Vault: The Bert Show Brought Holiday Magic to a Mom in Need

Summary

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Vault: The Bert Show Brought Holiday Magic to a Mom in Need

Podcast: The Bert Show
Date: May 25, 2026
Episode Theme: Bringing Holiday Relief and Inspiration Through Generosity

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Episode Overview

This heartfelt episode centers around The Bert Show's annual tradition of "paying it forward" during the holiday season. The hosts share a powerful story of community support, focusing on Ashley, a single mom and survivor of domestic violence struggling to provide for her children. With help from listeners, sponsors, and coworkers, the Bert Show delivers a much-needed holiday surprise, embodying the spirit of generosity and inspiring others to spread kindness in their own lives.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Pay it Forward" Holiday Campaign

• [01:15–02:04]
  • The Bert Show explains the purpose behind their giving initiative: inviting listeners to submit stories about individuals or families in need for possible assistance.
  • Emphasis on making the season brighter for those struggling and inspiring broader acts of kindness.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "We want to be able to help them out and pay it forward... think of ways that you can pay it forward in your everyday life."
      — (B, 01:29)

2. Introducing Jennifer & Ashley’s Story

• [02:04–04:47]
  • Jennifer, a listener and coworker, nominates her friend Ashley, sharing her story with the Bert Show.
  • Ashley is a single mom of two (a 13-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter), a survivor of domestic violence, and has moved states to escape her abuser.
  • Ongoing struggles include financial hardship, emotional trauma (sleeping on the couch to stay alert for safety), and difficulty providing a traditional Christmas.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "Her daughter's father was abusive... she still suffers a lot of fear from that. She's just amazed me in her strength."
      — Jennifer (D, 02:35)

3. The Realities of Holiday Hardship

• [04:47–06:14]
  • Jennifer recounts Ashley's distress over not being able to give her children a tree or presents.
  • Stories of borrowing money from her young son for groceries highlight just how dire the situation is.
  • The hosts reflect on how impossible it is to explain to a child why Santa might not visit them, and the quiet heartbreak parents feel.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "She had to borrow $20 from her son to buy groceries and just how low she felt that she had to do that."
      — Jennifer (D, 06:14)

4. Surprising Ashley On-Air

• [06:36–08:18]
  • Ashley is brought on the air, completely unaware of what’s about to happen.
  • The hosts reveal that the Chipper Jones Family Foundation and Georgia’s Own Credit Union will be giving her family a full holiday—tree, decorations, gifts—everything they need.
  • Emotional reactions ensue; Ashley tears up, expressing thanks and disbelief.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • "You want Christmas trees, if you want decorations, if the 5 year old and the 13 year old have told you that there are items that they want for Christmas, they're gonna get all of them."
      — (C, 07:53)
    • "I love you guys. I listen to you every morning... you guys always make me smile on the way to work."
      — Ashley (E, 08:09)

5. The Impact—and a Major Financial Gift

• [09:25–10:16]
  • The team further announces that, in addition to holiday essentials, Ashley is receiving $2,000 to cover anything her family needs—be it presents, bills, food, or other necessities.
  • The hosts stress that their only request in exchange is for Ashley to find a way to pay it forward, to continue the chain of kindness.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • “These guys are giving you $2,000.”
      — (C, 09:47)
    • "Really let your mind go nuts... anything they want, $2,000. Clothes, toys, video games. If there's something more substantial you need around the holidays, $2,000 can get you that."
      — (C, 09:58)

6. Ashley’s Gratitude and the Spirit of Paying It Forward

• [10:16–11:12]
  • Ashley promises to pay it forward, mentioning her efforts to pass along gently used toys and clothes to a family violence center.
  • The hosts reinforce the importance of sharing kindness in whatever form possible, big or small.
  • Notable Quote:
    • "The only thing that we're asking you to do is do something really nice for somebody over the next couple of weeks."
      — (C, 10:27)

7. Encouraging Listeners' Participation

• [11:38–12:14]
  • Listeners calling in with offers to help are redirected—since Ashley is taken care of, they're encouraged to pay it forward to others in need (other families, local organizations, shelters, etc.).
  • The show's theme is reinforced: find ways to bring holiday magic to someone else.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Jennifer on Empathy and Friendship:
  "She's the kind of person that, you know, you can't help but identify with... it makes it real because we're the same age."
  — Jennifer (D, 04:26)

• On the Painful Reality:
  "You just, that's impossible to do." — (C, in response to explaining Santa to children, 05:33)

• Ashley’s Emotional Response:
  “Oh, my God. I love you guys... you have no idea how much that means to me.”
  — Ashley (E, 08:09; 10:19)

• Theme of the Episode:
  "Pay it forward. That's the whole kind of theme of the whole thing."
  — (F, 11:53)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:15] – Hosts introduce the holiday "pay it forward" initiative
• [02:18] – Jennifer begins sharing Ashley’s story
• [04:47] – The emotional impact of poverty during the holidays
• [06:36] – Ashley is brought on-air, unaware of the surprise
• [07:53] – The reveal: full holiday support for Ashley’s family
• [09:33] – Announcement of $2,000 gift
• [10:27] – Request for Ashley to pay it forward
• [11:38] – Hosts encourage listeners to help others
• [11:53] – Final reinforcement of the episode’s message

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Conclusion

This special episode of The Bert Show beautifully demonstrates both the heartbreak and hope of the holiday season. Through real, unscripted conversation, the hosts and guests share the struggles faced by so many, while reminding listeners of the power and ripple effect of kindness. Whether it’s through grand gestures or small acts, the episode calls on everyone to "pay it forward" and make a tangible difference in their community—capturing the true meaning of the holidays.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Help is always ready before, during and after your stay.

[C]

We've planned for the plot twists, so

[B]

support is always available because a great trip starts with peace of mind.

[C]

This is the Birch Show. We have been asking you guys for a couple of weeks now to go ahead and tell us about some of the people in your office or some people that you know that may need some help this holiday season.

[B]

Yeah, there's a lot of people that need help right now, not only with the recession, but it's just, you know, it's been a long time that everybody's been struggling. And I think that you know somebody in your life, in your office that you work with or somebody in your church or your neighborhood who needs some help this year. So if you do, let us know about them, tell us their story. And we want to be able to help them out and pay it forward. And then we also want you to listen to these stories every day and think of ways that you can pay it forward in your everyday life. Whether that's buying somebody's coffee behind you or whether that's helping out an elderly neighbor or whatever it is that means paying it forward to you for you to be inspired by these stories and do it yourself.

[C]

And Georgia's own credit union and the Chipper Jones Family foundation have been great at helping us the last couple of years and they're doing it again this year. And we got an email from Jennifer a couple of weeks ago and it really struck us as one that we'd really like to help out. Hey, Jennifer.

[D]

Hi.

[C]

How are you today?

[D]

I'm good, thank you.

[C]

All right, now we said this could come in the form of a friend, this could come in the form of a co worker, it could be a relative, it could even be yourself. Who are we helping out here today, Jennifer?

[D]

We are helping out a co worker and friend.

[C]

Okay. And why don't you tell us a little bit about her?

[D]

Okay. Her name is Ashley. We started working together a little over a year ago and we're about the same age and we're both single moms. She's a single mom of a 13 year old son and a 5 year old daughter and she doesn't get a lot of help, so she struggles a lot. And then just in knowing her over the last year, she's just amazed me in her strength because I found out she's also a survivor of domestic domestic violence and her daughter's father was abusive to her and she still suffers a lot of fear from that. And just her whole story and finding out more and more over time has just overwhelmed.

[C]

This goes kind of hand in hand with the conversation that we had about Jaden's ladder a couple of weeks ago. Ashley here has moved from state to state to get away from this guy.

[B]

Are you serious?

[C]

And she's moved the kids around too. So obviously that's everybody uprooting and it takes a tremendous amount of money and the direction of her life is going one way and then you can't get this guy off of her back. And now everything's changed, right?

[D]

Yes. I mean, she's in Georgia and she's doing well. But like you said, her son, who's 13, did experiencing some of the abuse, so he still suffers fear from that. And the guy actually beat up another girl and was released from jail. He got off on the charges. So there are many nights that she sleeps on the couch in her apartment so that if he were to come to Georgia and find her, she could protect the children more quickly.

[C]

Wow.

[D]

So just I can't imagine how she comes to work every day and is the person she is dealing with not only struggling financially being a single mom, but that constant fear of protecting her family.

[C]

Sure.

[B]

And it sounds like you guys have developed a really close friendship.

[D]

Well, she's the kind of person that, you know, you can't help but identify with. And it just, it makes it real because we're the same age and you always wonder, you know, how does the domestic violence start and how can you let yourself get into that? And it's just, it's so easy to hear her story and see how it happens and how hard it is to get out of.

[C]

When you guys are in private and she's telling you about some of the struggles that have been going on and how she's not going to be able to have Christmas for the kids. What does she tell you?

[D]

Just that, you know, there's not money to buy toys. You know, she's got a few little dinky things, but nothing that the kids would be really excited about. There's no tree. There's no money for a tree. She was thinking about going to her sister's house for Christmas and I said, well, you know, don't the kids still believe in Santa Claus and Santa Claus and you know, you can't do it there and just the logistics of it. And she just, you know, she said this is the most depressing time of year for me because I can't provide that for them. I can't have the tree and the presents and the surprise and it just,

[E]

it breaks my heart and you want it.

[C]

You know, your knee jerk reaction is like that. This is not what Christmas is all about. It's not about presents and stuff like that. But how do you tell a five year old who is consumed all around him every single day with his other five year old friends that Santa is coming to their house and is not coming to your house? You know, you just, that's impossible to do.

[E]

It is.

[D]

That's my four year old son. When we were packing up his toys to donate, I said, well, we're going to give your toys to kids that don't have any toys. And he said, well mama, why don't they just wait and ask Santa? And it's like they don't understand that for some people there are no toys.

[C]

Right, right. You wrote in your email also that things have gotten so bad that she actually had to borrow money from her son to pay for groceries.

[D]

Yes. Her son had gotten some money for his birthday and she came to work and she was a little bit down and she said that she had to borrow $20 from her son to buy groceries and just how low she felt that she had to do that.

[C]

Yeah, That's. That's in a lot of cases. That's rock bottom right there. Well, is she anywhere near you right now?

[D]

She is.

[C]

And she has no idea what. What's going on?

[D]

No, she doesn't.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Ashley,

[C]

come here.

[E]

Come here.

[C]

I don't have time. Leave me alone. You're on my back. I wish they move my cubicle. You're always bugging me.

[D]

Oh, come on.

[B]

Are you crying again?

[C]

Hey, Ashley.

[E]

Hello.

[C]

Hi, Ashley. You're on the Burt show on Q100 right now.

[E]

Shut up.

[C]

No, you shut up.

[B]

We can't shut up.

[C]

How are you today?

[D]

How are you doing?

[C]

Okay. Really good. Hey, Jennifer emailed us a little bit ago and she told you or told us about some of the stuff that's been going on in your life and how you and your family are looking at the holidays right now. And in some cases it just seems like another couple of days because you guys are really kind of struggling.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

Sorry.

[C]

Okay. And that this has been going on for quite a bit at this point.

[E]

Yeah, it has.

[C]

Well, we want you to take a look at the next couple of weeks and know that. That when Christmas rolls around, that is not going to be a bummer for you at all because the Chipper Jones Family foundation and Georgia's own credit union are gonna take care of you and take care of your family.

[E]

Oh, my God.

[C]

In a really, really, really big way. So if you want Christmas trees, if you want decorations, if the 5 year old and the 13 year old have told you that there are items that they want for Christmas, they're gonna get all of them.

[E]

Oh, my God. I love you guys. I listen to you every morning. You guys always. I don't know, you guys always make me smile on the way to work.

[D]

Always.

[C]

Thank you. Oh, you guys are awesome. Has the five year old told you that there's anything specific that he wants? Because they're not bashful five year olds. They will. I was at. I told you. I was at Phipps the other day talking to Santa and there was a little kid in front of Hayden who was about 7 years old. He had literally a wish list of 19 items. 19 items on his list.

[E]

She's. She hasn't really. Only because she kind of knows that things are a tight squeeze and, you know, I've given her the Toys R Us magazines and stuff to kind of make her feel better in a way, you know, and told her to circle stuff and. But I've never raised my kids to, you know, I guess to be the kind of kids that you know, draw out a huge list because. And same with my son. My son, he's always known that we've struggled. So it's kind of. He's been so wonderful as far as that's concerned. You know, he just knows that. I mean, as sad as it is, I had to borrow 30 bucks from him the other day. You know, it's. That's just. He just, he's a very big hearted person. So he knows that, you know, he knows that we don't have a lot, unfortunately.

[B]

So we'll make sure that that Christmas dinner is taken care of as well. So you don't have to borrow any money for groceries.

[E]

Okay, thank you.

[C]

I know when you're looking at a time and you're thinking, okay, I have to borrow money from my child, that even if they give me $200, that would be great for Christmas, you have no idea. I just want to let you know. These guys are giving you $2,000.

[E]

Shut up.

[C]

Yeah, so, I mean, that's the second

[B]

time you've told us to shut up.

[C]

The floor is yours now.

[B]

Fine, fine, I'll shut up.

[C]

So, I mean, we're talking. I mean, really let your mind go nuts here, which I'm sure you haven't been able to do in a very, very, very long time, but anything they want, $2,000. Clothes, toys, video games. If there's something more substantial you need around the holidays, $2,000 can get you that.

[D]

Holy crap.

[E]

Oh, my God.

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

You're welcome.

[E]

I wish there was something that I could do to. I mean, you have no idea, no idea how much that means to me.

[C]

Well, you can. There's one thing that we're asking you to do is just pay it forward to somebody else. Not in the form of $2,000. It doesn't have to be anything like that at all. The only thing that we're asking you to do is do something really nice for somebody over the next couple of weeks.

[E]

I will definitely do that. I've actually been in contact with the Family Violence center and I'm trying to get them to call me back because we have some stuff that we want to donate and, you know, clothes and toys and stuff like that that a couple other moms want us to donate. And we're just trying to find somebody that's willing to take because I know a lot of places want to take, you know, new stuff and whatnot, but we've got a bunch of stuff that gently use clothes and toys. And so if you guys know of anybody that could Use them. Please let us know.

[C]

Okay. We may get emails about that later on today. So if you just pay it forward, then we'll call it even. Okay.

[F]

What size are the clothes?

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

What's that?

[F]

So what size are the clothes?

[C]

They don't fit you. That's what you're looking for.

[F]

Saskin. Putting it out there.

[C]

Hey, Ashley, have a great holiday, okay?

[D]

You too. Thank you.

[B]

And be sure to thank Jennifer as well. Well, first she's gonna punch Jennifer because she has swollen eyes throughout the day because she's been crying. But other than that, you know, she'll. She'll be all right. That's pretty cool.

[C]

Look, and I'm avoiding taking the calls right now from people saying, hey, I would like to give her ornaments for the tree or the tree itself because the Chipper Jones family foundation and Georgia's own is taking care of her. I mean, that's $2,000. So those ornaments that you were going to give her, there's so many cases like that.

[F]

But you know, yeah, it's the whole pay it forward theme. The ornaments that you want to give her, give them to someone else. Give them to an organization. Give them to the union mission. Give them to the violence thing. Given to the Jaden's ladder organization. The same thing. Would somebody else call it a tree or something? Maybe you can find a tree for someone else. So pay it forward. That's the whole kind of theme of the whole thing.

[C]

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