An Army of Normal Folks

In 2012 Luke was inspired to build and donate a bed after learning about a 6-year-old girl in his community who slept on the floor. Realizing how widespread the need was, Luke founded Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a volunteer-driven nonprofit whose 285 chapters have built around 140,000 beds for kids without them. But there’s many more areas that need chapters and there’s many more kids without beds.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cheri used to be gripped by meth and alcohol. Even during her own struggles with addiction, she helped formerly incarcerated Americans get jobs. Today, Cheri’s been sober for 4.5 years and her second chance staffing agency Cornbread Hustle hired more than 1,000 returning citizens last year. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cheri used to be gripped by meth and alcohol. Even during her own struggles with addiction, she helped formerly incarcerated Americans get jobs. Today, Cheri’s been sober for 4.5 years and her second chance staffing agency Cornbread Hustle hired more than 1,000 returning citizens last year. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cheri used to be gripped by meth and alcohol. Even during her own struggles with addiction, she helped formerly incarcerated Americans get jobs. Today, Cheri’s been sober for 4.5 years and her second chance staffing agency Cornbread Hustle hired more than 1,000 returning citizens last year. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chavis Daniels played football for Coach Bill Courtney and was one of the accidental stars of the Oscar-winning film Undefeated. But that’s not why he’s a member of the Army. Chavis went on to found The North Memphis Steelers, a mentoring and athletics nonprofit that helps at-risk kids in the same challenging neighborhood where he grew up. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chavis Daniels played football for Coach Bill Courtney and was one of the accidental stars of the Oscar-winning film Undefeated. But that’s not why he’s a member of the Army. Chavis went on to found The North Memphis Steelers, a mentoring and athletics nonprofit that helps at-risk kids in the same challenging neighborhood where he grew up. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our episode with Erin Smith and Thomas already inspired one listener to become a volunteer with CASA! But what if the Army could pay off Thomas’ college debt? After a childhood of physical and sexual abuse, this foster youth deserves to be free from a burden that the state forced upon him.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas is a foster child who’s been physically and sexually abused. He never had an adult advocate until Erin Smith stepped in. Erin is the founder of the North Mississippi CASA program – a program which nationwide has 85,000 volunteers who advocate for 260,000 foster kids in the legal system and in life. But there are still 140,000 kids who need the Army's help.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas is a foster child who’s been physically and sexually abused. He never had an adult advocate until Erin Smith stepped in. Erin is the founder of the North Mississippi CASA program – a program which nationwide has 85,000 volunteers who advocate for 260,000 foster kids in the legal system and in life. But there are still 140,000 kids who need the Army's help.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 26 years of crime, Jon ironically found hope in prison and committed his life to helping other returning citizens live at levels that they had never dreamed about. His Hope for Prisoners has had over 4,700 clients and boasts a recidivism rate of only 8%, which is over 8 times better than the national average. Most extraordinary is that they've recruited 135 Las Vegas law enforcement officers to mentor returning citizens, which has never been done at this scale before.Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.