The Gwinnett Cares Podcast

In this special episode of the Gwinnett Cares Podcast, host Joel Beck speaks with Randy Redner from the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia.  Randy shares how the foundation Is helping spearhead a community response to the COVID19 pandemic here In Gwinnett County, working with numerous organizations In our community to help ensure essential needs are met for those Impacted by the COVID19 situation.  He also shares how people...

In this episode, host Joel Beck Interviews Carol Love, the Executive Director of Family Promise of Gwinnett County.  Family Promise Is a unique organization that mobilizes the community, and specially some church congregations In the community, to work to end homelessness, one family at a time. The Family Promise program Includes a moving shelter where families In the program reside In churches for a week at a time, using existing ...

In today's episode, host Joel Beck Interviews Bobby Howard from Snellville, about a creative project he undertook this past Christmas season to positively Impact the lives of our neighbors, by collecting food for the Southeast Gwinnett Co-Op.  

Listen in as Bobby, a former Snellville city councilman and small business owner, tells of how he created wood masterpieces from used pallets In his woodshop, and then gave those away to ...

In this episode of the podcast, host Joel Beck discusses how you can "check out" a charity before you consider donating your time, energy, money or some combination of those.  

Sadly, the reality Is that not all charitable organizations manage their resources wisely or utilize most of their resources In furtherance of their stated goal and mission.  But the good news Is that there are some easy, practical steps you can take ...

In this episode, host Joel Beck sits down with Kayce Pearce and Shanna Fogleman from Annandale Village.  Annandale Village, which last year celebrated 50 years of service in our community, has had an immeasurable impact on adults with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries.  Kayce and Shanna explain how Annandale serves its villagers, and how they in turn also serve our community.  They also discuss how individuals ...

In this episode, host Joel Beck Interviews Claire Dees, the Executive Director of the SPECTRUM Autism Support Group.  Much more than a support group, SPECTRUM provides valuable resources, programming and education, among other things, to help support those with autism, as well as their families.  Claire discusses how the group was formed, the wide variety of programming and services offered, and ways that others In the community ca...

Does volunteering extend our life, make us happier or offer any other benefit to us?  Sure, when we volunteer to help serve organizations or other Individuals, we know they are helped, but what good does It do for us?

In this episode to kick off 2020, host Joel Beck shares some findings from studies on the benefits of volunteering.  And he also discusses how we can Identify places to get Involved, or maybe even start our own group t...

Heard of a church that closes the doors one Sunday a month?  That's just one thing that The Nett Church does - taking a Sunday  a month away from meeting at church, to instead be out and about serving the community and helping others.  This kind of out of the box approach was just one reason I wanted to sit down and speak with Rev. Dr. Rodrigo Cruz, the church's senior pastor.

In this episode, Rodrigo talks about this concep...

Recent studies reveal some pretty staggering statistics about the growth of dementia and other memory impairment issues.  A 2016 study reported that the number of persons in Georgia with Alzheimer's was expected to increase by about 46% over the period of 2016 to 2025.  In 2015, caregivers for persons with dementia provided 584 million hours of unpaid care - the price tag for that would exceed $7 Billion.  A 2018 study reported...

Village of Hope Lawrenceville, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, began In 2015.  Though relatively new, Village of Hope has wasted no time making a real Impact In Lawrenceville and serving those In need.  Through a variety of programs, Village of Hope works to help ensure that people are fed and sheltered and basic needs met, as the organization's mission Is, "Restoring HOPE for the homeless and those In need In La...

Very soon we'll be hearing the bells ring and seeing the red kettles of The Salvation Army In front of stores all around Gwinnett County.  Have you ever wondered what happens to those coins or bills you drop In the kettle, and what those funds are used for?  In today's episode, host Joel Beck Interviews Captain Jeremy Mockabee, the Corps Officer and Commanding Officer of The Salvation Army of Gwinnett County.  Jeremy explai...

In this episode, host Joel Beck Interviews Brent Bohanan, the Executive Director for Gwinnett County Habitat for Humanity and learns what Gwinnett Habitat has been doing In 2019 to serve and help others in the community.  Through their homebuilding and ownership programs, Gwinnett Habitat has completed five homes In 2019, and through their "A Brush With Kindness" home preservation and maintenance program, they have served m...

In this first episode of The Gwinnett Cares Podcast, host Joel Beck explains why he wanted to start the podcast, namely, to bring awareness of a lot of good work and good news that Is going on around us In Gwinnett County. And, he puts out the call for people to share what organizations or people they'd like to hear from on future episodes of the podcast.  The first "full" episode of The Gwinnett Cares Podcast will be r...