Lightning like Steve McQueen I'm in the fast lane when the light turns green.
Built tough I ain't nothing but grit.
Because I made rugged blood, sweat and spit yeah like a horse I fly for a bumpy ride I like to.
Play hard but I work harder and.
I weather the storm because I'm built stronger what is up, ladies and gentlemen, we are back. We are live. It is a freight coach podcast, the top podcast in transportation coming to you guys every single weekday, 08:30 a.m. Pacific, 1030 Central to break down some industry headlines, but most importantly, provide some actual insight into what you can do with all of this information. We're actually not talking about freight today. I, you know, I have an organization. It's funny, my literal sister is going to be on the show here. I didn't even know that she was going to be a part of this today, but she's involved with an organization called have a heart.
And if you guys have been following this show for a while, you guys know that I like to bring on organizations that I personally hold near and dear to my heart and highlight some of these companies out there and, or, excuse me, organizations and what, you know, where you can reach out to if you guys want to donate money or if you guys want to be a part of a, you know, a cause that's out there. You know, I recently had convoy of Hope on the show, you know, to help out with some of the storm areas down there in Florida and everything else. And, you know, I've had make a wish foundation on this show as well. And, you know, we've just, I like to bring these on every once in a while to kind of change things up. Right.
And also put things into perspective for a lot of us who think we are having a hard day out there and that's not always the case. So with that being said, I am going to bring up Wanda and Lindsay, my sister Lindsey from have a heart to talk about their phenomenal organization. So thank you guys so much for joining.
Yeah, hi.
I'm gonna try not make fun of my sister this whole time, but no.
We'Ll keep, I make fun of her every day. So I got you covered there.
Oh, that is perfect. So Wanda, what is have a heart? What is the organization and what are you guys out there doing for individuals?
So we're an adult daycare center or a day center for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. So we're located in River Falls, Wisconsin, on a farm type area. And, yeah, so we are open eight to four every day or Monday through Friday. And then every other Saturday, we do a respite program to give caretakers a little break for that.
What does that service look like for individuals out there? You know, is this something that, you know, it's just varying degrees of, you know, I love what you guys have on. On your guys's website. The lowercase dis. Uppercase ability, you know, and it's one of those things that, you know, is there a certain, you know, like, group of individual that you guys care for the most, like, from an age range, or is this something from essentially, like, 18 to, you know, into the elderly years?
Yep. So it's 18 and over, but most of our clients average in the range of, like, in their early thirties. We do have one that is 2020. And then during respite, we've had an individual that was 53. I think Amy was 53. Yep. So all the way different. Different age ranges. And I know in the past, I've only been with them since March, but Lindsey's been here for a year now, and she's. She's. They've had clients that have been a little older, I believe. Right.
So, Lindsey, are. Are you. Are you guys organizing, like, transportation for them and kind of helping them throughout their day to day lives, or is this something that, you know, you guys kind of bring them there, get them in a group environment, and just kind of have them be around other individuals as opposed to being isolated potentially by themselves in their own home and stuff like that?
Yep. So we do provide transportation. I actually start my day after I drop my kids off and immediately pick up one of the participants who lives by me, and then we go on and pick up the rest of the participants, and then we get here, and then we start our day. So, yeah, it's, instead of them being at home and then with their parents or on their own, if that's where they would be, they get to come here and then learn different skills that they can utilize outside of have a heart.
And we go into the community and do things, too.
Like, what does that look like, Wanda, then, for going under the community, are, you know, are you guys bringing them to, you know, local attractions? You know, because I know, obviously, being in western Wisconsin, you know, dairy farms, everything else. Are you guys going out and doing activities? And it's not. Yeah, guys are out there having a milk couch.
Yeah. So we go bowling. We go to. Well, went to the twins game in the summer. That was a fantastic day. We go to the, like, corn mazes, and today we're gonna go to Culver's and have. So it kind of helps them get out into the community and learn different skills of how to, like, order food and pay for it in an outside environment with other people, you know, kind of behaviors and stuff like that. Bowling, parks. What am I missing?
So I was gonna say a lot of it is, you know, getting them involved in. In society, right? Like you're saying, like, having them go out order their own lunch and, you know, and just be around it. Yeah. Yeah. And just. Just know, you know, because to me, it's. It's things that we do that. And again, I'm not trying to, like, separate anything, but, like, what a lot of us do in our day to day life that we just take for granted, essentially. You know, like, the ability to walk around, the ability to run, the ability to do all of those things, that there's individuals out there who. That would be, like, the greatest day of their lives right now.
And I like to talk about putting those things into perspective for others and why it's like, you know, because for me, you know, obviously, you. I'm sure you, Wanda, you know a lot about Lindsay and I, you know, family and, you know, and in kind of our history with a lot of this.
So, like, a lot of these are, you know, it's very personal to me and, you know, to have organizations like you guys out there working with others because it's like, you know, in hearing from, you know, because I've had the make a wish foundation on as well, and hearing from them that, you know, because I guess were kind of isolated in a sense that, you know, my, you know, Lindsay and I's brother and sister in law, we're so involved with our nephew and still are very involved with all of that. And I. That's not always the case. Right. So it was, in a lot of the discussions that I've out had out there is that was almost anomaly. Like, it was almost a rarity to have a family and a group of individuals who were that involved in. In our nephew's life like that.
And I think, like, with what you guys are doing, to give that, you know, that sense of. I don't want to even call it normalcy, but, like, that sense of community, that sense of belonging, a place that anybody can look forward to going to every single day, so where the isolation is not a real thing.
Right. Some of our participants refer to it as school, and then some refer to it as their job. So Lindsey started doing Lindsay and Millie started doing where they each have, like, a chore or a life skill that she's implementing. So every day they're going to do something like clean the windows or sweep or load the dishwasher. They also started a snack club. So every Wednesday, one participant will get to go into the kitchen with a staff member and then make a snack and then serve it to their friends. So it's just learning those kind of things, the little things like stirring batter in a bowl and putting something in the oven. Orlando, loading towels in the washing machine, you know, different things like that.
So, yeah, I was. What is your guys's, as an organization? What are some of your guys's biggest challenges out there? Is it, you know, is it the consistent funding of things? Is it, you know, the ability to have, you know, like, have facilities who are welcoming that, you know, having your group show up and stuff like that? Like, kind of walk. Walk through some of those from your position. Wanda, what. What are some of the biggest obstacles and challenges that you guys go through on a day to day basis?
Yeah, it's. Fundraising is kind of an ongoing thing that we're trying to do. We're having a dinner dance in our barn on November 2, a fundraiser for that, and then just doing little things, getting out in the community and getting our, excuse me, our name out there when we go to places like brushstrokes on Wednesdays, just meeting up with other organizations like ours and having them just participate in dancing. And what did they do there? Like a movement? Not yoga, but kind of. And then just doing that, like an art project. What else? Was I gonna.
I had something on my mind, I was gonna say, but, yeah, it's just one thing I've noticed, too, is that there are quite a few places that are nothing like, wheelchair accessible or friendly, and you don't really realize that until you are pushing someone in a wheelchair or watching them. And you have to, like, have other people hold the doors open or lift their wheelchair up onto the sidewalk because there's no ramps and stuff like that. So that's been very eye opening for me.
No, I mean, I literally witnessed that last night. I was in. I was flying back home from Florida for. From a work trip, and I was laying over in Charlotte, and, you know, it was a very high grade ramp, and this individual, like, you know, again, I did. I stood next to him. I asked him, I'm like, hey, do you want me to stand next to you in. Just. Just in case, like, I don't want to step in and do it for you. Because, you know, I don't like, he's a very able individual, but it was steep, like, and I was kind of surprised that was like a wheelchair. I don't want to even call it a wheelchair ramp. It was just like a normal grade. Inside of the airport, a lot of us just walk up and down.
But that guy, I mean, he looked like he was struggling to get up there. And I could tell just seeing that. And, I mean, and that is at a major airport in the United States. And if that is an area out there of concern, I could only imagine it's some of the smaller, you know, regional places, especially in small town Wisconsin and in other areas out there.
Yeah, it's just. It's kind of eye opening, and I. A little disappointing, if I should, if I do say so. But I do understand that those door, things that you put, the buttons you push and stuff, I know that's expensive to install and everything, but I don't know, just being more aware of that.
No, and that's exactly it. Right? It is about bringing awareness, a lot of things, because for every individual out there, again, we don't think about this stuff, right? Because we just go about our day and we're not having to worry. Like, how do I get up this? You know, again, we step up over a curb like it's, you know, a normal occurrence, but that is a insurmountable obstacle to some individuals that are out there. And then especially if that, you know, the wheelchair button for the door doesn't work, then. Then what are they going to do? Are they going to sit outside? What's the weather like? Is it in the middle of winter in Wisconsin when that's happening? Is it in the dead heat of Arizona over the summer?
Like, those are, you know, again, it's like, it might be expensive, but, like, regardless, we as a society need to take that and bring a lot of that stuff to light, bring it to people's attention out there, because, you know. Yeah, I'm trying not to go off on a tangent here about that.
That's okay. I could do that, too, because it kind of upsets me.
It is extremely upsetting. Right. It's extremely upsetting. And then, you know, a lot of people walk past that, you know, without notice and stuff like that, and, you know, it's so. Hold on. My friend Robert here has a question for you guys. He says, where do your guys clients live in the evening? Are they with their families and group homes? And then how is all of this funded?
So all of our participants, now that we currently have. They have families that they. Parents that they live with and guardians, and then they are. What was the other question?
Oh, sorry. He was, you know, he lives up in Canada and, you know, there was like a kind of facility out there to reduce, you know, homelessness and everything else that. That comes along with it.
Yeah. So it's funded through donations and then just the participants coming through.
Yeah.
You know, to have a heart and stuff, to submitting their billing. It's funded through, Medicare and their iris and inclusive programs and stuff like that. So through the state.
So, I mean, is there. Is there, you know, any of your. Maybe. Is there any resources out there for an individual who might be homeless? Right. Like, have you guys ever encountered anything like that? And are you guys working with other state agencies to get them shelter, you know, kind of throughout the day? Or is that something that's not necessarily a part of what you guys might do?
Not really something a part of what we do. I did get a phone call a couple months ago from a guy who was concerned about his mother being homeless and thought that were an organization that could help out there. I just had to tell him, you know, we're a day program, and if things fall right for that, but otherwise not. We're not like a housing or anything. We used to have a group home.
Yep. That closed down, I believe, a couple years ago. Another program took that over. So some of our participants lived at the group home that we owned, and then they would come here during the day.
We no longer have that group home. So we're just eight to four.
Yeah. Was that, like, just due to consolidation or was it budgetary reasons or, What. What happened with that, if you don't. If you don't mind me asking.
Of course, yeah, I think it was budgetary. It was, I think it closed down during COVID Or was it open a couple years?
Yeah, I think shortly after. Maybe a year or two after.
Yeah, I think Covid kind of had an impact on that, too, and. Yeah.
Okay, so how are you guys out there actively fundraising for your organization? Because, you know, I think it's. It's one of those things. And, you know, when I had the. The convoy of hope on my show here recently, and they work with storm and disaster relief, you know, and everything else, amongst other things. And, you know, it's the. It's the constant funding, you know, because they're like, ultimately, like, hey, we have the resources for, like, food donations, food and stuff like that, but it's just about the funding to keep. Make sure everything's going right, ultimately. So how do you guys attack funding fundraising like that, Wanda? Are you guys running drives? Is it something that, you know, you guys have something on your website to. Just to kind of check out? How are you guys kind of getting your. Your name out there?
And again, like, this is also another reason why I love having organizations such as yourself come on this show, because press is expensive, and just even having any form of, you know, social media reach, you know, to help you guys get your brand out there, is instrumental, you know, ultimately, because there's not necessarily a marketing budget that goes along with some of the smaller organizations that are out there now. I know some of the larger ones have marketing budgets. You see them advertising on tv, but there's organizations such as yourself. So how. How do you guys attack fundraising? Is it going to local or going around to local businesses? Is it running drives? Are you guys partnering with other companies? How does that look?
Well, we've done, like, we're pretty small town here, so we've done, like, meat raffles, and we've done. We recently did a beanbag tournament, with the Hudson Lions Club and the River Falls Lions Club. My husband is the president of the Hudson Lions Club. So, we got together with them, and then their river Falls Legion hosted a teddy bean bag tournament and a silent auction and a 50 raffle and stuff. So that was pretty good, the meat raffles we did. I know in the past, they've tried to do, like, a garage. Oh, garage sales and stuff we're doing. On November 2, we're gonna have dance. Dinner dance. I mentioned that before in our barn. Lindsey kind of spearheaded this, and it'll be fun for everybody. We're looking for people to buy up some tickets to sponsor participants to come. Those are $25 and $20.
So $25 gets you a participant and their parent or guardian. Dinner, dinner, drink, music, pictures, all of that we've gotten. The food has been donated or paid for. Like, we have to get porta potties because we can't have, like, all those people using our facilities here. So that was donated. It's just the small stuff that people have stepped up to do. I don't know, Lindsay, if you want to talk more on it, but I think you pretty much covered. What else have we done for fundraising, golf tournaments? Oh, yeah.
Just sponsoring, like, golf holes to get our name or a hole, I should say multiple. Yeah, just to get our name out there. And then we did end up receiving some money towards that. Since Wanda and I, we sat out.
There for five or 6 hours at a hole at a golf 90 degree.
Not your 15 degree heat, but hot enough for us.
Yeah.
So just keep trying to do that kind of stuff. Posters, flyers. We reach, you know, like we get involved with other community or with other businesses organizations that kind of help, you know, bring us all together and get the word out and stuff. So. So we're small town, so it takes.
Yeah, absolutely. Right. And in it's. So when you're saying it's $25, you know, for the participant and their guardian to come along with. How many of those donations are you guys looking for in total right now? Are you guys looking for 1020? Is there. Do you guys have a number already kind of laid out like that, or are you just looking for, you know, really anything helps? I know, ultimately at the end of the day, but do you guys have a fundraising goal set up for this so we can get the audience here on the show and then, you know, the post episode of it, we can continue to post that stuff out there and help try and, you know, raise.
You raise additional funds for you guys for this event because, you know, I know, obviously, I know a lot about this and speaking with my sister here about, you know, having the adult prom and everything else, and it is a. It's. It's an amazing event. You know, again, it's just getting. Getting dressed up and doing something is, you know, we might do it well once a month, once a week, but this is like, a very big deal. And I think that, you know, the community to be able to, you know, to step up and help with this. So do you guys have any fundraising goals set up for this event?
We have a hundred ticket goal that we'd like to sell 100 tickets. So currently I think we are at 40 ish. Yeah, 40 ish. And I've reached out to, like, my friend, group and family and stuff to sell some and stuff. So, yeah, if we could reach that 100 goal, if we could sell like 25, 30, 40 more, that'd be great.
You have 40 sold. You guys have 40 sold, and you guys need 60 more then. Yeah, what you're saying. Perfect. So you need to raise $1500 is what you're saying?
Yeah, ideally.
Ideally 1500 bucks. All right, so this is what we are going to do. We are going to. So how do they go and donate to this? Because I have a very loyal following and they, a lot of them love to step up and help out and I'm going to put some of this information out there on social media as well. So we can, we're going to hit this goal. All right. This isn't a. We're going to hit this goal. 60 tickets, $25 $1500. So they just go, how do they do? This is just haveaheartink.org and then just, is there a. Or is there a specific donation link that you guys have created for this event?
So on our Facebook page, have a heart, Inc. I've created an event, and on that event page, there is a link to the tickets.
Okay.
And then on our website, there's a donation QR code that they can go to and do that. And then the memo of the donation, they can just put like Halloween dance or something like that.
And our website is have a heart, inc.org donate.
Yes.
You have up there right now.
Yeah, yeah. People can go directly to this and otherwise they can check you guys out on Facebook and donate directly on there and. Yeah, well, I'll create a, just like obviously with, after the episode airs, we'll upload that link into all social media posting and podcast postings that we do out there to continue to drive this out. And we'll run this for these next couple of weeks. When is the actual event for, for this? Is. Was it November 2, you said?
Yep, it's November 2. So anything up until then is great. And what was I gonna say? There's, oh, ticket leap is where we're getting the tick, where we're selling the tickets through. So if they just go on ticket leap, they can search the event on there, too. It's called.
I was gonna say, yeah. I was gonna say, yeah, after the show, Lindsey, just send all of that information over to me and we'll put that out there and we'll run some social media posts. We're gonna hit the 1500 bucks. All right, we're going to do that. We're going to hit that. I'm going to post this out there and it's going to happen. Okay. We've raised tens of thousands of dollars on this show so far, and, you know, and counting. And we're going to continue to do this. We're going to continue to help highlight organizations such as yourself to get this out there. Right. Because again, most nonprofits don't have a marketing budget. They have no way to get themselves out there and really spread their message and their cause.
And, you know, I will always utilize this platform and my platform to benefit communities such as the ones that you guys represent out there and we're going to continue to do this. So we're going to raise 1500 bucks. All right, it's gonna happen. It's gonna happen over the next couple of weeks here. I'm gonna post about it, I'm gonna talk about it as much as I possibly can and we're gonna hit this goal, all right?
And this community that listens to my show has, you know, just for Lindsey and I's nephew, they raised over $10,000 just in that and it was within a seven day period, you know, and people for that stuff, they step up for that stuff and you know, and that's just what I'm gonna continue to do as this platform continues to grow is to help organizations and partner with organizations such as yours and others to help you guys raise the necessary funds that you guys need to operate. Because you know, especially if you're out there operating with, you know, Medicare and state funding, you know, we're at the leisure of politicians, how they decide on how funds are allocated at times and that's it. You guys shouldn't have to deal with that.
Your guys as clients and the people who come there every single day shouldn't have to deal with that stuff. We as a society need to take care of people and I know that the community that watches this show does just that, but so everybody should go to have a heart inc.org and then there's a donate. If you guys want to just go to the website direct, just go to habitheartinc.org and here it is right here and then there's a, you can just click on donate on there or in. Otherwise you guys can click on this. This is going to be up on YouTube. I'm going to share this on all the podcast episode pages on iTunes and Spotify and everything else. And we're gonna get this out there and we're gonna spread it.
We're gonna hit the $1,500 goal, you guys, alright, we gotta hit $1500. We're gonna sell 60 more tickets for them. You can go there, you can donate $5, $25, whatever that looks like. Every dollar helps for these organizations. Just make sure you notate it is for the dance on the 2 November or what's the name of the, the event again, just the Halloween.
Dance is fine, perfect.
The Halloween dance.
The monster mash.
Make sure. There we go. Make sure you put that out there you guys, and do anything we can. We're going to hit this $1500 goal out here. You guys. But Wanda, Lindsey, thank you so much for joining me today.
Yes, thank you so much.
No, absolutely. You guys, I really appreciate the time, and I'm surprised my sister and I didn't even get after each other. Like, we're bickering siblings.
I can be professional when I'm on the clock.
You guys only knew. All right, you guys. But that's gonna be. We will be back on Monday. As always, if you guys got value out of the show, subscribe to it, share it out there. But most importantly, you guys go to have a heart and donate. Have a heart, Inc.org and donate for this event, you guys, I appreciate you guys. I love you guys, and we'll be talking to you soon. Now, we're just gonna awkwardly.