Hey, everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army in normal folks, and we continue now what part two of our conversation with Kim Im? Right after these brief messages from our general sponsors.

Hey, everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army in normal folks, and we continue now what part two of our conversation with Kim Im? Right after these brief messages from our general sponsors.

So I wrote a letter to the twenty two churches, and six called me and said, we want to help ad. What do you want us to do?

So I wrote a letter to the twenty two churches, and six called me and said, we want to help ad. What do you want us to do?

Do we need to call out the other sixteen that didn't know I'm kidding, go ahead.

Do we need to call out the other sixteen that didn't know I'm kidding, go ahead.

They started coming some time, but I've just been right away. Six called right away, and one church said we actually knew about this problem, but we didn't know what to do. And the other five said, we were shocked, just like you were, Kim. We didn't know there was even a problem. And so they said, what do you want us to do? And I said, well, clearly, I'm going to say up a free summer lunch camp like they like what exists in the urban communities for the children, and so how about if you help with that?

They started coming some time, but I've just been right away. Six called right away, and one church said we actually knew about this problem, but we didn't know what to do. And the other five said, we were shocked, just like you were, Kim. We didn't know there was even a problem. And so they said, what do you want us to do? And I said, well, clearly, I'm going to say up a free summer lunch camp like they like what exists in the urban communities for the children, and so how about if you help with that?

Are the urban city free lunch camp things? Are they typically city run or are they private organizations too?

Are the urban city free lunch camp things? Are they typically city run or are they private organizations too?

They're usually nonprofits, so whether it's a religious organization or a nonprofit a city community center, they're usually run by nonprofits. Many of them are under the USDA Summer Food Service Program, but they yes. And the concept in my mind was, oh, I could just receive a free lunch and hand it to a child. Okay, I could do that.

They're usually nonprofits, so whether it's a religious organization or a nonprofit a city community center, they're usually run by nonprofits. Many of them are under the USDA Summer Food Service Program, but they yes. And the concept in my mind was, oh, I could just receive a free lunch and hand it to a child. Okay, I could do that.

That seems easy, but nothing is easy safe. I think it's interesting though, that you said that, like in the urban areas, there were three different places children growth on the suburban none. But here's the thing, and that's why I asked if it was like a public or a private nonprofit. You said nonprofits they went where the need was, but the need has shifted, so now there's no one meeting the shifting need, which I found upon really interesting. And so you get these churches to meet this need. What do you need? And you said, well, I'll just get a free lunch and give a free lunch. It'll be easy. Yeah.

That seems easy, but nothing is easy safe. I think it's interesting though, that you said that, like in the urban areas, there were three different places children growth on the suburban none. But here's the thing, and that's why I asked if it was like a public or a private nonprofit. You said nonprofits they went where the need was, but the need has shifted, so now there's no one meeting the shifting need, which I found upon really interesting. And so you get these churches to meet this need. What do you need? And you said, well, I'll just get a free lunch and give a free lunch. It'll be easy. Yeah.

Yeah, And I have to say, I feel like I'm the perfect person to say out loud, there literally is no such thing as a free lunch.

Yeah, And I have to say, I feel like I'm the perfect person to say out loud, there literally is no such thing as a free lunch.

That was econ one O one first day.

That was econ one O one first day.

I think, literally there isn't. So I uh so I recruited about eleven people. There were twelve of us to help and sort of lead this as volunteers'.

I think, literally there isn't. So I uh so I recruited about eleven people. There were twelve of us to help and sort of lead this as volunteers'.

Six five churches. Six churches, Yeah, yep.

Six five churches. Six churches, Yeah, yep.

And like I found a man who had just retired at our church, that senior pastor I reported to connected me with him, and he said, you had me at hungry children. What do you want me to do? He ran an international company, had just retired. He brought to retired and with him.

And like I found a man who had just retired at our church, that senior pastor I reported to connected me with him, and he said, you had me at hungry children. What do you want me to do? He ran an international company, had just retired. He brought to retired and with him.

Cool.

Cool.

There was a stay at home dad that joined us, some other moms that I knew from the community who joined us. So there were this group of twelve people, just volunteers who wanted to feed children in our town.

There was a stay at home dad that joined us, some other moms that I knew from the community who joined us. So there were this group of twelve people, just volunteers who wanted to feed children in our town.

And so in the summer, yes, when they didn't have a free lunch, got it.

And so in the summer, yes, when they didn't have a free lunch, got it.

And again I learned on March fourteenth, and summer starts in June, so of course I needed to start this summer. So we uh.

And again I learned on March fourteenth, and summer starts in June, so of course I needed to start this summer. So we uh.

April May June. You had three.

April May June. You had three.

Months, Yeah, three months months, four.

Months, Yeah, three months months, four.

Churches, twelve people who love serving, feed twenty one hundred kids and bring the community with you. No problem, Yeah.

Churches, twelve people who love serving, feed twenty one hundred kids and bring the community with you. No problem, Yeah.

No problem. And again, we weren't an organization, so we don't own a building, We don't have a board of directors, don't we don't. I mean I kind of pictured myself slapping together peanut butter and jellies out of the back of my van, which my children will tell you is insane because I don't. I'm not I cook because I need to eat. I don't cook for any other reason. And quite honestly, once I started this, my husband started cooking, my children would honestly say to me, how are you feeding people for a living when you hardly are cooking for us. So the fact that I'd be called to feed people is the irony is insane. Truly, I'm not a foodie. I'm the opposite of a foodie. So then I learned, well, you could order in, and I thought, that's perfect, I'm going to order in. So we and none of us, by the way, had ever seen a free lunch program because we didn't know about this the summer previous, so we couldn't go visit one, and so we just pictured in our minds what it could look like. And long story shore we found a strip mall. We would walk around the city kind of praying, like, where should we have this? It should be at a place. And the superintendent, one of the assistant superintendents of schools. He had worked in Columbus and he knew poverty better than I did. And he said, Kim, if I was going to do this in Hilliard, I would go to this intersection right here because there's a bunch of apartment complexes and the children could walk to you. So we just walked that intersection, the twelve people and I looking for any space, and we found strip malls and none of them were full, and so we thought, well, we could use an empty storefront of a strip ball. So there was a grocery store, a local grocery store that had gone under and it was the anchor of this strip mall in this intersection, and it was empty for eight years. So we found the out of state property owner, who was a woman living in Chicago. She'd only been to Columbus once to sign the papers to buy the strip mall. And I found her and she took my call amazingly, and I said, I'm this lady in this town who wants to feed twenty one hundred and fifty eight children this summer. Would you let me use one of your empty storefronts for free? Because I don't have any money. She said, I have two children, and I can't imagine if they were hungry. So yes, So we're kidding just like that. We never met. I couldn't tell you her name right now if I tried. Wow, okay, yeah, So she and she said, well, how about the end unit because it had been a pizza shop, so you know, lunch pizza. You could use that. Now if I lease it, then all bets are off. I'm going to have to say you have to stop. And I said, well, I'm just going to risk that. I'm going to pray you don't lease it for twelve weeks of the summer. And so she called me back. So we figured out how to order lunch in under Columbus Parks and wreck. They said they'd sponsor us and they'd send us the food. We started recruiting volunteers. We started telling families, we're going to be at this intersection at this strip mall, come at this time every day for ten weeks and we'll serve lunch. And I'm at the grocery store personally, just doing my shopping and I get a call from the strip mall lady and she says, Kim, bad news. I leased the pizza shop. You can't run it. And this was Memorial Day weekend and we're supposed to start the first week in June lovely. So I hung up the phone and I just started crying there in the grocery store with my cart. And I called that first volunteer, the man who was the retired CEO. His name is John, and I called him and I was crying, and he said, Kim, are these happy tears? Are sad tears? I said, they's sad tears and he said, what's going on? I told him and he said no, I'm gonna pound on your desk.

No problem. And again, we weren't an organization, so we don't own a building, We don't have a board of directors, don't we don't. I mean I kind of pictured myself slapping together peanut butter and jellies out of the back of my van, which my children will tell you is insane because I don't. I'm not I cook because I need to eat. I don't cook for any other reason. And quite honestly, once I started this, my husband started cooking, my children would honestly say to me, how are you feeding people for a living when you hardly are cooking for us. So the fact that I'd be called to feed people is the irony is insane. Truly, I'm not a foodie. I'm the opposite of a foodie. So then I learned, well, you could order in, and I thought, that's perfect, I'm going to order in. So we and none of us, by the way, had ever seen a free lunch program because we didn't know about this the summer previous, so we couldn't go visit one, and so we just pictured in our minds what it could look like. And long story shore we found a strip mall. We would walk around the city kind of praying, like, where should we have this? It should be at a place. And the superintendent, one of the assistant superintendents of schools. He had worked in Columbus and he knew poverty better than I did. And he said, Kim, if I was going to do this in Hilliard, I would go to this intersection right here because there's a bunch of apartment complexes and the children could walk to you. So we just walked that intersection, the twelve people and I looking for any space, and we found strip malls and none of them were full, and so we thought, well, we could use an empty storefront of a strip ball. So there was a grocery store, a local grocery store that had gone under and it was the anchor of this strip mall in this intersection, and it was empty for eight years. So we found the out of state property owner, who was a woman living in Chicago. She'd only been to Columbus once to sign the papers to buy the strip mall. And I found her and she took my call amazingly, and I said, I'm this lady in this town who wants to feed twenty one hundred and fifty eight children this summer. Would you let me use one of your empty storefronts for free? Because I don't have any money. She said, I have two children, and I can't imagine if they were hungry. So yes, So we're kidding just like that. We never met. I couldn't tell you her name right now if I tried. Wow, okay, yeah, So she and she said, well, how about the end unit because it had been a pizza shop, so you know, lunch pizza. You could use that. Now if I lease it, then all bets are off. I'm going to have to say you have to stop. And I said, well, I'm just going to risk that. I'm going to pray you don't lease it for twelve weeks of the summer. And so she called me back. So we figured out how to order lunch in under Columbus Parks and wreck. They said they'd sponsor us and they'd send us the food. We started recruiting volunteers. We started telling families, we're going to be at this intersection at this strip mall, come at this time every day for ten weeks and we'll serve lunch. And I'm at the grocery store personally, just doing my shopping and I get a call from the strip mall lady and she says, Kim, bad news. I leased the pizza shop. You can't run it. And this was Memorial Day weekend and we're supposed to start the first week in June lovely. So I hung up the phone and I just started crying there in the grocery store with my cart. And I called that first volunteer, the man who was the retired CEO. His name is John, and I called him and I was crying, and he said, Kim, are these happy tears? Are sad tears? I said, they's sad tears and he said, what's going on? I told him and he said no, I'm gonna pound on your desk.

Bill.

Bill.

He said, no, you call her back and you tell her we are feeding hungry children and we need to use a different one of her empty spaces. If we can't use that one, there's other empty spaces in her strip mall. We need one of them. And so I called her back and call her Dy. She knew it was me. She took the call and I said, no, I have to feed hungry children. Can I have a different space? And she said, well, what space do you want? And he's over here saying to me, ask her for the old grocery store the cart storage area, And I said what he said, the cart storage area, It's like a thousand square feet. So I said to her, could we use the cart storage area of the old grocery store. It's a thousand square feet and she said, yeah, you could use it.

He said, no, you call her back and you tell her we are feeding hungry children and we need to use a different one of her empty spaces. If we can't use that one, there's other empty spaces in her strip mall. We need one of them. And so I called her back and call her Dy. She knew it was me. She took the call and I said, no, I have to feed hungry children. Can I have a different space? And she said, well, what space do you want? And he's over here saying to me, ask her for the old grocery store the cart storage area, And I said what he said, the cart storage area, It's like a thousand square feet. So I said to her, could we use the cart storage area of the old grocery store. It's a thousand square feet and she said, yeah, you could use it.

Wow.

Wow.

So a church donated those cafeteria style tables you see in a lunch room of a school, ten of them. They fit perfectly in the current storage area. And so early June we started free Summer Lunch camp. And the day it started, I had to drive maybe three miles to the lunch site and it took me about forty minutes because I drove two miles an hour. Why because I was having a total tantrum fit with God in the car.

So a church donated those cafeteria style tables you see in a lunch room of a school, ten of them. They fit perfectly in the current storage area. And so early June we started free Summer Lunch camp. And the day it started, I had to drive maybe three miles to the lunch site and it took me about forty minutes because I drove two miles an hour. Why because I was having a total tantrum fit with God in the car.

What was that all about?

What was that all about?

I was telling them I didn't want to go. Why, Well, because I knew, I mean, my skill set is to rally groups of people administrative. I can vision cast and get her done. And I'd done that, and I knew if I went there and I had to look into the faces of the children, that my life would never be the same. And I was scared about that. But you will, Yeah, I felt like, you know, God like let me tantrum, and then he just said to me, I know, go and so I went, dragging my feet, but I went and we were both right. So I looked into the faces of these beautiful, amazing, gifted, talented children.

I was telling them I didn't want to go. Why, Well, because I knew, I mean, my skill set is to rally groups of people administrative. I can vision cast and get her done. And I'd done that, and I knew if I went there and I had to look into the faces of the children, that my life would never be the same. And I was scared about that. But you will, Yeah, I felt like, you know, God like let me tantrum, and then he just said to me, I know, go and so I went, dragging my feet, but I went and we were both right. So I looked into the faces of these beautiful, amazing, gifted, talented children.

Hungry children.

Hungry children.

We're hungry, but very similar to the amazingness of my own children. And I knew my life was never going to be the same because I just I had a love for them that I couldn't explain.

We're hungry, but very similar to the amazingness of my own children. And I knew my life was never going to be the same because I just I had a love for them that I couldn't explain.

Did you ever go hungry?

Did you ever go hungry?

I am. I never went physically hungry.

I am. I never went physically hungry.

You were close. If you're coming up in a five times divorced thing, you're not that far away.

You were close. If you're coming up in a five times divorced thing, you're not that far away.

I would say that's probably true. I didn't know that as a child, though. I never Yeah, well.

I would say that's probably true. I didn't know that as a child, though. I never Yeah, well.

These kids also didn't know they were not supposed to have lunch on summers, but it doesn't make it right.

These kids also didn't know they were not supposed to have lunch on summers, but it doesn't make it right.

Yeah, yeah, first day.

Yeah, yeah, first day.

Just to know what the first day was.

Just to know what the first day was.

Well, we honestly didn't even know if anyone would come. I mean, we put flyers, we had grassroots flyers all over town, We had an article in the Columbus Dispatch, all these things, but we just really didn't know. We didn't have registration, We didn't know who would come. And we served two hundred and forty six children that summer with over one hundred and seventy volunteers, and they just they walked along the edges of the strip mall, and they just came to us and ages, oh, babies to eighteen year olds, babies, moms brought their children, their littles with them. They would sit and help their little ones eat, they would chat with us. We realized very quickly. And then the library came and said, hey, we really want to expose this demographic of children to books. But guess what, they don't come to the library. Could we just come and bring the summer reading program here to your lunch site? We said sure. Another church, a woman who's one of my dearest friends now pastor Irma. She brought her youth group. She said, we heard you were feeding hungry children. We brought face pain and balloon animals. We thought, maybe we could, you know, do something on the sidewalk after they leave lunch. So quickly we could see what camp could look like, and quickly we realized that simply handing food to a child might help them live better in poverty, but it was probably not going to help them out of poverty. And we couldn't look in the faces of our new friends, these beautiful children and their family.

Well, we honestly didn't even know if anyone would come. I mean, we put flyers, we had grassroots flyers all over town, We had an article in the Columbus Dispatch, all these things, but we just really didn't know. We didn't have registration, We didn't know who would come. And we served two hundred and forty six children that summer with over one hundred and seventy volunteers, and they just they walked along the edges of the strip mall, and they just came to us and ages, oh, babies to eighteen year olds, babies, moms brought their children, their littles with them. They would sit and help their little ones eat, they would chat with us. We realized very quickly. And then the library came and said, hey, we really want to expose this demographic of children to books. But guess what, they don't come to the library. Could we just come and bring the summer reading program here to your lunch site? We said sure. Another church, a woman who's one of my dearest friends now pastor Irma. She brought her youth group. She said, we heard you were feeding hungry children. We brought face pain and balloon animals. We thought, maybe we could, you know, do something on the sidewalk after they leave lunch. So quickly we could see what camp could look like, and quickly we realized that simply handing food to a child might help them live better in poverty, but it was probably not going to help them out of poverty. And we couldn't look in the faces of our new friends, these beautiful children and their family.

That's it.

That's it.

Our exact neighbors, I mean children were saying my children. The volunteers. Children were saying, oh, I know, I know Mohammed from school. We go to the same school. I mean they knew each other, The children knew each other.

Our exact neighbors, I mean children were saying my children. The volunteers. Children were saying, oh, I know, I know Mohammed from school. We go to the same school. I mean they knew each other, The children knew each other.

Were these Smalian kids?

Were these Smalian kids?

You know they were children from It's interesting.

You know they were children from It's interesting.

I knew when I say Samalian kids, let's be candid Samali refugees.

I knew when I say Samalian kids, let's be candid Samali refugees.

We came to understand over the course of the summer that they were children from all over the globe. I knew that we would see all different beautiful skin tones and ethnic groups and cultures and races and religions. I didn't anticipate that we would meet parents who were foreign born. That surprised me. I didn't know that until the last day when we threw a big party and the children's whole families came. When I heard the accents of the parents' voices, when I saw their clothing, that's when it hit me, Oh, you weren't born in this country, not one hundred percent, but the majority.

We came to understand over the course of the summer that they were children from all over the globe. I knew that we would see all different beautiful skin tones and ethnic groups and cultures and races and religions. I didn't anticipate that we would meet parents who were foreign born. That surprised me. I didn't know that until the last day when we threw a big party and the children's whole families came. When I heard the accents of the parents' voices, when I saw their clothing, that's when it hit me, Oh, you weren't born in this country, not one hundred percent, but the majority.

What does that look like?

What does that look like?

Especially what nations just it it literally is the United Nations. Then, when we started saying, you know where, what's your family's country of origin? Where where was your where were your parents and your grandparents born. We were blown away.

Especially what nations just it it literally is the United Nations. Then, when we started saying, you know where, what's your family's country of origin? Where where was your where were your parents and your grandparents born. We were blown away.

We'll be right back. That had to have been. I gotta be careful here as we think about the vitriol, and I want to be real careful from both sides of the aisle regarding immigration and everything else, and all we have dealt with, and in fairness, not only this administration, but the Ford administrations before this one. I have a real thing on the whole immigration deal. As you're sitting there, feeding hungry children and meeting these families and parents and people and everything else, did you have maybe some and I don't mean ill willed, preconceived notions, but did you have some notions that you thought you understood about our culture to destroyed? In that moment?

We'll be right back. That had to have been. I gotta be careful here as we think about the vitriol, and I want to be real careful from both sides of the aisle regarding immigration and everything else, and all we have dealt with, and in fairness, not only this administration, but the Ford administrations before this one. I have a real thing on the whole immigration deal. As you're sitting there, feeding hungry children and meeting these families and parents and people and everything else, did you have maybe some and I don't mean ill willed, preconceived notions, but did you have some notions that you thought you understood about our culture to destroyed? In that moment?

You know, I realized that there was a huge mosque in Toledo, and I grew up not ever knowing one Muslim person. And I remember the first day that I had a significant conversation with a Muslim mother. And it's strange because I even have a picture of it. Someone just happened to snap a picture right before the conversation. But she was walking to me, straight to me, because I was in charge of this lunch program, and she had a question and I remember thinking to myself as she approached me, Oh my word, I don't know what I have in common with this woman who is walking toward me and I'm about to have a full conversation with.

You know, I realized that there was a huge mosque in Toledo, and I grew up not ever knowing one Muslim person. And I remember the first day that I had a significant conversation with a Muslim mother. And it's strange because I even have a picture of it. Someone just happened to snap a picture right before the conversation. But she was walking to me, straight to me, because I was in charge of this lunch program, and she had a question and I remember thinking to myself as she approached me, Oh my word, I don't know what I have in common with this woman who is walking toward me and I'm about to have a full conversation with.

She's wearing a head dress or whatever.

She's wearing a head dress or whatever.

Yep, And I just thought, I don't have any life experience to prepare me for this moment right here.

Yep, And I just thought, I don't have any life experience to prepare me for this moment right here.

Yeah, because you're suburbanite, white Christian mommy with a van with a van with a minivan.

Yeah, because you're suburbanite, white Christian mommy with a van with a van with a minivan.

I've never lived outside of Ohio, who's no ever left the country.

I've never lived outside of Ohio, who's no ever left the country.

Yeah, So what was that chat? Like?

Yeah, So what was that chat? Like?

I felt again a whisper in my ear from God that just said, I know, go just she's a mom like you. Just talk to her. And we talked, and she had questions about her children, and I introduced her to my children because they were right there. And we had a full, really great conversation, and I felt like I had things in common with her beyond what I could have dreamed or imagined. Quite honestly, that is not.

I felt again a whisper in my ear from God that just said, I know, go just she's a mom like you. Just talk to her. And we talked, and she had questions about her children, and I introduced her to my children because they were right there. And we had a full, really great conversation, and I felt like I had things in common with her beyond what I could have dreamed or imagined. Quite honestly, that is not.

What Sinn and Fox tell us we're supposed to do. What is wrong with you? You're so weird, Kim, you know, being human?

What Sinn and Fox tell us we're supposed to do. What is wrong with you? You're so weird, Kim, you know, being human?

Yeah, I feel like, you know, there's a lot to my Christian faith. But love God, love your neighbor is a pretty key verse for me, and I feel like once I've mastered those two things, I'll go on to the next. And my neighbor. I mean, I've asked dozens of five year old kindergarten does when I say neighbor, what does that mean to you? They can explain it really easily. To me, It's that person right there. It's the person who lives right next to me. It's the person who lives above me, beside me, below me, who goes to school with me, who's driving the car next to me. Those are my neighbors. And so you know, those two calls on my life, love, feed and serve your neighbor, and bring the community with you. It's just pretty simple. I mean, it's complex, but it's also simple. And I came to realize that all of the children, all of the volunteers, all of these people were my neighbors. And I didn't know most of them before this.

Yeah, I feel like, you know, there's a lot to my Christian faith. But love God, love your neighbor is a pretty key verse for me, and I feel like once I've mastered those two things, I'll go on to the next. And my neighbor. I mean, I've asked dozens of five year old kindergarten does when I say neighbor, what does that mean to you? They can explain it really easily. To me, It's that person right there. It's the person who lives right next to me. It's the person who lives above me, beside me, below me, who goes to school with me, who's driving the car next to me. Those are my neighbors. And so you know, those two calls on my life, love, feed and serve your neighbor, and bring the community with you. It's just pretty simple. I mean, it's complex, but it's also simple. And I came to realize that all of the children, all of the volunteers, all of these people were my neighbors. And I didn't know most of them before this.

Twenty one hundred or so of which we're living in poverty, yeah, and hungry. So that's first year, yep, take us through it.

Twenty one hundred or so of which we're living in poverty, yeah, and hungry. So that's first year, yep, take us through it.

So at the end of the summer, the parents said at that party. What are you doing next? We like this, literally, what are you doing next? Because this was amazing. This didn't feel like charity. We didn't feel ashamed and embarrassed to pull up here. Our children couldn't wait to come every day, and they didn't have to come. It wasn't school. What are you doing next? And I said, well, maybe we'll come back and do this next summer. How about that? And they said, that's lovely. But we have and you've identified a significant issue this summer, hunger. It is significant. Thank you so much. But the parents said, we have another really big problem we want to talk to you about. I said, okay, and they said, we believe in education. We know education is our children's way out of poverty.

So at the end of the summer, the parents said at that party. What are you doing next? We like this, literally, what are you doing next? Because this was amazing. This didn't feel like charity. We didn't feel ashamed and embarrassed to pull up here. Our children couldn't wait to come every day, and they didn't have to come. It wasn't school. What are you doing next? And I said, well, maybe we'll come back and do this next summer. How about that? And they said, that's lovely. But we have and you've identified a significant issue this summer, hunger. It is significant. Thank you so much. But the parents said, we have another really big problem we want to talk to you about. I said, okay, and they said, we believe in education. We know education is our children's way out of poverty.

We get that, which is why we're here in the first place.

We get that, which is why we're here in the first place.

That's what they said. That's why we're here. No, that's why we came as a refugee.

That's what they said. That's why we're here. No, that's why we came as a refugee.

We're so bad. Everybody listening to us would understand. People are not uprooting their families. Listen. Of course, there are bad actors and YadA, YadA, YadA. It's the smallest, smallest percentage people are not uprooting their lives and walking away from everybody they know look like, worship like, and speak like and risking life and limb to come to this country because they're trying to get free crap. No, they're doing it simply because they want opportunity for their kids.

We're so bad. Everybody listening to us would understand. People are not uprooting their families. Listen. Of course, there are bad actors and YadA, YadA, YadA. It's the smallest, smallest percentage people are not uprooting their lives and walking away from everybody they know look like, worship like, and speak like and risking life and limb to come to this country because they're trying to get free crap. No, they're doing it simply because they want opportunity for their kids.

The same exact things I want for my children.

The same exact things I want for my children.

So let me ask you a question, Not you, yes, you, but everybody listening, every parent out there, ask yourself this question right now. If you are surrounded by gang violence to the point that you were afraid to go outside, you could not find enough money to put a roof over your head other than a dirt floor, and you feared for your children's life, and you knew that just to make ends meet by your child's twelfth, thirteenth or fourteenth birthday, they would have to quit going to whatever kind of remedial education they were getting and go to work. If you knew that that was the existence for you, and probably generationally the only opportunity for your children and their children, would you try to do something different? Would you be willing to live that way your whole life? If there was opportunity elsewhere, would you take that risk to better the possibilities for yourself and your children? Would you and I mean, I think every parent would say, of course, I'd do everything I could, even though it's rought with misunderstanding and cultural norms and desperation and everything else. I would do that for my children. So it's not at all surprising that you met people that said we need help with education, because the whole reason they're here is to try to better their lives. The vast, fast, fast majority.

So let me ask you a question, Not you, yes, you, but everybody listening, every parent out there, ask yourself this question right now. If you are surrounded by gang violence to the point that you were afraid to go outside, you could not find enough money to put a roof over your head other than a dirt floor, and you feared for your children's life, and you knew that just to make ends meet by your child's twelfth, thirteenth or fourteenth birthday, they would have to quit going to whatever kind of remedial education they were getting and go to work. If you knew that that was the existence for you, and probably generationally the only opportunity for your children and their children, would you try to do something different? Would you be willing to live that way your whole life? If there was opportunity elsewhere, would you take that risk to better the possibilities for yourself and your children? Would you and I mean, I think every parent would say, of course, I'd do everything I could, even though it's rought with misunderstanding and cultural norms and desperation and everything else. I would do that for my children. So it's not at all surprising that you met people that said we need help with education, because the whole reason they're here is to try to better their lives. The vast, fast, fast majority.

Yeah, I have a restauranteur who works closely with me as a mentor, and he says it this way. You know what if if bomb started going off in my city, in my state, in this country, and I'm out.

Yeah, I have a restauranteur who works closely with me as a mentor, and he says it this way. You know what if if bomb started going off in my city, in my state, in this country, and I'm out.

In Hillard where people started dropping bombs all over you.

In Hillard where people started dropping bombs all over you.

And I had to gape and leave this country and start over with my wife and my children and not know the language or the culture or have any connections in that country, would I want someone to help in any way? And I think that's that's what it comes down to. I mean, I know families, a beloved family to me if I call them my family of ten, but they're from Africa and they came as refugees after living in a refugee camp for eleven years.

And I had to gape and leave this country and start over with my wife and my children and not know the language or the culture or have any connections in that country, would I want someone to help in any way? And I think that's that's what it comes down to. I mean, I know families, a beloved family to me if I call them my family of ten, but they're from Africa and they came as refugees after living in a refugee camp for eleven years.

And eleven years in a refugee.

And eleven years in a refugee.

Camp or they left the Congo and were in Burundi.

Camp or they left the Congo and were in Burundi.

Oh boy, and that's that's civil war and ethnic cleansing, which is.

Oh boy, and that's that's civil war and ethnic cleansing, which is.

Still going on today. And they got the magic golden ticket from the UN, not Australia, not England, the United States was the golden ticket and they got it and they got to come here. So so yeah, I think the parents said yeah, which is comparatively from infinitely better. And so when the parents said, we believe in education, we want education for our children. We are going to this great suburban school district. But guess what, Kim, they said to me, our children are falling behind in this school district, unlike yours. Kim, And I said, why why in a great school district are your children falling behind? They said, because of our own illiteracy, lack of English, lack of knowledge, work schedules, and lack of technology they were naming the fourth utility back in two thousand and seven. They said, those are the reasons we can't help our children with homework. And they said, Kim, how much do you help your child with homework? And I'm thinking, you know, the ten o'clock run to Walmart for the poster board, A lot and they said, we can't help our children with homework. They're falling behind in school every year and they're not gonna be able to compete or catch up. Could you help us with that? We can't afford a private tutor. And I thought, okay, that makes sense to me.

Still going on today. And they got the magic golden ticket from the UN, not Australia, not England, the United States was the golden ticket and they got it and they got to come here. So so yeah, I think the parents said yeah, which is comparatively from infinitely better. And so when the parents said, we believe in education, we want education for our children. We are going to this great suburban school district. But guess what, Kim, they said to me, our children are falling behind in this school district, unlike yours. Kim, And I said, why why in a great school district are your children falling behind? They said, because of our own illiteracy, lack of English, lack of knowledge, work schedules, and lack of technology they were naming the fourth utility back in two thousand and seven. They said, those are the reasons we can't help our children with homework. And they said, Kim, how much do you help your child with homework? And I'm thinking, you know, the ten o'clock run to Walmart for the poster board, A lot and they said, we can't help our children with homework. They're falling behind in school every year and they're not gonna be able to compete or catch up. Could you help us with that? We can't afford a private tutor. And I thought, okay, that makes sense to me.

That falls under love.

That falls under love.

Serve, Yeah, and feed the educational mind of the children, because we'll start with the body. If you're hungry physically, you can't learn, but once that need is met, feeding the mind is next for the longevity of the thriving of this beautiful child. And so I had again tutored for years, but I never ran a tutoring program, and I'm not a teacher or a social worker. So I was like, let me get back to you on that. Let me look into that. So I went back to the volunteers and the team, and again we had one hundred and seventy more volunteers as summer, and I said, how do we run a tutoring program that's free effect.

Serve, Yeah, and feed the educational mind of the children, because we'll start with the body. If you're hungry physically, you can't learn, but once that need is met, feeding the mind is next for the longevity of the thriving of this beautiful child. And so I had again tutored for years, but I never ran a tutoring program, and I'm not a teacher or a social worker. So I was like, let me get back to you on that. Let me look into that. So I went back to the volunteers and the team, and again we had one hundred and seventy more volunteers as summer, and I said, how do we run a tutoring program that's free effect.

We're still in the basket area in the abandoned grocery store.

We're still in the basket area in the abandoned grocery store.

Well, we'd moved out because she just said for the summer. So now we had no physical location at this point, and so I spent the whole fall trying to figure out how do you run a tutoring program that's again effective about effective and helps children with their homework, but also safe for children above reproach. And so I figured that out and in January of two thousand and eight, we started after school tutoring and homework help. And I went to because in Ohio it's kind of chilly in the winter, so I didn't want to be outside, and I went to one of the biggest apartment complexes in that intersection and I went to the manager and said, Hey, can we use this leasing office and do some tutoring after school? And she was like, uh, who are you again? I said, yeah, I'm just this lady. Did you like here children going to summer lunch camp? That was me? And she's like, who do you work for? I was like, not really, anyone that would help you trust me better. So I said, We're gonna bring volunteers. Background checked volunteers will be here in your leasing office. She said, how about one afternoon a week. We'll see how this goes. And so we started after school tutoring every Wednesday January through May of two thousand and eight, and in about two months. We had so many children we could not pack them in like sardines in this leasing office. So we started praying for decent weather in Ohio on Wednesday afternoons. And I'm here to say that from March until May, it didn't rain on a Wednesday afternoon, and it wasn't bitter cold. So we would take half the children outside and blow some steam off, play some soccer and jump ropes, and tutor the other children and then flip them half and half. We had over one hundred ohly smokes. Again scratched an itch. And so then the next summer we went back to summer lunch camp and we had two locations, this time one in a church, one across the street in a different strip mall. And again half day camp now to official half day camp. And very quickly children we noticed translating for their parents to talk to us this whole time, you're kidding. Very quickly, and then parents started saying, where can we learn English? Can you help us find a place? We are desperate to learn English. Can you help us find someplace?

Well, we'd moved out because she just said for the summer. So now we had no physical location at this point, and so I spent the whole fall trying to figure out how do you run a tutoring program that's again effective about effective and helps children with their homework, but also safe for children above reproach. And so I figured that out and in January of two thousand and eight, we started after school tutoring and homework help. And I went to because in Ohio it's kind of chilly in the winter, so I didn't want to be outside, and I went to one of the biggest apartment complexes in that intersection and I went to the manager and said, Hey, can we use this leasing office and do some tutoring after school? And she was like, uh, who are you again? I said, yeah, I'm just this lady. Did you like here children going to summer lunch camp? That was me? And she's like, who do you work for? I was like, not really, anyone that would help you trust me better. So I said, We're gonna bring volunteers. Background checked volunteers will be here in your leasing office. She said, how about one afternoon a week. We'll see how this goes. And so we started after school tutoring every Wednesday January through May of two thousand and eight, and in about two months. We had so many children we could not pack them in like sardines in this leasing office. So we started praying for decent weather in Ohio on Wednesday afternoons. And I'm here to say that from March until May, it didn't rain on a Wednesday afternoon, and it wasn't bitter cold. So we would take half the children outside and blow some steam off, play some soccer and jump ropes, and tutor the other children and then flip them half and half. We had over one hundred ohly smokes. Again scratched an itch. And so then the next summer we went back to summer lunch camp and we had two locations, this time one in a church, one across the street in a different strip mall. And again half day camp now to official half day camp. And very quickly children we noticed translating for their parents to talk to us this whole time, you're kidding. Very quickly, and then parents started saying, where can we learn English? Can you help us find a place? We are desperate to learn English. Can you help us find someplace?

Nah, but maybe we create it.

Nah, but maybe we create it.

And we looked around. In fact, today Columbus is the fourteenth largest city in the country bigger than San Francisco. I like to tell people because my mom lives in California and a fastest growing in the city or in the country, fastest growing city in the country, Columbus. And there are so few adult English programs that four percent of foreign worn people can find one.

And we looked around. In fact, today Columbus is the fourteenth largest city in the country bigger than San Francisco. I like to tell people because my mom lives in California and a fastest growing in the city or in the country, fastest growing city in the country, Columbus. And there are so few adult English programs that four percent of foreign worn people can find one.

Really, so what did you do about that?

Really, so what did you do about that?

I found a couple English programs, and God bless them. It was a lovely, caring human who ordered some books online and were like, I'm gonna give this a whirl. Again, God bless them. But it was sort of like Laura Ingall's Wild or one Room Schoolhouse, which there's a reason we don't do that. Fuck, there's a reason we don't do that. It's like perfect for two people and too hard and too easy for everyone else. And so I again didn't want And here I'm again families are in pover tea food on the table for their children. They want to learn as fast as they can. Lower Engle's one room schoolhouse is not fast. It's the slow boat. And so I started saying, well, we could do better than that. What if we found a way to do better than that? And there was one English program in our town that I had sent people to that the community, a technical school was running with a church adults only English. I had sent some parents there. They came back the next summer and I could have a little more conversation with them, So I thought, oh, I think it works. I think the class is pretty good. So I went the summer of two thousand and eight to see that class because after summer number two, we were going back to do after school homework help and I didn't know where to go because we ran out of space at the leasing office. We had to go somewhere bigger. So I went to the church that we ran summer camp in and said, could I do it here? The pastor said, yes, we built this to be full, and it's empty more than it's full, so come and bring as many people as you want. And so we started doing that and I went to see the English program at the same time. And when I went there, I heard these wee small voices in the hallway, miss cam and I turned around and I saw a ton of children from the summer because that's what they called me, and they were hanging out at this English program in the church nursery by themselves while their parents were learning English. And I'm a mom first number one, and I thought, that does not look so good. You know, like twenty children ages two to fifteen hanging out in church nursery by themselves, night after night. Not bad things could happen. I mean from toddler's falling over and six year olds not being able to find something to do in getting bored, and fifteen year olds I'll be able to get their home. We're done. So I went to the leaders of the program, but the English classes looked good. So I went to the leaders of the program, the church and the technical school, and I said, what's going on here in your nursery and they said, yeah, it's kind of a problem. We have all these children because parents don't have a sitter or family to watch them. And I said, so take me down the path. What happens? They said, people start and then they quit. I said, okay, what if we brought our after school tutoring program and we combined with your adult English program and we took care of all the children. And they said, oh, thank god, yes, please, could you do that? That would be amazing. And so we said we'll care for the children babies to eighteen year olds you teach English and we'll work together. And the church and the school, the technical school had been working together for ten years. Had fifty five adults coming, which is the biggest English class I had found, by the way, well three four different classrooms. We started in the fall. By January of two thousand and nine, one hundred and twenty one adults were coming.

I found a couple English programs, and God bless them. It was a lovely, caring human who ordered some books online and were like, I'm gonna give this a whirl. Again, God bless them. But it was sort of like Laura Ingall's Wild or one Room Schoolhouse, which there's a reason we don't do that. Fuck, there's a reason we don't do that. It's like perfect for two people and too hard and too easy for everyone else. And so I again didn't want And here I'm again families are in pover tea food on the table for their children. They want to learn as fast as they can. Lower Engle's one room schoolhouse is not fast. It's the slow boat. And so I started saying, well, we could do better than that. What if we found a way to do better than that? And there was one English program in our town that I had sent people to that the community, a technical school was running with a church adults only English. I had sent some parents there. They came back the next summer and I could have a little more conversation with them, So I thought, oh, I think it works. I think the class is pretty good. So I went the summer of two thousand and eight to see that class because after summer number two, we were going back to do after school homework help and I didn't know where to go because we ran out of space at the leasing office. We had to go somewhere bigger. So I went to the church that we ran summer camp in and said, could I do it here? The pastor said, yes, we built this to be full, and it's empty more than it's full, so come and bring as many people as you want. And so we started doing that and I went to see the English program at the same time. And when I went there, I heard these wee small voices in the hallway, miss cam and I turned around and I saw a ton of children from the summer because that's what they called me, and they were hanging out at this English program in the church nursery by themselves while their parents were learning English. And I'm a mom first number one, and I thought, that does not look so good. You know, like twenty children ages two to fifteen hanging out in church nursery by themselves, night after night. Not bad things could happen. I mean from toddler's falling over and six year olds not being able to find something to do in getting bored, and fifteen year olds I'll be able to get their home. We're done. So I went to the leaders of the program, but the English classes looked good. So I went to the leaders of the program, the church and the technical school, and I said, what's going on here in your nursery and they said, yeah, it's kind of a problem. We have all these children because parents don't have a sitter or family to watch them. And I said, so take me down the path. What happens? They said, people start and then they quit. I said, okay, what if we brought our after school tutoring program and we combined with your adult English program and we took care of all the children. And they said, oh, thank god, yes, please, could you do that? That would be amazing. And so we said we'll care for the children babies to eighteen year olds you teach English and we'll work together. And the church and the school, the technical school had been working together for ten years. Had fifty five adults coming, which is the biggest English class I had found, by the way, well three four different classrooms. We started in the fall. By January of two thousand and nine, one hundred and twenty one adults were coming.

Because they had a place for their kids. Phenomenal. We'll be right back. Let me ask you something as I'm listening to this story, because we got more to go, but I want to ask you this. One of the biggest gripes cultural gripes is you know, we're a nation of immigrants. We want people to come, but you know what they need to assimilate to our culture when they get here. My question is, if you don't speak to English, you don't know the culture, your kids are kind of ostracized. Exactly what can you assimilate to? However, if you see a program like this that's caring for your children and you're learning the language. An interviewer and an attorney are supposed to adhere to one basic fundamental, which is never ask a question you don't know the answer to yet, and so I'm breaking that right now because I really don't know the answer to this. But I'm curious. As you see these adults and families go through the English classes and go through these programs, do you see them become quote more American assimilated because they're able to have you seen a cultural shift at all?

Because they had a place for their kids. Phenomenal. We'll be right back. Let me ask you something as I'm listening to this story, because we got more to go, but I want to ask you this. One of the biggest gripes cultural gripes is you know, we're a nation of immigrants. We want people to come, but you know what they need to assimilate to our culture when they get here. My question is, if you don't speak to English, you don't know the culture, your kids are kind of ostracized. Exactly what can you assimilate to? However, if you see a program like this that's caring for your children and you're learning the language. An interviewer and an attorney are supposed to adhere to one basic fundamental, which is never ask a question you don't know the answer to yet, and so I'm breaking that right now because I really don't know the answer to this. But I'm curious. As you see these adults and families go through the English classes and go through these programs, do you see them become quote more American assimilated because they're able to have you seen a cultural shift at all?

Like someone said to me, it's like eating like beef stew, where you've got chunks of beef, chunks of potatoes, chunks of carrots, but it's all in this really delicious broth called stew. I would say people keep the parts of their culture that they love that define who they are as a person. They add on things from our amazing country called the United States of America into that.

Like someone said to me, it's like eating like beef stew, where you've got chunks of beef, chunks of potatoes, chunks of carrots, but it's all in this really delicious broth called stew. I would say people keep the parts of their culture that they love that define who they are as a person. They add on things from our amazing country called the United States of America into that.

Because see, I think that's awesome. And I don't think that's any different than the Italians and Irish that settled here one hundred and fifty years ago. I don't think that's any different than the large Swedish community that is in Wisconsin and Minnesota. From they I think as a bunch of MutS, the melting pot we are. We're always When I asked you what your name was, you said it was Swiss German. You're an American but you still honor that culture and that heritage. And that's what you're saying. These people are doing.

Because see, I think that's awesome. And I don't think that's any different than the Italians and Irish that settled here one hundred and fifty years ago. I don't think that's any different than the large Swedish community that is in Wisconsin and Minnesota. From they I think as a bunch of MutS, the melting pot we are. We're always When I asked you what your name was, you said it was Swiss German. You're an American but you still honor that culture and that heritage. And that's what you're saying. These people are doing.

Right.

Right.

What's the difference except that they're from Africa not Asia, I mean Africa not Europe. There's no difference. And the until we see that, we're not being all we should be.

What's the difference except that they're from Africa not Asia, I mean Africa not Europe. There's no difference. And the until we see that, we're not being all we should be.

In my mind, yeah, my Mexican godfather we had Tamali's most times when we went to eat at his house. My mom's Polish. I still get pudo y at Easter. I mean, these are parts of who make us who, the parts that make us who we are. And they're beautiful, amazing.

In my mind, yeah, my Mexican godfather we had Tamali's most times when we went to eat at his house. My mom's Polish. I still get pudo y at Easter. I mean, these are parts of who make us who, the parts that make us who we are. And they're beautiful, amazing.

But they're not anti American. They're just part of our culture. But if we can learn the English and our children can grow and become educated and become tax paying members of society, then the quote assimilation looks like the very thing that quote assimilation look like one hundred years ago, just from Europeans.

But they're not anti American. They're just part of our culture. But if we can learn the English and our children can grow and become educated and become tax paying members of society, then the quote assimilation looks like the very thing that quote assimilation look like one hundred years ago, just from Europeans.

That's right. And let me be clear, people are that I have met in the last eighteen years are desperate to learn English and learn how and feel you absolutely learn how our education system works, and our medical system works, and our legal system works. And they're desperate to learn. In fact, I've had a women who I've become friends with who say to me, I want to hang out with more Americans because I want to learn, I want to understand, I want to know more. The curiosity is there, and it's beautiful. It's people are hungry.

That's right. And let me be clear, people are that I have met in the last eighteen years are desperate to learn English and learn how and feel you absolutely learn how our education system works, and our medical system works, and our legal system works. And they're desperate to learn. In fact, I've had a women who I've become friends with who say to me, I want to hang out with more Americans because I want to learn, I want to understand, I want to know more. The curiosity is there, and it's beautiful. It's people are hungry.

Being from one culture and being an American are not mutually exclusive.

Being from one culture and being an American are not mutually exclusive.

I agreed.

I agreed.

So it's so interesting that we're having this conversation on the heels of simply wanting to feed some hungry kids. Right, It's phenomenal where this goes, how deep this can go. I mean, we've gone from feeding a few hungry kids to cultural assimilation, which is one of the things that our country is struggling with right this very second. Okay, you keep saying eighteen years, get me there.

So it's so interesting that we're having this conversation on the heels of simply wanting to feed some hungry kids. Right, It's phenomenal where this goes, how deep this can go. I mean, we've gone from feeding a few hungry kids to cultural assimilation, which is one of the things that our country is struggling with right this very second. Okay, you keep saying eighteen years, get me there.

So we partnered in that way for about four years. We ran out of space at that church to run what became a three generation family English program, so we moved it to what is my home church again, one of the biggest Lutheran churches in the country, which has one hundred and fifty eight thousand square foot building. We moved it there in twenty twelve and it just exploded. We kept serving free summer lunch camp. We started adding adult English to it in two thousand and nine, though I just I had met with hundreds of people in Columbus trying to figure out how to structure this, how to put some infrastructure around it, and about eighty people said to me, you need to start a nonprofit. I thought I should just go under another nonprofit's umbrella, economic brain. I didn't think the world needed another nonprofit. Quite honestly, I thought we should like work together better. But they all said, wait, suburban poverty, hundreds of volunteers, no Bill bilding, and you're running serving hundreds of people, will squealsh you. You need to start your own thing. Because it's so unique what you're doing and how you're doing it. You need to start your own thing. And so most of them said they'd help me. So in two thousand and nine, we started our own nonprofit called Serving Our Neighbors Ministries. People called us SUN Ministries for sure. We rebranded to FESTA twenty twenty one, but we got some infrastructure because I started feeling like, if I follow the turnip truck, what happens? How does this continue to sustain? And so we just continued to all through the years build real relationships with each other. So volunteers with children, families being served, relationships that went far beyond the lunch camp or the family English program where people met, that went into their own living rooms, into the parks, into the PTO meetings. People building relationships across every line of difference you can think of.

So we partnered in that way for about four years. We ran out of space at that church to run what became a three generation family English program, so we moved it to what is my home church again, one of the biggest Lutheran churches in the country, which has one hundred and fifty eight thousand square foot building. We moved it there in twenty twelve and it just exploded. We kept serving free summer lunch camp. We started adding adult English to it in two thousand and nine, though I just I had met with hundreds of people in Columbus trying to figure out how to structure this, how to put some infrastructure around it, and about eighty people said to me, you need to start a nonprofit. I thought I should just go under another nonprofit's umbrella, economic brain. I didn't think the world needed another nonprofit. Quite honestly, I thought we should like work together better. But they all said, wait, suburban poverty, hundreds of volunteers, no Bill bilding, and you're running serving hundreds of people, will squealsh you. You need to start your own thing. Because it's so unique what you're doing and how you're doing it. You need to start your own thing. And so most of them said they'd help me. So in two thousand and nine, we started our own nonprofit called Serving Our Neighbors Ministries. People called us SUN Ministries for sure. We rebranded to FESTA twenty twenty one, but we got some infrastructure because I started feeling like, if I follow the turnip truck, what happens? How does this continue to sustain? And so we just continued to all through the years build real relationships with each other. So volunteers with children, families being served, relationships that went far beyond the lunch camp or the family English program where people met, that went into their own living rooms, into the parks, into the PTO meetings. People building relationships across every line of difference you can think of.

You mean, bringing that community alone, that's it.

You mean, bringing that community alone, that's it.

That's what it was. And the community coming that whole piece isn't sprinkles on the cupcake. It's the sugar and the cupcake. Because if children get education and food and then they go into a community, a workforce, a school district where people don't understand them, have prejudice against them, that's not that helpful. So if they go into those places and they know someone because that guy came in and taught business skills at their summer lunch camp, and now they need a job and they're asking him to hire them, that's great. That's all the better. And so we knew that the volunteers, just like me standing on the tar roof, needed to be prayed for. The volunteers. I mean, the surgeon gener says, American epidemic is loneliness. I mean, the volunteers need relationships with their neighbors, people who look different, sound different, but have a lot in common with them.

That's what it was. And the community coming that whole piece isn't sprinkles on the cupcake. It's the sugar and the cupcake. Because if children get education and food and then they go into a community, a workforce, a school district where people don't understand them, have prejudice against them, that's not that helpful. So if they go into those places and they know someone because that guy came in and taught business skills at their summer lunch camp, and now they need a job and they're asking him to hire them, that's great. That's all the better. And so we knew that the volunteers, just like me standing on the tar roof, needed to be prayed for. The volunteers. I mean, the surgeon gener says, American epidemic is loneliness. I mean, the volunteers need relationships with their neighbors, people who look different, sound different, but have a lot in common with them.

Oh, we talk about almost every episode that the payoff all of this is you get a thousand times more out of it than you put into it. And that's what you're saying, you know, moving into the most recent of the years, tell me about Ukrainian and Afghany families. That's crazy to me.

Oh, we talk about almost every episode that the payoff all of this is you get a thousand times more out of it than you put into it. And that's what you're saying, you know, moving into the most recent of the years, tell me about Ukrainian and Afghany families. That's crazy to me.

Yeah, yeah, I mean, whoever, wherever the problems in the world, wherever we see those problems, we then within the next year to three years see those people at our programs. And so we had in the very beginning we had lots of Iraqi refugees, really lots of Iraqi in fact, more than Somalian refugees. By the time we started, we had more Iraqi refugees and heard all kinds of stories of you know, dads who knew English helping the American soldiers. And then all of a sudden it became really dangerous for them to be there because they got found out and had to get moved so they wouldn't be killed.

Yeah, yeah, I mean, whoever, wherever the problems in the world, wherever we see those problems, we then within the next year to three years see those people at our programs. And so we had in the very beginning we had lots of Iraqi refugees, really lots of Iraqi in fact, more than Somalian refugees. By the time we started, we had more Iraqi refugees and heard all kinds of stories of you know, dads who knew English helping the American soldiers. And then all of a sudden it became really dangerous for them to be there because they got found out and had to get moved so they wouldn't be killed.

And I know that happened with Afghany.

And I know that happened with Afghany.

Same thing. Oh my gosh, we had eighty that December of twenty two. I think December of twenty two, we all went home for our Christmas break and I felt like God was saying, You've got to let Afghan families into this family English program. And by then, Bill, we had over seven hundred people coming to one program.

Same thing. Oh my gosh, we had eighty that December of twenty two. I think December of twenty two, we all went home for our Christmas break and I felt like God was saying, You've got to let Afghan families into this family English program. And by then, Bill, we had over seven hundred people coming to one program.

Seven hundred. You know, the next time you squinch up your face or look down your nose at somebody that looks like they might be from Iraq or Afghanistan, you might run to remember that it's very possible to the member of their family saved Americans lives by translating for our troops.

Seven hundred. You know, the next time you squinch up your face or look down your nose at somebody that looks like they might be from Iraq or Afghanistan, you might run to remember that it's very possible to the member of their family saved Americans lives by translating for our troops.

It is true.

It is true.

You better get your arms around the facts about that. And I will tell you the oddest thing in the world is retired American military service people that served in Afghanistan are the very first to stand up for these Afghanistani people.

You better get your arms around the facts about that. And I will tell you the oddest thing in the world is retired American military service people that served in Afghanistan are the very first to stand up for these Afghanistani people.

We have a donor who was in the Marines, and that is why he donates to.

We have a donor who was in the Marines, and that is why he donates to.

Us because of as Afghanian interpreters and the people that he made friends with. Another thing, boy, I'm well off your subject. But another thing I learned there were a very big misconception is when we were in Afghanistan, there were far more Afghanistans fighting than there were American military personnel. And once we left the country and abandoned it, especially in the way we did, all of those people's guns were taken from them and they ended up being the enemy of the state and were hunted. They thought alongside us. We left and left them in their families to be hunted, and now they end up in the Lord, Ohio with hungry children, not knowing how to speak English. Literally, we're not supposed to do something about this. Literally, you know these things to be true. Yes, you serve these people.

Us because of as Afghanian interpreters and the people that he made friends with. Another thing, boy, I'm well off your subject. But another thing I learned there were a very big misconception is when we were in Afghanistan, there were far more Afghanistans fighting than there were American military personnel. And once we left the country and abandoned it, especially in the way we did, all of those people's guns were taken from them and they ended up being the enemy of the state and were hunted. They thought alongside us. We left and left them in their families to be hunted, and now they end up in the Lord, Ohio with hungry children, not knowing how to speak English. Literally, we're not supposed to do something about this. Literally, you know these things to be true. Yes, you serve these people.

That's it I mean. And so that Christmas I thought, oh gosh, well, we had eighty nine people that we let into the program that January, even though we were full and had a waiting list, and it was nine families, eighty nine people.

That's it I mean. And so that Christmas I thought, oh gosh, well, we had eighty nine people that we let into the program that January, even though we were full and had a waiting list, and it was nine families, eighty nine people.

Holy Oly Afghanistan.

Holy Oly Afghanistan.

And there were some families that were from rural Afghanistan, like you said, helping our soldiers. And we had to start in our adult English part of the Family English program. We have seven classrooms, six levels of English, and two of the true beginner classrooms. One is if you're literate in another language. One is if you're not literate in any other language.

And there were some families that were from rural Afghanistan, like you said, helping our soldiers. And we had to start in our adult English part of the Family English program. We have seven classrooms, six levels of English, and two of the true beginner classrooms. One is if you're literate in another language. One is if you're not literate in any other language.

They were illiterate in everything.

They were illiterate in everything.

We had Afghani refugees who were from rural Afghanistan who couldn't read or write in Pashto their language. Wow, and they were farmers, I mean they they didn't. We even learned over the months of getting to know them in the beginning that they didn't have the mental construct of a calendar.

We had Afghani refugees who were from rural Afghanistan who couldn't read or write in Pashto their language. Wow, and they were farmers, I mean they they didn't. We even learned over the months of getting to know them in the beginning that they didn't have the mental construct of a calendar.

Living in suburban Ohio for goodness sakes, can we want these folks to quote a smolite right, They're just trying to get through a day. Yeah, And then we throw their kids in an American school and say, hey, learn free education. What's wrong with you?

Living in suburban Ohio for goodness sakes, can we want these folks to quote a smolite right, They're just trying to get through a day. Yeah, And then we throw their kids in an American school and say, hey, learn free education. What's wrong with you?

Right? Right right? And we watched in Ukrainian I mean same thing. We do this registration night in the falls when we start our family English program. And again, let me be clear, at this point we take eight hundred people in our large program. People start coming hours before to get registered. And there was a Ukrainian couple two years ago and they were at the beginning of when I had to start a waiting list, and the wife started crying because they were so desperate to get into an English program. And I said, We're opening a second site in two weeks. Here's the address. Come to that one and then long story short, they got into the second program, and every single time I saw her at that program, biggest smile on her face. She would come and hug me, thank you, thank you. The camaraderie that people have with one another, with a Ukrainian, with an Afghani with Iraqi theship. Yeah, the relationships that people build together because they have a common life experience of moving to America.

Right? Right right? And we watched in Ukrainian I mean same thing. We do this registration night in the falls when we start our family English program. And again, let me be clear, at this point we take eight hundred people in our large program. People start coming hours before to get registered. And there was a Ukrainian couple two years ago and they were at the beginning of when I had to start a waiting list, and the wife started crying because they were so desperate to get into an English program. And I said, We're opening a second site in two weeks. Here's the address. Come to that one and then long story short, they got into the second program, and every single time I saw her at that program, biggest smile on her face. She would come and hug me, thank you, thank you. The camaraderie that people have with one another, with a Ukrainian, with an Afghani with Iraqi theship. Yeah, the relationships that people build together because they have a common life experience of moving to America.

Speaking of the registration line, given you went there, can you talk about how you always make sure you're at the registration line and why?

Speaking of the registration line, given you went there, can you talk about how you always make sure you're at the registration line and why?

Yeah? So now our three generation Family English program picture picture your own family bill, so infantstagrandparents. Everyone comes to the same place at the same time, and every single person in the family gets the education they need to go from surviving to thriving. So babies, toddlers, and preschoolers get preschool. Their best way out of poverty is to be ready for kindergarten. Kindergarten through eighth grade, get homework, help. Two year olds to eighteen year olds get dinner every night that they come. Eighteen year olds are teen interns. They're gaining work experience. Second to eighth eighth graders run their own business inside of the program and then adults have seven levels of English, so they're exactly where they need to be to learn as fast as their brain can learn English. So that's what the three Generation Family English Program model is that we have honed since two thousand and nine and want to scale. So when we start registration, clearly we could do online register. We choose not to because we want to serve the people who are struggling the most in poverty and you have to be able to get to our location to come anyway. So we have people come in person and in ten minutes. The last two years of opening our registration, we have brought in eight hundred people, which is full for that program. And I, as the founder, stand at that line to start the waiting list line. Quite frankly, my coworkers just cry. They just they can't.