Latest / Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals / Why Working Families Are Struggling to Keep the Lights On in Michigan - Ep. 203 w/ Katrina McCree

Transcript

Why Working Families Are Struggling to Keep the Lights On in Michigan - Ep. 203 w/ Katrina McCree · Black Fridays: Business Growth for Entrepreneurs, Creators & Professionals

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it is amazing and an incredible blessing that I don't take lightly to be able to come full circle and lead the organization that wants to help my family and hundreds of thousands of others.
• 0:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: My mother didn't share that with us until the last minute.
• 0:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was something that she had of course pride, but I'm glad that she decided to set that
• 0:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a huge need, and we know that based on what's happening in the economy today, and so it's not just the folks that are living in poverty that are affected, it's affecting the average working family.
• 0:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: We have been a lifesaver for those that have received services for us, where that one thing, of taking care of that one bill that they don't have to worry about, has gotten them back on their feet.
• 1:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: work in professionals, creators, entrepreneurs, I need you out of tap the enter.
• 1:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Listen, if you tired of fighting distractions at home or bouncing around from coffee shop to coffee shop, then Bamboo has exactly what you need to be able to lock in and get your work done.
• 1:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: In addition to having flexible meeting rooms and event space, they if got a community to actually support you.
• 1:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: while you're in the building.
• 1:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: So if you're ready to lock in some space right now, guess what?
• 1:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: I got you head over to bamboocoar.com right now and use the promo code Black Friday 20.
• 1:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: You get 20% off any of your rental bookings.
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Don't waste any more time head over to bamboocoar.com and take care of that.
• 1:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Use that promo code.
• 1:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll be seeing you at a bamboo location sometime soon.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now let's go ahead and get back into the episode.
• 1:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: What up, though, Black Friday's family.
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to another installment of the Black Friday's podcast.
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Before we get into today's episode, hit that like button, subscribe, drop a comment.
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Since the video is to found me friends, a loved one, so that we keep this thing going.
• 2:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now that we got that business out of the way, it's getting cold and Detroit, and I have the perfect person here who is gonna help keep us warm during these winter months.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Miss Katrina McCree, the CEO of the Heat and the War Fund, the Heating and War Fund, how you doing today?
• 2:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm doing pretty well.
• 2:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for stopping by the podcast.
• 2:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for having me.
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
• 2:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm familiar with a lot of people may not exactly know what is the the origin story and also the services behind it.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I would love for you to help explain what the background is to the heating and work fund.
• 2:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's, I keep saying it works.
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: There we go.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can't talk today.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: But the heating and work fund
• 2:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, thank you very much.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: So thought it's been around since 1985 serving the community for over 40 years.
• 3:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not just Detroit, but the entire state of Michigan.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: We served all 83 counties.
• 3:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: And our goal is to empower and stabilize families keeping them warm healthy and safe.
• 3:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: And what we do vision is a Michigan where all families have access to affordable utilities, have a safe place, and that they have viable job opportunities.
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: and that they can have energy and fish at homes.
• 3:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so that's kind of what, you know, we do to make sure that we help those families that are in need that come to us.
• 3:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: amazing.
• 3:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I saw that a part of your story is that a certain period in time of your life that your family was able to benefit from some of the things that the initiatives that thought had available.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I know that people in my family, my family directly has been able to benefit from being able to you last thought before as well.
• 3:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: What does it feel like for you to sit in the sea as the CEO currently of an organization where you were able to you at one
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it is amazing and an incredible blessing that I don't take lightly to be able to come full circle and lead the organization that wants to help my family, and hundreds of thousands of others, and so it is certainly an honor that they were there when we needed them the most, and so I am here to hopefully do the same for many others.
• 4:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
• 4:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And during that period of time in your life, did you feel kind of like the
• 4:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: One thing I think about is that especially in our community, there is kind of like a shame quote unquote that comes with having to ask for support or help when you need it because especially in Detroit, we're so hard working.
• 4:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: We got it.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: We could figure it out.
• 4:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to hustle up and get it together.
• 4:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Did you at that period of time your life feel any of that shame or embarrassment of having to leverage services like thought or whether just like, hey, we need this to be able to support us at this period of time and we're going
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I think, you know, for me, the circumstances probably a little bit different than most because my mother didn't share that with us until, you know, the last minute.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was something that, you know, she had, of course, pride, but I'm glad that she decided to set that pride aside and seek out thought to get the help on the, you know, she needed in that we needed, you know, most times mothers, you know, they just do what needs to be done.
• 5:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 5:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they don't necessarily.
• 5:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Share that with the children, you know, I was in college at the time and so I think she figured that I wouldn't be able to, you know, I didn't have the means to really support the family, you know, and so, you know, she found out about thought she reached out and she was able to help her family and so I'm glad that she done that and, you know, I'm just happy to be here to be able to tell that story and to encourage somebody that may need the help that, you know,
• 5:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: are feeling like, you know, they don't, you know, want to tell the story or that they're ashamed to not be ashamed to call us, you know, if they're in need.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when it comes to that help, could you break down to us what are some of those resources that thought is able to support so many families in the Detroit area?
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely, so many families come to us in a time crisis, where they need, you know, one time support to support them because of an emergency that may have happened within their family.
• 6:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Somebody has lost income or anything.
• 6:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe it's.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: you know, something happened in the home, where they needed a roof, whatever the case may be, and they just got, you know, behind on bills.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: We don't always know the circumstances, but we do try to dig deeper, though, however, to find out, you know, hey, okay, if this is a one-time crisis, we're happy to step in and help you, but we...
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: pair them with our case manager so that then they can dig deeper and find out hey is there anything else that we can do for the family that may have caused this situation because one situation can call us a catastrophe for a family um that's not making a lot of money anyway you know people that live in poverty certainly don't necessarily always have you know money sitting aside uh to really you know afford those type of emergencies that may exist so we provide one time assistance um we try to set people up on affordable payment plans
• 7:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: We meet people where they are, so whatever the circumstance costs for, you know, we try to help them with those resources, whether, you know, doing that time or discovery period, we find out that they need food.
• 7:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need, you know, clothing, that sort of thing.
• 7:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need, you know, prescription, cheaper prescription medication.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Whatever the support is that they need, we try to make sure that they are connected with those resources.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so, when I grown up from me primarily, people would talk about thought in the sense of utilities and just being able to support with light bill, energy bill, things like that.
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I didn't know that all of those other services were accessible to be able to support people with in terms of that one-time assistance.
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, we try to partner with other organizations to make sure that we address the whole person, right, because we know based on, you know, certain circumstances, there are more things that are happening within those households that, you know, we don't always know when they come for help for utilities.
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: lessen their energy burden, right?
• 8:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that made me providing the with home home assessments, energy education.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: We have energy kits that we distribute to households, so that then they can better, you know, equip their homes to be more energy efficient, and financial education, right?
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: To understand, hey, are you managing your finances in the right way in helping with those things?
• 8:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So there are a lot of things that we do.
• 8:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: when not just you know a crisis utility provider, we are that but more and we also provide home repair support to those individuals who may need some a new roof, they may need caulking, they may need a new porch, those things where they can age safely in their home.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what would be some of the requirements for this assistance that people will be able to submit for with thought for consideration?
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, the requirements, you know, very dependent on the circumstance, but I will say, many of the programs are our income based, right?
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so people have to meet a certain income requirement to be able to participate in those programs.
• 9:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: But in addition, we have created funding sources where people can tap in that don't necessarily fall and below the federal poverty level, but individuals who still don't make enough to support their households who still need a little help.
• 9:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we do have programs like that.
• 10:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Individuals that may have a medical condition that require it's a must that they have electricity
• 10:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, we have programs for those individuals.
• 10:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I'm our vulnerable populations, our seniors, our children, you know, our families with children Um, is those folks that we, you know, look after the most, but many are income based.
• 10:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hmm.
• 10:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Perfect.
• 10:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: And, um, you had mentioned, uh,
• 10:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm blanking on my question, but that's fine because I want to introduce you to my favorite part of Black Friday is now, which is free style Fridays.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, Miss McCree, if you don't mind, we're just going to need to do a little rap, that's all.
• 10:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, nothing too major.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Nothing too major.
• 10:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 10:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh wow.
• 10:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: THAW thought is where to come if you need help, call us today, don't wait, don't hesitate, call
• 10:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Call, thought today.
• 11:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: You just come up with that jingle.
• 11:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: I did.
• 11:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Look at you.
• 11:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Come on.
• 11:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: You got to add that to the y'all on the commercial, do y'all.
• 11:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, from time to time.
• 11:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: OK, yeah, we got to put that on commercial, especially for holidays.
• 11:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: We, yeah, we could use that.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, hey, we need, we need to raise some money.
• 11:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just need 15% of the produce and feed.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's all.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: You sound like shark 10.
• 11:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: We not have.
• 11:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: No deal.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: 84% of every dollar that we raise for thongos to provide support and raise for our programs.
• 11:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: amazing.
• 11:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: And speaking of that, you all have been able to, over the years, provide hundreds of millions of dollars in support to hundreds of thousands of households across the city of Detroit, which is amazing and great to know that pretty much 90 percent, close to 90 percent of a dollar, 84 percent of a dollar is going to be enabled to support these families.
• 11:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: So,
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Freestyle Friday is actually it's thank you for the jingle now that we have that it's actually just a random assortment of questions to get to the audience the opportunity to learn a little bit more about too.
• 12:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: So now that not that we are in the fall and I would love to know what is your favorite fall and or winter activities.
• 12:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's going out to the community, you know, really being visible, you know, making sure that individuals know who we are, where we are, how to find us, how to access those services.
• 12:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, that that, you know, before they need the service, you know, always prevention is always the key.
• 12:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: But want to make sure that people are aware what to do, how to, you know, again, get the services that they need.
• 12:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I think that that's what I find most with a lot of nonprofits is, you know, they exist.
• 12:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: organizations like that, but people don't know how to access the services.
• 12:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so we want to make sure that we lift up that in the community.
• 12:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And people know how to get to us when they need us the most.
• 12:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
• 12:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then what about your personal favorites?
• 12:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: For though.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, like for the fall or the winner, like stuff you just like to do could be going to get a pumpkin spice latte or anything.
• 13:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think going to the, um, what is it?
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: The cider meal.
• 13:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah.
• 13:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 13:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's exciting.
• 13:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
• 13:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, that's one of my daughter's favorite.
• 13:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's still to this day.
• 13:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, as old as she is, she still likes to have those outings.
• 13:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so, and then wearing jeans and boots.
• 13:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 13:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the favorite.
• 13:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: The fashion.
• 13:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I like wearing layers, so yeah, and I'm a December baby, so yeah, when it's winter time, that's my opportunity to shine.
• 13:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you're not an navigate this space.
• 13:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
• 13:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely.
• 13:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yep, all day.
• 13:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so in terms of, uh, uh, has all that you are in fellow technician, and I would love to know how would you describe high school Katrina.
• 13:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: you know high school was great until I got there and I found that there were 3,999 of 900 other smart people you know at cast but it was just a great experience.
• 13:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it really truly prepared me from my trajectory and you know we represent everywhere we go.
• 14:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 14:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's why I put on my green today.
• 14:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: There we go, come on, yeah.
• 14:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I had some phenomenal teachers that were amazing and so I think that
• 14:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: they did well and you had mentioned to me before he started recording and you went to Eastern Michigan for communications but not in the sense of broadcast journalism it was actual like human to human communication yeah I had some phenomenal professors there and I think what really intrigued me was Gary and I'm I'm
• 14:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Blinking on his last name, but he said something in class that to me was very profound, you know, sticks and stones were breaking bones and names.
• 14:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: I never heard news like that's the most ridiculous thing that I've ever heard of names do hurt.
• 14:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so that was just profound and I just got into the study of, you know, human interaction and organization on development.
• 14:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, went off in HR later in life and did some phenomenal work with the City of Detroit Wayne County.
• 15:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, organizational change efforts facilitating meetings trying to get people doing things differently.
• 15:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so it's a great part of my life that was fascinating.
• 15:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely, and then with over 30 years of experience and building developing your career, what how did you say your experiences thus far have prepared you to be in this CEO role?
• 15:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah, I mean, they have absolutely prepared me in a great way.
• 15:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've been in human service practically on my life in different industries, you know, whether it's in higher education, health care, working with those individuals that are in reentry programs.
• 15:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so I've been able to do what I want to do in life and that is to be of service.
• 15:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Major.
• 15:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: So thank you for partaking and free style Fridays and we actually got a jing a lot of it and learned a little bit more about you as well.
• 15:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I would go on back in terms of the questions to learn more about thought and the business that you do with them.
• 16:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Could you talk about the how.
• 16:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: what ways people might be able to or families might be able to insulate themselves from being able to have to rely on and support so to speak for those utilities and things like that.
• 16:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like is there any education that goes along with all and the things that you all offer to support people, you know, long after that support, that you will be able to provide them.
• 16:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right, one of the programs we have is a maternal health program where we work with other pregnant mothers and we follow them up to a year after the child is born to ensure a successful pregnancy in birth and we provide the support that they need in order for that to be successful and so that's one of those programs and I think earlier I mentioned energy education.
• 16:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: where we provide individuals with energy education.
• 16:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: We do hold on assessments so that they can understand and how to read the bill to understand the cost of energy understand when they're using energy at peak times.
• 17:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: how to, you know, do less of that, but really educate them on how and when the keep those bills down, because a lot of people don't really know that or understand the bill.
• 17:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so we want to help them one, let's read it, let's understand it, let's see when you're using that energy and peak times and what things can be done to do that.
• 17:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, energy education is important.
• 17:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Could you give us some wisdom on that because I don't know if I fully understand that myself as a home owner, but because the way that I was kind of taught growing up was keep everything going until it's time to turn it on, which I don't know if that's the most efficient or not efficient way to be able to save energy and we'll have to know your thoughts on that.
• 17:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, you know, Desale, I'm learning too.
• 17:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 17:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: As I haven't, you know, started this role, I'm starting to look a little bit more closely at, you know, the things that are coming out on my bill.
• 18:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, and I'm seeing that my bill is still higher than my neighbor's bill.
• 18:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So something I'm doing.
• 18:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not right.
• 18:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 18:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think as you indicate it, you know, I'm plugging appliances when they're not in use, okay.
• 18:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, making sure that you're not washing, doing peak times, you know, of the year.
• 18:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, uh, those type of things.
• 18:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: There are lots of tips on the DTE consumer energy website.
• 18:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, that help you and help individual families with understanding, you know, those things that would help lower those bills.
• 18:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I would encourage one to go out to those websites.
• 18:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, and take a look and oftentimes we do put them on ours.
• 18:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, so that people are weird.
• 18:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think just understanding, you know, when how to use a water, how to use this efficiency, make sure there's no leaks in the home checking for that.
• 18:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, and the winner, you know, there's caulking around the home, making sure he does not escape in those areas, and that's what I meant.
• 18:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: about the energy efficient education that we provide to families and these energy efficient kits that we give the people that have, you know, a few items in it where they can kind of do do it yourself, so to speak, hawking around the doors, the windows, so that there's no heat escaping, so some things like that, but I can come on for part two and share more.
• 19:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah, please, please, let us know.
• 19:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so, given that you started to roll in a earlier year in February, what would you say attracted you to sit in this seat at thought?
• 19:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm just hearing all the different programming and things that you all had that I had no idea existed within thought.
• 19:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: I could kind of see some avenues that drew you to it based on your professional background, but would love to know from you what made you want to be a part of thought.
• 19:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow, I mean, I was presented with an opportunity and there is no story better than the doll story in terms of the impact that doll has made in the lives of so many.
• 19:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And for me, it was personal.
• 19:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so I'm on this journey.
• 19:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm blessed to be on this journey to be able to.
• 20:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it was something that I couldn't review.
• 20:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was the universe just called me to this.
• 20:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so I'm glad to be here to serve.
• 20:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: very good.
• 20:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so far since you've been in the role, what have been some highlights that you've been able to experience.
• 20:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow, a phenomenal team, an amazing team that work hard each and every day to ensure that they keep the lights on, they keep people warm and safe in their homes.
• 20:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have a passion for the mission.
• 20:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: We have a
• 20:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: The staff with the organization and just being able to be to step in the shoes of some phenomenal leaders that have come before me that have set the way is just I can't ask for more.
• 20:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And being given that you have corporate and nonprofit experience, do you feel like there are the skills and the experience transition of well or what might be some of those nuances between working during corporate work and then leading the corporate leading in our process space.
• 21:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you know, in the corporate world, you know, back in the day, the resources were, you know, planning, you know, and I'm profit, you know, you don't find that so much.
• 21:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: There is a cost to do in business and we still try to make that case, you know, being a nonprofit is hard because, you know, most of the.
• 21:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: grants that we get, you know, they want to, that money to go towards program, but there's a cost to do business until, you know, it's difficult when you don't have the resources necessarily do everything that needs to do.
• 21:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's to meet the need.
• 21:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a huge need.
• 21:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we know that based on what's happening in the economy today.
• 21:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so it's not just the folks that are living in
• 21:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, and so just not having enough to do the work that needs to be done, you know, is, is, just small, but we still show up each and every day to continue to do what we do.
• 22:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the goal is to, right, to, you know, expand our visibility to make sure that, you know, we turn over every rock and we look behind every bush and and find those donors who really want
• 22:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I'm going to see if we can do a shameless plug if you can look in the camera and talk to some potential donors with people who want to donate.
• 22:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: What would you say to them?
• 22:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say, hey, you know, if you're looking to support a mission where people are being served, people are being helped.
• 22:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: The stay warm and safe in their homes to reach out to thaw, www.thawfund.org.
• 22:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: We would love to talk with you and share with you how you can help.
• 22:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: y'all heard 84 cents on the dollar every dollar goes to being able to support these families in Metro Detroit.
• 22:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: So make sure it's a definitely do what Katrina said and go check out the on our website.
• 23:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: So in terms of being the CEO and sitting in that seat, what does a day in the life look like for you?
• 23:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, working at the.
• 23:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Wow, I mean, you know, the day in a life looks like me, you know, being there to support the team, to lift them up, you know, not just sin them up the heel, but walk up that heel with them, right, to be there each and every day, to be on the ground, and to support them and their needs, making sure they have the resources to do the job that we've called them to do.
• 23:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And as you've been able to work with this team, did you get a chance to, what had been a combination of inherited and team and being able to build the team or vice versa or how just that work?
• 23:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I inherited team, and I've inherited some great people.
• 23:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so down at Road as we grow, as we get those funders that are gonna call in, and we can build that team to continue to serve more people than I see us expanding.
• 23:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: very nice.
• 23:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you also do programming as well.
• 23:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: So because you talked to us about some of the programming that you typically have throughout the year and then so people who may not be engaged or so people can have opportunity to come and engage as you are in person and face to face.
• 24:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 24:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we work a lot with our partners, our energy partners, where we go out on the street, and we provide real time assistance to those that need.
• 24:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are helping support DTE's month of warm.
• 24:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's going to be kicking off very soon, where we're going to be actually at fellowship chapel.
• 24:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's one of the events that's going to be hosted.
• 24:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I believe it's October 22nd.
• 24:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: where we are actually going to be taking in applications and in rolling people in services.
• 24:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: We also do in the summer engage in community events where we go out to make sure that we're educating people again about our resources and the services that we offer.
• 24:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: We host a plethora of events.
• 24:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: We have our gala that's coming up, our night of one heart.
• 25:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's a major fundraiser for thought, where we help, you know, where we work to raise money to support the programs and services for those that need our assistance.
• 25:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so we also have a radio thought, a telephone, and in the spring we have a golf potting.
• 25:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so there are many ways that people can involve.
• 25:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: We take volunteers, people who want to come and help support the work that we do at all.
• 25:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I was gonna sad play a little golfing and I invite to the out-and-was-was going on.
• 25:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know what?
• 25:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm personally inviting you.
• 25:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 25:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: To come out, July 16th, 2027.
• 25:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.
• 25:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: To Northfield Hills.
• 25:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Where is that?
• 25:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: In Northfield.
• 25:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, Northfield.
• 25:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 25:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Northfield.
• 25:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 25:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 25:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can do that.
• 25:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's not too far.
• 25:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I'll grab my do you play?
• 25:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, okay.
• 25:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: I need to learn how to play that's okay.
• 25:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's okay.
• 25:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's it's fun I I can't watch people play golf, but I do enjoy playing it myself.
• 25:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm out there But I can only I'm an old man so I can only do nine holes.
• 25:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can't do it for 18.
• 25:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's that's a little ridiculous
• 26:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, we have, you know, people who just like that.
• 26:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, yeah.
• 26:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can come and play not.
• 26:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you can sit down and wait for everybody else to come on in from the course.
• 26:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Enjoy some lunch with us, some great networking.
• 26:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
• 26:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: We would love to have you.
• 26:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: appreciate it.
• 26:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I appreciate the invite and hearing all the wonderful things that you all do, events that you do programming that you have.
• 26:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm wondering how can we get more people involved in this type of nonprofit work and being involved with this organization from a volunteer standpoint or potentially seeking employment through thought anything like that like how can we people might want to partner like how can we get more people to engage because I know I'm not
• 26:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.
• 26:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you know, just continue to talk about the work and how the work is impacting the lives of others.
• 26:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Really just, you know, sharing information and engaging people, you know, I do it, you know, and the course of a day.
• 26:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I try to get out in the community to talk about the, you know, we're doing it right now.
• 27:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: with those community, uh, with that community touch points that you all have, what are some of the main things that you've been hearing during your tenure at thought from the community directly in terms of anything that's going out there utility supports that they need, uh, in general good bad and different.
• 27:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, again, we always love to be in a position where we can help everybody that come to us.
• 27:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: And oftentimes, we're not oftentimes, but there are sometimes when we can't.
• 27:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's because we don't have the funding to do that.
• 27:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there are times when we have to turn off our portal because we get an overwhelming response because the need is so great that we're not in position to serve those until
• 27:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, you know, that's disappointing for the team.
• 27:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so we take that very personal.
• 28:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, but we also hear the great news, right, where we have, you know, rescue families, right, where we have been a life saver, um, for those, um, that have received services for us, where that one thing of taking care of that one bill that they don't have to worry about.
• 28:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: has gotten them back on their feet, and so we hear more of those stories of the night, but then we hear those that, you know, we not able to help, and that's because we just don't have the funds to be able to do all of the things that need to be done.
• 28:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and are there any misgiven that, are there any misconceptions that you would debunk in regards to thought or the perception of thought?
• 28:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, some people think that we are part of DTE.
• 28:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we're not as to stand alone now in profit.
• 28:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: DTE certainly is a great partner.
• 28:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's been really supportive of our work along with other energy partners, consumer energy, SIM code, upcode.
• 28:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And other utility services, other funders, have supported our work.
• 29:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so we just want them to know we're not part of the city.
• 29:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're not a department under DTE.
• 29:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so just wanted to debunk that.
• 29:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: That we do, and we've done very well for the last 40 years, but there are other things that we do to support our families that are in need.
• 29:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: For sure.
• 29:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: And where do you see the future or because you're coming up on about a year and a little bit, you snap your fingers, it's going to be here.
• 29:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, looking forward to the future years that you've seen to see what would you like to see coming to fruition in terms of programming, events, opportunities, support,
• 29:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: What would you like to see coming in your crystal ball?
• 29:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I would love to be able to, for us, the double our impact, right?
• 29:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, for 40 years, we have put 250, 5 million on the street and have served 335,000.
• 29:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so, I'd like to see that grow.
• 29:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, one of the things that we're working on is to increase our visibility, get back out the inner community, and not just have presence and Detroit, but across all eight, three counties, we want those individuals to know that we are here, and we're here to serve until I'd like to see
• 30:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: creating more strategic partnerships so that we can leverage opportunities to do more and that's, you know, the dream.
• 30:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Very nice.
• 30:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I love it.
• 30:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I definitely hope in that all of that comes in to fruition for you all because I thought I had mentioned earlier, definitely not proper work is near and dear to my heart, there's different non-profit organizations that I've been able to benefit from the young person.
• 30:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: hope that me continue to grow and have different experiences and impact on what it is that do as a business person and as a man, et cetera.
• 30:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: So definitely want to continue to see all of that growth.
• 30:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: So could you remind us one more time working everybody tapping with you all, Hikay, what's the best way to connect with you and what's website social media all of that?
• 31:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, the best way is to access our website at www.thawfun.org.
• 31:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: perfect and so we look forward to all you support and thought one way or another volunteer donate being able to share the amazing program and events that you all have and looking for it to being able to see that kind of fruition but I appreciate all the work that you're doing in the community as I mentioned I told you my brief personal story in terms of the all you share of yours as well and obviously the work is very important to be two people sitting here
• 31:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: that both have been able to benefit from and being able to talk about how it's going to continue to benefit others and support some of the other people.
• 31:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: So we really appreciate you stopping by the podcast today.
• 31:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.
• 31:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And thank you so much for having me.
• 31:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: I appreciate it.
• 31:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.
• 31:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: And everybody watching, listening, we're going to tap in with you all soon.
• 32:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Peace.