugh at each other. We even have fun at Home Depot getting our supplies.

Lisa McDulin: 11:56

We always have some great stories to share with people.

Renee Feder: 12:00

But it's so interesting Sometimes you may bring what you think are talents to the table and then organically, just things just fall into place and you realize maybe you have talents that you even realize you have and you know, just working with the girls, I remember one time I loved to cook and a couple of my girlfriends like to cook and I think Janine and Karen and I were doing a cooking class, trying to teach some of the single moms a smart way to cook, like buy a lot of chicken on Sunday nights, cook a lot of chicken, make your broccoli and, and then you can use the leftovers for salad and sandwiches.

Renee Feder: 12:33

The next day or Tuesday night, take the leftover chicken, chop it up, add it to some mac and cheese and throw your leftover broccoli in there and you can have three days of meals cooking. You know one time and it was so interesting One of the ladies you know, when you're working with them like that and they were cooking with us, and then conversations just start to organically fall into place and she was asking if you know we were married, if we had boyfriends, and and then she started talking about her relationships and just talked about how she had a boyfriend and who was so wonderful, the first wonderful male person she had in her life. But she just felt so unworthy that God would bless her with this beautiful relationship and she was afraid she was going to lose it and she just felt unworthy and it was so wonderful to see how we could encourage her and follow up and make sure she was, you know, on a great path and that she was worthy of this wonderful relationship and it was a gift from God.

Charles Bender: 13:33

That's awesome so just getting to know the girls working hands on hand with them has really been a blessing, see, and I you know, our hope too and with this is that, as you guys, as ambassadors, and those two examples, which are intertwined and and individual as well, like, we'll just really speak to someone who's listening, because, I mean, that's how you know it's, it's the body that moves forward together and all the pieces and the hands and the feet and all that that make it even possible for us to do what we do at Play Soap over all these years, but not just to do it, not to check the box, but and and make sure that DCF's happy and so forth.

Charles Bender: 14:06

No, it's, it's about seeing the change lives. It's about seeing those little seeds planted about like you're, you are worthy and, by the way, that word goes for both examples it's we give them together a beautiful place to be and to reside and it's safe, with dignity and so forth, and it's okay, you know, and you're worthy of it, right. And then you talk about relationships and all the experiences prior have been maybe negative, right, and she said that was the first one you were able to speak life into her about. It's basically like release it, you're, it's okay, you can. You can have a successful relationship even though you may have seen nothing but messed up relationships prior. You didn't have to say that part, but it's like that's what's, that's what's being related. I love it yeah.

Charles Bender: 14:48

Lisa thoughts.

Lisa McDulin: 14:51

I mean, I think too, um, this is a great opportunity for you all to encourage any other women that might be listening, um, to kind of dust off what maybe they've put up on a shelf. I think a lot of times women have a tendency they have kids, they get super busy or they have a career and they sort of just get lost and maybe they think they don't have time to serve. They don't have. They don't have time to do that thing that they like to do. And I think that one of the things that we all always encourage our angel moms and our volunteers to do is work where you're in your strength zone so that it's easy for you to serve. It doesn't seem like such a chore, and I think that's one of the things that both of you do so well is you work where you're the strongest and you have so much fun doing it.

Lisa McDulin: 15:38

I mean, I, I I'm marvel every time I see Wendy up on a ladder or with a drill or with you know, with you guys, with your toolboxes, just um, it's, it's just incredible, but it's, it's an encouragement to other people to try to figure out well, what talents and skills do I have buried deep inside of me that I could be using, whether it's to help you guys out, because we're never going to let you go when it comes to planning an event. Thank goodness we only have two big ones, because and we trust your ideas we know that you're going to use the resources so well, you're going to keep the budget in mind, um, but there's. I think that there's so much to be said about the influence that you have on other young women and other women in the community who maybe are not stepping up and using their gifts like they could be. So I'm just so grateful for that in both of you, because you do such a great job of using the gifts that God's given you, so so amazingly, to help others.

Wendy Sadusky: 16:41

Thank you.

Charles Bender: 16:43

I think there's another piece that's sort of buried in there like a nugget in that. Um, we was mentioned just indirectly that you know that multiple years of engagement as well, I think really speaks loudly to people. We've really been blessed with that a place of hope, more than most charities, where great people that get involved stay involved. You know it's not a hundred percent right, but folks like you two that that engage at a high level but yet it's year by year by year. But we see it because the organization is benefiting from it. But a lot of other people see it too. Um, it doesn't get talked about like hey, this is their fourth year of this or fifth year of this. But people know because they come there and they, they see, they see the repetitive nature in a good way of excellence. You know, and then they know you guys are behind the scenes doing it. So there's there's that element too that's so invaluable.

Wendy Sadusky: 17:31

You have the core group of angel moms that I was not part of. I feel like a new kind of the newer, old angel mom. I mean, I've been around for a number of years, but not as many as, like the core group, which is goes right along the lines of attraction, like when I met some of these women and they introduced me to place of hope and I was like, wow, like, I get to volunteer with you ladies Like and the, the, the joy that they have in volunteering has now, you know, passed down to it. We just keep getting larger and larger and more women and more incredible women, um, and it's, you know, that, that core group that you started with 10 years ago, nine years ago. They're still very involved and they are still, um, such a magnet for angel moms and for place of hope.

Renee Feder: 18:30

Yeah. I think, it's so much fun to um sharing our talents and teaching other people. Like you know, we have our events. We have the smallest shoestring budget for decor I think I've ever experienced in my 35 years of volunteer work. Are you working me?

Charles Bender: 18:45

here. Is that what you're doing? You're doing increased budgets. We want our profits to go in the right places.

Renee Feder: 18:51

But we can do a lot with our talents and Wendy and I have so much fun. We get on the flowers wholesale and we're busy setting up but we train the other volunteers to make these floral arrangements. They say I can't make a floral arrangement. We're like yes, you can.

Renee Feder: 19:05

It's like math, it's a great, but one flower here, but one flower there, and to see the smiles on their face. And now they say, oh my goodness, I went home and I, in my own floral arrangements, you taught me how it's so easy and right to see all the smiles on their faces.

Wendy Sadusky: 19:20

So in the set, the set this year with the backdrop and the fishing line and the diamond pattern, and a couple of the women were like, like, are those your tools? Where did you get that? And I'm like, yeah, there are tools.

Renee Feder: 19:38

And you could do it too.

Wendy Sadusky: 19:40

And they helped, a lot of them help. The first time they ever, you know, put an L bracket on a backdrop.

Renee Feder: 19:47

Handle the drill yeah.

Wendy Sadusky: 19:49

Yeah, handle the drill.

Renee Feder: 19:50

We're witnessing in Home Depot. It was so fun, that was wonderful.

Wendy Sadusky: 19:54

Yeah. Getting to tell people what you're doing and why we did I thought we were twins and they're like what are you girls doing with all this wood and stuff? I love it.

Charles Bender: 20:04

So we told them and fancy.

Wendy Sadusky: 20:06

Fancy was impressed. That was her name in Home Depot checking us out. Her name was Fancy.

Charles Bender: 20:11

I love it. You know. The other thing about that is is cool. So we're going to talk about like conveying the very words of God, but you're in that you're also conveying the principles of God too, because if you think through, it's so easy, if you will, for a charity to put an event together where they go out and they hire these big production companies and that's not to get me in trouble with any production companies, but you, you know you could hire these companies that come in and do all that. Well, guess what? You're eating into the net side of the event the profit, which is the part that goes to run the charity, if you're responsible, so as a charity. But yet you guys do all that part which saves so much money too.

Charles Bender: 20:47

And so we always look at the end to say, okay, how well did the organization or the event net right, all the leadership wants to always know. The organization needs to know, because that's what actually feeds and provides for young people. But at the same time, I mean it's so much better as a result of that kind of sowing and giving. And that's a principle I mean because that's where we're being stewards as well. And it's hard, I get it. I know it's a lot, but you guys do it, and you do it every year, so I'm grateful from that perspective.

Charles Bender: 21:15

And so the thing I wanna talk about is, according to that scripture that I read 1 Peter 4, 10 through 11, there's an emphasis on speaking as if actually conveying the very words of God and serving with the strength God provides. Share a time when you guys have seen those kinds of principles and action, either in your own life or in the actions of someone you know, or with angel moms. How do you think embodying these principles contributes to bringing glory to God as well? So that might've been one example of it where we're being stewards, but it might be like, hey, you got to talk to what was the lady's name at home Depot?

Wendy Sadusky: 21:48

Fancy.

Lisa McDulin: 21:48

Fancy.

Charles Bender: 21:52

I mean, to me that's seed planning, it's the little things that again draw the attraction. So I don't know who wants to give a shot at that. Just some of the things you've seen, these principles and action, when you convey the very words and the service.

Renee Feder: 22:08

I think just bringing our friends in and getting the ripple effect of bringing more friends in, but just bringing them in for the right reason, Bringing them in at the right timing and just talking about place of hope and letting it be their decision to come in and come on board and just seeing the fruits of friends' involvement and their ripple effect for the community has been really incredible and just to see God's hand through all of that has really really been remarkable.

Charles Bender: 22:40

Yeah, I love it because none of us are really doing it for us. We're not doing it for our own. We're doing it really for the glory of God, which is what that's all about.

Wendy Sadusky: 22:48

You can feel that. You can feel that with the women it's. You may have a day where you're like it's not my best day, I'm not having my best day and I volunteered to do this and I have to show up. And the strength that the women, the strength that God gives you just to go to show up. And sometimes you don't feel like you wanna show up, but if you've committed to show up, we're gonna show up, and God always reveals a blessing in the showing up. It's so much easier to say no, I'm not gonna go, no, I'm not gonna go. And it's so incredibly important to say yes to doing something that is just for the glory of God, because what you get back from it is tenfold. In the giving of God, the receiving you get is tenfold and I think the encouragement amongst the angel moms, just the exponential effect of that.

Renee Feder: 23:48

We encourage each other so much and I think it just attracts more angel moms to get and want to get involved Because, remember, it's so welcoming, so welcoming and encouraging.

Charles Bender: 24:01

And that's place of hope as a whole, whether it's angel moms, or our board of directors or CEO council or whatever it is. Maya, there was a quote. We gotta write it down. You made a quote, you were preaching and you said God reveals a blessing in the showing up. That was good. I like that.

Wendy Sadusky: 24:18

We gotta write that one down.

Charles Bender: 24:19

That was really good, Wendy Sadusky, yeah Put it on the chalkboard. Share with us a little bit about just generally speaking doesn't even have to be obvious because you were, I'm certain you were doing cool things even before place. Open your journey of volunteering and how you just got and started, like what catapulted you into getting started with, just generally speaking, serving others.

Renee Feder: 24:41

Well, my parents were always very involved in church volunteer work and they were involved in the JC's and the ELCS clubs. They were always volunteering, helping neighbors. We were in brownies and Girl Scouts. There's volunteer work and I think the first event I chaired I was so excited back in the day when Jerry Lewis Telethon, the Labor Day.

Renee Feder: 25:03

Telethon and I wrote to the radio station in Minneapolis and I got my packet came in the mail and we used to. I hope it's one of those carnivals. I think I was probably in fifth or sixth grade. Oh wow, that's awesome Really young and yeah, it was really. Those were really remarkable. I think that was when our volunteerism started, but it was a part of our life. It was a part of our family life growing up.

Charles Bender: 25:27

That's good, wendy.

Wendy Sadusky: 25:29

A little bit along the same lines. I don't wanna say it was volunteering that I witnessed my parents, but my father was owned a blue collar company and he had a lot of very poor people work for him and he would hand out Thanksgiving turkeys, christmas hams to everybody. He would show up Friday night at jail and bail them out and these were his workers that lived in the slums in Philadelphia that he would have his worker go pick them all up in the morning, bring them out to the job site, lay the pavement, do their thing and return them home at night. He tried to get away with paying them on Mondays so they could possibly make it through the end of the week, but a lot of times they got in trouble on Friday night. So I witnessed that growing up, my father doing a lot of.

Wendy Sadusky: 26:17

If somebody didn't have a heater in their house he would pay and have a heater put in their home. So it wasn't necessarily volunteering, but it was caring about humanity and caring about the people that were in his circle that he relied on to get his job done. He would have to help them so they could show up for him. And I guess for me it was after I had children and started to get involved in the schools. That's when I really started volunteering, because I ended up staying home with my children. My husband traveled quite a bit so I couldn't work anymore, so I used the time that my children were at school volunteering at school, and I mean everything from set design. One year I had to run the play because the director of the play got sick and I was like what?

Renee Feder: 27:09

I don't know how to do this.

Wendy Sadusky: 27:11

So now I know how to direct a play. So it's all like I said, if you say yes to something, you always get something well in return, and it's something I love to do. I love to give, I'm a giver, that's the way I show my love. So to give in circumstances that help a multitude of people really, really gives back to me.

Charles Bender: 27:38

Those are great examples. So yours, it was happening in your family. You learned from it directly. Yours was happening in a different way. In your family. You were like gleaning from what you were seeing. And then now look at the both of you and we're sitting here talking about being ambassadors. Right, you're giving, through your giving and your service, the opportunity for others who may not have had either one of those sort of scenarios in their lives to see it in action and wanna be a part of it too. That's kinda cool. I like that. So all right. So now switching over to place of hope. So what led you to become involved with place of hope and why does place of hope resonate with you? And, as I've already said, multiple years for both of you. Now you guys have stuck with us and, like Lisa said, we're not letting you go anywhere anyway. So we know where you live, we know how to find you and bring you in if necessary. But what led you all individually to become involved with place of hope specifically?

Renee Feder: 28:30

Well, I think my girlfriend, Janine, had been trying to get me involved for a few years, but I was really busy with my children. They were in two different schools and on the PTA and involved with all their sports and some other charities and I think when things, as the kids got older and some free time opened up, janine kept quietly tugging me along not so quietly, but I think the timing was just right and I knew if Jean was involved it had to be a really quality organization. She and her husband were both involved and I knew she would only really be involved with an organization that was really top notch and financially sound and really had a heart to give back to the children. So I jumped in back then and it's been wonderful. It's been a wonderful ride.

Charles Bender: 29:18

And, of course, as you know, janine's a member of our board of directors at Place of Hope and I mean, that's that's exactly what we're sitting here talking about. The attraction for you was. A big part of it was through her and knowing that, like you said, she's she's not gonna be involved in something that isn't working. Accomplishing things, and so that was an attraction too.

Renee Feder: 29:38

Yeah. So I knew right off the bat the organization had a lot of integrity and a lot going for them and they were expanding into both her tone at the time.

Charles Bender: 29:47

Yeah, you jumped on board early, wendy. What about you?

Wendy Sadusky: 29:51

So I was introduced at one of the luncheons. I was invited by Nikki Pepper to a luncheon and I Was. I was blown away by the women in the room, by the message of the Of the speaker and her visit to the place of Hope campus. I had not been on the campus since it was the boys.

Lisa McDulin: 30:14

The haven I used to buy flowers from them.

Wendy Sadusky: 30:16

They used to sell in patients and I used to go out by my flowers and so I hadn't been on the campus. But I then went and took a tour and I just felt I felt safe and hope in that Community. That you guys started there and the leadership like looking into the actual Way that in that place of hope is run the leadership you guys have is amazing and I I just really wanted to be involved and the more I got involved the more I wanted to stay involved and that the more I met incredible people to channel my volunteerism with and you know I'm it's been, it's been a pleasure to help with every cause that is over at place of hope. I I just think it's begins at the top. You know your leadership trickles down and it's apparent in every part of place of hope well, and you guys are part of that.

Charles Bender: 31:17

I e ambassadors. I mean that's what people look in at. It's one thing to look at Lisa's role or my role or Maya's role and others, and that should be solid, because we owe that back to Anybody that invests, but at the same time, it's it's really all about those of you who step up too, because you're out in the community. You are those ambassadors. People are looking at you already because they want to hang out with you, and now they see what you're doing with your time like that, so that you're you all make that they want. You know one big circle, you know, without any openings in it.

Renee Feder: 31:46

Yeah, the camaraderie is still fun with the angel moms, but it's also just so rewarding when we get to hear the stories you know, from the children and the young adults that have lived there, and hear their stories of their background stories and where they are today and how place of hope is, really held their hand and given them a hand up. Yeah, but they've really just Achieved so much and they're living. So many of them are living such financially sound and responsible lives, you know, and having children of their own, starting their own families now. So the success stories are absolutely incredible and it just speaks to the organization.

Charles Bender: 32:31

We love it when. So, if so, if it's a young person is with us under 18, they're in the state system and and they leave one of the things that the system does they require an exit interview that we have with totally hands-off for us, right? So, whether they were with us three months, which is rare, or if they were with us whatever ten years, which is also rare, whatever, whatever that time frame is, you know, they're able to just basically spill it all out there as to what was, what's good about place but what's not. And there's some, there's some really pointing questions in there. You know, like when you came into care, did they ask you what your favorite color was? Did they take an interest in you? Did they feed you right? You know, like all these things, that if a young person was upset upon, leaving or they could really make it up.

Charles Bender: 33:16

And it always goes back to like the fundamentals, the stuff you all, as angel arms, provide in the sense of like beautiful Environments and coming around them as mentors, of tutors and cooking with them, and just all that stuff. That's what comes out. It what comes out is is the, the family time, the fact that the cottage and the other girls in the cottage showed up at my, my chorus Thing that I just did at school, or my sporting event or whatever it is. That's what you know really makes it beautiful and Continues to be that for them, you know. So what do you? What would you say you know in your Particularly as ambassadors, but as angel moms and whatever you're working on for place of trying to bring more people. And what would you say for younger women in the community that Feel overwhelmed with busy schedules and kids activities and other commitments that they have? What advice would you have to encourage them to start volunteering and serving early in life?

Wendy Sadusky: 34:13

I think the younger you get your children involved in something like that, the better it is instead of Constantly running around. I did it. I had three children home alone all week by myself, while my husband was away, and I could have them in every single event, knowing they're going to be a track star, baseball star, rowing star. They were all going to be all of that. But they towed along with me to all of the volunteer things that I did, and at that time it was at their school, but it didn't necessarily revolve around school hours and they came with me and I sketched out sets and they painted them on the floor and I would go over and fix the lines if needed. But having them come along and taking pride and Seeing that their time, you know they're not getting paid for it, they're not getting anything extra out of it that they know of until they see the production or they see the finale, or they meet a friend that they otherwise wouldn't have met. If you bring your kids along to things that you want to do, that your heart's tugging on, you're then teaching them and you're planting the seed for it to go on, for them to continue when they get older, even when they're in high school.

Wendy Sadusky: 35:29

You know you see a lot of kids. It's the same children every year in the high school classes that run everything. It's like Make room for the others to come in, invite somebody else in to try, because if they don't try they're not gonna know. And that, I think, is one of the things about place of hope that I think is so incredible for the people that live there. You're giving them a touch of what their life can be like and showing them a way to do it when they wouldn't have seen that before. And if we don't do that to our children, who are privileged enough to be involved in every sport, if we don't show them, there's something else that makes you feel good. It's not just about Winning at something, it's about giving to others, it's about showing up. I think that it's it. You're doing a big service to your children and your young ones when you bring them along and they see what you're doing.

Charles Bender: 36:22

Yeah, it's like mutually beneficial if you think about it right, You're doing something great, but you're benefiting from it, but then you're really benefiting someone else. I mean for to take those energies and, you know, invest in our kids lives, whether it's you individually or with your kids, whatever showing up, you know it's like for our kids to have somebody show up at their game have multiple people show up at their game.

Charles Bender: 36:42

First of all, most of the kids in our care, under 18 never even got to play sports prior to coming. Well, for whatever the reasons were the family unit they were in or the foster home they were in prior or whatever just it wasn't an option. And then they come and we get them engaged. And then, on top of that, I mean, I mean, what's the whole point? Right? We're all, we all desire these, these strong ties and relationships in life, and that's how you build successfully from there. And yet you know, and people showing up at these kids games, and that's what they talk about on these exit interviews how people came and how I had my first birthday party. You guys are a part of doing those too.

Charles Bender: 37:13

It's like never had a birthday cake, can you imagine? Like and this is a common recurrence. This is something that not just happened in 2001. I mean, it happens all the time. We get kids that come into care that have just, not to mention what they show up with the clothing that shouldn't even be worn any longer. It's, you know, all needs to be replaced, and then you put them in a Palm Beach Gardens or a Boca school. They got to have the right stuff to write so that they feel good about themselves. And and that's, if you didn't have, if you don't have those kinds of things, those core relationships and those those things that make you feel like you're, you know, at least you're starting off at some degree of equality when you're jumping into a new school or whatever you imagine what it would be like. But you know, without all that and we knew, we do know, because statistics show what happens to a lot of these kids. But then when you bless them with these, these things, especially the relational part, it's like the springboard for the future.

Renee Feder: 38:02

But Any thoughts on that? Yeah, I think I know. One thing that our kids loved to do when they were younger was have Hosts a lemonade stand in the neighborhood and we would oftentimes donate the money to Boko Helping Hands. But we would make the children take the money to Boko Helping Hands and they experienced it and they saw that these are such wonderful people. But it was humbling because my children saw that that could be them Not having enough food to eat and it really taught them just to be thankful and to give back. And I know my daughter, katie, used to bake brownies Every Thanksgiving for all the George Snow scholarship kids said they give them their little care packages that they send to them in college for their study packages.

Renee Feder: 38:48

So every year she used to bake the brownies for George Snow for their little goodie bags or goodie boxes they would send to college. I like that part too because they're gone.

Charles Bender: 38:56

They've moved, they're in the middle of pursuing their goals and everything that everybody helped set them up for right, but then somebody has to check in on them. They need to come back to a place and that's one of the things we've strived for over the years is that you're always with us, you're always part of the family. If you need to come back, and during spring break, we're going to find a place for you to be, we're going to find a place for you to stay. You're never let go from here. You know one of the things we're starting right now that you guys are going to interface them together at some point. I'm so pumped about this. We're starting a youth advisory council at Place of Hope, and you made me think of it a minute ago when you were talking about something about when they become successful and on their own and going to school and having their own families. But talking to some of these young people right now and especially, I can't believe some of them are 30 already.

Charles Bender: 39:44

They're in their 30s and they were here when they were like 10 or whatever, but anyway, getting them to be involved in this youth advisory council. To what? Just to again provide more input on. So what do you think about Place of Hope? How are we doing? Was it like when you were here? Have you seen what it's like now and what could we do better and what could we do more of what was great for you? And just hearing those stories, I don't even know how I got off on that.

Charles Bender: 40:09

I'm excited about it. But we've got to interface the angel moms with that, because you also mentioned about stories, talking about hearing their testimonies and so forth. But I think those kinds of things, definitely somebody doesn't have to get involved and do 20 hours a week. I mean, obviously, if you're running in 100 different directions, there's so many upsides. Again to the examples you guys showed about just seeing your kids, seeing what you're prioritizing and seeing the benefits of helping somebody who really needs a hand up and most of the time at no fault of their own that they're in these circumstances, as we know. So I know early on when my kids were little they were over at Place of Hope picking weeds and painting houses and all that kind of stuff.

Charles Bender: 40:52

And they loved it. They enjoyed it. Maybe they didn't always enjoy it like the day of if it was hot out or whatever, but there's good learning that goes on with that. So I love the idea of including the kids as well where possible. So share a little memorable experience from your time volunteering that truly touched your heart or reinforced the importance of using your gifts to serve others, just like one really cool example that you'd say, oh I'm so glad I did this because or I remember when we talked about this and it really seemed to impact that young lady or whatever, just, or a couple of them.

Wendy Sadusky: 41:34

OK, so I would probably say one of the most memorable things for me at Place of Hope and interaction with the well, there's two with the children was at the Angel Moms brunch that was under the tent After COVID. The first thing after COVID that we squeezed in there, which was fabulous.

Wendy Sadusky: 42:02

It was a really great event Meeting Willa, baby Willa, with her mom and her just talking. This was the day before when we were setting up and she was so interested in being in there and seeing what was going on and everybody's just passing that baby around. I mean it was really special for me. I love babies and they don't talk back yet and they're just so precious and sweet. That was really, really memorable.

Wendy Sadusky: 42:37

And then, after the cabins or the cabin was done, that Catherine Moss redid. When she redid all of that, seeing the children in there starting to move in I think there were two and there was a third one about to show up and how excited they were running around the house looking at everything that was redone and that this was going to be their room. And I mean it just was. It was just such a sense of joy and they had such a sense of peace. They were so excited but you could see that they felt at home and they had peace about having a place to live and a roof over their head and somebody that cared enough about them to put all of that together. That was really special for me.

Charles Bender: 43:27

I love it, I love it. Yeah, I think bookending.

Renee Feder: 43:30

What Wendy said I'll never forget one time we were taking a tour through the facility this was early on and the pride and joy that this young girl had when she showed me her rooms and her arms were in the air and she's like this is my room and she had so much pride in it. It was the most beautiful, beautiful decorated room ever and that bed was made with military corners with such precision. The pillows were lined up perfectly and just the care they took in their room, with the matching towels and the lamps, and it was just coordinated like an interior designer. When it in decorated. It was so gorgeous and I'm not sure she ever thought she would have a place of her own. And it was so gorgeous and she deserved it and it gave them such pride to think, yes, they can have this, they can achieve this and they deserve it. And it was just beautiful to see her with her hands in the air, just with that big smile and that joy, with her beautiful, beautiful room that was her own, in her own bed.

Charles Bender: 44:36

And then what I love too is then the learning kind of goes from there. It's like sometimes they almost inherently know when they move into this higher level surroundings that's like everyone does, like you said, deserve to start from they actually start to learn on their own that, ok. Well, if I want this to continue to look like this, I got to take care of it right. Then there's, of course, the strategic part, where we come in and we teach the independent living skills, trainings and the things about personal responsibility and engagement and so forth. But it's amazing to see.

Charles Bender: 45:05

I can just tell you over the years that we've had I mean, we've had thousands of kids in our care residentially and yet we've had very little destruction at all. And we're talking about kids who have walked through tremendous trauma in their lives boys, girls, all of it but yet, overall, once you submerge them around with God's love, great people, awesome place to live, I mean they really get it. And, like I said, I keep going back to that word springboard, but they really do. They recognize that, wow, this is awesome. I never had this before and I can have this on my own one day when I leave here and that's real. I mean, that's what we're teaching. It's not pie in the sky, this is real deal, so, lisa.

Lisa McDulin: 45:53

Yeah.

Charles Bender: 45:54

These are two of your favorite ladies on the planet.

Lisa McDulin: 45:57

They really are.

Lisa McDulin: 45:58

You've got to have something to say here I know you do. I would love for Wendy to share with us a personal story I know that you had shared with me a couple of years ago, when you lost your sister and you basically took in your nephew, and how that really resonated and, I think, strengthened your commitment to what we do specifically in Boca, at our campus, because we're taking care of kids who are aging out of the foster care system, who might otherwise be homeless the single moms, as you all mentioned, and kids who've had unimaginable tragedy in their life, and that kind of hits close to home for you. Would you mind sharing with that?

Wendy Sadusky: 46:50

No, it does. Actually we just had the memorial for my sister's passing four years ago. So my nephew Gabriel was 15 when she passed away and his father's still not in any kind of shape to take care of him. So before she was sick with lung cancer and she knew that she was sick. So she put her ducks in order and asked if Vince and I would take care of Gabriel. So we took him in and I think that really at that point strengthened my commitment to Place of Hope because I saw what would happen to him if there wasn't anybody to take care of him. And I had to.

Wendy Sadusky: 47:39

I kind of walk through the shoes that some of the kids have to go through and who your social workers have to with, with the DCF or with the, with the state of Florida, trying to Get him without adopting him, because I didn't want to put his father in a worse position. Then he was in. His father loves him, he just can't take care of him. So you know it was. It was tough on us to try to be able to be his caretakers without Throwing his father under the bus. So I saw a lot of what went on and what place of hope has to do for these children that are under 18 and you know it, it was tough. He was grew up in a different home and I think, because he was 15 and it was my sister, he thought we were identical and we were gonna be exactly the same. I have very different roles than my sister has and I know place of hope has rules you have to follow in order to stay and it was. I kind of felt like I was walking in tandem, so it really strengthened what I felt about place of hope, the time I wanted to spend at place of hope and the volunteering I wanted to do.

Wendy Sadusky: 48:52

And you know, I'm happy to say he's a sophomore in college right now. He's turned the corner. He's doing wonderful. We had, we had, a rough road, we had a lot of headbutting, but he's, you know, he's doing really well in school and he's Grown into a very fine young man. He's always been incredible manners and respectful, but he's really coming into his own. He has a lot of self-confidence and I feel like he turned a corner and it's nice to see the same thing happening with the kids that are a place of hope, the same age it's. It's a hard when you don't. You feel like you don't have anybody. Yeah, you know it's, it's a hard place to be. So, yeah, I just feel like I, you know, I think it was five years ago I went to the luncheon and then four years ago my sister passed away. So had I. You know, it's a god thing I.

Wendy Sadusky: 49:49

Not go into the luncheon, yeah, and then this happened to me and I, you know, I really really feel like he touched my hand and gave me a place, an outlet for me and An outlet for place of hope and an outlet for Gabriel. It's just all you know kind of work together to help everybody involved.

Lisa McDulin: 50:08

It's a beautiful story. I think that one of the best parts of my job is getting to know people like you and and hmm, I'll get to hear it and as those relationships develop, you know you start to learn about their lives and you start to learn about maybe, something that they've walked through some, because everybody's got their stuff. Everybody's got some kind of trauma in their past. Could have been, they got bullied on the playground as a kindergartner, but what's so beautiful is to see people like you guys take that and Then turn it into something really positive and good To help others. So that's the whole purpose of this episode. It's just to encourage people to do that, because I think that's why, you know, we go through things like this. God wants us to take that and turn it into something good, so Take over.

Charles Bender: 51:04

Well, listen, we thank you guys both one for being who you are, two for being ambassadors.

Charles Bender: 51:10

A play at place of hope and just the energy, the time, the talents of treasure, all of it that you guys have invested over the years.

Charles Bender: 51:15

And we know I don't even this isn't even a hope point because we know that it's gonna be an example for others when they hear this, when they listen. I know your friends are gonna hear it. You're gonna help us push it out there at all your friends and and I just think it'll ignite something with people to get involved To do more. Because what I can tell you, probably what excites us the most, is when we know we have these stories and we know how the we know we have the ability to go do more. You know, with our campaign we are stretching big time into Building out all of our campus space. You know, whether that's in Boca or West Palm or now in Stewart, we're gonna be built out in a number of short number of years and that just means that we're, you know, more than doubling our current bed capacity to just do more of this. And so we're just grateful for the groundwork that you guys continue to lay and just thank you for your service and your Ambassadorial qualities and we really appreciate you guys a lot.

Renee Feder: 52:09

Thank you. Thank you.

Lisa McDulin: 52:14

Welcome to this segment entitled hope in action. Today we are delighted to introduce you to antsy, a remarkable resident of our villages of hope program. At villages of hope, our mission revolves around providing unwavering support and a central life skills development to Emancipated foster youth and otherwise homeless young individuals who are in need of independent living solutions. Our dedicated efforts are aimed at fostering a nurturing and proactive environment for our youth transitioning out of the state's foster care system.

Lisa McDulin: 52:49

Anty's journey with villages of hope spans two pretty transformative years. Her story is one of a wavering determination and inspiration. She has embarked on a remarkable chapter by pursuing her nursing degree at Broward College of Nursing, all while working and raising her beloved child. We take immense pride in her accomplishments as she defies the odds and forges a path towards a brighter future for herself and for her son. Ansys narrative embodies the spirit of resilience and progress that defines the essence of villages of hope. We remain committed to empowering young individuals like antsy, offering them the tools that they need to shape their destinies positively. Thank you for joining us and celebrating antsy's achievements and the collective pursuit of hope realized through action.

Charles Bender: 53:46

Thank you for listening. Please be sure to subscribe and share with your friends so you don't even miss a thing, and if you really gained value today, please be sure to give us a five-star review so, of course, we can be put in front of more listeners. For details and show notes about today's podcast and how you can connect with and support our guests, please go to placeofhopecom, forward slash podcast and please don't forget to email us at poh podcast at policeofhopecom, and for sure, follow us on social media. Bastarders of Hope Placing Hope Child's Touch.