Small & Gutsy: Nonprofit Stories with Heart

Laura S. Wittcoff
  • 5.0 (35)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Semimonthly

Small & Gutsy offers our listeners the opportunity to learn about the smaller, less known nonprofits and social impact organizations with revenues under $10 M. Our aim is to bring their stories to life, celebrate them, and further build their client, potential employee, volunteer, and funding networks. The goal of the Small & Gutsy podcast is to raise the visibility of this Big little social impact sector. Tune in as we interview a different organization so you can learn about them, maybe find a job, volunteer, or donate.

  1. 4d ago

    Small & Gutsy Interviews Mint To Prosper Foundation, The Pathway to Financial Literacy

    What if the fastest way out of predatory lending isn't a lecture on budgeting, but $50 saved at a time? That's the model behind Mint to Prosper Foundation, a savings marketplace built for asset-limited households to step away from payday loans and rent-to-own traps and build their first real financial cushion. Host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with founder and Executive Director Nesha K. Brown, who turned the loss of both her parents and a period of homelessness into a peer-cohort savings program now operating in two states. Guest Nesha K. Brown, Executive Director & Founder, Mint to Prosper Foundation Nesha is a social impact strategist focused on financial empowerment and systems design, specializing in structured savings pathways that help asset-limited households step away from predatory lending and reach long-term stability. Her work is rooted in personal experience: after losing both parents by age 19, she was pushed into homelessness and had to unlearn and relearn everything she knew about money. What began as her own financial "social experiment" grew into a program that has since served over 1,500 people. What is Mint to Prosper Foundation? Mint to Prosper Foundation is a nonprofit savings marketplace that helps unbanked, underbanked, and asset-limited households build their first financial safety net and move away from predatory lending. Its core offerings include: The Community Savings Program, a 12-week hybrid cohort model combining an in-person opening retreat, virtual workshops, one-on-one financial coaching, and an online peer community, culminating in an in-person closing retreat and certificate Purpose, a fintech app currently in production that helps users build micro savings habits and connects them to safer financial pathways, expected in app stores by late 2026 Active programming in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Nesha's hometown) and Tulsa, Oklahoma, with each region running its own opening and closing retreats Key Topics Covered From personal crisis to nonprofit After her father's death at work, Nesha discovered her survivor benefits, meant to be her safety net, had been misused due to his financial illiteracy. Determined to change the trajectory for herself, she began teaching herself financial literacy and sharing what she learned online. Within six months, at age 20, she had earned $55,000 simply talking people through budgeting and credit basics, an accidental start that organically grew into Mint to Prosper Foundation. The pilot program In 2024, Mint to Prosper received a grant from Louisiana State University to run a social experiment with 30 unbanked or asset-limited participants, in partnership with Chase Bank, helping them build a first $500 safety net over ten weeks. The average participant was 34 years old, had never saved more than $800, and had experienced some form of financial trauma, insights that shaped the program's focus on micro habits and behavior change rather than large, intimidating savings goals. The pilot's success, including one participant who leaned on her cushion during a Louisiana hurricane rather than meeting the full $500 goal, evolved into the current 12-week Community Savings Program. The highlighter exercise After her father passed, a financial coach had Nesha print her last bank statements and highlight her spending into needs and wants. Seeing her spending laid out visually was an awakening, showing her that her "wants" had surpassed her needs, and became a simple, repeatable technique she now teaches others: assess your reality, then ask what you're willing to sacrifice to change it. Predatory lending, up close Nesha shares her own early experience taking out a payday loan against a paycheck stub at triple the typical interest rate, and describes how loans marketed as two-week solutions trap borrowers for an average of five months. She and Dr. Laura also discuss rent-to-own furniture schemes, using Nesha's own washing machine and dryer purchase, paid at $30 a week, as an example of how affordable-looking payments can end up costing double the item's value. Nesha notes that the predatory lending industry has been extracting wealth from vulnerable communities since before World War II, an estimated $280 billion industry today. Turning awareness into action Rather than only warning people about the risks of predatory lending, Mint to Prosper reframes the conversation: showing participants what they could have done with the money instead, whether that's a certification, child care access, or another upward-mobility opportunity, so people see themselves as part of the solution rather than victims of the system. An intergenerational cohort Participants range from age 18 to their mid-60s. Nesha shares the story of a participant in her late 50s, a grandmother, who told the group she'd made "careless mistakes" raising her own kids but was determined to get it right for her grandchildren. For Nesha, it was a powerful reminder that it's never too late to reset, regardless of age, and that the work is fundamentally intergenerational. Advice for anyone feeling stuck Nesha's core philosophy: start small. Before you can save $500, you need to know how to save $50. She encourages people to assess where they are honestly, choose a micro starting point, and remember that, as she puts it, "Rome wasn't built in a day," but the bricks still count, no matter how small. How to Get Involved Personal website: NeshaBrown.com  Instagram: neshakbrown LinkedIn: neshakbrown Nonprofit: Mint to Prosper Foundation https://minttoprosper.org/ Connect with Small & Gutsy Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Do you know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way! If you are a nonprofit or want to donate goods directly to a nonprofit, check out Givelink: www.https://givelink.app/en? Check out this episode!

  2. Jul 28

    Small & Gutsy Features Theodora Africa, Empowering Women, to Give them Choices

    What if the fastest path out of exploitation isn't aid, but a paycheck? That's the premise behind Theodora Africa, a nonprofit that helps disadvantaged women in Ghana escape poverty and exploitation not through short-term assistance, but through real, paid work. Small & Gutsy host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Theodora Africa Founder and CEO Michael Podolny to trace how a business consulting trip to Ghana turned into an organization named for a 6th-century empress who rose from actress to co-ruler of the Byzantine Empire, and reshaped the systems that once judged her. Guest Michael Podolny, Founder & CEO, Theodora Africa Michael brings decades of experience coaching businesses and building professional networks in the US. He had no intention of starting a nonprofit when he traveled to Ghana through Rotary International to offer free business coaching. A chance introduction to a young woman named Mary and the discovery that her polished business plan was written by a woman surviving through sex work with no other options redirected his mission entirely. What is Theodora Africa? Theodora Africa takes a market-first approach to social impact. Instead of starting with aid or training alone, it starts with paid, in-demand work, specifically virtual assistant services for US-based solopreneurs and small businesses, and builds skills, training, and a pathway to greater independence around that income. The organization operates two connected entities: a US-based corporation that handles client billing, and a Ghana-based company that covers salaries, rent, and operating costs, with funds flowing directly from US clients to the women providing the services. Key Topics Covered The Empress Theodora connection Empress Theodora, born around 500 CE, rose from a low-status background as an actress and performer to become co-empress of the Byzantine Empire, actively shaping policy and using her position to improve protections for vulnerable women. Michael, a self-described history buff, chose the name deliberately: it's a symbolic through-line for women moving from constrained circumstances into agency and influence, and it resonated immediately with the women in the program when he shared the story with them. Mary's story Theodora Africa's origin traces back to one woman, Mary, whom Michael met while coaching small businesses in Ghana through Rotary. After a couple of meetings, Mary revealed she was a sex worker, having been left on her own as a teenager, unable to find legitimate work despite writing a genuinely strong business plan. Michael began teaching her marketing skills, newsletter tools, and connecting her to a built-in network of business contacts who owed him favors. That one relationship became the model for the entire organization. Mary is now Theodora Africa's operating manager in Ghana and sits on the board of a Rotary Club focused on ending human trafficking, with plans to become its president in 2027. Jobs first, not just training Michael is direct about what sets this model apart from many social service and anti-trafficking programs: most offer job training and placement, but placement often doesn't hold. Theodora Africa instead built its own small virtual assistant business first, so women are earning income and building real client relationships from day one, rather than being trained and released into an unsupported job market. Navigating cultural change Michael speaks candidly about the friction of building a US-style participative management culture inside a system shaped by generations of distrust, a legacy he attributes in part to the historical effects of the slave trade on West African society. He describes a period, worsened by COVID-19 fundraising collapses, when he was forced into day-to-day operations he wasn't suited for, and a crisis where staff felt he had favorites. His advisors, he says, often let him make mistakes rather than warning him in advance, believing that was the only way he'd truly learn. "Self-trafficked" and the illusion of choice Michael shares a phrase one of the women in the program used to describe her own path: "self-trafficked," the feeling of having made choices when, in reality, a lack of alternatives had made the outcome nearly inevitable. He describes this as one of the most effective forms of gaslighting, and frames Theodora Africa's economic model as a way of restoring real choice, not by preaching or condemning individual decisions, but by building better options. Scaling the model Theodora Africa currently supports five women with about 15 US-based clients, each biller earning wages that place them solidly in Ghana's middle class. New trainees go through roughly a year of training, paid throughout, before taking on their own clients, with recruitment and training handled through vetted partners like local Rotary clubs and the Muslim Family Counseling Service rather than direct outreach. Michael describes a "champion" model for expanding into new markets or regions: a US-based partner who understands a specific market's needs, paired with a local partner on the ground, tested and iterated over roughly a two-year pilot period. The organization also maintains an internal resource hub, "Theodora University," to help onboard and train new team members as tools and best practices evolve. A note on inspiration Michael describes his path into this work as something he didn't set out to do, framing it in spiritual terms as a kind of unexpected calling that reshaped his plans after arriving in Ghana with an entirely different mission in mind. How to Get Involved Learn more about the nonprofit: TheodoraAfrica.com Hire a virtual assistant or explore services for your business: TheodoraGhana.com Connect: Theodora Africa is looking to build a community of people and organizations who share similar goals and are rethinking how social impact is delivered Connect with Small & Gutsy Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Do you know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way! If you are a nonprofit or want to donate goods directly to a nonprofit, check out Givelink: www.https://givelink.app/en.

  3. Jul 14

    Small & Gutsy Features Hike to Yoga

    What if the path to healing wasn't a straight line, but a trail — one that combines the physical challenge of hiking with the mindful presence of yoga? That's the vision behind Hike to Yoga, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit blending guided hikes, nature-based yoga therapy, and community connection into what founder Laurie Hang calls a "mini urban retreat." Host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Laurie to explore how a self-described non-athletic, first-generation immigrant built a movement now approaching its 100th event — and why she believes self-care is world peace. Guest Laurie Hang, Founder & Executive Director, Hike to Yoga Laurie has been a certified yoga therapist since 2014. As the daughter of Chinese Vietnamese refugees, born in a refugee camp in the Philippines, she grew up with little access to the outdoors, sports, or peer community. After adopting the habit of stretching following daily dog walks in the Baldwin Hills/Culver City area, she noticed her body growing stronger — and a chance conversation with a neighbor led to the first Hike to Yoga program at the park. Founded in 2019, the organization has since grown by word of mouth to more than 100 events, with zero dollars spent on advertising. What is Hike to Yoga? Hike to Yoga is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community initiative making mindful movement, nature connection, and holistic wellness accessible to all. Here's how a typical event works: Participants gather at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area (with occasional partner events at Franklin Canyon) every month The morning opens with a group circle where each person shares their name, where they're from, and their roots — a practice Laurie says helps people fully "arrive" The group hikes together, with mindful moments along the trail: listening to sounds, smelling native sage, learning about local plants Upon reaching the hilltop, the group offers a land acknowledgment of the Gabrieleño/Tongva people Yoga is practiced in a circle formation Laurie calls a "yoga wave," so participants can see and connect rather than facing a mirror or instructor No yoga mat is required — a blanket or towel works fine — and modifications are offered for every ability level and age RSVP and optional donations are handled through Eventbrite; no one is ever turned away Key Topics Covered Why hiking before yoga? Laurie explains that walking warms up the body organically — similar to the effect people seek from hot yoga, but without the discomfort of an artificially heated room. Getting the body moving first also helps quiet the mind before settling into stillness and breathwork. Yoga therapy vs. conventional studio yoga: Laurie draws a sharp distinction between commercialized, for-profit yoga studios — which she says often only teach the physical postures, not the deeper practice — and yoga therapy, which considers the whole person and adapts to individual needs. She notes that yoga was historically passed down one-on-one, not to rooms of 20 or 200 people, and stresses that the instructor's own state of mind directly affects what students receive in a class. Nature-based yoga therapy and accessibility research: Laurie presented her first research project at the International Association of Yoga Therapists symposium — a qualitative case study following a blind participant, Tony, who attended one of her hikes. His feedback that describing the surrounding colors and scenery (not just body alignment) would deepen his experience led Laurie to a guiding principle: designing an experience for a visually impaired person makes it more accessible for everyone. She distinguishes her approach from "forest bathing," describing it instead as actively engaging with nature as a participant, not a passive observer. Community, identity, and social justice Every May, Hike to Yoga partners with API-RISE, an organization supporting formerly incarcerated Asian American and Pacific Islander community members, bringing them onto the trail — many for the first time in decades. Laurie, herself a refugee and first-generation immigrant, sees this work as inseparable from social justice: "Yoga is a way to refine this tool... to help us be more clear and focused in our energy." Founder's journey and resilience: Laurie shared candidly that from 2022 to 2024, she took a 16-month hiatus from Hike to Yoga after feeling overextended during the pandemic years. Choosing to step back — rather than run the organization into the ground — allowed her to return in 2024 with renewed clarity. She connects this to her personal "Root to Rise" framework and the metaphor of transmutation: using what you've been through, including pain, to grow into something new, "like the lotus growing in mud." What's Next: Laurie hopes to expand into a second location and eventually relaunch a hike leader training and certification program. She's also interested in developing research and partnerships focused on connecting children — particularly kids without regular access to nature or organized outdoor activity — to the benefits of hiking and yoga. How to Get Involved Attend: Find upcoming hikes and RSVP via Eventbrite, linked at hiketoyoga.org Volunteer: Hike to Yoga is currently seeking volunteers, interns, and board members Shop: Check out the "Rest is Rebellion" merch line on the website Follow: Instagram and Facebook @hiketoyogala Connect with Hike to Yoga Website: HiketoYoga.org Facebook: facebook.com/hiketoyogala Instagram: instagram.com/hiketoyogala Connect with Small & Gutsy Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Do you know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way! If you are a nonprofit or want to donate goods directly to a nonprofit, check out Givelink: www.givelink.app/en? Check out this episode!

  4. Jul 7

    Small & Gutsy Features Renewables.org

    SHOW NOTES: What if your charitable dollars could come back to you — and you could send them right back out into the world to do even more good? That's the elegant premise behind Renewables.org, the first nonprofit that lets everyday people fund solar projects across India and the Global South for as little as $25, with monthly repayments over five years. Host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with co-founder and CEO Lassor Feasley to explore how a background in product design, a failed for-profit startup, and a connection with Kiva.org co-founder Premal Shah led to one of the most innovative climate finance models in the nonprofit world. Guest Lassor Feasley, Co-Founder & CEO, Renewables.org Lassor is a product designer and entrepreneur trained at the School of Visual Arts Product Design program. He leads product, brand, and strategy at Renewables.org, channeling philanthropic capital into high-performing solar installations that expand energy access while reducing carbon emissions. What is Renewables.org? Renewables.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Global South solar crowdfunding platform. Here is how it works: You purchase a solar panel for as little as $25 Your funds are deployed into solar projects across the Global South You receive monthly repayments over five years You can reinvest those repayments into new solar projects or withdraw your funds Every panel is tracked on a personal rooftop dashboard where you can monitor repayments and your real-world impact Over 95% of repaid funds are reinvested back into Global South solar. Key Topics Covered Why the Global South? Solar costs approximately one-third as much to build in the Global South compared to the US or Europe Each kilowatt-hour fed onto the grid avoids 2 to 3 times more carbon because those grids run heavily on coal and diesel Projects receive, on average, 20% more sunshine per year The result: Renewables.org estimates 550% more carbon impact per dollar compared to investing in US solar — a figure Lassor believes is actually conservative The financial model Renewables.org operates on a 0% interest loan model, similar to Kiva. Investors are made whole but do not earn a financial return. This structure avoids securities regulations while keeping the model sustainable. The spread between what Renewables.org borrows from investors at 0% and what it charges solar developers funds the organization's operating costs — meaning they do not plan ever to solicit donations for salaries or administration. The donor option Investors can also choose to make a tax-deductible donation into the fund. Donors receive the same dashboard experience and see their funds being repaid and redeployed, but the withdrawal option is removed. Renewables.org also accepts contributions from donor-advised funds, IRA minimum distributions, and offers employer matching compatibility. Design as a competitive advantage Lassor's background in product and UX design shaped every aspect of Renewables.org — from the financial model itself to the user interface and dashboard experience. He draws a parallel to how Instagram was built by tapping into a latent behavior Facebook users were already exhibiting, and applies the same thinking to the satisfaction people get from tracking their solar productivity. What's next Renewables.org is preparing a major software platform redesign, enabled in part by new AI coding tools. Upcoming features include the ability for climate influencers and fundraisers to open personal crowdfunding pages to rally their own communities around Global South solar. The long-term vision is to reach Kiva-scale — tens or hundreds of millions of dollars raised annually — and catalyze solar development across the Global South. How to Get Involved Invest: Purchase your first solar panel for as little as $25 at renewables.org Donate: Make a tax-deductible donation through the Renewables donor account option Employer Match: Check if your employer matches charitable contributions Connect with Lassor: Reach him at lassor@renewables.org or search "Lassor" on LinkedIn or Instagram Connect with Small & Gutsy Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Do you know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way! If you are a nonprofit or want to donate goods directly to a nonprofit, check out Givelink: www.https://givelink.app/en?

  5. Jun 23

    Small & Gutsy Features South Central LAMP

    So many mothers — especially those from patriarchal cultures — are conditioned to believe that everyone else knows better. The doctor is right. The priest is right. The attorney is right. Everyone except them. South Central LAMP Executive Director Diana Z. Pinto is on a mission to change that. For over 30 years, her organization has been helping mothers in South Central Los Angeles find their voice, recognize their worth, and become the powerful advocates their children need them to be. Because when a mother knows her value, her whole family feels it. This is the kind of work that doesn't make headlines — but it changes generations. Check out the entire episode at SmallandGutsy.org. Check out their website: https://www.southcentrallamp.org/

  6. Jun 9

    Small & Gutsy Features The Fountain Theatre, a Voice for every Community Member

    Imagine a place that dares to speak truths many are afraid to say. A place that celebrates communities too often forgotten and tells the stories rarely heard.  Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Raymond O. Caldwell, Artistic Director, and Johannah Maynard Edwards, Managing Director, of The Fountain Theatre — a nonprofit performing arts organization in Hollywood, California, that has been producing bold, socially conscious theater for 35 years. Raymond and Johannah share how they found each other through what Johannah calls a "cosmic poof," how they're navigating the transition from the theater's founding leadership into a new generation, and why they believe cultural institutions must serve as places to practice humanity in a post-pandemic world. From the Living Ticket model that removes price barriers to community dramaturgy that develops new plays inside faith communities and neighborhoods across Los Angeles, this conversation is a masterclass in mission-driven, human-centered arts leadership. Founded in 1990 by Deborah Culver and Stephen Sachs, The Fountain Theatre was created as a creative home for artists from diverse cultural backgrounds. Its mission is to develop and present bold new plays and unique interpretations of established works that reflect the cultural richness and social issues of contemporary Los Angeles and the nation. The Fountain Theatre has built a reputation over more than three decades for producing thought-provoking performances and supporting voices that may not always be heard on traditional stages. The organization is also known for presenting flamenco performances and running educational outreach programs that connect young people and communities to the arts. Johannah Maynard Edwards, Managing Director Prior to joining The Fountain, Johannah served as Executive Artistic Director of the National Women's Theater Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she produced, directed, and championed hundreds of productions by artists of underrepresented genders. A nationally recognized leader in arts accessibility, Johannah received the Kennedy Center's LEAD Award for Emerging Leaders and is Chief Ambassador for PAAL, the Parent Artist Advocacy League. She is passionate about developing new sociopolitical work and fostering equitable, inclusive spaces for artists and audiences alike. Raymond O. Caldwell, Artistic Director Prior to The Fountain, Raymond was the Artistic Director at Washington DC's Theater Alliance for six seasons, where he directed, developed, and produced socially conscious, thought-provoking programming that transformed the region and had a global impact. Under his leadership, Theater Alliance was chosen to lead an American Arts Envoy with the U.S. Department of State. He devised and directed new work with 23 artists and activists from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and the United States exploring what inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility mean on the global stage. Raymond was a faculty member and resident director at Harvard University's Department of Theater Arts, holds an MFA in Acting and New Play Development from Ohio State University, and a BFA in Acting from the University of Florida. Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff is the host of Small and Gutsy, a podcast spotlighting nonprofits and social enterprises with budgets under $10 million. Small and Gutsy has been ranked number 8 on Feedspot's Top 30 Social Impact Podcasts and number 3 and number 9 by Million Podcasts for the Top 30 Volunteer Podcasts and Youth Empowerment episodes, respectively. - The founding mission of The Fountain Theatre and its 35-year history of producing socially conscious work - How Raymond and Johannah found each other and transitioned into leadership from the theater's founders - Raymond's personal journey from Germany to the U.S., from actor to artistic director, and the mentor who told him "Don't wait for someone to give you a story — go make your own" - Johannah founded her first nonprofit at age 19 at NYU and her philosophy of not waiting for gatekeepers to open the gate - The creation of "Poetry for the People," a play about poet and activist June Jordan, developed over three years and three iterations with playwright Adrienne Torf - How The Fountain Theatre responds to the cultural moment with every production — from the LA fires to ICE enforcement to the situation in Iran - The pandemic of loneliness and the role of cultural institutions as places to practice humanity - Audience cultivation and the challenge of building new, multigenerational audiences in a distracted digital age - Community dramaturgy — developing new plays inside faith communities and neighborhoods across Los Angeles - The Living Ticket model — transparent pricing that trusts audiences to name what they can pay - The Fountain Voices summer education program connects young people with volunteerism, civic engagement, and playwriting - The expansion into flamenco and classical Indian dance programming - Storytelling as a tool for community building - Emergent strategy and the philosophy of critical connection over critical mass - Moving at the pace of humanity as a leadership philosophy - The reveal that The Fountain Theatre operates with a staff of five HOW TO FIND THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE Website: FountainTheatre.com Follow The Fountain Theatre on social media for upcoming productions, events, and community programming. HOW TO CONNECT WITH SMALL & GUTSY Website: SmallandGutsy.org Email: Laura@SmallandGutsy.org Know a nonprofit or social enterprise doing incredible work? Send them our way.

  7. Apr 28

    Small & Gutsy Features Active Plus, Opportunities for Inner City Youth to Succeed

    In this episode, host Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Tarik Kitson, Executive Director and co-founder of Active Plus NYC, to discuss how a chance volunteering opportunity in East Harlem evolved into a transformative nonprofit serving thousands of underserved youth across New York City. Active Plus provides free fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and leadership programs to children and teens ages 5-18 who lack access to quality physical education and wellness resources. THE ORIGIN STORY Tarik, a former collegiate athlete with a background in health and fitness, started visiting a middle school in East Harlem on Saturday mornings to volunteer with students. What he discovered was shocking: children weren't getting recess, physical education classes had over 50 students, and there were no after-school sports programs. A consistent group of 30 kids showed up every Saturday morning hungry for structured activity and mentorship. When the school invited Tarik and his co-founder back the following fall, they launched after-school programs in football, soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Local news coverage of their work sparked interest from other schools and community organizations, and Active Plus was officially born in 2013. THE GAPS THEY'RE FILLING Active Plus addresses multiple critical needs in underserved communities. In New York City's massive public school system of over one million students, many neighborhoods lack adequate physical education, mentorship, and guidance on health and wellness. Additionally, school curricula often don't include nutrition education, leaving elementary-aged children who buy their own food at delis and corner stores without knowledge of healthy choices. The organization also recognized the need for mindfulness and emotional wellness programming years before the city mandated it in schools. COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMING MODEL Active Plus operates a multilayered approach that goes far beyond athletics. Their programs include physical fitness activities like basketball, dance, yoga, running, boxing, and calisthenics; mindfulness and emotional wellness through meditation and stress management; nutrition education for kids and families; and leadership and life skills development. They deliver these services directly to students in schools, parks, housing developments, and community centers across all five boroughs, rather than requiring kids to come to a facility. This go-to-the-community model ensures accessibility for the most underserved youth. THE FAMILY FLAVORS PROGRAM Tarik's favorite initiative is Family Flavors, a nutrition and cooking program that engages families together. This program has proven remarkably effective at drawing parents to school events—something traditional parent-teacher conferences often fail to do. When families cook together and learn about nutrition, they take that knowledge home and can replicate it, creating lasting behavioral change across households. RECESS AS AN ENTRY POINT The most requested program by school principals is Active Plus's structured recess programming. In New York City schools with limited outdoor space and over 100 kids at recess, unstructured free play often leads to chaos and injury. By providing trained, structured activities during recess time, Active Plus solves a major operational problem for schools while getting kids moving and building healthy habits. SCALING WITHOUT LOSING QUALITY Tarik emphasizes that the organization's growth from serving 30 kids to nearly 3,000 annually came from deliberately building infrastructure. He highlights the critical mistake many nonprofit founders make: trying to do everything themselves. Active Plus grew when Tarik and his co-Founder focused on building a strong board of directors with specialized committees for programming, marketing, finance, and fundraising. They treat the nonprofit like a business, recognizing that nonprofits generate income through multiple streams—grants, donations, volunteers, and sponsorships. MENTORSHIP ACROSS GENERATIONS A unique strength of Active Plus is how they leverage older youth as mentors. High school students from the neighborhoods where programs operate serve as summer camp instructors, coaches, and role models for younger children. This creates natural peer mentorship, makes younger kids feel safer, and provides meaningful employment and internship opportunities for teens. Several alumni have gone on to successful careers—including one former youth coach who is now a lawyer but still volunteers with the organization. DISRUPTING CYCLES OF CRIME AND GANG INVOLVEMENT Active Plus strategically uses its programs to reclaim community spaces and provide alternatives to gang involvement. When a new basketball court was installed in a housing project but became a site of crime and drug use, Active Plus activated it with structured programming and recruited high school youth from the neighborhood to participate. This created a safe, supervised space for younger children. Their "Heal Our Youth" program combines restorative justice practices with mindfulness and physical activity specifically for high school students ages 15-18, addressing trauma and building resilience. THE PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE With a master's degree in public health from Columbia University, Tarik approaches youth wellness holistically. He advocates in Albany and works with government officials to highlight gaps in services and push for policy change. He's been surprised to discover that many elected officials aren't fully aware of conditions in their own districts, underscoring the importance of nonprofits doing advocacy work and holding government accountable. EXPANSION BEYOND NEW YORK Active Plus has recently expanded beyond New York City's five boroughs to Connecticut and Nevada. They partner with the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, providing sports science activations that blend basketball with STEM education. This national expansion demonstrates the scalability of their model and video-based curriculum. WHAT MAKES THEM GUTSY Tarik identifies Active Plus's gutsy nature as their refusal to accept the status quo and their vocal advocacy on behalf of underserved youth. Despite receiving a $1 million Department of Justice grant to research their programs, the grant was cancelled by those who question the organization's approach. Yet Tarik continues to speak up about systemic failures and champion evidence-based solutions. HOW TO GET INVOLVED Active Plus is actively seeking board members to fuel continued growth and expansion. The organization welcomes supporters from anywhere, not just New York City. To learn more or inquire about board opportunities: Social Media: Active Plus NYC Website: www.activeplus-nyc.org Email: TKitson@activeplus-nyc.org KEY TAKEAWAYS The power of organic grassroots organizing when you witness a real need. How proper infrastructure and delegation multiply nonprofit impact. Why mentorship and role modeling are irreplaceable in youth development. How holistic wellness programming addresses not just physical health but mental health, nutrition, and life skills. The critical importance of advocacy in creating systemic change. Why treating nonprofits as businesses—with committees, multiple revenue streams, and strategic planning—enables sustainable growth. Small & Gutsy Mission Small & Gutsy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit podcast spotlighting nonprofits and social enterprises with budgets under $10 million. The show elevates the visibility of small but mighty changemakers doing bold, passionate, and impactful work. Small & Gutsy has been ranked #8 on FeedSpot's Top 30 Social Impact Podcasts and #9 by Million Podcasts for Youth Empowerment episodes. Do you know a nonprofit doing incredible work? If you know of a nonprofit or social enterprise making a real impact, nominate them to be featured on Small & Gutsy. Contact Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff at laura@smallandgutsy.org. Check out other episodes of Small & Gutsy at SmallAndGutsy.org.

  8. Apr 21

    Small & Gutsy Features Club Z, Giving Jewish Students Tools for Public Discourse & More

    In this powerful conversation, Dr. Laura Scherck Wittcoff sits down with Masha Merkulova, founder of CLUB Z, a national organization dedicated to educating and empowering Jewish teens to become articulate, knowledgeable leaders and advocates for themselves, Israel, and the Jewish people. Masha shares her remarkable personal journey from discovering her Jewish identity at age 16 in the Soviet Union to founding an organization that now serves over 200 students across the San Francisco Bay area, Boston, the tri-state area, and beyond.   Who Is CLUB Z? CLUB Z is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a network of educated, articulate Jewish teen activists with a commitment to Zionism. CLUB Z's mission is to raise modern-day Zionists who are knowledgeable leaders, equipped to advocate for themselves, Israel, and the Jewish people while addressing issues of bigotry and antisemitism head-on. The organization operates two primary programs. Basic Training is an entry-level monthly session covering foundational knowledge: Jewish peoplehood, Jewish indigeneity, Jewish rights, and Jewish power. There are zero prerequisites—students simply need to show up once a month and learn. These sessions are separated by age group, with eighth and ninth graders together, and tenth through twelfth graders together, allowing for appropriate peer bonding and connection across different schools in the area. For students ready to go deeper, CLUB Z offers Sacred, a formalized two-year advanced program that combines rigorous academic study with practical leadership development. Participants meet every other week for three-hour sessions where they build on foundational knowledge while developing debate skills, presentation abilities, public speaking confidence, and personal writing proficiency. The curriculum covers Jewish history, Israel history, and professional development—skills that have largely disappeared from traditional schools but remain essential for navigating the world. Masha's Origin Story Masha Merkulova's journey to founding CLUB Z began in the Soviet Union, where Jewish identity wasn't something you could openly celebrate. Born to a Jewish mother and Russian father, Masha discovered she was Jewish at age 16 when a passport office bureaucrat casually informed her that despite her Russian nationality on every school roster, her mother's name—Riva, daughter of Levi—made her Jewish. The revelation was stunning but detached. She knew it as a nationality, nothing more, with no concept that Jewish people faced discrimination or persecution. When she encountered antisemitism, she simply gave it back. It ended there. Everyone moved on. What Masha inherited instead was her Soviet upbringing's deep commitment to justice and her mother's quiet, unwavering knowledge of who she was. When the Soviet Union began to crumble, she explored Christianity out of curiosity rather than conviction, but that exploration revealed how disconnected she was from any spiritual identity. It wasn't until Masha moved to America and her son began attending a Jewish day school that she started genuinely learning what it meant to be Jewish. Then came 2005. While living in California, Masha began watching YouTube videos of Israel's Gaza disengagement—something that would forever change her trajectory. She watched Jews in blue hats dragging out Jews in orange hats or regular clothes. Both were crying. And Masha recognized something that stopped her cold: "What I am watching is a pogrom." Her Soviet identity, trained to recognize injustice and respond, clicked into place. She dove into education—every event, every book, everything she could access about Israel and Jewish history. And once you learn the story of Israel and how miraculous it is, Masha explains, you can't look back. For her, Zionism wasn't a slogan or a political buzzword. It was a movement of justice, a response to centuries of exclusion and persecution, a restoration of balance. Something happened to the Jewish people 2,000 years ago, and they never gave up. They never agreed to disappear. And now, with the restoration of Israel, the justice had been restored. Why CLUB Z Exists Years of volunteering in the San Francisco Bay Area, funding pro-Israel events on college campuses, gave Masha a front-row seat to a troubling pattern. She kept encountering bright Jewish students—kids who had attended Jewish high schools, gone to Israel, been part of youth groups and summer camps, received extensive Jewish education. And yet they didn't know basic facts. They couldn't explain the difference between the Independence War and the Six-Day War. They didn't understand what Zionism actually was. They had no foundational history. At the same time, Masha was watching something worse: these same educated Jewish students were being turned into anti-Israel advocates. Their reasoning was heartbreaking in its simplicity: "I didn't know Palestinians were suffering. I didn't know there were all these people." They had been given no context, no counter-narrative, no inoculation against the compelling stories being told to them on campus. Masha realized the solution wasn't to react after the damage was done. Prevention was cheaper and more effective. Why weren't we telling young Jews what the other side was saying? Why weren't we preparing them with information, context, and historical understanding? Why weren't we teaching them about the Palestinian narrative itself so they could understand what others believed and why? She began looking around the Jewish community in San Francisco for an organization doing this work. Federation. JCC. Hebrew schools. Nobody was having these conversations. The status quo was simply accepting that Hebrew schools would hire whoever was willing to take the job for minimum pay—no standards, no accountability, no meaningful education. Masha decided she couldn't accept that anymore. From Three Boys to 200 Students It started with her son bringing three of his friends together. Three boys. Masha began teaching them using a curriculum called "Israel and Jewish Identity" that she'd come into possession of—a framework that literally connected Jewish identity, Jewish peoplehood, and Zionism as three interconnected pillars. This became the foundation of everything CLUB Z would build. Word of mouth spread. Kids wanted more. They asked to meet bi-weekly instead of monthly. Then more frequently. Masha worked with a local JCC that had a beautiful Teen Center with no programming, and they welcomed CLUB Z to use the space. What started as an informal gathering evolved into something more intentional and structured. Today, CLUB Z operates across multiple cities with approximately 200 students currently enrolled (numbers fluctuate—last year they served over 400). The organization has grown because it fills a void that no other institution is addressing: the need for comprehensive, honest Jewish education that equips teens not just with information, but with confidence, community, and the tools to stand tall in their identity. What Makes It Gutsy CLUB Z is gutsy because it goes against the grain of everything in the current Jewish institutional landscape. Its very existence is a reminder that what we have right now doesn't work. By design, the organization is pushing back against systems that have failed to prepare Jewish youth, against narratives that have been allowed to go unchallenged, against the idea that teens should shrink from their identity instead of claiming it with pride. But CLUB Z is also gutsy in how it trusts young people. The organization believes that teens can handle complexity, nuance, and difficult conversations. They can learn about Palestinian narratives while maintaining their own. They can understand historical grievances and moral arguments. They can debate respectfully without compromising their beliefs. They can recognize propaganda without becoming cynical. And they can do all of this while maintaining their humanity and sense of humor. Perhaps most gutsy of all is CLUB Z's commitment to showing up for students when it matters most. When a student calls with a problem at school, CLUB Z doesn't just offer advice—they strategize with parents, connect families to legal resources if needed, and stay involved through resolution. When alumni face antisemitism on college campuses, CLUB Z is there. When a resolution against Israel comes up for a student government vote, CLUB Z has trained students to be in those spaces ahead of time, ready to speak up. The organization has built a safety net, and students know it exists. Teaching in a World of Misinformation One of CLUB Z's most critical functions is teaching students to recognize and counter propaganda. In a world saturated with misinformation, deepfakes, and algorithmically-driven content, young people need media literacy skills that go far beyond any single issue. CLUB Z teaches students to ask: Who are the reliable sources? How do you fact-check? What makes something intellectually dishonest? For example, when a student encounters an AP exam question asking them to calculate how Israeli bombing has affected global warming in Gaza, they need more than outrage. They need to articulate exactly why that framing is intellectually dishonest, why it's propaganda, and what the actual facts are. They need to respond professionally and factually, not emotionally. The organization partners with CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis) and maintains connections to sources in Israel and international media. In sessions, educators help students evaluate what's real and what's not. Students can post questions in private groups and get immediate feedback from educators and peers. And every single session opens with "what's happening in the news," allowing older students to help younger ones develop cr

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Small & Gutsy offers our listeners the opportunity to learn about the smaller, less known nonprofits and social impact organizations with revenues under $10 M. Our aim is to bring their stories to life, celebrate them, and further build their client, potential employee, volunteer, and funding networks. The goal of the Small & Gutsy podcast is to raise the visibility of this Big little social impact sector. Tune in as we interview a different organization so you can learn about them, maybe find a job, volunteer, or donate.

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