January 28, 2025 • 32 mins
Amanda Herman began her philanthropic journey at just eight years old, proving that age is no barrier to making a difference. Her inspiring narrative of grassroots activism and relentless volunteerism exemplifies how passion and family support can lead to significant community impact. Through heartwarming stories and personal anecdotes, Amanda illustrates how individuals can enact change without the need for a large platform or resources. Her experiences, from raising funds for global initiatives to her hands-on engagement with New Beginnings - A Home for Mothers, reveal the extraordinary potential within each person to contribute positively to the world around them. This episode invites listeners to embrace volunteerism and community service, encouraging them to take action and inspire change, one small gesture at a time.
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Episode Transcript
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Amanda Herman (00:00):
You can be just somebody that's just talking
about it and that does make adifference, that does help the
situation, that does spreadawareness and that is some way
that you can get involved andmake a difference in something.
But people don't, I guess,think when you're thinking about
getting involved with somethingnew that you haven't really
done before, that doesn'texactly spring to mind.
(00:21):
Because when you look atsomething you're like oh, I
don't know what I can really do.
I mean, what difference can Ireally make?
You're thinking that you haveto be this big, influential
person, but being on that groundlevel really does actually make
a difference.
Paul Snamiska (00:40):
Welcome to the Life Challenges podcast from
Christian Life Resources.
Welcome to the Life Challengespodcast from Christian Life
Resources.
People today face manyopportunities and struggles when
it comes to issues of life anddeath, marriage and family,
health and science.
We're here to bring a freshbiblical perspective to these
issues and more.
Join us now for Life.
Christa Potratz (01:04):
Challenges Well , hello and welcome back.
Challenges Well, hello andwelcome back.
I'm Krista Potratz and I'm herewith Bob Fleischman, and today
we have a special guest with us,amanda Herman.
Bob, I mean, I think I mightlet you introduce Amanda here.
Bob Fleischmann (01:20):
Well, I've been working with CLR since its
beginning in 1983.
And over the years we get allsorts of people contacting us
saying no, we'd like to start acounseling center, we'd like to
start a home for mothers, we'dlike to do this, we'd like to do
that.
Almost no one follows through.
They're great on it but, youknow, the moment it steps kind
of outside of their imaginationof it, they just kind of like
(01:44):
lose interest.
And so I get this inquiry fromthis high school girl saying you
know, I'd like to do something.
And so I just I remember like itwas yesterday.
It was kind of like, okay, yeah, fine, all right, yeah, this is
what we'd like to do.
We'd like to be able to seewhat's going to happen and I
could set up a.
You know, and I was trying tooutline a little bit the
challenges with New Beginningsand challenges with the
(02:06):
counseling center and everything.
And the next thing I know I getan email saying, well, my mom
and I are going to be in thearea and we'd like to get a tour
, and it's kind of the rest ishistory.
We got to know Amanda andAmanda follows through.
She's Amanda and Krista.
The two people follow throughon things and that's kind of how
we met and that was it wasduring well, it was before the
(02:27):
pandemic, because the pandemickind of messed everything up for
us.
But it's been that long.
Amanda Herman (02:35):
Yeah, I think things shut down.
I want to say like two weeksafter I got back from my visit
with you.
Bob Fleischmann (02:42):
It seems like forever ago and it seems like
yesterday.
Amanda Herman (02:44):
I mean originally I got connected with New
Beginnings I want to say in like2016-ish because I had a sewing
business at the time that Istarted, when I was about eight
years old, and I would raisemoney for different nonprofits
by donating a portion of salesto these different organizations
, and so I had helped build achurch in Chernobyl, ukraine,
(03:07):
and then I donated to a schoolby the Guatemala City dump that
called Safe Passage.
And then, in 2016, I starteddonating to New Beginnings and
then in my junior year of highschool I had reached out to Bob
and then, after my visit,obviously COVID hit and about a
(03:30):
year and a half two years laterI wrapped up my associate's
degree and transferred tocollege in Milwaukee, and that
spring semester I startedvolunteering again at New
Beginnings semester.
I started volunteering again atNew Beginnings and for a while
(03:50):
was considering the residentsupervisor position, but because
I had graduated early, I wasn'table to get cleared to live off
of campus, so I wasn't able todo that, but in the fall I was
able to join staff temporarilyas an intern and then in the
spring I couldn't get away fromit.
I came back and did a serviceproject as part of my senior
(04:14):
year final curriculum, to workwith some of the mothers and
teach a cooking class before Ileft to move back home, wow so
it sounds like volunteering orgetting in touch with
organizations that you supportor find interesting has been
something you've been doing awhile.
(04:35):
Oh yeah, For a long time.
It's something I've always beenreally passionate about.
Bob Fleischmann (04:39):
Now, how did that happen?
I've always been curious, youknow, because you've had what I
call sustainable enthusiasm.
I mean even for those of uswho've been at this for a while.
Enthusiasm can sometimes ebband flow, but you seem to be
persistently persistent.
Amanda Herman (05:26):
I mean, I've just been so blessed and I love to
be able to share those blessingswith others, and it's also.
Christa Potratz (05:28):
it's just so wonderful to be able to see how
much of an effect you can haveon somebody else and how you can
see others grow and othersbenefit by just the assistance
you can give and how one smallthing you can do can make such a
difference for somebody else.
So at eight years old yeah, Imean when I hear that and you
know it's here to your momdriving you to go see Bob, and
everything it makes me think,though I mean you must have
really a strong familysupporting you.
Amanda Herman (05:43):
Oh, absolutely.
Christa Potratz (05:44):
Especially like at eight years old.
I mean.
That to me is very indicativeof parents and other role models
in your life too.
Amanda Herman (05:55):
Oh yeah, my parents have always been super
supportive.
They're really amazing.
They've always encouraged me tohelp out those around me.
I mean, my dad's been abaseball coach my whole life and
my mom and my grandparents havealways been really involved
with the church and everything.
So I've definitely beeninfluenced pretty heavily from
(06:17):
them and they've always beenreally supportive of really
anything I've wanted to do inthat aspect of really anything
I've wanted to do in that aspect.
Christa Potratz (06:30):
You know, one of the reasons too we really
wanted to bring you on today toois when we do this podcast here
with Bob and Jeff.
I mean, I'm the young person at40.
And we're pretty transparent onthe podcast.
I don't mind revealing my agehere, but we do realize, too,
just the importance of havingyoung people like yourself that
are interested in life, inhelping out, in volunteering too
(06:55):
, and so we really wanted tobring you on in kind of why
we're doing this episode, justas the voice really of the Gen Z
generation too.
So, yeah and anyway, I don'tknow if you have anything to
kind of speak on that with yourgeneration and just the
(07:16):
different values that you see asa young person too.
Amanda Herman (07:21):
I mean it's very I think it's very broad, and I
mean I'm from a small town andthen I transferred to Milwaukee,
which is obviously a very bigcity to go to school in.
So there's a lot of differentviewpoints that I've been
exposed to.
And I mean I was only inMilwaukee for a short time, so
(07:44):
I've been in a prettyconservative environment.
So I try to see a lot ofdifferent viewpoints.
But I wouldn't say that I couldcompletely speak for my
generation as a whole andeverything.
But I think that my generationis very outspoken and very
decisive in belief systems.
(08:06):
Influence is a very big thing,especially with social media and
everything.
But I would say that oncepeople in my generation have
made a decision on something,they're not likely to really
change their opinion about thatthing, unless there's been some
very serious, I guess,discussion or consideration
taken on those points.
Bob Fleischmann (08:29):
What's the tickler?
What's the thing that got yougoing?
How does that become contagious?
How do we pass it on to othereight-year-olds?
And then going from there.
Amanda Herman (08:39):
I've always cared very deeply about other people
and I guess that's been a verybig driver for me, always, I
would say.
I mean, for example, when I gotstarted with Safe Passage that
was that's at school inGuatemala my Spanish teacher had
showed us a video in ourSpanish class and I don't
(09:00):
remember how old I was at thatpoint, but she had showed us a
video in class of all of thesekids who would run up to the
garbage trucks when they wouldpull into the dump to get to
them first, so they could get orbe able to rifle through
everything to find whatever theycould that was valuable, that
they could sell.
And I broke down in tears in themiddle of class and I came home
(09:22):
and I broke down in tears atthe dinner table telling my
family about that and I justtook it so personally and it
just really tugged at myheartstrings and so I would.
I don't know what exactly itwould be to like catch on for
other people, but it just likethat sort of thing is what it is
for me.
It's just so important to meand I'm so, I guess, sensitive
(09:50):
to the needs of others and Idon't like to see people with
needs not being met, or peoplethat are hurting and in need of
assistance that aren't gettingit.
Bob Fleischmann (10:06):
How about, like classmates?
How did they react to it?
Or did they look at you likeyou were just kind of on the
weird side?
Amanda Herman (10:15):
Honestly, I don't even remember.
I was so zoned in on what washappening on the screen that I
don't.
I mean, I vaguely remember myteacher talking to me, because
she's the one that she had beenconnected with the local chapter
of Safe Passage, and so she, Iwant to say, reached out to my
parents afterwards after I had,because she had noticed me
(10:39):
getting emotional in class aboutit.
So I don't remember anythinghappening around me when we were
watching this video and when Iwas getting emotional about it.
I only remember this videohappening and watching this
whole thing and all thesechildren.
I don't even remember how myclassmates were reacting to it
(10:59):
at the time.
Christa Potratz (11:00):
Yeah Well, it sounds like, know, there's that
piece there of seeing somethingand having it move you and do
think, oh yeah, I mean, thatsounds that's terrible, and then
(11:28):
they don't maybe think about itor internalize it as much to
realize that there's somethingthat they can do and help in
some way.
Bob Fleischmann (11:40):
Thea, how's the fire now?
I mean your.
Your fire was obviously sparkedat eight years old, do you feel
?
Do you feel as passionate aboutdoing stuff, or have has
reality tempered that in any way?
Amanda Herman (11:54):
Amanda, something in the news a few weeks ago
about some legislation thatcould possibly be passing.
I don't even remember whatcountry it was in now Things
just kind of blend together atthis point, but I had seen some
(12:16):
legislation that might bepassing in some country over in
the Middle East that would beabsolutely devastating to.
It had to do with lowering thelegal age for marriage and I was
so upset about it and, likeruined my whole evening, went to
(12:40):
talk to my mom about it and Iwas like, all right, we need to
do something about this.
Right now I don't know whatwe're doing.
Something's got to happen aboutthis.
So no, I would say the fire isstill right there.
I wouldn't say it's goneanywhere.
Bob Fleischmann (12:55):
So if you were placed before a high school
class of students to talk aboutanything you can talk about,
what would you tell them?
Amanda Herman (13:06):
I mean.
One thing that I have a bit ofa hard time with looking around
especially when you know I'm onsocial media and I'm looking in
the comment section of things isI feel like when we're living
in this environment where we'rebehind a screen, our levels of
(13:27):
empathy have just continued todecrease, because when we can
hide behind a screen and we'renot looking at each other face
to face, it's a whole lot easierto say things that we wouldn't
say if we were looking somebodyin the eye.
I guess it hurts my heartsometimes when I see the things
that people are saying to eachother, like online, and then
(13:48):
even when I see some peoplesaying to each other in person,
and so I guess I would just tryand stress, I guess, having
empathy for one another,especially in the world we're
living in today.
Bob Fleischmann (14:02):
The problem that we're going to have this is
my prediction is that, becauseof social media and because of
us building this ever-enforcingwall between us and actually
doing reality, that more andmore people aren't going to know
what to do, and I would thinkpeople are going to be listening
to this podcast and say, ohthen, Amanda, what a nice girl,
(14:24):
she's really out there.
Wow, that's really great andeverything, but they wouldn't
have the foggiest idea.
In other words, all they'regoing to form is an opinion.
How do you translate that fromjust an opinion to action?
Even the thing you're talkingabout, the lowering of the
marriage age?
I actually have that statisticthat you're talking about
(14:45):
dropping down to the age of nineyears old.
I thought I read yes to the ageof nine years old.
I thought I read yes, yep,that's it the nine-year-old
girls who are now eligible tomarry grown men in Iraq.
That's what you're talkingabout nine years old.
Okay, so you, a citizen of theUnited States, you see this.
It upsets you, it makes youconcerned.
(15:11):
So I'm sitting in a class,you're sharing that information.
What are you going to tell meto do about it?
I know that's a hard question.
Amanda Herman (15:19):
That is a hard question, you know.
I think sometimes the answer iseasy and sometimes it's a lot
more difficult, because I meanthere are things like New
Beginnings and Safe Passage,where we have these
organizations that are alreadyexisting, where we can get
involved and donate our time,donate funds, this, that and the
(15:43):
other thing to be able to getinvolved and volunteer and make
a difference.
And then we have a situationlike this where it's bothersome
and it's upsetting, but there'snot really an easy answer on
what we can do to fix it,because, I mean, we're not
(16:04):
diplomats, we're not ingovernment.
It's not like we can just marchover there into their form of
government and be like, hey,absolutely not, you can't do
this.
For a situation like this, Imean, there's not really an easy
answer on how we can fix it,and I think that's what makes
(16:26):
that situation even harder, bothto accept that it's happening
and also to, I guess, try andcome up with a solution for it
as well.
Christa Potratz (16:39):
And I think too I mean, you know, when I hear
something like that too onething that I think people can do
is just talk about it and raiseawareness too, because I mean,
how you said, like you saw thenews and it was on there, I mean
a lot of people too maybearen't watching the news or
(17:01):
don't know that that's on thereor being said or, you know,
unless it comes through in aTikTok or something, they may
not even really know that that'sthere.
And so sometimes I mean I thinkit can be as small as just
talking about it.
Raising awareness is maybewhere something starts too.
Amanda Herman (17:25):
I mean, I think everybody, when they're looking
at something and I think this isthe part that can be really
intimidating for people gettingstarted is that they look at a
situation and they expect thatthey have to solve the problem
on their own and they expectthat this they have to be like.
They think that they have to besomebody that's, I guess, like
(17:45):
they're quote unquote important,like they have to be famous,
they have to be in government,they have to be this big,
influential person.
They don't see like that youcan be just somebody that's just
talking about it and that doesmake a difference.
That does help the situation,that does spread awareness and
that is some way that you canget involved and make a
(18:07):
difference in something.
But people don't, I guess,think when you're thinking about
getting involved with somethingnew that you haven't really
done before, that doesn'texactly spring to mind.
Because when you look atsomething you're like, oh, I
don't know what I can really do.
I mean, what difference can Ireally make?
You're thinking that you knowyou have to be this big,
(18:28):
influential person.
But being on that ground levelreally does actually make a
difference.
Christa Potratz (18:33):
Yeah Well, and I mean, I think too you know so,
even just taking something likeNew Beginnings too, when you
started volunteering there, wasthere something that struck you
or a reason why you startedthere.
And then, from that, what didyou actually do there?
Amanda Herman (18:56):
Yeah.
So I mean, I've always lovedkids, I've always been really
passionate about kids and it'svery upsetting to me when you
see all of those statistics ofhow many kids we lose every year
to abortion, and I just wantedto participate in something that
(19:17):
was providing a solution andactually be working towards
supporting people and givingthem and helping them to be able
to raise their child and workthrough that and offer that
support system to them when theychoose to give their child life
, as opposed to going throughwith an abortion and moving on
(19:41):
that way.
Raise money for them, obviously.
But when I started volunteeringthere, it was just as simple as
organizing stuff in the babypantry and helping moms in the
community shop for diapers andclothes and whatever they needed
(20:01):
.
And then when I startedinterning there, it was
initially the Change for Lifeprogram.
So a couple days a week I wouldbe on the phone making calls to
different churches for theChange for Life program and then
I still would, every once in awhile, be able to go down to the
baby pantry and help mom shop.
(20:24):
And I got to play with the kidssometimes to keep them occupied
while their moms are shopping,and it was so wonderful because
these kids are so happy and it'sso nice to just see the joy on
their faces, and their moms too,to be able to just see what a
difference this is making forthem and working at New
(20:45):
Beginnings and working with themoms in the program and
supporting them as they'rehitting their milestones and
seeing, like all theseaccomplishments that they're
reaching to really make that newbeginning and to see them
successfully raising their childand making a life for
(21:06):
themselves and getting aneducation and supporting
themselves.
It's just something reallyincredible to be a part of.
Bob Fleischmann (21:14):
I think part of the reason where I've always
been fascinating with Amanda andthe whole issue of getting
active when you're young issometimes it involves a kind of
a recalibration of expectations,going back to the
nine-year-olds, getting married.
And sometimes you're right.
You know you're not apolitician, you're not a
(21:37):
policymaker, it isn't like youknow you can work with the
Secretary of State's office andso forth.
But you know, so often, youknow, I remember when we got CLR
going and I was called as thefirst and so far only National
Director, as the first and sofar only national director,
there were pastors you know,peers of mine who would call me
and say don't go, it's not goingto come to anything.
(21:57):
And a lot of times I found thatpeople you would think would be
on your team were the ones whowere kind of calibrating you
down to their level.
Just because they can'tenvision it going somewhere
doesn't mean it can't.
If I've learned anything afterall of this time, and that is
that in the end we're reallytalking about what you can do.
Like for Amanda when she said,yeah, sometimes it was making
(22:18):
phone calls to the churches onChange for Life, but sometimes,
quite honestly, she just wentdown and played with the
children?
Why?
Because she could do that.
Maybe at that moment in herlife she couldn't start a home
for mothers.
Maybe at that moment in herlife she could not take a family
under her roof.
In other words, there's agazillion things you can't do at
that moment in your life, butthere's always something you can
(22:41):
do.
And maybe the thing you can dois you make it known that
nine-year-olds can get marriedin Iraq, and there's something
wrong with that.
Maybe the thing you can do isplay with a child in a pantry
area.
You've got to be so mindedtowards others ahead of yourself
that it actually forces you tothink about it more.
So what are you doing now?
Amanda Herman (23:14):
Right now.
I've moved back home andthere's a food pantry near here
where I was a pretty regularvolunteer Right now.
I haven't been in a whilebecause of my work schedule
they're only open on Mondaysduring the workday so it's been
a while since I've been back.
But one thing I love about myjob is I get to work.
Part of what I do is I am makingI guessabilia and I get to
design these things for peopleand then ship them out to them
(23:36):
and you get to see these thingscome back and how happy it's
making everyone and what a bigdeal it is to them.
And one thing I made was amemorial for somebody's, I want
to say it was their grandmother,who had passed away and they
came back and wrote a review forthe business where I work and
(23:58):
they wrote this huge longparagraph about how wonderful
their experience was workingwith us and what a big deal it
meant to them and how much carewe took and how personable we
were working with them and howthey felt like we really cared.
And so that's just somethingwhere I mean I'm not working at
(24:20):
a nonprofit right now, but Istill feel like people are
really.
I still feel like people reallyvalue what I'm doing and I'm
still making people happy, eventhough I'm not actively able to
work at a nonprofit full time atthe moment.
Bob Fleischmann (24:36):
So if somebody in high school wrote you an
email and said Amanda, you knowI identify with your heart, I
feel for the plates of others,and so forth, what should I do?
Tell me what I should do.
What would you say?
Amanda Herman (25:19):
Lutheran boarding school downstate, and so before
I left, I had started thisproject where every Valentine's
Day I cut out a heart and wrotean individualized quote on it
for every single person in themiddle school, including all the
staff members, and then Ididn't end up transferring, so I
continued that on to the entiresecondary, so middle school,
high school, all of that, all ofthose staff members.
(25:40):
And then the year after I left,I had a student reach out to me
and ask if they could keepdoing it, and so then they sent
me a photo of what they had donethe year after, and it was.
I honestly, I cried, I'll behonest, but it was so beautiful,
I honestly, I cried, I'll behonest, but it was so beautiful.
And it's just something that'sso simple, like that where it
(26:01):
doesn't seem like activelymaking a difference in the
community, but it's still justthis, this nice beautiful thing
that you can do for somebodyelse.
And so I would say I mean youcan get involved.
If there's a cause that you'repassionate about, find a way to
get involved with it.
Find if there's an organizationnearby, like, get involved with
(26:22):
that organization.
But if there's not, like, ifthere's not an organization you
can get involved with.
Just find like a nice littleway that you can like make it a
I guess I would say make it agoal to make I don't know five
people smile that day or giveyou know five people a
compliment that day.
(26:43):
Start small and then work yourway up to something bigger.
Christa Potratz (26:47):
Yeah, I mean, I think one of the things you
know that you're really touchingon too is just this personal
connection.
I mean, whether it's makingfive people smile or doing
something little or playing withchildren when you're
volunteering our society cravesthat really nowadays too.
(27:09):
With that personal connection,I mean, we're connected with
everybody and no one at the sametime.
With social media and differentthings, and when you really
reach out to somebody, what I'venoticed too, is people love it
first of all.
They really do want thatpersonal connection, but you
also get something in return forthat too, and it's more than
(27:33):
just like a warm feeling of likedoing something nice or someone
.
It is, I mean, sometimes too,like the people or organizations
or things where I've reachedout.
It's come back to me to bealmost, you know, as beneficial,
if not more, in my own life too, and so I just see that a lot
(27:55):
in the things that you're sayingtoo.
Amanda Herman (27:57):
Absolutely.
And I would say like I mean,donating is great and if you can
donate, that's fantastic,because that does make a great
difference.
But if you're in a place whereyou can't do that, I saw this
quote in part of the projectthat I did.
I don't remember who said it,but I saw a quote that said that
the best gift you can ever givesomeone is your time, because
(28:18):
it's something you can never getback.
And so I would say that ifyou're not in a place where you
can donate some, or if you candonate funds or anything like
that, donate your time,volunteer somewhere, because
that does make a big differenceand that is something your time
is not something you can getback and people will really
appreciate any time you can giveto volunteer somewhere and it
(28:40):
will make a difference.
Christa Potratz (28:42):
I guess just closing too, maybe just to know
what the role of being aChristian has played in your
decisions and doing things, orjust you know, maybe, if there's
a favorite Bible passage orsomething that really sticks
with you in the line of wantingto volunteer.
Amanda Herman (29:01):
I mean, like I said, I've just been so, so
blessed and like, just looking,I'm growing up in the church and
all of these verses, you lookat all of these things.
Is you look at all of thesethings like we were always, I
guess, kind of taught to try andlive like Jesus lived and to
(29:24):
walk with the Lord?
And when you look at all ofthese things that Jesus did and
everything he would, you know,walk and talk and sit and eat
with all of these people thatsociety had kind of shunned and
he would spend time with all ofthese people that nobody else
(29:46):
really cared about and thatnobody else really thought to
spend time with or thought toreach out to and assist.
And so I think that just reallyplays a big part in, I guess,
kind of influencing me is alwaysto reach out to those people
(30:08):
that aren't being reached out to, that need that assistance, and
to share those blessings thatthe Lord has given me with
others.
Christa Potratz (30:19):
Well, thank you so much for joining us, amanda,
and you have very much inspiredus here, and we just wish you
the best on all of your futureendeavors as well.
Well, thank you very much.
Bob Fleischmann (30:33):
I'm certain our paths will continue to cross.
Christa Potratz (30:36):
Absolutely, and we thank all of our listeners
for joining us and we'll see youback next time.
Paul Snamiska (30:46):
Thanks a lot.
Bye.
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(31:08):
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(31:29):
ChristianLifeResourcescom.
May God give you wisdom, love,strength and peace in Christ for
every life challenge.
You can be just somebody that's just talking
about it and that does make adifference, that does help the
situation, that does spreadawareness and that is some way
that you can get involved andmake a difference in something.
But people don't, I guess,think when you're thinking about
getting involved with somethingnew that you haven't really
done before, that doesn'texactly spring to mind.
(00:21):
Because when you look atsomething you're like oh, I
don't know what I can really do.
I mean, what difference can Ireally make?
You're thinking that you haveto be this big, influential
person, but being on that groundlevel really does actually make
a difference.
Paul Snamiska (00:40):
Welcome to the Life Challenges podcast from
Christian Life Resources.
Welcome to the Life Challengespodcast from Christian Life
Resources.
People today face manyopportunities and struggles when
it comes to issues of life anddeath, marriage and family,
health and science.
We're here to bring a freshbiblical perspective to these
issues and more.
Join us now for Life.
Christa Potratz (01:04):
Challenges Well , hello and welcome back.
Challenges Well, hello andwelcome back.
I'm Krista Potratz and I'm herewith Bob Fleischman, and today
we have a special guest with us,amanda Herman.
Bob, I mean, I think I mightlet you introduce Amanda here.
Bob Fleischmann (01:20):
Well, I've been working with CLR since its
beginning in 1983.
And over the years we get allsorts of people contacting us
saying no, we'd like to start acounseling center, we'd like to
start a home for mothers, we'dlike to do this, we'd like to do
that.
Almost no one follows through.
They're great on it but, youknow, the moment it steps kind
of outside of their imaginationof it, they just kind of like
(01:44):
lose interest.
And so I get this inquiry fromthis high school girl saying you
know, I'd like to do something.
And so I just I remember like itwas yesterday.
It was kind of like, okay, yeah, fine, all right, yeah, this is
what we'd like to do.
We'd like to be able to seewhat's going to happen and I
could set up a.
You know, and I was trying tooutline a little bit the
challenges with New Beginningsand challenges with the
(02:06):
counseling center and everything.
And the next thing I know I getan email saying, well, my mom
and I are going to be in thearea and we'd like to get a tour
, and it's kind of the rest ishistory.
We got to know Amanda andAmanda follows through.
She's Amanda and Krista.
The two people follow throughon things and that's kind of how
we met and that was it wasduring well, it was before the
(02:27):
pandemic, because the pandemickind of messed everything up for
us.
But it's been that long.
Amanda Herman (02:35):
Yeah, I think things shut down.
I want to say like two weeksafter I got back from my visit
with you.
Bob Fleischmann (02:42):
It seems like forever ago and it seems like
yesterday.
Amanda Herman (02:44):
I mean originally I got connected with New
Beginnings I want to say in like2016-ish because I had a sewing
business at the time that Istarted, when I was about eight
years old, and I would raisemoney for different nonprofits
by donating a portion of salesto these different organizations
, and so I had helped build achurch in Chernobyl, ukraine,
(03:07):
and then I donated to a schoolby the Guatemala City dump that
called Safe Passage.
And then, in 2016, I starteddonating to New Beginnings and
then in my junior year of highschool I had reached out to Bob
and then, after my visit,obviously COVID hit and about a
(03:30):
year and a half two years laterI wrapped up my associate's
degree and transferred tocollege in Milwaukee, and that
spring semester I startedvolunteering again at New
Beginnings semester.
I started volunteering again atNew Beginnings and for a while
(03:50):
was considering the residentsupervisor position, but because
I had graduated early, I wasn'table to get cleared to live off
of campus, so I wasn't able todo that, but in the fall I was
able to join staff temporarilyas an intern and then in the
spring I couldn't get away fromit.
I came back and did a serviceproject as part of my senior
(04:14):
year final curriculum, to workwith some of the mothers and
teach a cooking class before Ileft to move back home, wow so
it sounds like volunteering orgetting in touch with
organizations that you supportor find interesting has been
something you've been doing awhile.
(04:35):
Oh yeah, For a long time.
It's something I've always beenreally passionate about.
Bob Fleischmann (04:39):
Now, how did that happen?
I've always been curious, youknow, because you've had what I
call sustainable enthusiasm.
I mean even for those of uswho've been at this for a while.
Enthusiasm can sometimes ebband flow, but you seem to be
persistently persistent.
Amanda Herman (05:26):
I mean, I've just been so blessed and I love to
be able to share those blessingswith others, and it's also.
Christa Potratz (05:28):
it's just so wonderful to be able to see how
much of an effect you can haveon somebody else and how you can
see others grow and othersbenefit by just the assistance
you can give and how one smallthing you can do can make such a
difference for somebody else.
So at eight years old yeah, Imean when I hear that and you
know it's here to your momdriving you to go see Bob, and
everything it makes me think,though I mean you must have
really a strong familysupporting you.
Amanda Herman (05:43):
Oh, absolutely.
Christa Potratz (05:44):
Especially like at eight years old.
I mean.
That to me is very indicativeof parents and other role models
in your life too.
Amanda Herman (05:55):
Oh yeah, my parents have always been super
supportive.
They're really amazing.
They've always encouraged me tohelp out those around me.
I mean, my dad's been abaseball coach my whole life and
my mom and my grandparents havealways been really involved
with the church and everything.
So I've definitely beeninfluenced pretty heavily from
(06:17):
them and they've always beenreally supportive of really
anything I've wanted to do inthat aspect of really anything
I've wanted to do in that aspect.
Christa Potratz (06:30):
You know, one of the reasons too we really
wanted to bring you on today toois when we do this podcast here
with Bob and Jeff.
I mean, I'm the young person at40.
And we're pretty transparent onthe podcast.
I don't mind revealing my agehere, but we do realize, too,
just the importance of havingyoung people like yourself that
are interested in life, inhelping out, in volunteering too
(06:55):
, and so we really wanted tobring you on in kind of why
we're doing this episode, justas the voice really of the Gen Z
generation too.
So, yeah and anyway, I don'tknow if you have anything to
kind of speak on that with yourgeneration and just the
(07:16):
different values that you see asa young person too.
Amanda Herman (07:21):
I mean it's very I think it's very broad, and I
mean I'm from a small town andthen I transferred to Milwaukee,
which is obviously a very bigcity to go to school in.
So there's a lot of differentviewpoints that I've been
exposed to.
And I mean I was only inMilwaukee for a short time, so
(07:44):
I've been in a prettyconservative environment.
So I try to see a lot ofdifferent viewpoints.
But I wouldn't say that I couldcompletely speak for my
generation as a whole andeverything.
But I think that my generationis very outspoken and very
decisive in belief systems.
(08:06):
Influence is a very big thing,especially with social media and
everything.
But I would say that oncepeople in my generation have
made a decision on something,they're not likely to really
change their opinion about thatthing, unless there's been some
very serious, I guess,discussion or consideration
taken on those points.
Bob Fleischmann (08:29):
What's the tickler?
What's the thing that got yougoing?
How does that become contagious?
How do we pass it on to othereight-year-olds?
And then going from there.
Amanda Herman (08:39):
I've always cared very deeply about other people
and I guess that's been a verybig driver for me, always, I
would say.
I mean, for example, when I gotstarted with Safe Passage that
was that's at school inGuatemala my Spanish teacher had
showed us a video in ourSpanish class and I don't
(09:00):
remember how old I was at thatpoint, but she had showed us a
video in class of all of thesekids who would run up to the
garbage trucks when they wouldpull into the dump to get to
them first, so they could get orbe able to rifle through
everything to find whatever theycould that was valuable, that
they could sell.
And I broke down in tears in themiddle of class and I came home
(09:22):
and I broke down in tears atthe dinner table telling my
family about that and I justtook it so personally and it
just really tugged at myheartstrings and so I would.
I don't know what exactly itwould be to like catch on for
other people, but it just likethat sort of thing is what it is
for me.
It's just so important to meand I'm so, I guess, sensitive
(09:50):
to the needs of others and Idon't like to see people with
needs not being met, or peoplethat are hurting and in need of
assistance that aren't gettingit.
Bob Fleischmann (10:06):
How about, like classmates?
How did they react to it?
Or did they look at you likeyou were just kind of on the
weird side?
Amanda Herman (10:15):
Honestly, I don't even remember.
I was so zoned in on what washappening on the screen that I
don't.
I mean, I vaguely remember myteacher talking to me, because
she's the one that she had beenconnected with the local chapter
of Safe Passage, and so she, Iwant to say, reached out to my
parents afterwards after I had,because she had noticed me
(10:39):
getting emotional in class aboutit.
So I don't remember anythinghappening around me when we were
watching this video and when Iwas getting emotional about it.
I only remember this videohappening and watching this
whole thing and all thesechildren.
I don't even remember how myclassmates were reacting to it
(10:59):
at the time.
Christa Potratz (11:00):
Yeah Well, it sounds like, know, there's that
piece there of seeing somethingand having it move you and do
think, oh yeah, I mean, thatsounds that's terrible, and then
(11:28):
they don't maybe think about itor internalize it as much to
realize that there's somethingthat they can do and help in
some way.
Bob Fleischmann (11:40):
Thea, how's the fire now?
I mean your.
Your fire was obviously sparkedat eight years old, do you feel
?
Do you feel as passionate aboutdoing stuff, or have has
reality tempered that in any way?
Amanda Herman (11:54):
Amanda, something in the news a few weeks ago
about some legislation thatcould possibly be passing.
I don't even remember whatcountry it was in now Things
just kind of blend together atthis point, but I had seen some
(12:16):
legislation that might bepassing in some country over in
the Middle East that would beabsolutely devastating to.
It had to do with lowering thelegal age for marriage and I was
so upset about it and, likeruined my whole evening, went to
(12:40):
talk to my mom about it and Iwas like, all right, we need to
do something about this.
Right now I don't know whatwe're doing.
Something's got to happen aboutthis.
So no, I would say the fire isstill right there.
I wouldn't say it's goneanywhere.
Bob Fleischmann (12:55):
So if you were placed before a high school
class of students to talk aboutanything you can talk about,
what would you tell them?
Amanda Herman (13:06):
I mean.
One thing that I have a bit ofa hard time with looking around
especially when you know I'm onsocial media and I'm looking in
the comment section of things isI feel like when we're living
in this environment where we'rebehind a screen, our levels of
(13:27):
empathy have just continued todecrease, because when we can
hide behind a screen and we'renot looking at each other face
to face, it's a whole lot easierto say things that we wouldn't
say if we were looking somebodyin the eye.
I guess it hurts my heartsometimes when I see the things
that people are saying to eachother, like online, and then
(13:48):
even when I see some peoplesaying to each other in person,
and so I guess I would just tryand stress, I guess, having
empathy for one another,especially in the world we're
living in today.
Bob Fleischmann (14:02):
The problem that we're going to have this is
my prediction is that, becauseof social media and because of
us building this ever-enforcingwall between us and actually
doing reality, that more andmore people aren't going to know
what to do, and I would thinkpeople are going to be listening
to this podcast and say, ohthen, Amanda, what a nice girl,
(14:24):
she's really out there.
Wow, that's really great andeverything, but they wouldn't
have the foggiest idea.
In other words, all they'regoing to form is an opinion.
How do you translate that fromjust an opinion to action?
Even the thing you're talkingabout, the lowering of the
marriage age?
I actually have that statisticthat you're talking about
(14:45):
dropping down to the age of nineyears old.
I thought I read yes to the ageof nine years old.
I thought I read yes, yep,that's it the nine-year-old
girls who are now eligible tomarry grown men in Iraq.
That's what you're talkingabout nine years old.
Okay, so you, a citizen of theUnited States, you see this.
It upsets you, it makes youconcerned.
(15:11):
So I'm sitting in a class,you're sharing that information.
What are you going to tell meto do about it?
I know that's a hard question.
Amanda Herman (15:19):
That is a hard question, you know.
I think sometimes the answer iseasy and sometimes it's a lot
more difficult, because I meanthere are things like New
Beginnings and Safe Passage,where we have these
organizations that are alreadyexisting, where we can get
involved and donate our time,donate funds, this, that and the
(15:43):
other thing to be able to getinvolved and volunteer and make
a difference.
And then we have a situationlike this where it's bothersome
and it's upsetting, but there'snot really an easy answer on
what we can do to fix it,because, I mean, we're not
(16:04):
diplomats, we're not ingovernment.
It's not like we can just marchover there into their form of
government and be like, hey,absolutely not, you can't do
this.
For a situation like this, Imean, there's not really an easy
answer on how we can fix it,and I think that's what makes
(16:26):
that situation even harder, bothto accept that it's happening
and also to, I guess, try andcome up with a solution for it
as well.
Christa Potratz (16:39):
And I think too I mean, you know, when I hear
something like that too onething that I think people can do
is just talk about it and raiseawareness too, because I mean,
how you said, like you saw thenews and it was on there, I mean
a lot of people too maybearen't watching the news or
(17:01):
don't know that that's on thereor being said or, you know,
unless it comes through in aTikTok or something, they may
not even really know that that'sthere.
And so sometimes I mean I thinkit can be as small as just
talking about it.
Raising awareness is maybewhere something starts too.
Amanda Herman (17:25):
I mean, I think everybody, when they're looking
at something and I think this isthe part that can be really
intimidating for people gettingstarted is that they look at a
situation and they expect thatthey have to solve the problem
on their own and they expectthat this they have to be like.
They think that they have to besomebody that's, I guess, like
(17:45):
they're quote unquote important,like they have to be famous,
they have to be in government,they have to be this big,
influential person.
They don't see like that youcan be just somebody that's just
talking about it and that doesmake a difference.
That does help the situation,that does spread awareness and
that is some way that you canget involved and make a
(18:07):
difference in something.
But people don't, I guess,think when you're thinking about
getting involved with somethingnew that you haven't really
done before, that doesn'texactly spring to mind.
Because when you look atsomething you're like, oh, I
don't know what I can really do.
I mean, what difference can Ireally make?
You're thinking that you knowyou have to be this big,
(18:28):
influential person.
But being on that ground levelreally does actually make a
difference.
Christa Potratz (18:33):
Yeah Well, and I mean, I think too you know so,
even just taking something likeNew Beginnings too, when you
started volunteering there, wasthere something that struck you
or a reason why you startedthere.
And then, from that, what didyou actually do there?
Amanda Herman (18:56):
Yeah.
So I mean, I've always lovedkids, I've always been really
passionate about kids and it'svery upsetting to me when you
see all of those statistics ofhow many kids we lose every year
to abortion, and I just wantedto participate in something that
(19:17):
was providing a solution andactually be working towards
supporting people and givingthem and helping them to be able
to raise their child and workthrough that and offer that
support system to them when theychoose to give their child life
, as opposed to going throughwith an abortion and moving on
(19:41):
that way.
Raise money for them, obviously.
But when I started volunteeringthere, it was just as simple as
organizing stuff in the babypantry and helping moms in the
community shop for diapers andclothes and whatever they needed
(20:01):
.
And then when I startedinterning there, it was
initially the Change for Lifeprogram.
So a couple days a week I wouldbe on the phone making calls to
different churches for theChange for Life program and then
I still would, every once in awhile, be able to go down to the
baby pantry and help mom shop.
(20:24):
And I got to play with the kidssometimes to keep them occupied
while their moms are shopping,and it was so wonderful because
these kids are so happy and it'sso nice to just see the joy on
their faces, and their moms too,to be able to just see what a
difference this is making forthem and working at New
(20:45):
Beginnings and working with themoms in the program and
supporting them as they'rehitting their milestones and
seeing, like all theseaccomplishments that they're
reaching to really make that newbeginning and to see them
successfully raising their childand making a life for
(21:06):
themselves and getting aneducation and supporting
themselves.
It's just something reallyincredible to be a part of.
Bob Fleischmann (21:14):
I think part of the reason where I've always
been fascinating with Amanda andthe whole issue of getting
active when you're young issometimes it involves a kind of
a recalibration of expectations,going back to the
nine-year-olds, getting married.
And sometimes you're right.
You know you're not apolitician, you're not a
(21:37):
policymaker, it isn't like youknow you can work with the
Secretary of State's office andso forth.
But you know, so often, youknow, I remember when we got CLR
going and I was called as thefirst and so far only National
Director, as the first and sofar only national director,
there were pastors you know,peers of mine who would call me
and say don't go, it's not goingto come to anything.
(21:57):
And a lot of times I found thatpeople you would think would be
on your team were the ones whowere kind of calibrating you
down to their level.
Just because they can'tenvision it going somewhere
doesn't mean it can't.
If I've learned anything afterall of this time, and that is
that in the end we're reallytalking about what you can do.
Like for Amanda when she said,yeah, sometimes it was making
(22:18):
phone calls to the churches onChange for Life, but sometimes,
quite honestly, she just wentdown and played with the
children?
Why?
Because she could do that.
Maybe at that moment in herlife she couldn't start a home
for mothers.
Maybe at that moment in herlife she could not take a family
under her roof.
In other words, there's agazillion things you can't do at
that moment in your life, butthere's always something you can
(22:41):
do.
And maybe the thing you can dois you make it known that
nine-year-olds can get marriedin Iraq, and there's something
wrong with that.
Maybe the thing you can do isplay with a child in a pantry
area.
You've got to be so mindedtowards others ahead of yourself
that it actually forces you tothink about it more.
So what are you doing now?
Amanda Herman (23:14):
Right now.
I've moved back home andthere's a food pantry near here
where I was a pretty regularvolunteer Right now.
I haven't been in a whilebecause of my work schedule
they're only open on Mondaysduring the workday so it's been
a while since I've been back.
But one thing I love about myjob is I get to work.
Part of what I do is I am makingI guessabilia and I get to
design these things for peopleand then ship them out to them
(23:36):
and you get to see these thingscome back and how happy it's
making everyone and what a bigdeal it is to them.
And one thing I made was amemorial for somebody's, I want
to say it was their grandmother,who had passed away and they
came back and wrote a review forthe business where I work and
(23:58):
they wrote this huge longparagraph about how wonderful
their experience was workingwith us and what a big deal it
meant to them and how much carewe took and how personable we
were working with them and howthey felt like we really cared.
And so that's just somethingwhere I mean I'm not working at
(24:20):
a nonprofit right now, but Istill feel like people are
really.
I still feel like people reallyvalue what I'm doing and I'm
still making people happy, eventhough I'm not actively able to
work at a nonprofit full time atthe moment.
Bob Fleischmann (24:36):
So if somebody in high school wrote you an
email and said Amanda, you knowI identify with your heart, I
feel for the plates of others,and so forth, what should I do?
Tell me what I should do.
What would you say?
Amanda Herman (25:19):
Lutheran boarding school downstate, and so before
I left, I had started thisproject where every Valentine's
Day I cut out a heart and wrotean individualized quote on it
for every single person in themiddle school, including all the
staff members, and then Ididn't end up transferring, so I
continued that on to the entiresecondary, so middle school,
high school, all of that, all ofthose staff members.
(25:40):
And then the year after I left,I had a student reach out to me
and ask if they could keepdoing it, and so then they sent
me a photo of what they had donethe year after, and it was.
I honestly, I cried, I'll behonest, but it was so beautiful,
I honestly, I cried, I'll behonest, but it was so beautiful.
And it's just something that'sso simple, like that where it
(26:01):
doesn't seem like activelymaking a difference in the
community, but it's still justthis, this nice beautiful thing
that you can do for somebodyelse.
And so I would say I mean youcan get involved.
If there's a cause that you'repassionate about, find a way to
get involved with it.
Find if there's an organizationnearby, like, get involved with
(26:22):
that organization.
But if there's not, like, ifthere's not an organization you
can get involved with.
Just find like a nice littleway that you can like make it a
I guess I would say make it agoal to make I don't know five
people smile that day or giveyou know five people a
compliment that day.
(26:43):
Start small and then work yourway up to something bigger.
Christa Potratz (26:47):
Yeah, I mean, I think one of the things you
know that you're really touchingon too is just this personal
connection.
I mean, whether it's makingfive people smile or doing
something little or playing withchildren when you're
volunteering our society cravesthat really nowadays too.
(27:09):
With that personal connection,I mean, we're connected with
everybody and no one at the sametime.
With social media and differentthings, and when you really
reach out to somebody, what I'venoticed too, is people love it
first of all.
They really do want thatpersonal connection, but you
also get something in return forthat too, and it's more than
(27:33):
just like a warm feeling of likedoing something nice or someone
.
It is, I mean, sometimes too,like the people or organizations
or things where I've reachedout.
It's come back to me to bealmost, you know, as beneficial,
if not more, in my own life too, and so I just see that a lot
(27:55):
in the things that you're sayingtoo.
Amanda Herman (27:57):
Absolutely.
And I would say like I mean,donating is great and if you can
donate, that's fantastic,because that does make a great
difference.
But if you're in a place whereyou can't do that, I saw this
quote in part of the projectthat I did.
I don't remember who said it,but I saw a quote that said that
the best gift you can ever givesomeone is your time, because
(28:18):
it's something you can never getback.
And so I would say that ifyou're not in a place where you
can donate some, or if you candonate funds or anything like
that, donate your time,volunteer somewhere, because
that does make a big differenceand that is something your time
is not something you can getback and people will really
appreciate any time you can giveto volunteer somewhere and it
(28:40):
will make a difference.
Christa Potratz (28:42):
I guess just closing too, maybe just to know
what the role of being aChristian has played in your
decisions and doing things, orjust you know, maybe, if there's
a favorite Bible passage orsomething that really sticks
with you in the line of wantingto volunteer.
Amanda Herman (29:01):
I mean, like I said, I've just been so, so
blessed and like, just looking,I'm growing up in the church and
all of these verses, you lookat all of these things.
Is you look at all of thesethings like we were always, I
guess, kind of taught to try andlive like Jesus lived and to
(29:24):
walk with the Lord?
And when you look at all ofthese things that Jesus did and
everything he would, you know,walk and talk and sit and eat
with all of these people thatsociety had kind of shunned and
he would spend time with all ofthese people that nobody else
(29:46):
really cared about and thatnobody else really thought to
spend time with or thought toreach out to and assist.
And so I think that just reallyplays a big part in, I guess,
kind of influencing me is alwaysto reach out to those people
(30:08):
that aren't being reached out to, that need that assistance, and
to share those blessings thatthe Lord has given me with
others.
Christa Potratz (30:19):
Well, thank you so much for joining us, amanda,
and you have very much inspiredus here, and we just wish you
the best on all of your futureendeavors as well.
Well, thank you very much.
Bob Fleischmann (30:33):
I'm certain our paths will continue to cross.
Christa Potratz (30:36):
Absolutely, and we thank all of our listeners
for joining us and we'll see youback next time.
Paul Snamiska (30:46):
Thanks a lot.
Bye.
Thank you for joining us forthis episode of the Life
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(31:08):
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