- This month on The Spark, our theme is "It Starts with Hope".

We'll learn more about an organization creating a comprehensive network of support services to help youth and adults and reduce gun violence, a nonprofit improving the quality of life for individuals and families affected by HIV and poverty, and a support group helping those with heart disease in the Mid-South.

We'll also share a special moment from our Spark Awards 2022.

- From our very beginnings in 1954, Lipscomb and Pitts Insurance has been built on the values of customer service, leading with integrity, and supporting our community.

We believe in promoting the positives, encouraging engagement, and leading by example to power the good.

Lipscomb and Pitts Insurance is honored to be a presenting sponsor of The Spark.

- (male announcer) Additional funding for The Spark is provided by United Way of the Mid-South, EcOp, the Memphis Zoo, My Town Movers, My Town Roofing, My Town Properties, and by Meritan.

- Have you ever been excited by a new idea?

Inspired by watching someone lead by example?

When we talk about creating change, we start by sharing the stories of everyday heroes who are making a difference in their own way so we can learn and do the same.

I'm Jeremy Park and this is The Spark.

They're an organization creating a comprehensive network of support services to help youth and adults and reduce gun violence.

We're here with Susan Deason, Executive Director of Memphis Allies, an initiative of Youth Villages, and let's start out, give us a little bit of context around Youth Villages and why you all started Memphis Allies.

- Thanks for having me.

Many people watching this may have heard of Youth Villages before.

We've been around since 1986.

Our headquarters are in Memphis, but over the last 20 to 25 years we have had major growth and expansion across the country.

So we're now a national nonprofit organization in 23 states in the district.

And we realized, about two and a half years ago, as the gun violence in Memphis with skyrocketing, although it's long been a problem, unfortunately, for our community, that we couldn't stand by and not try to be a part of the solution when it comes to the highest risk people in our community.

So many people know of us as a youth serving organization.

We've also been serving young adults since 1999.

- Talk about working with other organizations and the collaboration.

- Yes, actually that's why we're called Memphis Allies.

So this is not Youth Villages, this is Youth Villages in partnership with other organizations to accomplish this huge goal of reducing gun violence in Memphis and Shelby County.

So these partnerships range from longstanding informal relationships that we 've had with other nonprofits, where we refer individuals out for services, and they refer to us, to actual contracted partnerships.

So we have a new model, it's called SWITCH, and that is our answer to the gun violence reduction strategy, although it is going to take everyone working together.

And so we have some contracted partnerships with organizations who assist in implementing that SWITCH model.

- Go ahead and dive in deeper on SWITCH, in terms of the nuances and how it works.

- Yeah, so a big part of this for us was the learning journey.

So we wanted to go out and understand, what are other communities doing to solve gun violence, and how can we take those learnings and apply them to Memphis?

And so we visited five cities across the country the first summer that we were really studying the problem, and one of the key things that kept coming up over and over again is that, in the field of community violence intervention, the leading method of treating the problem is actually utilizing members from the community who are formerly gang involved themselves.

They have similarly lived experiences to those who are at highest risk for gun violence, and part of the strategy is employing those individuals to reach out to high risk people and offer them life coaching, case management services, and also clinical services, counseling services.

And that's something that, of course, means a lot to us at Youth Villages, and it's an important part of reducing trauma for an individual.

So that SWITCH model stands for support with intention to create hope.

And I think hope is something our entire community can get around.

And it's also something that the high risk individuals, who are at risk of being victims of gun violence or engaging in gun violence themselves, it's something that they need as well.

- What success are you already seeing on your end?

- So over the course of the past year we've grown to be an initiative with over 70 staff, currently.

We are, right now, in the Raleigh-Frayser community serving over 50 high risk individuals, and then we have close to about another 50 who have been identified as needing services, and we're in the process of doing outreach and attempting to bring them into services.

We're planning to be in seven parts of the city and so we're expanding into Orange Mound this month, and we're excited to be delivering services citywide over the next one to two years, and also launching a youth program that will also be citywide.

- What gives you hope for what you're seeing in how it's already playing out?

- A lot of these individuals have never been offered services before.

So they may have had legal charges, they may have come through the court system, but unfortunately, due to a lack of resources or a lack of coordination, they never received services.

And so in a lot of cases what gives me hope is knowing that, if they had the right resources, then they could make different choices.

I also have learned so much about what it means to be a high risk individual, and a lot of these individuals are not eating on a daily basis, they don't make livable wages, and they do need opportunity.

Most, if not all, are already looking for a way out of this life and they are looking for somebody to help walk them down that path.

- So how can the community help your efforts?

- Well, we have a website, memphisallies.org, you can check it out at first, just start educating yourself on the problem.

We'll have opportunities to volunteer.

Part of what we're looking to do is to transform communities.

So while our greatest focus is on delivering services to those at highest risk, we also understand that there is a disproportionate amount of violence in under-resourced parts of the community.

And so helping our participants want to give back to their own community, so whether it's sponsoring a community cleanup or doing a community service project, that's actually part of our programming is having participants actually contribute to the same community that they were tearing down before coming into our program.

If you work for another organization who really wants to get involved in this cause, we are partnering with any organization we can across the city who is interested in joining the cause to reduce gun violence.

- Well Susan, greatly appreciate all you and your amazing team are doing.

I hope the community definitely can get behind you, because I think this is something that will create a massive ripple effect, and really benefit everybody in our region.

And so greatly appreciate all you're doing.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thank you for having me.

[upbeat music] - They're a nonprofit improving the quality of life for individuals and families affected by HIV and poverty.

We're here with the CEO of Hope House, Lenox Warren, and let's go back to 1995.

Give us a little bit of history for Hope House.

- So back in 1995, we had a group of women from the Junior League of Memphis who were looking to help mothers who were living with HIV.

At the time, there was very little resources for childcare while these mothers were able to get work, or go to medical appointments, and so Hope House first started as a daycare and respite center.

It then quickly expanded into preschool services and then a wide range of social services.

So we do everything from housing support, food pantry, mental health services, outreach, free HIV testing, and much more.

The reason why we've expanded into these services is because HIV is now a chronic disease.

It's very livable.

That is very hard to do, though, when trying to get to medical appointments and take your medications every day becomes a real challenge when you're living in poverty, and you don't have the resources to do that.

So today, what Hope House is intended to do is help people break down all of those challenges so that they do have transportation to get to the doctor, they have childcare so they can get to medical appointments, work, have that stability in their life.

- Talk about the prevalence of HIV, especially for the Memphis area.

- Sure, so we actually have the third highest rate of new infections in the entire country.

We have over 7,000 people that we know of who are living with HIV.

So it's a very large number here, and it is mainly impacting people who are living in poverty, people who don't have the resources to be able to get the medications they need, get to the doctor, get the supportive services they need, and so that's why we exist, to try to help break down those barriers and create a healthier Memphis.

- Let's dive in a little deeper into some of the programs and services.

Start with the youth, and so the early education, go ahead and dive in a little deeper on that side.

- Sure, so our daycare and preschool are really intended to be a place for respite and childcare for our parents.

You know, when a parent has free childcare, a place where they know their child is safe all day long and is getting the best care they can, that leaves them free to not stress about that part of their life.

They can go to work, they can go to medical appointments, whatever they need to do.

And so it really impacts the parent's health so much, as much as it's impacting the child.

So the other big part and goal of our childcare system is to actually help these children succeed in kindergarten and beyond, and really give them a great educational foundation for the future.

- Go ahead and talk about some of the different ways that you're really providing that support and that foundation for success and hope.

- So there are many challenges to why somebody might not be in medical care or might not be able to get medical care.

A big thing is having medications, I mean, excuse me, food to take your medications, have access to healthy options, to protein, which is all very important.

So we have a food pantry where we provide that to anyone living with HIV in the community can come and access our food pantry twice a month.

Another big challenge is mental health.

You know, sometimes depression or other things can really get you to the point where you just can't get out of bed to go get your medications, or go to the doctor, or there might be other challenges.

Maybe you're facing trauma or abuse, and so we have a variety of support groups, and individual therapy, and victim services to assist with that.

- Talk about housing.

- So the biggest thing is, if you don't have a roof over your head, that's such a basic need that it's very hard to think about taking your medications and going to the doctor when you don't know where you're living or where your children are gonna sleep that night.

And so housing is one of the most impactful things that we see for our clients.

- Talk about breaking down the stigmas and stereotypes and your work around advocacy and education.

- So our hope is that everybody in the community would get tested for HIV, that everybody would know their status, and that those who are living with HIV or who test positive for HIV would be able to get medical care quickly and be able to maintain that medical care.

That is how we can end the HIV epidemic.

It is definitely possible, and we're really working towards that.

But, like you said, there's so much stigma around HIV, and that's where it gets really hard.

So our outreach teams are going out into the community, finding people where they are, trying to talk to people in a place where they feel comfortable so that we can really break down that stigma and have open conversations about HIV.

It's something that we need to normalize talking about so that we can not be scared to get tested or talk about how to get care.

- Go ahead and talk about how we can help your efforts.

You have all sorts of fundraising events, obviously the volunteerism, so how can we help your efforts?

- Well we are a small organization that's serving thousands of people a year, and so we really cannot do it without volunteer help.

We love to have people come into our classrooms and help our teachers.

We are located in Midtown in three older homes that need a lot of care and TLC, and so having people come rake our leaves, do yard work for us, paint, all sorts of stuff, handyman work, there's a lot to be done.

We love to have volunteer groups anytime, so please reach out and let us know.

Also, helping stock our food pantry.

We have a budget that only allows us to get so much, and so having donated food from the community is wonderful.

We actually have an Amazon list on our website that has healthy options and things that clients specifically request to see in our food pantry, and so you don't even have to get outta your home, you can just get on your computer and it'll mail it to us.

- Where do we go to learn more and get involved with Hope House?

- So our website is hopehousememphis.org.

That is a great place to reach out and find Amazon wishlists for not only our food pantry, but our teacher's wishlist for the classroom as well.

And we are always posting things on Instagram and Facebook, needs that we have in the classrooms or events coming up, and you can find us at Hope House Memphis at both of those sites.

- Well Lenox, thank you for all you and your amazing team do.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thank you for having me.

I appreciate it.

[upbeat music] - The Spark Awards annually recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the community.

The 2022 Individual Adult Award went to Chris Hope.

[inspiring music] - My name is Chris Hope.

I am a full-time UPS driver.

I drive on the road for the company.

I've been employed there for over 35 years, and basically the Chris Hope Foundation was started, and I heard stories from the families themselves at St. Jude about their struggles and all of different things they were going through other than their child receiving treatment.

The very first family that we assisted, when I went to visit them, the mom was on the telephone talking to the mortgage company in tears, and I'm thinking that she was in tears because she found out some bad news about her child.

But come to find out it was the mortgage company telling her that she needed to make a payment or they were going to be evicted.

And that's when I got with some friends and we pitched in some money and saved them from losing their home.

The reaction that I received from that just kind of sparked something in me to wanna be able to do more for other people.

I always tell people that, you know, this is all Him.

It has absolutely nothing to do with me other than the name that's on the paperwork.

Running a nonprofit was not in my vision, it wasn't my goal, wasn't even in the cards, it was just something that He gave me and put on me, and guided me in the right direction, guided me towards the right people to be able to do this.

One of the things I like for the Chris Hope Foundation to do is start full-time staffing.

Everybody on our team is volunteers, and, you know, when it comes to volunteers, they give what time is allowed, an d we need a lot of time.

I mean, this is literally a 24-hour organization.

I want us to be able to have locations in Alabama and in Louisiana, because that seemed to be where a lot of cases come from.

One of the things I get asked is, what do I get out of helping the families?

And basically it's the smiles, the hugs, the look of relief when they know they're getting assisted on say a light bill.

They know don't have to worry about electricity being cut off.

They don't have to worry about being evicted or their cars being taken.

The biggest reward is to see their reaction and to see the kids smile when we give them surprise birthday parties, or give them gift cards to Amazon or anything like that.

You can't really just put into words the feeling that you get.

The joy that you give them, I mean, they're giving you that same joy.

So it's like we are giving, and they're giving back, and they're not even realizing they're doing it.

And it's a wonderful thing.

I'm not gonna lie, I enjoy it.

I enjoy it a lot.

[inspiring music] - They're a support group helping those with heart disease here in the Mid-South.

We're here with the co-founder of Heart Quests Support Group, Lori Sepich, and let's start with your personal story, because you have a family history of heart disease, but also, too, a very personal storyline with this.

So share a little bit of your personal story.

- Thanks Jeremy, I would love to, and thank you again for hosting me.

So yes, my battle with heart disease started at 17, which was very early, with extreme hypertension.

And it wasn't just a little high blood pressure, it was really severe.

Severe enough that I wasn't able to leave the office without medicine first.

So my family history is a hundred percent with heart disease on both sides, so I think everybody knew it would come, it was just so early that it did.

The hundred percent of heart disease is... is key in what I say in many things because, like I said, it was pretty much destiny that I would get this.

Both of my parents had it, and I'm sad to say that my brother, at 38, lost his life to a massive heart attack.

So for me to have made it to 43 before my first heart attack was pretty impressive to me, because I thought, wow, I made it further than he did.

But I realized that hey, I've made it further than he has because my work with this is not done.

- Talk about you and Hal Perry starting the support groups, and go ahead and dive into what the support groups do.

- Yeah, so I met Hal a few years ago through Go Red.

He too had suffered a heart issue and had to have bypass surgery.

So we had talked about how much, when we're around the Go Red, you feel empowerment, because A, you are around people with similar experiences, right?

So you do get empowerment from it.

And we just quickly had said, it would be nice to have a support group, and help the community, and let us give back, right?

And last year we saw each other again at Go Red, and we spoke about it, and we decided, hey, let's do it.

So we have launched a support group called Heart Quests Support Group.

It meets the first Tuesday of each month at Colonial United Methodist Church on the corner of Park and Estate.

And we look forward to getting into the community and helping people with heart disease, whether you have it, you're a caretaker, perhaps you just wanna know more about heart disease.

So we are very excited to give back to the community in this, and look forward to developing this Heart Quests Support Group, and changing along with it to meet the needs that we see.

- What are some of the things that people are struggling with as they come into the support group asking for help?

- Probably the first thing is a sense of relief to know that hey, there are other people here that have had this similar experience.

And that, I think, number one, makes you feel not so isolated.

And we have seen some people wanting to learn more about healthy cooking and that, so we have, on our last meeting, had a cooking event, and that was really good.

We know, too, that we want to encourage anyone to exercise, just get up, simple movements.

So we had just done a exercise segment on just stretches, nothing complicated, that anyone can do, and it has just aired on channel five.

So I'm excited about that, and along with that, a gentleman at PT Squared in Collierville, Austin.

Austin is working with us, as he would like to give back to the community and help people in simple fitness.

So very excited to have him on board.

And we are going to launch an exercise video, and we're gonna have, at least try and do one a week.

So that'll be upcoming, and we're gonna put it on a YouTube channel, but it's just something that anyone can do.

- Raising awareness so that more people know what you're doing, know about Heart Quests Support Group, I think that's a big piece of this.

How else can the community help, though?

- You know, I think they can certainly help by engaging with us, if that is something that you're definitely interested in.

Even just spreading the word of, "Hey, guess what?

I saw a heart support group sign at the church."

You know, I mean there's so many things that people can pass along and they don't even realize that, A, they're helping us, right?

So yeah, we've had some good feedback of people calling in, having seen our sign out, having seen some clips on TV and different things.

So I think, Jeremy, it's just keeping our momentum going and getting it even more.

And I think we're seeing it build.

So that's just super exciting, very proud.

- Where do we go to get involved, and where do we go to take those next steps?

So where would you direct us to go to learn more about Heart Quests Support Group?

- We have a Facebook page, Heart Quests Mid-South, and we're starting to post more and more.

We've got some cooking videos on there.

We've got, we're gonna put some exercise up.

So that is our main social media right now, and we've also launched a YouTube channel, Heart Quests Fun is the name of it, and we're starting to load some stuff up there.

So you will see some exercise videos and different things to help in the community.

So I just encourage anyone to look at it, and if you see something that looks like maybe somebody you know could benefit, pass it along.

- Well Lori, thank you for all you and Hal do and your amazing team.

Thank you for coming on the show.

- Thank you for asking me.

You know, like I said, I learned something good from you, power the good, and I love it.

[uplifting music] - We talk about our personal and professional futures, the potential of our youth, how we can increase graduation rates, lower crime rates, and reduce gun violence, strengthen the workforce, and the ultimate foundation for the success of our city, it starts with hope.

It starts with the hope and the belief that things can get better, and then the action to create the opportunities to make it happen.

As we saw in this month's episode, we're fortunate to have so many individuals and organizations, like Memphis Allies, Hope House, and Heart Quests Support Group that are taking action and creating opportunities to help individuals and families and give them the power of hope.

When we have hope, we become a spark that ignites hope in others and leads us to power the good for our city.

So thank you for watching The Spark.

To learn more about each of the guests, to watch past episodes, and to share your stories of others leading by example, visit wkno.org and click on the link for The Spark.

We look forward to seeing you next month, and we hope that you'll continue joining with us to create a spark for the Mid-South.

- From our very beginnings in 1954, Lipscomb and Pitts Insurance has been built on the values of customer service, leading with integrity, and supporting our community.

We believe in promoting the positives, encouraging engagement, and leading by example to power the good.

Lipscomb and Pitts Insurance is honored to be a presenting sponsor of The Spark.

[uplifting music] [acoustic guitar chords]