Podcast Summary

Tony Mantor: Why Not Me?

Episode: Sharon Eubank: Her message of Small Acts with Big Impact
Date: October 29, 2025
Host: Tony Mantor
Guest: Sharon Eubank – Director of Humanitarian Services, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Author of "Doing Small Things with Great Love"

Main Theme

This episode centers on the transformative power of small, local acts of service—especially in the context of autism and mental health. Sharon Eubank, an internationally experienced humanitarian, discusses how everyday kindness, inclusion, and service can alter lives, strengthen communities, and improve mental wellbeing. She emphasizes that you don’t need to travel to make a difference; the greatest impact often occurs right where you live, by understanding and engaging with your own community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Sharon Eubank’s Humanitarian Philosophy (02:36–04:42)

• Role & Experience: Sharon describes her 30-year humanitarian career, much of it based on volunteerism, and notes research showing volunteering can benefit mental health, even in a polarized world.

  • Quote: "A lot of research is starting to show when people volunteer in this very polarized...community, it affects their mental health." (02:36)

• Book Inspiration: After witnessing well-intentioned but sometimes misguided attempts to help, Sharon wrote "Doing Small Things with Great Love" to share lessons and stories from the field.

  • Quote: "My passion is to enable people to, where they live, be powerful...if you know the issues." (04:19)

The Power of Local Action (05:09–07:12)

• Common Thread in 92 Stories: The stories all illustrate the idea that "you are most powerful where you live," leveraging local knowledge, language, and trust.

• Sri Lanka Tsunami Story: Sharon recounts a post-tsunami visit, where her local driver, Shanta, meaningfully connected with survivors in ways she, as an outsider, could not.

  • Quote: "Shanta is more powerful in this situation...they trust him. He's the answer to the needs that they have..." (06:07)

• Volunteering Benefits for Mental Health: Research suggests that adolescents who do good for strangers—not just friends or family—gain self-respect and a buffer against stress and suicidal ideation.

  • Quote: "Doing something good for a stranger helps you develop your own sense of self and confidence." (07:42)

Inclusion and Superpowers (08:49–10:34)

• Encouraging Engagement: Sharon shares about offering 50 prompts in her book to get people started with service, and previews the “Just Serve” app for finding local volunteer opportunities.

  • Quote: "...if you feel that you're different because of anxiety or mental health issues or a diagnosis like autism, that's actually your superpower." (09:19)

• Inclusion: She stresses the joy of drawing in people on the fringes—those who are different in faith, tribe, or neurotype, like those with autism.

Building Unity Across Divides (11:05–12:32)

• The Rotary Example: Sharon highlights how Rotary International began with diverse people uniting for service, and quotes its president:

  • Quote: "We need to wage peace as aggressively as nations wage war." (11:25)

• Common Good over Differences: Both Tony and Sharon agree that focusing on helping others allows people to set aside political or personal disparities.

Service Uplifting Individuals (12:32–13:42)

• Story of Megan: A teen from Idaho struggling with multi-generational suicide risk found life-saving purpose and self-worth by participating in service with her family.

• "Just Serve" App Impact: Sharon recently interviewed the platform’s millionth user, highlighting wide and growing enthusiasm for structured service.

Five-Year Vision (13:58–15:00)

• Expanding Service: Sharon hopes to see 10 million regular users on service platforms and for people to apply her 12 principles of effective help, starting with: ask what people actually want, don’t assume.

Creativity and Uniqueness in Service (15:00–17:58)

• We Dine Together: Story of Dennis Esterman, a Haitian immigrant student in Florida, who created a club to prevent loneliness at lunchtime—an idea now worldwide.

• Autism & Service: Story of Eric Olson in California, who found connection and confidence volunteering at a food pantry, where his detailed orientation became an asset and he formed meaningful relationships.

  • Quote: "He was the connector among everybody, which was just unexpected for somebody who had autism." (17:28)

Mental Health and Community Support (18:37–20:16)

• Florence Football League: Asylum seekers, experiencing anxiety and stress, found relief, trust, and pride through forming football teams.
  • Quote: "They weren't just migrants...they were football. And they had serious skills." (19:34)
• Mandela’s Example: Using sports as a unifier to ease societal anxieties.

When Service Seems Impossible or Unlikely (20:38–22:34)

• Mosul School Desks: Parents with no building experience created desks for their children’s school post-ISIS. The project seemed doomed to fail but ultimately built pride, skill, and community.
  • Quote: "We did this...We felt we let our kids down, and now we've done something that helped the other way." (22:23)

Big Successes from Small Starts (24:46–26:01)

• Pandemic Milk Glut: Reading about US farmers dumping surplus milk, Sharon’s team partnered with the dairy and cheese industry to transform waste into cheese for food banks—an unexpected, scalable humanitarian win.

Encouragement for Those Struggling in Service (26:37–28:09)

• The Power of Faith and Persistence: Sharon recounts visiting a convent in Bethlehem where nuns pray for peace 24/7. She urges listeners to believe in small, persistent efforts and call on faith or belief in the good, even during discouragement.
  • Quote: "Draw on the power of your faith. Don't get discouraged that you've got this all on your own shoulders. God who cares for every one of us will help it move forward." (27:49)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "You don’t have to go to Peru...You can be powerful where you live, if you know the issues."
  —Sharon Eubank (04:19)
• "Doing something good for a stranger helps you develop your own sense of self and confidence."
  —Sharon Eubank (07:42)
• "If you feel that you're different because of anxiety or mental health issues or a diagnosis like autism, that's actually your superpower."
  —Sharon Eubank (09:19)
• "We need to wage peace as aggressively as nations wage war."
  —Sharon Eubank, quoting Rotary International President (11:25)
• "He was the connector among everybody, which was just unexpected for somebody who had autism."
  —Sharon Eubank (17:28)
• "Draw on the power of your faith. Don't get discouraged that you've got this all on your own shoulders."
  —Sharon Eubank (27:49)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 02:36 — Sharon’s background & volunteering benefits
• 05:09 — "Most powerful where you live" theme
• 06:07 — Shanta’s local impact in post-tsunami Sri Lanka
• 07:42 — Research on volunteering & mental health
• 09:19 — Autism, difference, and ‘superpowers’
• 12:32 — Story of Megan overcoming suicidality through service
• 15:07 —We Dine Together: creative, student-driven inclusion
• 17:19 — Eric Olson: autism, stigma and food pantry service
• 18:37 — Florence: sports as a unifier for asylum seekers
• 22:23 — Mosul: rebuilding and parental pride
• 24:46 — Pandemic cheese project turning waste into good
• 27:49 — Encouragement for discouraged helpers

How to Engage or Learn More

• Book: "Doing Small Things with Great Love" by Sharon Eubank
  • Available on Amazon, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and major retailers
• Contact Sharon: Find her on Instagram @sharoneubank_ (as mentioned in the episode)
• Service App: JustServe.org to find local volunteer opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Sharon Eubank’s message throughout this episode is simple but profound: everyone can make a meaningful impact exactly where they are—especially when they approach service with humility, creativity, respect for difference, and persistent love. Whether working through a pandemic, recovering from conflict, or simply reaching out to the lonely, small and inclusive acts make the biggest difference to individuals and communities.

As Sharon sums up:

"I titled the book Doing Small Things with Great Love...if we can learn to bond over things, even if it’s as simple as service, that makes a successful life and it helps our mental health." (23:50-23:58)