590. The Story of Culinary Care + How to Build an Engaged Community Around Your Mission - Courtney Johnson

Summary

We Are For Good Podcast - Episode 590 Summary

Title: The Story of Culinary Care + How to Build an Engaged Community Around Your Mission
Guest: Courtney Johnson, Founder of Culinary Care
Release Date: December 11, 2024

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Introduction

In Episode 590 of the We Are For Good Podcast, hosts Jon McCoy, CFRE, and Becky Endicott, CFRE, welcome Courtney Johnson, the inspiring founder of Culinary Care. This episode delves into Courtney’s personal journey, the founding and growth of Culinary Care, and her strategies for building a passionate and engaged community around her nonprofit mission.

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Courtney’s Personal Story and Inspiration

Formation of Culinary Care

Courtney Johnson shares the poignant story that led to the creation of Culinary Care. At the age of 23, inspired by her father's battle with stage four lung cancer, Courtney recognized the profound impact that meal deliveries had on her family during this challenging time. The lack of nutritious and enjoyable meals in hospital settings motivated her to establish a nonprofit that provides free, restaurant-quality meals to families fighting cancer.

Courtney Johnson [04:10]: "The meals that we had meant so much to my family and I. ... sharing a meal was the least they could do."

Impact of Personal Experience

Courtney emphasizes how personal experiences shape nonprofit missions. Her father, Barry Johnson, remained a food enthusiast despite his illness, refusing hospital food and instead enjoying meals brought by friends and family. This experience underscored the importance of nutritious and joyful meals in providing comfort and normalcy during cancer treatment.

Courtney Johnson [08:47]: "It's really about nourishing cancer recoveries. ... a sense of community, which I've learned along the way impacts mortality by as much as 25%."

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Building and Growing Culinary Care

Early Challenges and Grassroots Beginnings

Starting Culinary Care while working full-time posed significant challenges. Courtney and her family dedicated countless hours to delivering meals, often traveling long distances. The nonprofit began with grassroots efforts, relying heavily on volunteers and community support to meet the burgeoning demand.

Courtney Johnson [08:47]: "We delivered our first meal in 2013. ... our full time, full time everything, full time fundraising Chief Everything Officer."

Scaling the Organization

As demand surged, Culinary Care transitioned from a part-time volunteer effort to a full-fledged organization. Today, the nonprofit serves over 900 patients annually, delivering more than 40,000 free meals over 11 years. Courtney highlights the importance of strategic growth, leveraging local restaurant partnerships to ensure quality and scalability.

Courtney Johnson [09:30]: "We have about seven part-time, full-time program people that are managing, you know, 900 plus patients a year ... our mission is literally the two sides of our name."

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Strategies for Building an Engaged Community

Emphasizing Shared Stories and Community Connection

Courtney discusses the power of storytelling in fostering community engagement. By sharing patient stories and creating meaningful connections, Culinary Care cultivates a supportive network of donors, volunteers, and advocates who are deeply invested in the mission.

Courtney Johnson [19:58]: "This isn't about me anymore. ... becoming its own organization."

Advocacy and Education

A significant lesson Courtney learned is the importance of advocating for the nonprofit’s mission by educating the community about the necessity of meal support during cancer treatment. She underscores that many are unaware of the lack of meal provisions for outpatient cancer patients, making advocacy efforts crucial.

Courtney Johnson [31:26]: "Don't assume everybody knows about your work and why it's important ... keep it as simple as you can."

Authentic Leadership and Community Alignment

Courtney emphasizes authentic leadership, staying true to the organization’s core values, and fostering genuine relationships with supporters. She believes in building a community that resonates with the mission rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

Courtney Johnson [19:58]: "I'm just going to do it my way, and my way is just going to work for me, and it might not work for somebody else ... if you don't resonate, that's okay."

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Notable Quotes

• Becky Endicott [00:58]: "Nonprofits are faced with more challenges to accomplish their missions and the growing pressure to do more, raise more, and be more for the causes that improve our world."

• Courtney Johnson [07:54]: "I always say, you don't know the power of what those really small gestures could do, because people were showing up and they would always say, oh, it's the least we could do."

• Becky Endicott [14:38]: "I want to get some real talk about what was really challenging."

• Courtney Johnson [39:51]: "The secret to success is just putting one foot in front of the other and not getting so caught up."

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Key Insights and Lessons

1. Transform Personal Pain into Purpose: Courtney’s journey illustrates how personal hardships can fuel compassionate and impactful missions. Turning her father’s battle with cancer into Culinary Care provided a meaningful way to support others in similar situations.

2. Community as a Force Multiplier: Building a dedicated community through shared stories and authentic connections magnifies the nonprofit’s impact. Engaged supporters become advocates who help spread the mission organically.

3. Adaptability and Mindset Shifts: As Culinary Care evolved, so did Courtney’s mindset—from founder-centric to community-centric leadership. Embracing change and focusing on collective stories strengthen the organization’s foundation.

4. Advocacy Through Education: Effective advocacy starts with educating the community about unmet needs. Clear, simple communication about the nonprofit’s mission and its importance ensures better understanding and support.

5. Sustainable Growth: Balancing ambition with sustainability is crucial. Protecting the organization and its leaders from burnout ensures long-term success and the ability to serve continuously.

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Conclusion

Episode 590 of the We Are For Good Podcast offers a heartfelt and insightful look into Courtney Johnson’s journey with Culinary Care. Her dedication to nourishing cancer recoveries through community support and compassionate meal deliveries serves as a powerful example for nonprofit leaders. Courtney’s strategies in community building, advocacy, and authentic leadership provide valuable lessons for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact in the nonprofit sector.

Connect with Courtney Johnson and Culinary Care:
Visit www.culinarycare.org to learn more, donate, or get involved.

Transcript

[Becky]

Hey, nonprofit leaders, change makers and community builders, this one's for you.

[John]

Join us on January 23rd for impact up Multiply, a dynamic virtual gathering by day and an in person local meetups by night happening around the world. It's a day designed to inspire, connect, and equip you to multiply your impact in 2025.

[Becky]

At impact up Multiply, we're talking about how community is the force multiplier for your mission. So if you're looking to grow or start a movement or deepen your community engagement in your mission, this day is for you. It's more than a virtual event. It's your space to dream bigger, build smarter, and multiply your impact.

[John]

We've already saved you a seat, so join this movement. Visit weareforgood.com impactup to sign up for free today. We can't wait to see you there. Hey, I'm John.

[Becky]

And I'm Becky.

[John]

And this is the We Are for Good podcast.

[Becky]

Nonprofits are faced with more challenges to accomplish their missions and the growing pressure to do more, raise more, and be more for the causes that improve our world.

[John]

We're here to learn with you from some of the best in the industry, bringing the most innovative ideas, inspirational stories, all to create an impact uprising.

[Becky]

So welcome to the good community. We're nonprofit professionals, philanthropists, world changers, and rabid fans who are striving to bring a little more goodness into the world.

[John]

So let's get started. Hey, Bea, what's happening?

[Becky]

I. I want to teach you an Italian word right now that's going to have a purpose for what we are talking about. Have you ever heard like mancha? Mancha, like the word is mangiamo and it means let's eat. And today we are going to be diving into not only great food, but we are going to be talking about how do you use food and you know the Italian in to build connection, to build community. And we are talking to an incredible nonprofit founder today, Courtney Johnson. We're thrilled. She's on the podcast today and she is the founder of Culinary Care. And I want to take you behind the scenes of this mission because Courtney and I met, I want to say maybe in the first year of We Are for Good. I heard about this mission from someone who had pitched it to us and it was just such a beautiful story. And it feels so full circle that we're talking about it today. So please let me introduce you to Courtney. She is a visionary entrepreneur. She's a passionate advocate for supporting individuals and families who are fighting cancer. Because at 23, she founded Culinary Care, which is a Chicago based nonprofit inspired by her father's battle with lung cancer and the impact of meals being delivered to their home. And so we talk all the time about how formative experiences really shape the way that we walk through this life. And this is certainly one of those stories. And under her leadership, Culinary Care has delivered, John, over 40,000 free meals in the past 11 years to families fighting cancer. They're reducing loneliness, they are restoring hope, and guess what? It's also fostering this incredible community underneath it. So this story just exemplifies the power of compassion, perseverance, and turning personal pain into purpose. Courtney's been recognized as a Cranes Chicago 20 in their 20s honoree and a Tyson Foods Meals that Matter hero, inspiring others to make a lasting impact in the fight against cancer. So I know everyone out there has a favorite comfort food. I love this concept that Courtney has built community and connectivity around the table. So, Courtney, welcome to the We Are for Good podcast. We're so excited that you're here.

[Courtney Johnson]

So excited to be here. Thanks for having me.

[Becky]

You're welcome. And, you know, we want to hear all about this incredible mission that you founded. At 23 years old, I was, like, trying to figure out how to balance my checkbook at 23, and you were starting a nonprofit. But before we get into this story, we want to get to know you and the human behind it. Like, tell us about growing up, and please tell us about your wonderful dad, too.

[Courtney Johnson]

Yeah, growing up, everything was centered around food. Unsurprisingly, we were very fortunate to, you know, be able to have the resources where going out to eat was something we were able to look forward to. And that's kind of how we planned our lives. Like, my childhood spent. Every Sunday, my dad would take us out either for breakfast or bring donuts or bring bagels. There was always a moment that was centered around a meal, and it was just coming home from school, getting together for a family meal. That is really. That was a huge part of starting Culinary Care. And that was a lot of, you know, growing up. Um, and, you know, with the experience with my dad was my. It was my junior year of high school, and my dad was having trouble with a lot of different things, like confusing the remote for his cell phone and just things that we thought he had had a stroke. And so we ended up, you know, calling. We just called an ambulance and just said, you need to, you know, come get him and figure this out. And we didn't know what was going on. And we Found out that day that it was stage four lung cancer that had spread to his brain, so it was preventing him from walking properly. And, yeah, it was just. I mean, your. Your whole life just gets turned upside down when you hear that a loved one has been. Now has five months to five years to live. You know, your. Your mind is not really thinking about, what are we going to eat? And it's really just, how do we spend as much quality time with my dad and how do we. How do we just keep a semblance of normalcy and also get through this and get through each day? And for my family and I, the meals that we had, we had family and friends every single day that were dropping off food or bringing it to the hospital for us to eat. Because my dad was still a foodie. Even though he was fighting cancer, he was not eating the hospital food. He was inpatient for a while, and so he would not eat those meals when he was outpatient. We were just going in, you know, from our home to chemotherapy or to radiation or to go to rehab and help him walk again. You know, we were not. The cafeteria food got old very, very quickly, and so we were constantly having to leave his side and go get something, and then friends, you know, would bring food there. But that was really the impetus behind culinary care was just after I graduated college. I was finally in a place where I felt like I could grieve and sort of figure out what I had gone through, because it was all just sort of go, go, go, and really wanted to have purpose in my life. And I've always volunteered. It's been just part of everything that I've done for as long as I can remember, just helping people, whether it's in the service industry as a waitress during summers between, you know, school, or whether it's just volunteering through high school. It's just been ingrained in what I do and so. And who I am. So just really wanted to find a way to. To give back. And that was the meals that we had meant so much to my family and I. And I always say, like, you don't know the power of what those really small gestures could do, because people were showing up and they would always say, oh, it's the least we could do. Like, they didn't know what to do. And so sharing a meal was the least they could do. And I always say, the least you could do impacted my life so significantly that now we have changed 4,000 other lives because we are giving back and paying it forward. And so it really does have a ripple effect when you show up. And that's. That's really at the heart of everything we do. Wow.

[John]

I mean, would you mind sharing your dad's name so we can honor him and celebrate him?

[Courtney Johnson]

I laugh because it's. It was very, very white in the caller ID days. It was very.

[John]

Everyone loves you, Barry.

[Becky]

Yeah.

[Courtney Johnson]

People would always answer the phone. Their parents would pick up the phone and quickly say, you know, hello, like, so excited to see if it was.

[John]

Barry White calling, like, Publishers Clearinghouse, pulling up. My goodness.

[Becky]

That's awesome. Totally.

[John]

I mean, so connect the dots for us from, you know, Barry's story, your family's journey, this nudge inside you. You know, we've talked to so many founders over the years, and we. We've heard about these moments that feel like a left and right of, like, I could chase this idea that's been put on my heart. What did that look like? Transitioning to launching Culinary Care? What was some of the steps that got you here? And what does the program look like today?

[Courtney Johnson]

Yeah. So very early on, I had graduated college. I was working full time. I was really trying to figure out how I could just add more purpose and meaning into my life and get to know more people and just do something outside of work, truly. And the meals meant so much to my family and I. And so that's where my heart was. I was trying to figure out, how can I bring meals to other families that are going through treatment and that are experiencing the same thing my family and I did, and maybe they don't have a community that is supporting them in the same way that my family had. And so I was searching for volunteer opportunities. My initial goal was, how can I volunteer? I'm happy to donate my time and pick up food or make food or do whatever I can to help. And in doing that research, there was nothing that existed. And so that was really the seed that was planted of just, well, what are people doing? How does this type of service not exist for cancer patients? How are they navigating through treatments if they don't have this community that's rallying around them and putting food on their plate? And it snowballed from there really into, okay, there really isn't any solution out here, and how do we start making some solution? And so, for us, it really just started with a simple business plan, like, how are we going to get a meal from point A to point B? Where are we going to find patients? How are we going to get food? I was working full, full time for two and a half years while starting culinary care. So this was truly just grassroots part time. My family and I, like if I wasn't available to work or something, it was my brother driving two hours from Colle Village to come drop off food. And it was really just everybody pitching in and helping out. And then it just hit an inflection point where there were so many patients that actually needed this service that somebody had to do this full time. It just became very clear. And so I ended up joining in 2015. So we delivered our first meal in 2013. I ended up joining full time as our full time, full time everything, full time fundraising Chief everything officer. Yeah, chief everything officer. And you know, we've really just continued to grow from there and now we've got a really amazing team in Chicago. We've got about seven part time, full time program people that are really just managing, you know, 900 plus patients a year and they're making sure that meals are getting delivered, that, that those check in calls, those cards are getting right. And just everything that we do, our mission is literally the two sides of our name. So our goal and mission really is to nourish cancer recoveries. And the way that we see that is the culinary side are our free meal programs. Currently we are focused on hospitals. You do not receive any meals when you are going in for outpatient care. So typically you could be there from like a 4 to 12 hour long day. But because you're coming from home, the hospital isn't bringing that tray of food that we all picture when you go to the hospital. So culinary care is the only resource on that side. We also expanded to serve our patients during the holidays. And then every, every time we deliver a meal, we are getting more information from our patients and having phone calls and trying to figure out how we can be helping them at home in a way that is scalable. Because we started with home deliveries and I personally was driving three plus hours outside the city to go drop off food and we're like, well, three hours for one meal. There's no way this is going to grow very, very quickly and we have limited resources. So how do we do the most with the resources that we have? And so that's, it's always on our mind. And just as we continue to grow, we're just constantly learning from our patients of like what is going to be the most meaningful way and where do they really need the most help? You know, is it that they need meals at their doorstep or is it that they really want to cook and they need lessons and is it groceries? You know, what is where, where is the void? But right now, on a very basic level, they should have meals when they're going in for their life saving care. And then on the care side of our name, it's our just our dedicated staff, our entire community of donors and volunteers that are writing cards, making their generous donations. And it really does. You can feel it. Our patients know that they're loved and seen and that's our goal. On the care side is just making sure that you know someone is thinking about you. Because surprisingly, I was just writing about it. I believe it's called cancer. Ghosting is an actual term of family members and friends who stop talking to you because you have been diagnosed with cancer and they don't know how to navigate it. They don't know what to say, they don't know what to do and so they do nothing. So we really step in on that front as well, just to make sure that our patients feel connected to a community, which I've learned along the way impacts mortality by as much as 25% just to have a sense of community. So it really is. I always, you know, advocate that showing up does matter, truly does.

[Becky]

I just think the level of embedded compassion and the high touch that you're providing has got to be some kind of a balm to the soul. You have not only nourished the mind, but the body, the spirit, the social component of, of that connection to another human being. And I think there's a lot of people in our community who want to start a thing, who want to take the Courtney Johnson approach and say, I want to put more purpose into my life. And I want to know, like, what were your initial challenges, you know, that you faced when you were turning this vision into a non profit and trying to grow this movement. Talk, I mean, let's get some real talk about what was really challenging.

[Courtney Johnson]

Yeah, I think, I think the most challenging thing, and I don't know if it's, I've learned, I've grown through it, but it still is always a challenge is really just believing in myself, I think was really the biggest, biggest hurdle was just having the confidence to say, why not me? And I'm the one doing it. And a social worker, I said it perfectly. About two years in, I ran into her in the hallway and she just said so pointedly, just write to me, if you don't keep doing this, nobody else will. And it's those types of moments and yeah, exactly, no pressure. So. But it was those types of moments. And those types of people that really just motivate you and just keep you going. And so it's, you know, every time someone donates, it's not just going to this organization and into this sort of black hole, if you will. It's really like I see every single donation. Our team sees it, and it really does keep us motivated and keeps us going because it just lets us know, you know, not only are patients not alone, but we're not alone in this. And so for me, just continuing to spread the word and just tell people what we were doing, and not everybody believes it, and not everyone's going to believe it, I think that was a challenge that I had to work through, was we might not be your cause, and that's okay. We're going to keep going and we're going to find our people. And I wish someone had told me that very early on was just that my goal as the founder is really just to find the people like my people, the people that are going to believe in this and that are going to work alongside me. It's not to just fundraise. It's not to just go ask for money from anybody that will give it. It's really to go find my people and the people that believe in a good meal and the people that have said and continue to say, if someone is fighting for their life, we should be there with a good meal and support them and make them happy and give them these sort of little moments what our patients will call pockets of sunshine that will help keep this going. But that was really, I think our biggest challenge in the early days was just me being the chief everything officer. It. I really needed to fully, fully believe and have the confidence to continue to keep this going. So I would definitely lean on a lot of advisors and board members and people that, you know, if I was having a bad day, really calling them and having them be my. My inspiration of just like, well, you're doing great work. Just keep going. Just do this one little thing, just do this one next thing. Let's not get 10 years down the road right now. And so I think it really has been building the confidence and then also just being realistic and letting this flow. We didn't. I didn't start culinary care, jump in full time, and, you know, sort of do it that way. I was working full time, and it was really just one person, one meal. One person, one meal. And that was really. Those were the footsteps. Like, it was just, how do we get this meal from point A to point B? And that was really the initial focus. And we honestly didn't really fundraise until about year. Year two, year three. Fundraising really wasn't a focus. It was, can we just do this on our own as a volunteer group and. And see the difference that it makes? And so it was kind of figuring out what the value is for what we were doing. And just because it really started with a personal problem. I think a lot of nonprofits start with a. Oh, my gosh. You know, I witnessed this problem in the community. I didn't know malnutrition was an issue. I didn't know that a sense of community can change your treatment outcomes. All I knew was that a meal changed my life. Knowing people cared about me and my family changed my life. And maybe I could do that for somebody else. And maybe it's just one person that needs it, or maybe it's what I've learned is hundreds of thousands that need it. But we really didn't know starting off that this was going to be a huge, huge void that we were filling.

[Becky]

So proud of.

[John]

Okay, friends, you need to do the rewind button, because what you just shared there, every founder or somebody that wants to start something needs to hear this, because I think we. We think of the iceberg and we see, like, these platitudes that people reach, and you forget that it's like these little steps that lead you to the place of confidence along the way, and that having the belief is just so core. So I love that you called that out specifically that this is possible. And sometimes you need to surround yourself with people to do that. I mean, we've needed that in our journey. I needed it in my journey. So I want to keep going kind of deeper on this idea of mindsets. And, Courtney, hearing you talk, I'm like, you're channeling abundance, mindset of that. You're going to find the people that are for you. You're going to find the people that are for this mission. I thought you talked about your mission. I'm like, how is not everybody for this mission? Come on, people, what are we doing?

[Becky]

Truly, everybody has got to have somebody who is in your family or your friends who has gone through cancer treatment who can relate to this.

[John]

Exactly. So I would love to go into, you know, the mindsets and approaches that you've really had to cultivate to grow this movement. I mean, you mean, your. Your organization's really evolved over the last 11 years. So what has been really core to how you show up and think about it?

[Courtney Johnson]

Yeah, I think for. For me Just over the last 11 years, we've learned so much along the way. And so part of it is, is shifting, constantly shifting my mindset a little bit. We just celebrated a decade last year. And so my new mindset is really, this isn't about me anymore. This isn't. My story has gotten us through this first decade. And my story will continue to inspire people, but it really is about our donor story, our community story, our patient story. And it's getting a little bit further and further away from, oh, Courtney started this. And so we'll just kind of follow what she's doing. It really is becoming its own organization. But for me, that's, that's a mindset shift on. Just how do I open that up to other people to share their stories and how do we really sort of cultivate and bring them in and what they've helped us achieve? And just our patient stories and really leaning into that, which is unique and different because I'm so used to just getting up and sharing. Well, I started this. We just had our gala last month and this was the first year where I haven't gotten up on stage and shared, well, this is how I started culinary care. I just dove right in. This is the impact that this room made by showing up one year ago. Here's how much we've done. And that's kind of been really a really exciting new, new shift for us because it really is about the impact. And if we want to make nourishment part of everyone's cancer care, it's going to be one person at a time. So those 900 patients all have their own stories and now don't have to have that conversation of, I wish culinary care was here for me when I was going through treatment too. I'm so glad it was. And so that's, that's the mindset now. In the very early days, it was really just navigating a lot of challenging conversations. I remember, you know, one woman I sat down with and was hoping she would be a donor because, you know, you're taking the time to meet with me. And she very, you know, sort of frankly said, I support organizations that are a matter of life and death. And at the time I didn't know and I didn't have the confidence and the information that I do now to stand up and say, well, we actually are a matter of life and death. You know, this is helping patients. So to me, just like 23 year old me was just like, okay, you know, and so I wish looking back that I had Had. It's all learning. I don't know if I could have even practice or done it. It's just having the conversations, letting the tough conversations go and just moving forward and just saying, okay, I'm just going to put one foot in front of the other. Somebody else will resonate with this. And really just navigating those. And it's been some trial and error. You know, I've sat down with donors who are like, well, what. What would you like, you know, me to do? How can we best support you? And I had no answer. I thought I was just going and meeting with them and saying, thank you for giving. And if I was bold enough in.

[Becky]

My earlier days, I would have said it.

[Courtney Johnson]

But, yeah, it. I mean, the boldness of it was. It's. You know, and for me, it was really. I'm just trying to take the time to get to know you, and I'm trying to sort of do all the. The practices that I was learning. And now I've just learned that I'm just going to do it my way, and my way is just going to work, and it's going to work for me, and it might not work for somebody else, but that's just the best way that I. That's the best way that I can do it. And where I'm most comfortable is not. Is taking all of the lessons that I learned, you know, from the We Are For Good podcast, from all of these other leaders and taking them and saying, okay, what is. What is like, me spin on this. You know, I'm not that person. I'm not that fundraiser, and how can I show up as myself? And that should resonate. You know, if it doesn't resonate, then they're just not. Not the person for us. And I'm happy to refer them elsewhere.

[John]

I wish Barry White had sung I Did It My Way. I'm Googling. It's Frank Sinatra.

[Becky]

It is Sinatra. Barry White had a much different vibe, which is hilarious. But I am being very calm on the surface, but I am truly geeking out at how evolved you are, how you are owning every bit of your journey. Because, y'all, we talk about this all the time when reports come out and trends come out. Just because there is a best practice in this sector doesn't mean it's the right practice for your organization and your mission. And what I see in you, Courtney, that is just, like, thunderstruck me, is how humble you are in your approach, how well you're listening and even saying that this is not the story or the narrative of Courtney and allowing community to reshape and expand the story. That's going to do so much to. To be a magnet to others who want to come in and help shape it in. Through their experience, through what they've seen with their loved one. And so the story of one becomes the story of many. It starts with Barry, but then Barry's story starts to awaken all of these others. And so I want to shift into this lane about community building because, you know, it's the. It's the final core value of We Are for Good. We do believe that community is everything. And it feels like community has blossomed beneath this beautiful sort of lamp that you've held up, which is just this truth and this awakening. And I want to talk you to talk a little bit more about what you've learned about the art of building strong communities, of supporters, of engaged advocates, of maybe people who show up with money. Maybe some show up to drive, maybe some show up to write. I really love this notion that whatever your journey is and wherever you are, anyone can pour into this. So give us some tenants on what you have figured out, because I really think you're onto something.

[Courtney Johnson]

Yeah, I think we've have the unfortunate circumstance of so many of our community has been touched by cancer in some way. And so for us, it really is a very natural transition for us to open that up, because everybody in our community most likely has a berry in their life. And for me, it's my dad. For somebody else, it's their mom. For someone else, it's their sister, their brother. And, you know, some of them are survivors. And, you know, they didn't pass away like my dad. But we can all connect around this idea that having a meal and having a community that cares about you does make a huge impact. Like, we've been there, we felt it, we've received it, and now we really want to pay it forward. And I think for me, in community building, where we're at this particular stage is really interesting because I think very early on I was quick to just adjust. If you told me that this is what you cared about with our mission or this is what you thought our mission should do, I was very sort of like, okay, yes, we're going to try to do that. We're going to try to just respond and. And just be everything for everybody. And I've learned along the way that that's not possible. And that really, to build the right community, we have to have our values and our stance and what we believe and so for us, it's really this belief that a restaurant prepared meal, which some people might not define as the healthiest thing ever. I was just writing a story about this patient that we supported, named Mark, who only wanted every single week that we were delivering to him, would order the same exact thing, which was a slab of ribs, a slice of pie, and a baked potato. And what he needed in that moment was one, to gain weight. And it wasn't a question of what's health at this point. Health for Mark is eating. It's consuming calories, it's getting his appetite back. And so for the dietitians that he was working with, the social workers that he was working with, that for him is the healthiest path that he can take is just eating something, consuming it. And it transitioned and had this ripple effect of not only giving him dignity and happiness, but then into his everyday life. He was eating more because he just felt reconnected to the joy that food brings into our life and feeling supported in having a sense of community. And so I think, for me, it's really, one, is just leaning into who we are as an organization, or who you are as an organization and just stand for something. And I think. And two is just figuring out how you're going against a little bit of the status quo. Like, we are not okay with how things are right now, which is hundreds and thousands of cancer patients going in for treatment, skipping lunch because they've already paid for gas, they've already paid for parking, they're paying for all of their medical bills, and doing all of these basic needs. That lunch is just not on the table for them on a regular basis. And so it's really just, how are we continuing to sort of push against the status quo and really just dive into what does that mean for us? What do we stand for and who are our people? Because this is what we believe. There are plenty of people out there that. That understand and that know. Even one of our biggest donors just told me a story that his mom, when she was going through treatment, the only thing that she would eat was Joe's stone crab claws and a slice of key lime pie. It's the most random things he was like, I would have never thought that that was where we would land. But that's what brought her joy as she's nearing the end of her life. That's what got her to consume calories. That's what, you know, helped us get more moments with her, is just making sure that she had had that on her plate. And so it really is just diving into those stories and really leaning into them more than we ever have before because I was more hesitant or, you know, sort of afraid of someone pushing back on it. But you can work with us and help us grow. But if you, if you don't resonate, that's okay.

[John]

There's, there is just so much dignity. I know you've said that word a couple times, and I just see it in the way that you show up and it connects to how you started your story saying your family was all about food. It's like it was about specific foods, you know, and specific things that make you feel happy or comforted or connected or nostalgic or whatever it may be. So I just, I love how you've centered this and this attraction of like minded people and like valued people. This is how we move so much faster together in this work. So you were advocating for this organization. We were leading this organization at 23. Is this right? I mean, can we just pause and be like, at 23, you had so much clarity of what you stood for. I'm just curious if you'd talk about the piece of being an advocate for the cause at the same time you're growing this because we see such an opportunity at the intersection of advocacy and the missional work that we're doing in delivery. What have you learned about being an advocate for your work over time?

[Courtney Johnson]

I think my biggest lesson is to never assume. For a very long time I assumed that because cancer is so prevalent. Doesn't everybody know that you don't get meals during treatment? Nope, that is not the case. Majority of people do not know. Even the majority of people that have been in it don't know. We just had a gala attendee who I was on the phone with who said, I didn't believe your mission was important. That was the start of our conversation. What's your honesty?

[Becky]

Thank you.

[Courtney Johnson]

What's your honesty? And I said, okay. And she had more to it. And so I'm like, okay, let's hear you know, what's next. And she said, but a friend of mine was just diagnosed with cancer and I asked her what she thinks of your work. And I stand corrected. I have learned now that you this is so needed. And she said, when I was going through treatment, so someone who's actually been in sort of all our shoes was like, I just wasn't thinking about other people and their experience as I was sitting in my chemo chair, my radiation chair. And so it really is my number one lesson over these 11 years. Has been just don't assume everybody knows about your work and why it's important and advocate for just the very basics. And that's really at the heart of where I've started. I think being our strongest advocate is really just in accepting that and realizing that and understanding that. I know a lot, I've learned a lot, and this is my all day, every day. People are not in that same mindset and in that same environment. They are just digesting this mission or any cause that they support as like, one little snippet of information amidst their already really chaotic, really busy lives. And so just trying to get down to the very, very basics and educating from, like, the ground up. You know, there are so many components of our mission, and I used to be very sort of. I need everybody to know, like, the full breadth of what we want to do, what our full vision is like. I've got to make sure that they know that it's not just about the meals. You know, I was so sort of argumentative about. It's not just the food. We're culinary and we're care. And even just this year has really come into place where I'm now describing it as. It is our name. Like, when you are investing in culinary care, that is what you are investing is culinary and care. If you just want to be on the culinary side, you know, I guess we can have that conversation. But this is really what you're supporting. It's the holistic support. And so really trying to find how to advocate for that and, you know, making sure that people understand it in a very, very, very basic way, which is, you know, letting them know you don't get meals during treatment. And then once we invite you in now, we can educate you and advocate for the other things that we're doing and how it really is this transformative experience for the patients that are on the receiving end of it. But, yeah, the one thing from an advocacy standpoint, I've really just learned, keep it as simple, as simple as you can. We know so much about these causes and the causes that we care about, and I know so much about what it's like to go through cancer treatment. I'm constantly learning. And so if I'm constantly learning and constantly finding new things and hearing things, you know, our donors are not living this and breathing this every single day. So it's something that, you know, we can't take. Don't take the knowledge that we have for granted.

[Becky]

Well, I want to compliment you and say that I think you're doing Advocacy at scale by bringing your community into this story. That example that you just gave is perhaps that woman didn't connect with Courtney or with the website or with the email that she's getting, but she did connect when a friend said to her, actually, this was my experience. And I think this is the power of community building and of advocacy that when the rabid fans are that passionate about your mission, they are going to go tell people about it. We don't have to constantly be in this. This push of send another email, put another social post out. Let's hit people over the head with our mission because our Rabbit fans are going to find the people who fit for us and they're going to bring them across the finish line. And I think that's beautiful. And I also want to compliment the fact that you have said multiple times, not everyone is going to be for our community. And I'm here to say not every person in the world is for your community. Whoever you are out there, I can tell you not everybody is for we are for good. And not spending time trying to be all things to all people is going to help you find your right people. So love the story, Courtney. I love what you have built. You know, we celebrate story and narrative around here. And I wonder if there's a story with your time with culinary care, an interaction with someone that was so profound that it stayed with you. Is there a story you'd like to lift today?

[Courtney Johnson]

I usually share a patient story, but I think for this case I'm going to go with one that I just. We just celebrated her at our gala and invited her to be a guest speaker. She is someone. Her name's sj and she found out about culinary care. I mean, talk about community building. Found out about culinary care from her Lyft driver. She was in a lift and obsessed. She is, she's converse, she's outgoing and conversational and somehow started talking to this Lyft driver about, well, what do you do? And she, the Lyft driver part time, worked at one of the restaurants that we partner with. So we don't prep any of our meals. It's completely handled by local restaurants. Just ensures food safety precautions, all the good things, and make sure that our patients really are going to enjoy the best meal possible. And her Lyft driver happened to work at a restaurant we partner with and was talking about how it gives her so much purpose to go to work every day because she knows that they support culinary care. And SJ was like, well, you know, I lost my mom to cancer. And she loved food. And this resonates. And how can I get more involved? I need to learn more about this organization. She is our associate board gala co chair. She has been involved for years and is just. She is. She crushes it in everything she does. She's. I mean, talk about finding your people in your community. You really never know who is going to come from. Come to you and from where. So just as many conversations as you can spark as possible and just keep, you know, whether it's keeping top of mind or just making sure that people feel that sense of purpose and what they do and just have that little nugget to converse with somebody about.

[John]

I'm obsessed with that story.

[Becky]

A Lyft driver. Wow.

[Courtney Johnson]

Her Lyft driver. And you know, you often don't talk to people like it really is like those are the conversations and the moments where you can change somebody's life. And so for her, her life was changed because now she gets to what she calls is she got a sense of the magic and having that purpose and that really is it. You know, just be open and be willing to have those conversations with people because you never know what they might need in their life. And for her, for sj, it was really like, I need a way similar to me. Like, I need a way to turn the pain of losing, you know, her mom into something positive. And food was, you know, a focal point for her family as well. So, yeah, it's one of my favorite.

[John]

So much like alignment, because when you have that kind of partnership, it reverberates this purpose that someone eight steps away from the heart of the. The work gets it and feels connected and feels vital to it. And you're. It's happening, my friend. Like, this is so cool. I'm so obsessed with these stories. You know, we gotta round this out. Courtney, what's a one good thing that you would share? Sometimes people take it a secret to their success or a good habit. But what's lifting for you today that you'd want to share?

[Courtney Johnson]

You know, I think. I think for me, the secret to success is just putting one foot in front of the other and not getting so caught up. Because especially when you're an entrepreneur, it's so easy to read about how they're staying up until 2am and burning the midnight oil and, you know, having to be this way or do this thing or grow so, so fast, so, so quickly. We want to help as many people as we can as quickly as possible, but we can only do that if we also are healthy and happy. And so I feel like I try to put myself in those shoes over the last 11 years when things have gotten stressful. And, you know, I feel like, oh, my gosh, I need to be doing more. I need to be doing it faster. Is I really just try to take a moment and just say, I'm only one person. We're only, you know, 10 people. This is. This is what we need to do right now to make sure that we have a sustainability, sustainable organization. We can't burn out, so we really have to protect ourselves in that. And even though I want to grow faster and I want to do it tomorrow, I also have to just embrace and just be grateful for where we are today and just remind myself, like, tomorrow's another day, and we'll see at some point, this is, you know, it'll. It'll pick up, and you really just kind of have to keep going. And, you know, there's certainly what we call the doldrums of, you know, where it feels like everything you're doing has no traction, and you're just like, what am I doing this for? And then one day the donations come in, and things start working. And all of that hard work you did in the very early days were the building blocks for what you are doing now and what you're doing tomorrow. And so it really does layer on. So just don't get. Don't get caught up in feeling like the movements that you're making aren't doing anything. If you're not getting those immediate results, Just keep going. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. It'll. It'll come full circle, I promise.

[Becky]

Courtney, you are, like the modern nonprofit founder of my dreams. Like, I just think your perspective, your approach is so human. It's so evolved. I. I just want only good things for you and for this company and this incredible mission. And so tell people how they can connect with you, how they can connect with culinary care, and then tell us what your greatest need is in the holidays.

[Courtney Johnson]

Yeah, I think greatest need right now is monthly giving, which I'm sure every nonprofit person is like, yes.

[Becky]

Please.

[Courtney Johnson]

From a. From an advocacy standpoint, I always say, if it's not for culinary care, just give monthly to the causes you care about. Just give monthly. So I definitely try to advocate for. For all of us out there on that front. But you can reach us. You know, culinarycare.org is the best place for all things. Even if you know someone that's going through treatment, if they're in Chicago or Dallas. They can get more information about how to get into our program through our website. And you know all donations happen there as well. And if you want to contact me directly it's just courtneyulinarycare.org I am happy to answer any questions or be a resource because we would not be. I would not be in these shoes and Culinary Care would not be where we're at today if it weren't for a lot of people giving advice and helping me along the way. So always happy to help.

[John]

Oh my gosh. I mean every part of this conversation just validates like this is the way. This is how you build in community. This is how you're generative and playing the long game, my friend. We found a value aligned, not only organization but human in this work. So grateful for this time together. It's been amazing.

[Becky]

Yes, thank you so much. And I mean this was such sincerity that I didn't know your father, but I can imagine how proud he would be of you and the legacy of Barry that you're setting for your son. Joshua is such a beautiful thing and for so many families. Keep going. We are absolutely rooting for you.

[Courtney Johnson]

Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

[John]

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[Becky]

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[John]

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[Becky]

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[John]

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[Courtney Johnson]

Sent.