Inner County Outreach Expands with Fresh Start Furnishings

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County living presents conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Rich Bennett 0:30
She came on the podcast, she had started a nonprofit and we have been friends ever since then, actually. And to see the growth that she has done with this nonprofit is just simply amazing. And the thing that I 

Alicia Hamilton 0:49
much 

Rich Bennett 0:49
don't 

Natalie Johnson 0:50
have 

Alicia Hamilton 0:50
to say is, 

Rich Bennett 0:53
People that run 

Alicia Hamilton 0:54
people that run nonprofits. 

Rich Bennett 0:55
nonprofits. And I've said this before, it's a business. You gotta run it like a business. It can age you very quickly. It has an age to her one bit. Not one, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05
it's not my 

Rich Bennett 1:06
person. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:06
favorite 

Rich Bennett 1:09
So I have Alicia Hamilton on with me who originally it was Found and Faith Ministries and now it is 

Natalie Johnson 1:17
fresh. 

Rich Bennett 1:19
Do I get that right? 

Alicia Hamilton 1:20
Yes you did. 

Rich Bennett 1:21
And you moved buildings too. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:22
We did. There's a 

Rich Bennett 1:24
lot that has changed since the last time you were on 

Alicia Hamilton 1:29
it. To talk about Fresh Start, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:30
Yeah. Holy cow. So how you been? 

Alicia Hamilton 1:33
I'm doing good. Thank you so much for having me on today. 

Rich Bennett 1:36
Did you bring any of that Fountain of Youth water with you for me? 

Alicia Hamilton 1:39
No, no, I'm sorry. You can come out and work out with me. 

Rich Bennett 1:44
That's 

Alicia Hamilton 1:45
my Fountain of Youth. You can come work out with me. 

Rich Bennett 1:47
You don't 

Alicia Hamilton 1:48
to 

Rich Bennett 1:48
want 

Alicia Hamilton 1:48
require that. 

Rich Bennett 1:49
The bad thing I said to myself. Self. No. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:53
I just got a walking pad for underneath my desk and I got and I raised my like my desk up. 

Rich Bennett 1:59
Yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 2:00
and I just used it yesterday for the first time and I think I'm in love. 

Rich Bennett 2:04
You can do that with the vibration boards to some of them. The one I got because I got one of these vibration boards and you could put it under your desk in that way. I just know that because I record virtually a lot, so I got to make sure I don't use the vibration board while recording. 

Alicia Hamilton 2:21
But 

Rich Bennett 2:22
now, oh man, those things. I looked at the walking things before. I was thinking about getting that. 

Alicia Hamilton 2:26
Yeah, I was worried about being able to type. But you just set it on a really low, low enough pace where your bottom half can just be moving and your top half. And I think I'm actually going to end up getting a lot more work done as a whole, because I get real fidgety and antsy and I have to get up and go do things. Or I'll feel bad because I've sat so many hours that day and I won't be done what I'm working on, but I'll have to get up and go move. But this last night, I was already moving, so I just had to push through the physical -- or the mental part of finishing the task. But the physical part, I was good. 

Rich Bennett 3:01
You were doing CrossFit too, weren't you? 

Alicia Hamilton 3:03
Oh, years ago. 

Rich Bennett 3:04
You don't do 

Alicia Hamilton 3:05
that anymore? No, no. I'm thinking about longevity now. 

Rich Bennett 3:08
What's it called? Park car? 

Alicia Hamilton 3:11
Park. No, that's for like, males 25 and under. That's for males 25 and 

Rich Bennett 3:18
Oh, 

Alicia Hamilton 3:18
under. 

Rich Bennett 3:18
women can't do that 

Alicia Hamilton 3:19
Yeah, I mean, the Ninja Warrior type gals. 

Rich Bennett 3:22
then? 

Alicia Hamilton 3:23
That ain't me, though. I'm just trying to keep the muscle and... 

Rich Bennett 3:28
Still doing yoga, though, right? 

Alicia Hamilton 3:29
Yeah, definitely still doing that. But it balances work life balance. 

Rich Bennett 3:35
So what's being going on with front and fake? No longer front and fake. What's being going on with fresh start furnishings? 

Alicia Hamilton 3:42
To make you feel better, our tax exempt name is still found in faith ministries. But we did rebrand locally to fresh start furnishings 

Rich Bennett 3:51
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 3:51
and have a DBA for that. 

Rich Bennett 3:54
does it make me feel 

Alicia Hamilton 3:54
What 

Rich Bennett 3:54
better? Because I'm not paying the taxes on it anyway. 

Alicia Hamilton 3:57
Me there are mine. 

Rich Bennett 3:58
Oh. 

We're 

Alicia Hamilton 4:02
good. 

Yeah, no, you're fine. So this year, actually, we just closed out. And it's something to celebrate, but also, I wish it wasn't the celebration that it is. But we furnished over 300 households this year. 321. 

Rich Bennett 4:20
You go from December to December, right? 

Alicia Hamilton 4:24
Wow. Well, for public, when I talk about people that we served in that, if I'm writing grants, yeah, it'll be a different, you know, but so it might break up a little bit different. 321 households, 900 and 1 people in those homes. 

Rich Bennett 4:40
Okay, 

Alicia Hamilton 4:40
In 

Rich Bennett 4:40
soon. 

Alicia Hamilton 4:40
just one year, 

Rich Bennett 4:41
For those listening that don't 

Natalie Johnson 4:43
know 

Rich Bennett 4:44
how you started and what you actually do explain to what you actually do. 

Alicia Hamilton 4:48
Yeah. So our mission at fresh start furnishings is to transform empty houses and homes. And we do that by providing furniture and home goods for free to people that need it. 

Rich Bennett 4:59
I'm glad you said that need it because it's just not for anybody, right? 

Alicia Hamilton 5:03
Now no it's an income based program so but I will say 90% of the people that apply to us are already receiving some sort of federally funded benefit. So that puts them in the extremely low income category. But we purposely set our income limits pretty 

Natalie Johnson 5:19
high. 

Alicia Hamilton 5:20
So that we could capture those folks that are 

Natalie Johnson 5:23
working, 

Rich Bennett 5:24
yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 5:24
So they tend to not qualify 

Natalie Johnson 5:26
for 

Alicia Hamilton 5:27
some of these federally funded 

Natalie Johnson 5:28
programs. 

Alicia Hamilton 5:29
But they're just live in paycheck to paycheck. They're the you know don't have a $500 emergency fund people. They don't have the ability to save, you know, for big 

Rich Bennett 5:38
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 5:38
expenses like furniture. So so our program does we are able to serve. We have to have them to we just have a higher cutoff. 

Rich Bennett 5:46
Have you seen that number go up, especially now, the as much as gas and electric has going up. 

Alicia Hamilton 5:55
It's 

Rich Bennett 5:55
heard a lot of households. 

Alicia Hamilton 5:57
So I'm sure there is at a broad standpoint. 

Rich Bennett 6:00
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 6:01
So the current state of the economy. I we haven't found anywhere close to the ceiling of furniture poverty in in Harper County. 

Rich Bennett 6:11
All right. Good. 

Alicia Hamilton 6:11
I do want to touch on that because that's actually a term that I had no idea was even a thing 10 years ago. The term furniture poverty. So the furniture furniture poverty is the inability to purchase the basic things that you need for your home. 

Rich Bennett 6:26
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 6:26
We're talking the beds, dresser, dining table. You know, so 

Rich Bennett 6:31
the expensive stuff. 

Alicia Hamilton 6:32
Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, but the basics, not the China Hutchings, not the things, you know, having, 

Natalie Johnson 6:37
you know, 

Alicia Hamilton 6:38
simple thing like a toaster, a microwave, plates, dishes, towels, just just those basics. When you 

Natalie Johnson 6:43
a 

Alicia Hamilton 6:43
can't afford those that is. You know, that means that you, you know, people are often you're living on the floor. They're eating off of paper and plastic, you know, the. They're using sweatshirts for pillows, you know, clothes are piled on the floor. There's just there's no sense of dignity. And now there's actually a national push to bring 

Natalie Johnson 7:06
awareness of 

Alicia Hamilton 7:07
furniture 

Natalie Johnson 7:07
poverty 

Alicia Hamilton 7:08
more 

Natalie Johnson 7:08
more. 

Alicia Hamilton 7:09
Good. Yeah, like 

Natalie Johnson 7:10
was 

Alicia Hamilton 7:10
there 

Natalie Johnson 7:11
actually. 

Alicia Hamilton 7:11
had we 

Natalie Johnson 7:11
We 

Alicia Hamilton 7:12
had our first furniture bank conference this year where furniture banks from all across the country got together to talk about research, statistics, how, you know, fun raising all the different things that come along with this particular mission. There was people advocating down in DC. So it's just a huge, I love to see it. You know, 

Rich Bennett 7:33
a lot of people I like that term furniture poverty, well, I don't like the term, but I like the term because it makes sense. And it took me back to my day when I first, when I had my first apartment. I had a furniture. I had a bed that I brought 

Natalie Johnson 7:46
for my parents. 

Rich Bennett 7:48
But you know, in my, 

Natalie Johnson 7:49
in 

Rich Bennett 7:50
my living room, old rolled up carpet. 

Alicia Hamilton 7:53
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 7:54
cause I couldn't afford any furniture. 

Alicia Hamilton 7:56
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 7:57
And that's when you, you know, a lot of. 

Alicia Hamilton 7:59
Now it's in like the 1940s, right? 

Rich Bennett 8:03
I knew you were going to have to crack on me? No, but it still probably was before you were born. That was 

Alicia Hamilton 8:12
I was 

Rich Bennett 8:12
86. born. You were probably born in 86. 

And then 

Natalie Johnson 8:19
yeah, 

Rich Bennett 8:19
that had that big company that would rent you furniture, which, oh my god, what a nightmare. 

Alicia Hamilton 8:26
That's a predatory lending. Yeah, predatory lending. I'm actually going to be touching on that. Hartford County Government Department of Housing Community Services has actually invited us to fresh start furnishings to be a part of the first time home buyer's workshops. That was, that's something that just happened this year actually. Yeah, apparently furniture and home goods are not in the budget for first time home buyers. 

Rich Bennett 8:53
Are you serious? 

Alicia Hamilton 8:55
So, um, so the good news is that's, and that's what I mean about the awareness piece of, 

Rich Bennett 8:59
yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 8:59
This is something that is so, we are all so used to it in our daily lives that nobody pays attention to it. This, you know, I really do feel like God has 

Rich Bennett 9:12
And it's 

Alicia Hamilton 9:12
called 

Rich Bennett 9:13
nothing 

Alicia Hamilton 9:14
me to be a void. 

Rich Bennett 9:14
either. 

Alicia Hamilton 9:14
No, no, but I do feel like God's called me to be a voice for the people who are living, And part of that is being part of the first time homebuyers workshop and making sure that people understand that they need to budget for this too, and also stay the hell out of these rental furniture 

Rich Bennett 9:31
right. 

Alicia Hamilton 9:32
places because ultimately it's probably just going to cause more financial issues and it's worth. 

Rich Bennett 9:37
So when you started this 10 years ago, what's been, this is a two part question. The biggest surprise to you for the good and for the bad. 

I need to grab tissue. 

Alicia Hamilton 9:53
No, now I'm just, I like to think for a minute. 

I think the biggest surprise for the good is how many people have do get it and do see it right off the top and do want to, you know, support and bring their donations and we'll go out of their way to bring donations to us because they know we are one employee 99% volunteer or organization, you know, even, you know, still to the stage 10 years later. So, and then on top of that, the volunteers, that is, that's the community side too that just, I mean, the time that they give, the care that they give, the anytime we get reviews back from clients, it's always about how well they were treated and how much they felt cared for it and all those things and that's, you know, that's our volunteers bringing that. That's not, that's not me, you know, but think I was like, well, Alicia, you're the leader. It's okay to, to take a little credit for the culture, you know, but I just, I'm just so thankful for that and some of these, you know, volunteers. I mean, they've been with us for years and years and years and yeah, I'm just so grateful for them. And they, like, they even came to my grandmother's funeral, you know, that's how it just has transcended just this transactional thing, you know, through the organization we built community. And I think that's amazing. It's amazing that, locally, we've been able to do this together 

Rich Bennett 11:32
yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 11:32
truly. The surprising thing in a bad 

Rich Bennett 11:39
way. 

Alicia Hamilton 11:39
Yeah, is that which, yeah, 

Rich Bennett 11:41
like you didn't think it would happen, but it's just, it's, it's a negative vibe because this way, anybody else that is starting a nonprofit or whatever, here we are raising awareness. 

Alicia Hamilton 11:55
Yeah, so I've got to make sure that I say this diplomatically. 

Do not think that you're just going to write grants and it'll all just be OK. 

Rich Bennett 12:09
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 12:09
There is so much at least locally, I feel like there's a lot of things that are based more on relationships, which I know relationship is a big part of it. I think that that can cast a shadow on some of the actual on paper 

Natalie Johnson 12:36
achievements. 

Rich Bennett 12:38
Yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 12:39
you know, this is no secret. I don't think the old boy network is well and good and healthy and you know, especially I know with this issue. Starting in and presenting a 

Natalie Johnson 12:55
new 

Alicia Hamilton 12:56
need. has been extremely difficult to get traction and some areas, particularly fundraising areas 

Rich Bennett 13:06
Right 

Alicia Hamilton 13:06
that. 

Natalie Johnson 13:07
I don't think 

Alicia Hamilton 13:10
I would have expected more 

Rich Bennett 13:12
right one of the things that and I've seen and we, you and I've taught I've been in the nonprofit world forever. And my sister will say the same thing to the nonprofits that. I would say 90% make it 

Natalie Johnson 13:30
one's 

Rich Bennett 13:32
that just strictly 

Natalie Johnson 13:33
rely 

Rich Bennett 13:34
on. 

So, for me, I think that's the most important thing is, grants 

Natalie Johnson 13:38
change 

Rich Bennett 13:39
through championships as 

Natalie Johnson 13:40
see. 

Rich Bennett 13:40
we And even and that's just a government level grants also come from other organizations and everything. I want to say like what's the big one to dress your foundation. 

Alicia Hamilton 13:51
That's a big one. 

Rich Bennett 13:54
You know, 

Natalie Johnson 13:58
only. 

Rich Bennett 13:58
they can 

Natalie Johnson 13:59
They can allow 

Rich Bennett 13:59
so much per year or two. So yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 14:02
can. 

Rich Bennett 14:02
you 

Alicia Hamilton 14:02
It's very competitive, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 14:03
It is. 

Alicia Hamilton 14:04
And I hate I hate to use that term for nonprofit work because we're all trying to do good. There are so many, so many good missions. I can't imagine being on the funding side of things and having to choose. I can empathize with how difficult that must be. I 

Rich Bennett 14:20
mean, you look at what Hartford just Hartford Canyon Lune has what almost 800 

Alicia Hamilton 14:24
hundreds. 

Rich Bennett 14:25
profit 

Alicia Hamilton 14:25
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 14:27
uh, it's, it's 

Alicia Hamilton 14:28
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 14:29
crazy! Okay, so. I know this is going to be hard for you too, but I like to feel good stories. So, I know you got a lot to pick from after 10 years. 

What's a good feel good story that you can share with everybody? And no, you can't use the one that, you know, from the time you met me. 

Natalie Johnson 14:50
Um, 

Alicia Hamilton 14:52
actually, I, I, I will, uh, I'll use one from just last week, because I haven't been out on to deliver furniture for a while. Um, but in this scenario, it was a very, it was a very unique situation, um, for 

Natalie Johnson 15:06
senior 

Alicia Hamilton 15:06
this 

Natalie Johnson 15:07
lady, 

Alicia Hamilton 15:07
and we, uh, we had been asked if we could also, we were taking 

Natalie Johnson 15:12
taking 

Alicia Hamilton 15:12
her 

Natalie Johnson 15:12
care 

Alicia Hamilton 15:13
new mattress and box spring, because we had 

Natalie Johnson 15:15
of 

Alicia Hamilton 15:15
a delivery 

Natalie Johnson 15:15
service now, 

Alicia Hamilton 15:15
service now, which is increased our ability to serve people and help them overcome transportation barriers. 

Rich Bennett 15:20
So, women, you added a delivery service? 

Alicia Hamilton 15:23
Yep, yep. It's a fee-bel, delivery service. 

Rich Bennett 15:25
Right, 

Alicia Hamilton 15:25
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 15:26
so, more than one truck now? 

Alicia Hamilton 15:27
it... 

Rich Bennett 15:27
Or 

Alicia Hamilton 15:27
Um, no, we still... Yeah, we have our truck, we 

Natalie Johnson 15:30
have a delivery 

Alicia Hamilton 15:31
driver, and we were able to bring 

Natalie Johnson 15:34
him on 

Alicia Hamilton 15:34
to the contract position, because 

Natalie Johnson 15:37
the 

Alicia Hamilton 15:37
client, the client should pay the fee, but they don't... Client. Right, yeah. So, yep, and the client 

Natalie Johnson 15:40
clients, 

Alicia Hamilton 15:40
should 

Natalie Johnson 15:40
the 

Alicia Hamilton 15:40
pay the fee, but they don't have to worry 

Natalie Johnson 15:42
about 

Alicia Hamilton 15:42
having a license, or having, um, like a debit card or a credit card. Just, there's all kind of barriers. So it's been awesome. But, um, in this case, we were 

Natalie Johnson 15:52
asked by county, 

Alicia Hamilton 15:55
county department, if we would remove the 

Natalie Johnson 15:58
box 

Alicia Hamilton 15:58
mattress and spring from the 

Natalie Johnson 16:00
senior lady's house. 

Rich Bennett 16:01
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 16:02
Typically, we don't even go in. It's not a thing. This was a 

Natalie Johnson 16:04
specific 

Alicia Hamilton 16:05
very 

Natalie Johnson 16:06
scenario, 

Alicia Hamilton 16:07
multiple barriers. So, we said, okay, you know, we'll make this happen. And I wanted to go out to just because our delivery driver's safety. All of these things, we were making 

Natalie Johnson 16:18
an exception. 

Alicia Hamilton 16:19
Um, this lady is 

Natalie Johnson 16:20
living in her 

Alicia Hamilton 16:21
room, in Edgewood, there must have been at least four other people in this house, if not more. When we walked in, I realized that, like, this was a prime opportunity for us to get potentially bed bugs, and kind of reinforced why we don't need to do this, um, but I wasn't, I didn't, while 

Natalie Johnson 16:44
in a 

Alicia Hamilton 16:44
since I've been out there. And we don't go in people's houses anymore. So, um, but I walked in and, um, just looking at her room and the mattress she has been sleeping on, she said it was there when she got there six months ago. Have no clue. It was gray. It was gray. It used to be white, right. 

Rich Bennett 17:06
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 17:06
But most of it was gray. 

Rich Bennett 17:08
Wow. 

Alicia Hamilton 17:08
And stained and, and I'm looking around and, um, of course, I had to ask her if she was itching at all or if she 

Rich Bennett 17:16
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 17:16
had any bites because I'm really, you know, and she said, no, none of that, she said, but there are roaches. And she said, and there, there's mice around here too. 

Rich Bennett 17:25
In her room. 

Alicia Hamilton 17:26
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 17:26
in the whole house. Oh, wow. 

Alicia Hamilton 17:28
And, um, And I did start, you know, like I was emotionally having hard time because I started to notice on the floor the all of the mouse poo. Oh, god, 

Rich Bennett 17:38
God. 

Alicia Hamilton 17:39
that was everywhere. Um, And she was just an old lady, you could tell, you know, it early, you could tell she had some sort of disability. 

Rich Bennett 17:47
yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 17:48
And she was just sitting in a chair in the corner, trying to stay out of her way, holding a little stuffed animal. And, um, You know, and I turned around, I just told her, I'm really sorry. You have to live like this. And, and she just said, you know, thank you. And I, I had a hard time holding. I'm having a hard time holding back tears now. Um, so, but we, we picked up the, Adam, you know, picked up the, the mattress and, um, on the box spring, there was, there was more, a little more mouse poop there. But then when he picked up the box spring, both of these were actually sitting not on another on a bed frame, 

Rich Bennett 18:23
yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 18:23
but they were actually sitting on top of another mattress that had been there for a long time. When he picked up that box spring, the whole bottom had been eaten out. There was nothing but mouse poop. 

Rich Bennett 18:37
Oh, my god. 

Alicia Hamilton 18:38
Covering it. And I, I felt nauseous. And I just, tears started streaming. And I just couldn't. 

Rich Bennett 18:45
It's 

Alicia Hamilton 18:45
a. I had a mouse in my basement and I was grossed out. 

Rich Bennett 18:48
But it's amazing. She wasn't sick from all that. 

Alicia Hamilton 18:52
Yeah. Yeah. Um, so she did, you know, say that, um, that, that uh, while I started asking more questions, she did say that they, they, they had had exterminators in the day prior, um, but once we got all three of those out, give us a lot of help. Yeah. Yeah. You know, like God bless Adam. I was, I didn't really even on touch things. He works in, um, he's a voice is a hope, peer recovery specialist. 

Rich Bennett 19:17
Oh, okay. 

Alicia Hamilton 19:17
So he's more and does it for us part-time. So he's a little bit more familiar with things. Like I said, it's been a while for me. So he takes everything out, but I swept her-- because I couldn't just leave it. Her trash was overflowing. She said she had been sick last week, and that's why the trash-- but still, some of this was a long-term problem. In any case, I cleaned it all up, took out a trash for, and then we got her bed in, got it up on a bed frame. And I just 

said single. The experience she's sleeping better now, and 

Rich Bennett 19:53
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 19:53
she's sleeping on something clean. Adam said he's going to follow up with her through his job, because Apparently-- 

Natalie Johnson 19:59
Apparently, she hasn't 

Alicia Hamilton 20:00
recovered. She hasn't recovered. She's been clean for a long, long time, like, over 20 years, but she doesn't attend meetings anymore. So 

Natalie Johnson 20:06
he's actually following up 

Alicia Hamilton 20:07
Third, 

Natalie Johnson 20:08
to 

Alicia Hamilton 20:08
to make sure 

Natalie Johnson 20:08
the person who's 

Alicia Hamilton 20:08
that she's 

Natalie Johnson 20:09
getting-- 

Alicia Hamilton 20:09
getting-- she 

Natalie Johnson 20:09
she definitely 

Alicia Hamilton 20:09
definitely 

Natalie Johnson 20:10
needs 

Alicia Hamilton 20:10
needs a 

Natalie Johnson 20:10
to case 

Alicia Hamilton 20:10
case 

Natalie Johnson 20:10
me 

Alicia Hamilton 20:10
manager. 

Natalie Johnson 20:11
in 

Alicia Hamilton 20:11
She needs 

Natalie Johnson 20:11
the permanent 

Alicia Hamilton 20:12
permanent 

Natalie Johnson 20:12
support 

Alicia Hamilton 20:12
support of 

Natalie Johnson 20:12
of housing. 

Alicia Hamilton 20:12
housing, whole plethora, but yeah. 

Rich Bennett 20:17
That? 

Alicia Hamilton 20:17
So just a single mattress in Box Spring, and I went home feeling more full that day than I haven't a long time. And that's not because of work. I'm not doing as important every day. But when it's firsthand, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 20:32
just imagine if you guys didn't agree to take the old one out, you may not have been able to help her the way 

Alicia Hamilton 20:39
I 

Rich Bennett 20:39
that you did. 

Alicia Hamilton 20:40
Yeah, but we can't do-- we have to figure out something. 

Rich Bennett 20:44
Oh, it's a liability 

Alicia Hamilton 20:45
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 20:45
issue. 

Alicia Hamilton 20:46
yeah. So yeah, you're reading it from the hat that I need to keep on. My humanitarian hat is like, yes, anything. 

Rich Bennett 20:54
And 

Alicia Hamilton 20:55
But 

Rich Bennett 20:55
that's 

Alicia Hamilton 20:55
my-- 

Rich Bennett 20:55
something a lot of people don't realize when, especially in something like this. I wanted to just say with a lot of nonprofits. And we see 

Natalie Johnson 21:04
with-- 

Rich Bennett 21:04
[AUDIO OUT] Club. People 

Natalie Johnson 21:06
ask us 

Rich Bennett 21:07
deliver stuff. And for a long time, we were. And it's like, no, we can't. 

Natalie Johnson 21:13
to 

Rich Bennett 21:13
Because we give the medical quit. You don't have to come here 

Natalie Johnson 21:17
because it's a 

Rich Bennett 21:18
liability issue. If something happens, 

Natalie Johnson 21:20
if I-- 

Rich Bennett 21:20
let's 

Natalie Johnson 21:21
You say 

Rich Bennett 21:21
say, 

Natalie Johnson 21:21
you buy, especially 

Rich Bennett 21:22
in that-- those of you listen, we're recording this in January. So if I would go to pick up something for somebody's house, and I'm leaving, and I slip on 

Natalie Johnson 21:30
I 

Rich Bennett 21:30
ice, or would 

Natalie Johnson 21:31
go to put-- 

Rich Bennett 21:32
Well, 

Alicia Hamilton 21:34
Is 

Rich Bennett 21:34
the-- 

Alicia Hamilton 21:34
this one 

Rich Bennett 21:35
Alliance. 

Alicia Hamilton 21:35
the 

Rich Bennett 21:35
I 

Alicia Hamilton 21:35
homeowners? 

Rich Bennett 21:36
covered that because-- 

Alicia Hamilton 21:38
Your volunteer insurance, wouldn't-- 

Rich Bennett 21:40
No, because we're not supposed to go pick the stuff up. 

Alicia Hamilton 21:42
OK, OK. We're like our volunteer insurance, we can pick stuff up outside. 

Rich Bennett 21:47
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 21:47
They're covered, yeah. OK. 

Rich Bennett 21:49
So-- but a lot of homeowners don't realize that they would be 

Natalie Johnson 21:52
[AUDIO OUT] 

Rich Bennett 21:53
defense for that. You know, and you see it with-- same with like long care and all that. 

Alicia Hamilton 21:59
Hm. 

Rich Bennett 21:59
Even though I will pay for the guy, the young kid that wants to make money-- 

Alicia Hamilton 22:05
Do his little 

Rich Bennett 22:06
Yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 22:06
entrepreneur. 

Rich Bennett 22:06
I will pay for him to do that if I don't feel really cut in my grasp. But if something should happen, he's a rock that throws it and hits a neighbor's house, or even my house, he's not liable. 

Alicia Hamilton 22:18
Right. 

Rich Bennett 22:19
I am. Now if it was a long service, the insurance would cover 

Alicia Hamilton 22:22
it. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 22:23
How did we get on that? Oh, yeah, a 

Alicia Hamilton 22:24
Well, just with that-- yeah, with nonprofits and insurances, yeah, there's 

Rich Bennett 22:28
lot of 

Alicia Hamilton 22:28
lots 

Rich Bennett 22:29
people 

Alicia Hamilton 22:29
of things. 

Rich Bennett 22:29
don't realize 

Alicia Hamilton 22:29
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 22:29
that. 

Alicia Hamilton 22:30
Yeah. But-- 

Rich Bennett 22:31
it's a 10 

Natalie Johnson 22:32
years. 

Rich Bennett 22:34
God, I still can't believe that. 

And if you want to add something else, you can add something else before you answer this question. What 

Natalie Johnson 22:46
stuff? 

Rich Bennett 22:46
is 

Natalie Johnson 22:46
Neck 

Rich Bennett 22:46
neck for 

Natalie Johnson 22:47
for 

Rich Bennett 22:47
fresh 

Natalie Johnson 22:47
fresh stuff, no. 

Alicia Hamilton 22:49
So I am really excited to share some big news. And it's one of the reasons why I wanted to just touch base with you and to 

Rich Bennett 23:01
Mm hmm. 

Alicia Hamilton 23:02
share with the world. So, for our start for Nishings, as we had 

Natalie Johnson 23:07
into 

Alicia Hamilton 23:08
our next 

Natalie Johnson 23:09
10 years, 

Alicia Hamilton 23:10
we 

Natalie Johnson 23:10
really 

Alicia Hamilton 23:11
took a look at what we've been able to accomplish with our mission, and our 

Natalie Johnson 23:17
vision, 

Alicia Hamilton 23:19
and what the next season-- or what-- 

Natalie Johnson 23:23
what was the next level? 

Alicia Hamilton 23:24
Well, 

Rich Bennett 23:24
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 23:25
what would we need to 

Natalie Johnson 23:26
To do the 

Alicia Hamilton 23:27
do the 

Natalie Johnson 23:27
next 

Alicia Hamilton 23:27
next level? 

Natalie Johnson 23:27
level. 

Alicia Hamilton 23:28
Evaluating 

that, we've realized that there are some pretty significant gaps on our end in terms of funding and infrastructure, not because we haven't done amazing, because we have. But simply because of starting with 0 on all fronts versus starting 

at a different yard line, that was in our story. So-- In order to really push our vision forward and take this program from not just being a hand out in the community with no ceiling that I can 

Rich Bennett 24:10
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 24:10
see to a hand up where people aren't just receiving furniture but then they are getting connected into the services additional services beyond their basic needs that can really 

Natalie Johnson 24:20
help them. 

Alicia Hamilton 24:21
Keep 

Natalie Johnson 24:23
their movement 

Alicia Hamilton 24:24
and keep their progress and not 

Natalie Johnson 24:26
back 

Alicia Hamilton 24:26
fall 

Natalie Johnson 24:27
into 

Alicia Hamilton 24:28
decided to have to need our program again. 

Natalie Johnson 24:30
what 

Alicia Hamilton 24:30
We 

Natalie Johnson 24:30
we 

Alicia Hamilton 24:31
decided that the best way to accomplish that would be through a 

Natalie Johnson 24:35
partnership. 

Alicia Hamilton 24:36
And so we started looking at different types of ways to partner, different other organizations in 

Rich Bennett 24:46
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 24:46
the county, you know. And 

Natalie Johnson 24:48
ultimately, we are actually going 

Alicia Hamilton 24:52
going to be-- it's even a little bit more than a partnership, but we are going to be taking the Fresh Start Furniture Program, Fresh Start Furnishings Program, and partnering with Inner County Outreach, and essentially becoming a program under Inner County Outches, Inner County Outreach's umbrella. They already have 12 to 15 programs, I'm going to let my friend Natalie here, Philisyn, and all that. 

Rich Bennett 25:21
to-- 

Alicia Hamilton 25:21
I can't 

Rich Bennett 25:21
This is 

Alicia Hamilton 25:21
wait 

Rich Bennett 25:22
your special-- 

Alicia Hamilton 25:22
to-- [LAUGHTER] 

So, but that's-- That's the big news though, it was really coming, you know, bringing two organizations 

Natalie Johnson 25:34
together, 

Alicia Hamilton 25:34
one that's already 

Natalie Johnson 25:35
been serving the 

Alicia Hamilton 25:36
community for 

Natalie Johnson 25:37
40 years. 

Alicia Hamilton 25:38
And I have-- So, we're just getting ready to hear so much more 

Natalie Johnson 25:43
about that than everything I've been 

Alicia Hamilton 25:44
And 

Natalie Johnson 25:44
doing. 

Alicia Hamilton 25:45
then us, we've been here for 10. And, you know, 

Natalie Johnson 25:48
to really-- To really 

Alicia Hamilton 25:50
make the-- 

Natalie Johnson 25:50
the impact and 

Alicia Hamilton 25:51
To 

Natalie Johnson 25:51
to your 

Alicia Hamilton 25:51
achieve 

Natalie Johnson 25:52
organization and-- 

Alicia Hamilton 25:52
Vision. going to-- We're 

Natalie Johnson 25:54
We're 

Alicia Hamilton 25:54
going to partner together, that we get to share resources, share infrastructure, and ultimately, 

Natalie Johnson 25:59
truly 

Alicia Hamilton 26:00
it's 

Natalie Johnson 26:00
going to 

Alicia Hamilton 26:00
the 

Natalie Johnson 26:00
help-- 

Alicia Hamilton 26:02
clients and stabilize the work that we're doing, 

Natalie Johnson 26:04
and stabilize 

Alicia Hamilton 26:05
clients so much more than 

Natalie Johnson 26:06
the work that we're doing, and 

Alicia Hamilton 26:07
if 

Natalie Johnson 26:07
if 

Alicia Hamilton 26:07
we 

Natalie Johnson 26:07
we 

Alicia Hamilton 26:07
could, 

Natalie Johnson 26:07
cut 

Alicia Hamilton 26:07
if we 

Natalie Johnson 26:07
it-- For 

Alicia Hamilton 26:08
stayed independent for another 15, 20, whatever. 

Rich Bennett 26:11
So, you approach Natalie with this idea. 

Alicia Hamilton 26:13
So, 

Rich Bennett 26:14
Natalie, first of all, welcome. 

Natalie Johnson 26:16
Oh, thanks for having me. 

Rich Bennett 26:17
Oh, my plate. It's 

Natalie Johnson 26:19
Inter-- 

Rich Bennett 26:20
Inter-- 

Natalie Johnson 26:20
injection. Inter-- Inter-county outreach. Yes, I'm 40 years. 40 years, 1986, we were founded. I was three years old. 

Rich Bennett 26:30
Okay, you two have got to stop. 

So, wow, 1986. 

Natalie Johnson 26:38
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 26:38
Now, who started that? 

Natalie Johnson 26:39
So, I'll start it by my father. 

Rich Bennett 26:41
Okay. 

Natalie Johnson 26:42
Dr. Pasterney Thierno Johnson and some members of the Aberdeen Bible Church, a family and some community leaders. And our initial push was the support of single female households and male maturation and young males. 

Rich Bennett 26:56
So, did Alicia come to 

Natalie Johnson 26:59
you 

Rich Bennett 27:00
or did she go to your father? 

Natalie Johnson 27:02
She went to my 

Rich Bennett 27:04
Okay. 

Natalie Johnson 27:04
friend, and we met or had a dinner first. A 

Alicia Hamilton 27:08
"a magen" mutual 

Natalie Johnson 27:10
friend? Yes, a 

Alicia Hamilton 27:12
reader. 

Rich Bennett 27:12
Okay, 

Alicia Hamilton 27:13
magen 

Rich Bennett 27:13
another 

Alicia Hamilton 27:13
reader, yes. 

Natalie Johnson 27:14
Another 

Rich Bennett 27:14
Okay. Well, 

Natalie Johnson 27:14
magen. 

Rich Bennett 27:14
I don't 

Alicia Hamilton 27:15
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 27:15
know. You know the-- 

Alicia Hamilton 27:15
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 27:16
There's more magen's than you know. 

Alicia Hamilton 27:18
She's 

Natalie Johnson 27:19
on our 

Alicia Hamilton 27:19
She's 

Natalie Johnson 27:19
board. 

Alicia Hamilton 27:20
the treasure in the front. And so, when we were talking about it, she was 

Natalie Johnson 27:23
like, 

Alicia Hamilton 27:24
I think you might want to talk to 

Natalie Johnson 27:25
A 

Alicia Hamilton 27:25
Natalie. 

Natalie Johnson 27:25
magen is my safe place. I go to her house when I need to hide. So, she said I was headed there anyway for drinks and dinner and to play with her grandkids and to vent. She said, "I think, you know, I'm going to invite Alicia." And I said, "I'm very private about my time." 

Rich Bennett 27:44
Right. 

Natalie Johnson 27:47
And I'm not much of a people person. 

Rich Bennett 27:49
I said, 

Natalie Johnson 27:49
So 

Rich Bennett 27:49
you're-- You're not? 

Natalie Johnson 27:51
No, no, I'm a big introvert. 

Rich Bennett 27:55
I would have 

Natalie Johnson 27:55
that. 

Rich Bennett 27:55
never 

Natalie Johnson 27:56
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 27:56
guessed 

Natalie Johnson 27:56
thank you. I practice. do. 

I 

Rich Bennett 28:01
I 

Natalie Johnson 28:01
do. 

Rich Bennett 28:02
Well, 

what? 

Natalie Johnson 28:04
Thirty 

Rich Bennett 28:05
minutes ago, 

Natalie Johnson 28:06
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 28:06
what you got here? 

Natalie Johnson 28:07
here. 

Rich Bennett 28:07
Wow. 

Natalie Johnson 28:08
I practice. So we met--she said, I need you to meet Alicia. She has something that she wants to discuss with you. I think it'll be a great opportunity for inter-county outreach in the families you serve. And because I trust her, I'm so okay. I don't mind. So we met. She shared her passion. I've seen her out here in these non-profit 

Rich Bennett 28:30
streams. 

Natalie Johnson 28:31
. . That's, 

Alicia Hamilton 28:31
Alright. [laughs] 

Natalie Johnson 28:31
you know, there are a lot of us, but we know everybody. So I've seen her around, um, I've met with her talk, but I've never had a personal conversation with her connection. It's all been, um, shop talk. So, uh, we had a chance to talk. Um, and she said, this is what I think God is calling me to do, would I seele consider it? And I said, well, crying at the time, but we're not gonna go into why I was crying. But I said, absolutely, I'll bring it to our board. I bring it to our president. Um, it fits neatly into our comprehensive basic needs division. 

Rich Bennett 29:11
I was 

Natalie Johnson 29:12
Um, and it compasses the work that we intend to do in the community. So let's have a discussion. So I brought it to my president first. Who's my father? 

Rich Bennett 29:19
I was just gonna say, is the president. 

Natalie Johnson 29:21
I I am a nipple baby. Now, I am 

Rich Bennett 29:25
God, the daughters, you know, 

Natalie Johnson 29:28
and he has 

Rich Bennett 29:30
five. What? 

Alicia Hamilton 29:30
Five. Yeah. So 

Natalie Johnson 29:31
we all work together. 

Rich Bennett 29:33
cool? 

Alicia Hamilton 29:33
Yup. 

Rich Bennett 29:33
Well, 

Alicia Hamilton 29:34
How 

Rich Bennett 29:34
then it's hard for dad 

Natalie Johnson 29:35
no. 

Rich Bennett 29:35
to say 

Alicia Hamilton 29:37
How cool is that? 

Natalie Johnson 29:38
is. 

Rich Bennett 29:38
That 

Alicia Hamilton 29:39
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 29:39
Wow. 

Natalie Johnson 29:40
We all together. So I met with my dad. Had to give him a pit, the pitch. It 

Rich Bennett 29:46
Right. 

Natalie Johnson 29:47
aligns with our five year strategic plan, something that we wanted to do. Um, we can support another nonprofit. We can have an immediate impact, serve our families with, um, additional programs that they 

Rich Bennett 30:01
Hmm. 

Natalie Johnson 30:02
need and, um, do more work for the community. So he agreed. We brought it to the board. We had several meetings, Alicia 

Alicia Hamilton 30:11
and I have been this was a six month. 

Natalie Johnson 30:12
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 30:13
Wow. 

Alicia Hamilton 30:14
Right. 

Natalie Johnson 30:15
We did a lot of due diligent work. Um, digging into our financials, our scope, our mission, our vision. Um, we wanted to be what I was liry of is giving her a yes. And then it falling apart. Right. I wouldn't want to do that to anyone's, um, mission, anyone's purpose, anything, God. Okay. I'm a, I'm a code switch back and forth because I'm a woman of faith. So 

Rich Bennett 30:44
me. 

Natalie Johnson 30:44
excuse 

Rich Bennett 30:45
That's, no, you're fine. 

Natalie Johnson 30:46
Okay. So I didn't want what God gave her to die, 

Rich Bennett 30:51
Right. 

Natalie Johnson 30:51
um, and especially it says necessity in our community. 

Rich Bennett 30:55
Hmm. 

Natalie Johnson 30:55
There's no other program like it in Hartford County or Cecil County. So hard, I CO serves the Tri County region. along the root 40 quarter from Baltimore County 

Rich Bennett 31:05
Cecil 

Natalie Johnson 31:06
to Cecil County. Yes, sir. So we're founded in Aberdeen in 1986. But we operate 15 programs and services from Baltimore County to Cecil County with offices and Hartford Cecil and Baltimore County. 

Rich Bennett 31:20
Okay. 

Natalie Johnson 31:23
hmm. 

Rich Bennett 31:23
We're 

Natalie Johnson 31:23
Well, we're going to, we'll get into it. So, um, if it neatly first start furnishing fit neatly, 

Rich Bennett 31:30
getting that. 

Natalie Johnson 31:31
I, um, thought that our organizational missions aligned, both faith base, um, I like to work with nonprofits who aren't, who have a deeper calling 

Rich Bennett 31:42
Yeah. Mm 

Natalie Johnson 31:42
for why they are operating. I know you'll get tired, but you won't quit. 

Rich Bennett 31:47
I that. Yeah. Need to put that on a shirt. 

Natalie Johnson 31:51
Oh, okay. 

Rich Bennett 31:53
I like that. Yeah. I know. But you won't quit. 

Natalie Johnson 31:57
I 

Alicia Hamilton 31:57
I. 

Natalie Johnson 31:57
in 

Alicia Hamilton 31:57
In 

Natalie Johnson 31:57
real line line with the social enterprise. Yes, 

Alicia Hamilton 32:01
which is, 

Natalie Johnson 32:02
you know, 

Alicia Hamilton 32:03
yeah, since day one, part of the 

Natalie Johnson 32:05
since, 

Alicia Hamilton 32:05
vision of fresh 

Natalie Johnson 32:05
always 

Alicia Hamilton 32:06
start is 

Natalie Johnson 32:06
to, 

Alicia Hamilton 32:08
um, 

Natalie Johnson 32:09
sustain 

Alicia Hamilton 32:09
a minimum 

Natalie Johnson 32:10
or 

Alicia Hamilton 32:11
through a social enterprise initiative, meaning 

Rich Bennett 32:14
right 

Alicia Hamilton 32:14
like a product service, something that we can bring in our for that reduces 

Natalie Johnson 32:18
the line 

Alicia Hamilton 32:19
in some traditional 

Natalie Johnson 32:20
funding. 

Alicia Hamilton 32:21
Um, in order to build that. That's a whole other. I mean, you're building a whole other 

Natalie Johnson 32:26
business. 

Alicia Hamilton 32:27
So it takes, it takes resources and infrastructure and 

Natalie Johnson 32:30
things. 

Alicia Hamilton 32:30
So, and we've kind of, we, we've dabbled and things we kind of have, you know, some small 

Natalie Johnson 32:35
different projects 

Alicia Hamilton 32:36
and things 

Natalie Johnson 32:37
that 

Alicia Hamilton 32:37
brought us in some money, 

Natalie Johnson 32:38
But 

Alicia Hamilton 32:38
but nothing. 

Natalie Johnson 32:39
nothing. The 

Alicia Hamilton 32:40
ability to sustain the vision, but that if we, um, has the 

Natalie Johnson 32:44
potential, 

Rich Bennett 32:45
right, 

Alicia Hamilton 32:45
you know, um, 

Natalie Johnson 32:46
and when, you know, um, and the 

Alicia Hamilton 32:50
ways that they have 

Natalie Johnson 32:52
already 

Alicia Hamilton 32:52
that they built their organization from the 

Natalie Johnson 32:55
start 

Alicia Hamilton 32:56
know, sustain 

Natalie Johnson 32:56
to, you 

Alicia Hamilton 32:57
their mission, it really 

Natalie Johnson 32:58
kind of, 

Alicia Hamilton 32:58
it's an awesome opportunity is, you know, some of the social enterprise 

Natalie Johnson 33:02
standpoint 

Alicia Hamilton 33:04
for, for ICO, 

Natalie Johnson 33:04
the 

Alicia Hamilton 33:04
so 

Rich Bennett 33:05
world, 

Natalie Johnson 33:06
fresh, 

Rich Bennett 33:06
but with 

Natalie Johnson 33:06
fresh start 

Rich Bennett 33:07
furnishings, you only took care of 

Natalie Johnson 33:08
people. 

Rich Bennett 33:09
County rate. 

Alicia Hamilton 33:10
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 33:11
Yeah. So now. 

Natalie Johnson 33:12
Oh, yes. 

Rich Bennett 33:13
I mean, date. 

Alicia Hamilton 33:14
Well, hard for 

Rich Bennett 33:14
300 

Alicia Hamilton 33:14
today. 

Rich Bennett 33:15
in sum is going to, like, probably more than triple. 

Alicia Hamilton 33:19
Yeah, well, so, uhm, and we'll talk about this. 

Natalie Johnson 33:22
Um, 

Alicia Hamilton 33:23
uh, started serving Hardford 

Natalie Johnson 33:25
we 

Alicia Hamilton 33:25
County and then Susok County from Elkden, South. 

Rich Bennett 33:28
Mm-hmm, 

Alicia Hamilton 33:29
because, you know, there's a lot of recovery places like, 

Rich Bennett 33:31
oh yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 33:32
There's, there's no, uhm, you know, program. Uh, so, bought, 

Natalie Johnson 33:36
uh, many, does, 

Alicia Hamilton 33:38
several, Nature Bank resources are ready though. 

Natalie Johnson 33:41
yes. 

Alicia Hamilton 33:41
Yeah, that I have, we have sick, 

Natalie Johnson 33:43
just 

Alicia Hamilton 33:43
on the website. 

Natalie Johnson 33:44
Depending on whether 

Alicia Hamilton 33:45
not there 

Natalie Johnson 33:45
or 

Alicia Hamilton 33:45
are, 

Natalie Johnson 33:45
there 

Alicia Hamilton 33:46
there are, there are, 

Natalie Johnson 33:46
are, more 

Alicia Hamilton 33:47
or less bottom or, 

Natalie Johnson 33:48
uhm, 

Alicia Hamilton 33:48
down low, closer to DC. So, I'm still a fan of, of referring those, 

Natalie Johnson 33:53
So, we're expanding north. 

Alicia Hamilton 33:55
yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 33:55
Yeah. C. So, a Hardford, 

Rich Bennett 33:56
okay. 

Natalie Johnson 33:56
Doing more in Hardford County and expanding and providing some supports to C. So, County. 

Rich Bennett 34:01
Okay, good. 

Alicia Hamilton 34:02
Yeah, Baltimore has some resources. 

Natalie Johnson 34:03
Yeah, Baltimore has, and they have second chance over there too. 

Alicia Hamilton 34:06
Well, 

Rich Bennett 34:07
I just knew, because with Baltimore 

Natalie Johnson 34:09
County, 

Rich Bennett 34:10
there are, 

Natalie Johnson 34:11
some 

Rich Bennett 34:12
things that is 

Natalie Johnson 34:13
allowed, 

Rich Bennett 34:14
there, 

Natalie Johnson 34:15
I wanna 

Rich Bennett 34:15
to say like 

Natalie Johnson 34:15
say, 

Rich Bennett 34:16
recovery homes. 

Natalie Johnson 34:16
yes, 

Rich Bennett 34:17
Very hard down 

Natalie Johnson 34:17
down 

Rich Bennett 34:18
there to even open up. 

Natalie Johnson 34:22
Well, well, well, you have to bring me back. We'll talk about 

Rich Bennett 34:25
Okay. 

Alicia Hamilton 34:26
it. 

Rich Bennett 34:26
Okay. Well, you're, 

Natalie Johnson 34:28
You're back 

Rich Bennett 34:29
you're, you're back 

Natalie Johnson 34:29
a 

Rich Bennett 34:29
a 

Natalie Johnson 34:29
lot 

Rich Bennett 34:29
lot more. 

Natalie Johnson 34:30
more. Oh, you like me. 

Alicia Hamilton 34:31
it. 

Natalie Johnson 34:31
Stir 

Rich Bennett 34:34
Stir. Bitch. 

Alicia Hamilton 34:36
He doesn't have everybody. 

Natalie Johnson 34:38
I do it to everyone. 

Rich Bennett 34:39
I do. 

Natalie Johnson 34:40
sorry, I 

Rich Bennett 34:41
I'm 

Natalie Johnson 34:41
don't know if you. 

Rich Bennett 34:41
The person I didn't like because I was always taught, taught it. Why would you not like 

Natalie Johnson 34:48
somebody? 

Everybody has something. Something good to like about 

Alicia Hamilton 34:54
everybody who's in the service is 

Natalie Johnson 34:56
everyone see, I'm 

Rich Bennett 34:58
see. 

Natalie Johnson 34:58
I was raised in church culture. My 

Rich Bennett 35:00
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 35:00
dad's a pastor. And I'm black. I'm not going to be able to get around without calling my elders. I'm Mr. Mises. I, 

Rich Bennett 35:07
I, I was raised the same way, but because of, 

Natalie Johnson 35:10
see. 

And if my father listens to this podcast, and here's me call you rich, I'm going to get it. 

So much. Just so you know, you will owe me like a whole bottle of 

Rich Bennett 35:27
whiskey. All right, Miss. Go ahead. 

Alicia Hamilton 35:30
There 

Rich Bennett 35:30
go. 

Alicia Hamilton 35:30
you 

Rich Bennett 35:31
A whole 

Natalie Johnson 35:31
you. 

Rich Bennett 35:31
body 

Natalie Johnson 35:31
Oh, yeah, I'm a whiskey drinker, but that's not what we're talking about today. 

Rich Bennett 35:35
Oh, we're going to have 

Natalie Johnson 35:37
to 

Rich Bennett 35:38
talk to 

Natalie Johnson 35:38
Yes, absolutely. We can talk 

Rich Bennett 35:40
man. 

Natalie Johnson 35:40
about that all day every day. 

Rich Bennett 35:42
Oh, thank you for introducing 

Natalie Johnson 35:44
me 

Rich Bennett 35:44
because we're going to be like. 

Alicia Hamilton 35:46
I hang with, 

Rich Bennett 35:47
Now, 

Alicia Hamilton 35:47
I hang with. 

Rich Bennett 35:50
So, I forgot where we were 

Alicia Hamilton 35:53
now. Talking about. 

Natalie Johnson 35:55
Yeah. Partner. 

Rich Bennett 35:56
Yeah, partnership. Oh, the partnership. 

Natalie Johnson 35:57
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 35:57
So, after six months, 

Natalie Johnson 35:59
Everything's 

Rich Bennett 35:59
every. 

Natalie Johnson 36:00
ago. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:01
not. 

Rich Bennett 36:01
But it's 

Alicia Hamilton 36:01
But we're still working. Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 36:03
well, 

Natalie Johnson 36:03
it's not efficient until February. 

Rich Bennett 36:06
Okay. 

Natalie Johnson 36:06
I'm. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:07
But you're not going to release this until after then. 

Rich Bennett 36:11
Tell me when to release. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:12
Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 36:14
Yeah. Before after the announcement, 

Natalie Johnson 36:15
we're bringing you in. So, you know, 

Rich Bennett 36:16
we'll make more sense to do it after a DNA. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:18
Mm hmm. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 36:20
And I like it as part of why after the announcement? Oh, never mind. Because if I 

Natalie Johnson 36:25
You 

Rich Bennett 36:25
did, the announcement. 

Natalie Johnson 36:26
would be 

Alicia Hamilton 36:28
and where we want to have a, 

Natalie Johnson 36:30
to 

Alicia Hamilton 36:30
we 

Natalie Johnson 36:30
have 

Alicia Hamilton 36:30
want 

Natalie Johnson 36:30
a party. 

Rich Bennett 36:31
Do you, do you have a date 

Natalie Johnson 36:33
The 

Rich Bennett 36:34
announcement? 

Natalie Johnson 36:35
twenty six is what we're leaning towards. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:37
Yeah, that's 

Rich Bennett 36:37
February 26. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:39
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 36:40
I'm going to look at my 

Natalie Johnson 36:40
You 

Rich Bennett 36:41
calendar, right? 

Natalie Johnson 36:41
are invited. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:42
We're getting the, yeah, we've got to 

Rich Bennett 36:44
That's 

Alicia Hamilton 36:44
find. 

Rich Bennett 36:45
just. Oh, no, that. I'm looking in January. Oh, that's a Thursday. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:49
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 36:50
Okay. 

Alicia Hamilton 36:50
Just like like a happy hour or so networking kind of bug. We're inviting our, our stakeholders 

Natalie Johnson 36:56
not a lot of people know about inner county outreach. We are boots on the ground grasswoods community base nonprofit, and we are awful at marketing and have been 

Rich Bennett 37:07
and 

Natalie Johnson 37:07
historically. 

Rich Bennett 37:07
partners. I think, 

Natalie Johnson 37:07
The 

Rich Bennett 37:08
first time I heard about you guys. I'm not mistaken. It was when I was with 

Natalie Johnson 37:15
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 37:15
which is no longer 

Natalie Johnson 37:16
around. No longer. 

Rich Bennett 37:17
Because we had an office in Aberdeen. The Bel Air and I think that's the first time 

Natalie Johnson 37:22
you. 

Rich Bennett 37:22
I heard What you did. So. What is the behind you? 

Natalie Johnson 37:28
Okay, so 

Rich Bennett 37:29
I know it's changed over the years now. 

Natalie Johnson 37:33
While we're, um, we have fidelity to our core mission, which is to support families, in various forms of trauma and transition. We provide stepping stones to support the quality of life, in their stability and our healing. And we, um, do that throughами. 

We have after-school programs, summer day camps, a full outpatient, um, mental health clinic with med management. 

Rich Bennett 38:09
What? 

Natalie Johnson 38:09
Yes, sir. Uh, residential facilities for young boys in the foster care program. We have, um, parenting classes inside CSO, county detention center, heart for county detention center, reentry programs. We have a certain school-based mental health support services and, um, community schools along the root 40 quarter. Oh goodness. Food pantry, we do addiction prevention, utility assistance. And now we're going to address furniture poverty as well, without our partnership with Fresh Star. We won the game. We're here for families in any form of transition or trauma. We address their physical, their emotional, their financial, their spiritual needs. And connect them with our partners where we can assist. But we are here for stabilization and support, all about serving families. 

Rich Bennett 38:58
Oh, yeah. You're going to be on here a lot more. Well, because we, we talk about mental health a lot. Which is very important. Uh, wherever you when we had the mental health pet life panel, it's a. 

Alicia Hamilton 39:14
I'm not sure. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 39:16
Yeah. That's 

Natalie Johnson 39:17
all right. Next time you 

Rich Bennett 39:17
have to do it again. 

Natalie Johnson 39:18
You have to do it again and I'll bring my sister. She's the best clinical director in the county in the state, in my opinion. 

Rich Bennett 39:25
Wow. 

Natalie Johnson 39:25
She's a trauma informed clinician. And that's all she does is deal with families and extreme trauma. Whether that be substance abuse domestic 

Rich Bennett 39:36
violence. Oh, Natalie. Natalie. 

Natalie Johnson 39:40
Natalie. 

Rich Bennett 39:41
So those of you listening get used to Natalie's voice because you're going to be here and heard a lot more. 

now we as far as the websites go 

Natalie Johnson 39:50
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 39:50
is fresh. Our furnishings 

Natalie Johnson 39:52
are 

Rich Bennett 39:52
a website or is it combining? 

Natalie Johnson 39:55
So we're doing two things. We're keeping the website. We're just going to change the branding a little bit to show the connection, putting a link to our existing website in doing an announcement, giving fresh start their own page on our page. And with the link to where to go for your to enroll for supportive services like that. So what we're keeping it up. 

Rich Bennett 40:17
Okay. All right. So, Natalie. How is what's your name? 

Natalie Johnson 40:22
Alisha. 

Rich Bennett 40:23
Yeah. Alisha. 

Alicia Hamilton 40:24
really, you're 

Rich Bennett 40:24
You're 

Alicia Hamilton 40:24
really something else. Sorry. I've got a sense of 

Rich Bennett 40:28
I 

Alicia Hamilton 40:28
humor. 

Rich Bennett 40:28
got a new friend here. So 

Natalie Johnson 40:30
Isn't my whiskey 

Rich Bennett 40:31
how? 

Natalie Johnson 40:31
best? 

Rich Bennett 40:31
How is your role 

Natalie Johnson 40:33
with? 

Alicia Hamilton 40:34
Is 

Rich Bennett 40:35
it good? 

Alicia Hamilton 40:36
Yes. Yeah. And it's going to be trained and for a couple of reasons. But with. So I am going to stay on supporting 

Natalie Johnson 40:44
fresh. 

Alicia Hamilton 40:46
But I'll 

Natalie Johnson 40:47
She's 

moving to the main office with 

Rich Bennett 40:50
be. 

Natalie Johnson 40:50
me. 

Alicia Hamilton 40:53
I'm running. Look at my home money in office hours. 

Rich Bennett 40:58
I'm 

Alicia Hamilton 40:59
like, I really like my 

Natalie Johnson 41:00
walking. 

Alicia Hamilton 41:01
How am I going to carry? 

Natalie Johnson 41:02
Not really coming to the office, but under the main office umbrella. I have no room for 

Rich Bennett 41:10
it. 

Alicia Hamilton 41:12
It's okay. I'm one of those people and that's just I work the best when I can kind of be in my own, you 

Rich Bennett 41:19
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 41:19
know. But I just don't otherwise I get into bazillion's conversation. 

Rich Bennett 41:23
So 

Alicia Hamilton 41:24
distracted. But in any case, so my title is going to be changed. And I'm going to be focusing more on just working for 

Natalie Johnson 41:31
part 

Alicia Hamilton 41:31
ICO 

Natalie Johnson 41:32
in a 

Alicia Hamilton 41:33
back end. 

Natalie Johnson 41:33
Because 

Alicia Hamilton 41:34
I have to I got to separate myself. My face from fresh start or ICO will know. The transition will never really kind of take place like it needs to take place. I see it needs to be the leader in the, you know. So I want to kind of be in 

Rich Bennett 41:48
rebrear. 

Alicia Hamilton 41:48
the in the back end. But I'll be supporting in different capacities from the marketing, database integration stuff. Potentially helping with grants kind of basically wherever not only needs to meet a fill in, I've got 20 

Natalie Johnson 42:05
hours. 

Alicia Hamilton 42:06
I'm happy to, you know, 

Natalie Johnson 42:07
and want you. 

Alicia Hamilton 42:08
continue supporting Fresh Start. Maybe it'll be end up working on some of the social enterprise initiatives. But one of the things I'm really looking forward to 

Natalie Johnson 42:16
being 

Alicia Hamilton 42:17
is 

Natalie Johnson 42:18
more 

Alicia Hamilton 42:18
attention to. I 

Natalie Johnson 42:21
feel like 

Alicia Hamilton 42:21
ask. Fresh Start for the 

Natalie Johnson 42:25
it's a 

Alicia Hamilton 42:25
very divided energy that I've had between all the 

Natalie Johnson 42:28
very 

Alicia Hamilton 42:28
different hats 

Natalie Johnson 42:29
interesting 

Alicia Hamilton 42:29
that I have to wear. 

It's pretty decent name recognition in the community. Yeah, people are aware of us. We got 4.2,000 followers on Facebook. Follow us on Facebook if you'd like to Fresh Start at

MD or something. Got to make this really 

Natalie Johnson 42:48
official. 

Alicia Hamilton 42:50
But you can find us on our website. I think we've done 

Natalie Johnson 42:55
good. 

Alicia Hamilton 42:55
I'm really excited to now bring awareness to it. 

Natalie Johnson 43:02
I 

Alicia Hamilton 43:03
think it's incredible. I feel completely to be a part of it and to be essentially adopted into the family. They've made me feel that way. 

Natalie Johnson 43:14
I've 

Alicia Hamilton 43:14
got trauma with that. I want to trust you. 

Natalie Johnson 43:18
An announcement to her main volunteers over Christmas. So my dad gets up to do his little welcome speech 

Rich Bennett 43:24
Right. 

Natalie Johnson 43:24
and he starts talking. 

It just sounds like the other girls. 

Alicia Hamilton 43:35
made me feel so good because that's a very, you know, that's kind of 

Natalie Johnson 43:37
It 

Alicia Hamilton 43:37
a little sensitive spot for me for different 

Natalie Johnson 43:40
reasons. 

Alicia Hamilton 43:41
So I'm just happy to be a part of that. 

Natalie Johnson 43:46
Celebrating 40th 

Alicia Hamilton 43:47
their anniversary and even celebrating our 10th. And so I'm 

Natalie Johnson 43:52
gonna 

Alicia Hamilton 43:52
say that you guys are about a marketing because all the 

Natalie Johnson 43:55
programs 

Alicia Hamilton 43:56
that need to know 

Natalie Johnson 43:57
about you. 

Rich Bennett 43:58
No, it's 

Alicia Hamilton 44:00
not about a marketing, but so. 

It's Bible of man and there's a 

Natalie Johnson 44:08
a 

Alicia Hamilton 44:08
scripture because I remember struggling with this fresh art in the beginning that, you know, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. And that's that's just seems like the lens that he's looked at. He doesn't want to brag. It's not about him. It's about, you know. 

Natalie Johnson 44:21
And I kind of felt the same way. 

Alicia Hamilton 44:23
Start at first, but then people are like Lisa. Nobody's going to be able to support you or find you or give you donations if they don't know about you. So that's when I started like, oh, we're doing this and we're doing this and we're but it. 

Rich Bennett 44:35
You put your face out there, which is important to. 

Alicia Hamilton 44:38
Yeah. Yeah. One 

Rich Bennett 44:42
One other 

Alicia Hamilton 44:42
other thing. 

Rich Bennett 44:42
thing. One other thing. No. 

Alicia Hamilton 44:43
One of the things I'm also super excited about is, you know, fresh art really relies on community. And, you know, from members of the community and that whole part of the population isn't necessarily people that are familiar with ICO. So I really see fresh start as being this funnel for not just other clients 

Rich Bennett 45:07
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 45:07
to get into services, but for tons of donors in the community that aren't currently coming to ICO doors. And I mean in kind 

Rich Bennett 45:14
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 45:14
donors bringing so if it's in things people when they come to our doors, they're so impressed and they're like, oh, I never, you know, this looks so great and it's so organized and they're just always and so now when they come, like, are you think this is impressive. Check out these 15 other programs that are going on here. You know, and I'm just I just love. I think it's a privilege to be able to bring attention to that. As your ghost. 

Rich Bennett 45:38
Massing with you. No, I 

Alicia Hamilton 45:38
heard. 

Rich Bennett 45:38
just 

Alicia Hamilton 45:39
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 45:40
It's clicking. It's something else. Because with nonprofits and with you wearing all these hats for 

Natalie Johnson 45:47
10 

Rich Bennett 45:47
years. 

Alicia Hamilton 45:49
Five of which unpaid. Five of which unpaid. 

Rich Bennett 45:52
Yeah. And I would have affected you or not, but I know I know if 

Natalie Johnson 45:56
people, 

Rich Bennett 45:56
it's big on your mental 

Natalie Johnson 45:58
health. 

Rich Bennett 45:59
Are a lot of those 

Natalie Johnson 46:00
be 

Rich Bennett 46:00
hats going to 

Alicia Hamilton 46:02
yes. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 46:04
Good. 

Natalie Johnson 46:06
And they're going on. We're 

Rich Bennett 46:09
on your 

Alicia Hamilton 46:09
shared. Shared 

Rich Bennett 46:09
sister one of your sisters. 

Natalie Johnson 46:10
Well, we have 52 employees 

Rich Bennett 46:14
really. 

Natalie Johnson 46:14
Yes, sir. 26 full time. 

Rich Bennett 46:18
Wow. 

Natalie Johnson 46:18
Yes, sir. So I'm her hats. We're taking them. I got broad shoulders. And it's part of the work we do. We're excited. I have sisters that are supporting me. Number three and Alicia good friends and I remember 

Rich Bennett 46:34
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 46:35
a number of. 

Rich Bennett 46:35
Oh, I love that though. 

Alicia Hamilton 46:37
Apparently the, the, for, 'cause I had to ask about this too. Apparently 4 and 5 weren't raised the same way, 

Natalie Johnson 46:43
no. 

Alicia Hamilton 46:43
3 were. 

Natalie Johnson 46:45
There is a 12 gap difference between me and number 5. And 

Rich Bennett 46:49
what number are you? 

Natalie Johnson 46:50
I'm 1. 

Rich Bennett 46:51
You're, uh, why? 

Natalie Johnson 46:52
I'm number 1. You can't tell. 

Rich Bennett 46:54
You're the first born? 

Natalie Johnson 46:55
Yes, I am 

Rich Bennett 46:56
and you're 86. 

Natalie Johnson 46:58
I was born in 83. 

Rich Bennett 46:59
083 

Natalie Johnson 47:01
really? Yes. 

Rich Bennett 47:03
Tell me February. 

Natalie Johnson 47:04
No July. 

Rich Bennett 47:05
Okay. 

Natalie Johnson 47:06
July? 

Rich Bennett 47:07
It's gonna be weird if she had the same birthday. That just be 

Natalie Johnson 47:12
like that'd be weird. What is 

Alicia Hamilton 47:14
that? I would have loved to have brought that connection, yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 47:18
Number 2's birthdays 

Rich Bennett 47:20
on February. A really? February what? 

Natalie Johnson 47:21
8. 

Rich Bennett 47:22
8, okay. 

Natalie Johnson 47:22
Yeah. Yeah. So we all, number 2 is our clinical director, so she is in 

Rich Bennett 47:28
I, I 

Natalie Johnson 47:29
charge 

Rich Bennett 47:29
love to say 

Natalie Johnson 47:30
of 

Rich Bennett 47:30
what 

Natalie Johnson 47:30
everything. 

Rich Bennett 47:30
names they have numbers. I'm 

Natalie Johnson 47:34
her name is Danielle. But she's a clinical director, so she manages. All of our school based mental health support. I had a patient mental 

Rich Bennett 47:41
sorry, 

Natalie Johnson 47:41
clinical. 

Rich Bennett 47:42
I just, 

Natalie Johnson 47:42
It's the president's 

Rich Bennett 47:43
People 

Natalie Johnson 47:43
facility. 

Rich Bennett 47:44
calling your office. Yes, 

Natalie Johnson 47:45
it. Johnson, 

Rich Bennett 47:46
Right. 

Natalie Johnson 47:46
right? Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 47:46
It is number 2 Johnson. 

Natalie Johnson 47:48
Well, they're used to it now. 

Rich Bennett 47:50
Number 4. 

Natalie Johnson 47:52
And if you want money, that's who you want. Number 4. 

And number 4 I stole her from Johns Hopkins. She runs........ she's a finance officer, she's a HR manager and the number 3 she is an accountant. She works for a pharmaceutical company that she works for us part time and she does all my strategic financial planning. 

Rich Bennett 48:14
Wow. Now what's your? 

Natalie Johnson 48:16
I'm the COO, the chief operating officer. 

Rich Bennett 48:20
Okay. 

Natalie Johnson 48:21
All right. Take all the hits. Report to the president. Set the direction. Keep us moving. 

Rich Bennett 48:26
All right. Now, that I'm sorry. Number one. 

Natalie Johnson 48:29
Number one, 

Rich Bennett 48:30
first of all, you may report to the president. But you know, you make the cause stochie. He may say he does, but we know who really 

Natalie Johnson 48:40
I 

Rich Bennett 48:41
does. 

Natalie Johnson 48:41
am his first in his favor, and I'll 

Rich Bennett 48:42
at. 

Natalie Johnson 48:43
leave it 

I 

Alicia Hamilton 48:46
love that. I hope you guys all say. 

Rich Bennett 48:50
But 

Alicia Hamilton 48:50
I'm 

Natalie Johnson 48:52
in 

Alicia Hamilton 48:52
favor. Really if 

Natalie Johnson 48:53
everyone first in a favor 40 years. 

Rich Bennett 48:56
I'm going to 

Natalie Johnson 48:57
issue, 

Rich Bennett 48:59
Alicia at first. So since you've been involved with it, because obviously you weren't when you were very young. 

Natalie Johnson 49:08
You've always engaged. My dad is really big on you serving your community with everything you have, 

Rich Bennett 49:17
which is important. 

Natalie Johnson 49:18
is important. So I was after school tutor, 

Rich Bennett 49:21
Which 

Natalie Johnson 49:21
summer day camp teacher, and aid volunteered, clean the toilets, clean the campus, ready, everything I've always been engaged. In fact, our first camping trip that we went on. I was three years old. There's this real picture that I use when I'm doing my presentations about our next where my arms are spread out. I'm just circling the cadins. I've always been a part of ICO. My background is in financial services. So I'm not going to say where I worked, but I worked in alternative investments for over 15 years. 

Rich Bennett 49:56
Wow. So how long have you been full time in ICO? Do I 

Natalie Johnson 50:00
Since 

Rich Bennett 50:01
say ICO? 

Natalie Johnson 50:03
2018, I joined right before the pandemic like an idiot. I mean, like a wonderful person. That's 

Rich Bennett 50:11
You 

Natalie Johnson 50:11
smart. 

Rich Bennett 50:11
know what? No, I was 

Natalie Johnson 50:14
very 

Rich Bennett 50:14
smart. And here's 

Natalie Johnson 50:16
why 

Rich Bennett 50:17
when the pandemic hit, everybody was challenged, 

Natalie Johnson 50:20
because 

Rich Bennett 50:20
and the ones that succeeded were the way. I don't want to say think outside of box. They thought inside the box. 

Natalie Johnson 50:27
It was 

Rich Bennett 50:28
kept going. 

Natalie Johnson 50:29
It was a test it everything I thought I knew. 

Rich Bennett 50:32
But I don't have many places shut down, 

Natalie Johnson 50:34
Right. And we 

Rich Bennett 50:36
but back up. 

Natalie Johnson 50:37
managed to grow. We opened up during the pandemic. We opened up our outpatient mental health clinic, 

Rich Bennett 50:43
which was definitely. 

Natalie Johnson 50:44
It was a necessity. We never want stop serving. We added new treatment modalities to the way we serve. We didn't fire or let go of anyone. God bless. 

Rich Bennett 50:56
So see if you wouldn't have. So in the 18 do you think that would have all happened? 

Natalie Johnson 51:02
No, God would have worked it out where I see what has still been around. 

Rich Bennett 51:05
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 51:06
But I don't think we would have had that growth. At that time, it was a struggle. My dad didn't have a lot of administrative 

Rich Bennett 51:14
support. Right. 

Natalie Johnson 51:15
Because of the way he chooses to serve, economies of scale, he tries to get as much of direct service support out of each person, which means the administrative back in was a little bit lacking. 

Rich Bennett 51:29
Okay. 

Natalie Johnson 51:30
Because his focus was on meeting the immediate need 

Rich Bennett 51:33
Right. 

Natalie Johnson 51:34
of the family, the individual. So there were some things that we had to change to adjust to amend. But yeah, 

Rich Bennett 51:43
yeah, I forgot the question. I was going to ask 

Natalie Johnson 51:45
you. 

Rich Bennett 51:46
because you already share. Oh, I was. So since your time 

Natalie Johnson 51:49
Well, 

Rich Bennett 51:50
with ice, you officially officially, what's 

Natalie Johnson 51:53
shared with us a field 

Rich Bennett 51:56
good story that you yourself had, have seen. 

Natalie Johnson 52:01
I 

get it. So my favorite time of I say I was doing the summer because 

Rich Bennett 52:09
because of camp. 

Natalie Johnson 52:10
All the kids come back and we are one our third and fourth generation of kids. So some of the kids that I taught in summer they can't, they're bringing their kids to summer day camp. And some of them and we have grandparents who brought since their kids were 

Rich Bennett 52:25
Wow. 

Natalie Johnson 52:25
bringing our great grandkids. So what feels good to me is from May all year I'm on that. 

Rich Bennett 52:35
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 52:35
But starting in June, you get to see that those generations, from the workers to the campers to the volunteers. It's generational impact and people send people will send their kids. They move to California, but their kid comes to Maryland for the summer to be with their grandparents. They'll send them the camp and they'll call me, Oh, that my baby's coming. Oh, that's perfectly fine. Oh, another field of memory. So we take interns for in the mental health clinic. So we take interns from Un University of Baltimore University of Maryland. And then we have a new health care center because we believe that if you're going to serve our community, you should be taught by a member of our 

Rich Bennett 53:20
Yes. 

Natalie Johnson 53:20
community. There's some core values in the way we serve that we think should be mandates for everyone. But that's another conversation for another day. So anyway, we got this new intern. And you know, she's just a name. 

Rich Bennett 53:36
She's not a number. 

Natalie Johnson 53:37
Not a number. She's just a name. So I'm checking off my monthly boys and Miss Kani, who's in charge of all of our interns. Oh, we have this new intern. I'm like, okay, sounds good meter. And so she's working with us for two weeks. And no one knows. And then she goes, she, she comes to devotions on Friday. And she goes, I just want to say, I am so thankful that I'm I was a camper. And now I get to do my internship in the mental health. I said, wait, you were just like, yeah, I was a camper. Y'all didn't recognize me saying anything. 

Rich Bennett 54:15
Oh, wow. 

Natalie Johnson 54:16
But that's it. It just, she was like, it means so much to me. I'd 

Rich Bennett 54:22
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 54:22
be able to get my training here in an organization that poured into me as a child. And that it means so much to me, like my niece, my God kids, they graduated school, they volunteer, they work. It's seeing that generational support, seeing the sacrifices my dad made for the community when I was a And I was honestly not always extremely 

Rich Bennett 54:54
about 

Natalie Johnson 54:54
happy 

Rich Bennett 54:54
it. Right. 

Natalie Johnson 54:56
Because I had to share them not just with 

Rich Bennett 54:59
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 54:59
the girls, the numbers, but with the entire community. 

Rich Bennett 55:02
Something 

Natalie Johnson 55:03
It 

Rich Bennett 55:03
didn't. 

Natalie Johnson 55:03
did. I mean, I have brothers everywhere. Brothers all over the country. I can go anywhere in this. There aren't too many places I can't go 

Rich Bennett 55:11
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 55:12
where there isn't a young man who will say, you're my sister. You can come stay here. I'll take care of you if I'm stranded anywhere, Philly, Georgia, New York, doesn't matter. I can pick up a, it's nothing like it. And it's, it's my dad's sacrifice pays dividends 

Rich Bennett 55:31
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 55:31
in the community. And true love, an affection and care, it doesn't die out. So I mean, you know, that's what I love. Everywhere I go, they're like, your dad's so loving. He's so great. Like, no, no, he's been of a chart. But I'll take it. 

Rich Bennett 55:50
God. 

Natalie Johnson 55:52
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 55:54
So 

Natalie Johnson 55:54
yes. 

Rich Bennett 55:54
before I get, be, go 

Natalie Johnson 55:56
gonna. 

Rich Bennett 55:56
ahead, you're 

Natalie Johnson 55:56
I don't 

Rich Bennett 55:57
know. No, no. Oh, before I get to my last 

Natalie Johnson 55:59
question, 

Rich Bennett 56:00
is there anything either of you would like to add? 

Natalie Johnson 56:04
Did I miss anything? No, I think I, We're just excited. We are excited to see the combined impact. Uhm, we have some great things planned in terms of workforce development and making sure that our community members know that they're supported in their next. Um yeah. 

Rich Bennett 56:33
Oh, I'm 

Natalie Johnson 56:35
yes. 

Rich Bennett 56:35
gonna make a donation and everything. 

Natalie Johnson 56:38
We are at www. innercountyoutreach. 

Rich Bennett 56:43
org. At first our furnishings are staying the 

Alicia Hamilton 56:45
Hey, 

Rich Bennett 56:45
same. 

Alicia Hamilton 56:45
well, yeah, for now we're keeping the demand because we get a lot of website traffic. So it's good. But, uhm, 

Rich Bennett 56:51
having 

Natalie Johnson 56:52
way 

Rich Bennett 56:52
traffic, 

Natalie Johnson 56:52
to go. 

Alicia Hamilton 56:53
that's one 

Natalie Johnson 56:53
But 

Alicia Hamilton 56:55
yeah, but our website is freshstartmd. org. And I do want to, like, yes, about any other, uh, information, I'm going to leave. 

Rich Bennett 57:04
Only 

Alicia Hamilton 57:04
I 

Rich Bennett 57:04
the 

Alicia Hamilton 57:04
don't... 

Rich Bennett 57:05
Natalie, not to you. Now, I'm, go ahead. 

Alicia Hamilton 57:07
Now, I don't think I was going to share something like, kind of personal story stuff. But that, that, that'll come in the future. But I do think it's important. Uhm, poor. I just would like people to know because I think I was personally kind of struggling with, uhm, you know, what brought me personally to this kind of decision. 

Feeling like I failed in some kind of way. 

Rich Bennett 57:30
With fresh 

Alicia Hamilton 57:30
start. Mm-hmm. That's what I was, I was really struggling with. And I had to kind of sit back and I realized I was comparing myself to other, you know, nonprofits in the area that now I know. Yeah. And well, one of the things I realized, you talked about, like, advice for, you know, people who start nonprofits. Take a look at where you are personally. 

Rich Bennett 57:53
Mm-hmm. 

Alicia Hamilton 57:54
Uhm, that's a huge, that's, I really learned that it, I don't, I wouldn't change anything. 

Rich Bennett 58:00
Right. 

Alicia Hamilton 58:00
Uhm, but, you know, 

Natalie Johnson 58:04
the resources from the beginning, 

Alicia Hamilton 58:05
getting do 

Natalie Johnson 58:06
matters. 

Alicia Hamilton 58:07
we just kind of, you know, we were just a group of three 

Natalie Johnson 58:10
And 

Alicia Hamilton 58:10
women that this 

Natalie Johnson 58:12
had 

Alicia Hamilton 58:12
furniture ministry on service, on our hearts, 

Natalie Johnson 58:16
God 

Alicia Hamilton 58:16
and, and 

Natalie Johnson 58:17
brought it to 

Alicia Hamilton 58:17
there in different ways, 

Natalie Johnson 58:18
you. 

Alicia Hamilton 58:19
uhm, but, you know, we were just called, called by a purpose and wanted to fulfill it. But I know I personally was completely naive to all of the, the, the back end stuff, you know, all of the, the, the things that it was going to take. 

Natalie Johnson 58:34
Is 

Alicia Hamilton 58:34
I didn't realize I'm very, like, to work with clients from one-on-one, build programs, that sort of thing. I didn't realize it, you know, ultimately, at least from my experience, starting a 

Natalie Johnson 58:44
nonprofit, if you're the, 

Alicia Hamilton 58:45
the, the, headperson doing that, your role also is ultimately going to be, at least from what I can tell primarily, fundraising and advocacy. Like, 

Natalie Johnson 58:54
some, 

Alicia Hamilton 58:54
somebody's got to make sure 

Natalie Johnson 58:55
that those are getting paid. 

Alicia Hamilton 58:57
So that does take you away from bringing you in, just be prepared for that. 

Natalie Johnson 59:05
And we are 

Alicia Hamilton 59:06
operating for three years before we even had a budget because literally I just didn't know. 

Natalie Johnson 59:11
You know, 

Alicia Hamilton 59:11
so 

Rich Bennett 59:12
and a lot 

Alicia Hamilton 59:12
so, 

Rich Bennett 59:12
of 

Alicia Hamilton 59:12
uhm, 

Rich Bennett 59:12
people do? 

Alicia Hamilton 59:14
that's it. Like, 

Natalie Johnson 59:15
Yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 59:15
yeah, start, start, start with the budget, start 

Natalie Johnson 59:17
money, 

Alicia Hamilton 59:17
with the 

Natalie Johnson 59:18
start 

Alicia Hamilton 59:18
with, you know, 

Natalie Johnson 59:19
the, 

Alicia Hamilton 59:20
the network, if you're not already coming 

Natalie Johnson 59:21
to the 

Alicia Hamilton 59:22
table, table with those things initially, then 

Natalie Johnson 59:25
you've 

Alicia Hamilton 59:25
got to start there. Because I, know, foundationally, it's just going to be a stronger foundation from the beginning. Now grant it two years and, you know, a couple years, what was that, when did, uh, COVID hit like 

Rich Bennett 59:39
you 

Alicia Hamilton 59:40
beginning of 2020? Yeah, we had just a 

Rich Bennett 59:43
2019, 

Alicia Hamilton 59:44
yeah, we were 

Rich Bennett 59:47
daughter was the class of 2020. Did they shut down in March of 20? 

Alicia Hamilton 59:52
I think that's when it was. Yeah, and it just started in 2019. So 

Rich Bennett 59:56
Yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 59:56
we had just 

Natalie Johnson 59:56
been 

Alicia Hamilton 59:57
in 

Natalie Johnson 59:57
in 

Alicia Hamilton 59:57
our space for a year and a half and then just went from serving 60 homes a year 

Natalie Johnson 1:00:02
our 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:02
to our first 

Natalie Johnson 1:00:02
first 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:03
year. 

Natalie Johnson 1:00:03
year, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:03
Open in a building, we served 191 homes. So like crazy, you know, growth and we were just kind of getting our, our wheels and then COVID hit and they kind of shook things up. So, um, you know, but I, I will say our mission, at least on my heart, what we set out to do was furnish homes and we have done that. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:20
Oh, big time. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:21
Oh, yes. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:22
You grew that from, well, listen, I'm going to say it, you went from zero to hero. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:26
we had 

Natalie Johnson 1:00:27
Yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:27
zero money, zero network, I had zero 

Rich Bennett 1:00:31
building your 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:31
experience 

Rich Bennett 1:00:31
in. Now's a lot bigger. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:34
Well, it's, it's taller. The square footage was, it's actually 1,000 square feet smaller, 

Rich Bennett 1:00:40
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:40
but, um, 

Rich Bennett 1:00:41
but you can stack stuff 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:42
Yeah, we added a lot more 

Rich Bennett 1:00:44
there. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:44
shelving 

Rich Bennett 1:00:44
Wow. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:44
in. Yeah. So, um, yeah. But I just, I just wanted to share that that it is, you know, um, 

Rich Bennett 1:00:51
you weren't a failure. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:00:53
Now, we just, we started, we started it. I don't know if you've ever seen that, that YouTube video. they have a bunch of college kids start on a, on a football field. On the 

Natalie Johnson 1:01:04
Uh, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:01:04
end zone. Have you 

Natalie Johnson 1:01:05
Yes. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:01:05
seen? Oh, it's the best video. I'll definitely send it to you, Rich. But the premise, the ultimate premise of the whole video is not everybody starts on the, on the same, you know. Yeah, and most people start on profits, honestly, after, you know, 2030 year corporate successful career. They got a little nest egg. They want to do something that 

Natalie Johnson 1:01:26
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:01:26
feels fulfilling, you know, they, they have this thing, but they've got a network that they've built the past 25 years. They've got, you know, people they can just call and say, hey, I'm, I need you to be on my board. And the person maybe, yeah, cool. You know, we didn't every single thing. I had just gotten off of food stamps a year before starting like and had just graduated the college as an adult student, you know, but, uh, I didn't, I learned the set, our dinner. We're bringing the original Mission Full Circle because it was to part of their mission was to support single moms. And that's, 

Natalie Johnson 1:01:59
yeah, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:01:59
I mean, 

Natalie Johnson 1:01:59
and 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:00
uh, 

Natalie Johnson 1:02:00
and we are, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:01
uh, yeah. Um, 

Natalie Johnson 1:02:03
what I learned from my father watching him do 

Rich Bennett 1:02:08
nonprofit, mm hmm, 

Natalie Johnson 1:02:09
life is strategic and doorks, is using your creativity and your ingenuity to ensure that you are here for the long term, you're having the impact you desire. And I see this move by Alicia as a prime example of that, 

Rich Bennett 1:02:26
yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 1:02:27
um, not allowing it to die. It's 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:30
Nope. 

Natalie Johnson 1:02:30
strategic and dance, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:31
That wouldn't, 

Natalie Johnson 1:02:32
figuring out a way to make it happen. Um, and that's what one thing I love about being a heart of county girl, smart people with great hearts. And we figure out a way to get it done. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:42
Mm 

Natalie Johnson 1:02:42
hmm. I 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:43
would have never let it, uh, no, that that couldn't be the case. I just knew that I wasn't called to carry it into its next season. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:50
Yeah. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:51
Cause I got some other 

Rich Bennett 1:02:51
on. Well, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:52
things 

Rich Bennett 1:02:52
I 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:52
to 

Rich Bennett 1:02:52
want to, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:52
focus 

Rich Bennett 1:02:52
I want to congratulate you guys on this. This is awesome. And 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:56
it's going to 

Rich Bennett 1:02:57
Nally, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:02:57
stretch donor dollars. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:58
it was, it was nice meeting you. And Alicia, I'm going to say something very nice to you. Good thing you're sitting down. I am very, very proud of you. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:09
Thank you 

Rich Bennett 1:03:09
for everything that you've done with this, even though you gave me a hard time. No, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:16
all in good, fun, 

Rich Bennett 1:03:17
extremely proud of you. I mean, to see what you built and yeah. So I'm going to let you go first. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:24
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:25
Now, the nice stuff is coming off because I'm going to save the best for last and get it. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:29
That is okay. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:32
Pick 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:33
one, 

Rich Bennett 1:03:33
a number 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:33
she 

Rich Bennett 1:03:33
between 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:33
is the, I got to be a special guest. Now in the, 

Natalie Johnson 1:03:37
I like being special. I haven't been special in a long 

Rich Bennett 1:03:40
time. 

Natalie Johnson 1:03:40
So this is, this is good for me. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:43
Pick a number between one and 100. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:46
I got it. Do I say it out loud? 

Rich Bennett 1:03:47
Well, yes. I got to know. What number? 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:50
Two 

Rich Bennett 1:03:52
two, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:52
you said between one and 100. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:53
Okay. Why number two? Oh, God. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:56
Or 22. What's my birthday? 

Rich Bennett 1:03:57
Two, 

Natalie Johnson 1:03:58
go 

Alicia Hamilton 1:03:58
to, 

two. What? 

Rich Bennett 1:04:01
Why number two? I said, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:04:03
Oh, it's my birthday. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:03
Oh, okay. Yeah. I don't know if I should be, no, this is a good question. 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:11
Good question. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:12
What belief do you hold now that a younger version of yourself would find shocking or impossible to believe? This? 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:21
Oh, well, 

Rich Bennett 1:04:21
as 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:21
that is 

Rich Bennett 1:04:22
well. Well, we've been 

Alicia Hamilton 1:04:22
talking, I don't give a shit what people think. 

Sorry. Strategic use of 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:35
work 

Alicia Hamilton 1:04:36
to make my point. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:38
I was going to say, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:04:39
you 

Rich Bennett 1:04:39
said that when you were a younger person, I'm sure somebody would 

Alicia Hamilton 1:04:42
know. No, I. 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:46
All right, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:04:47
I thought 

Rich Bennett 1:04:48
me about 

Alicia Hamilton 1:04:48
about 

Rich Bennett 1:04:49
yeah. You know what that was a great 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:50
guard. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:51
answer. 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:51
That was really 

Rich Bennett 1:04:51
What? 

Natalie Johnson 1:04:52
good. It was excellent. And you caught me off guard. I wasn't ready for it. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:55
They're body off Why did I say there's no filter in the begin? I shouldn't have said. 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:01
All 

Rich Bennett 1:05:02
right. Now, we pick a number between one and 100, 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:05
I'm going with 33. 33. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:07
Why 30? Oh, your age, right? 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:10
Oh, I'm 43. 33 is my favorite 

Rich Bennett 1:05:14
number. I keep saying your book. 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:15
I don't know why you think I'm young. I am not young. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05:18
She does look very young. 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:19
you 

Rich Bennett 1:05:19
No, I thought 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:20
know 

Rich Bennett 1:05:20
Or 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:20
what? 

Rich Bennett 1:05:20
born 93 because 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:21
no, I was born in 80, 83. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:23
Oh, my son 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05:24
Her 

Rich Bennett 1:05:24
was born 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05:24
eye 

Rich Bennett 1:05:24
in 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05:24
next to 

Rich Bennett 1:05:24
three. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05:25
my 

Rich Bennett 1:05:25
Never. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05:25
eye up on a thing and like, I mean, 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:27
no, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:05:29
9. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:30
I just made my son. 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:31
You're 

Rich Bennett 1:05:32
younger than he is then, he was born in '93, 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:34
huh? Yeah, we're not the same age. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:35
Well, they're and I weren't together then. (laughs) Where were we? 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:41
Where are you? Oh, 

Rich Bennett 1:05:42
we weren't. Uh, 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:43
edit, edit on 

Rich Bennett 1:05:44
still 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:44
the, 

Rich Bennett 1:05:44
in the Marine Corps and then, so yeah, we definitely weren't together. 

Okay. Wow, okay, it's a good 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:51
question. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:53
What's a small change you've 

Natalie Johnson 1:05:54
made? Oh, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:56
(laughs) 

Can I change my 

Natalie Johnson 1:06:00
red? 

Rich Bennett 1:06:00
number What's 

Natalie Johnson 1:06:01
(laughs) 

Rich Bennett 1:06:03
a small change you've made that has had a surprisingly big impact? 

Natalie Johnson 1:06:09
Well, I, 

uh, small change made. Small change that I've made. Oh my. Okay. I, um, I leave my door open in the office. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:31
Did you go to school? 

Natalie Johnson 1:06:32
I'm at Morgan, I closed it. But, um, I see, I'll leave it open. And it's helping me to be comfortable engaging with people on a regular basis out. That's a small change. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:47
I think it'd be a big change for a lot of people 

Natalie Johnson 1:06:49
too. It, it was big. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:50
Also gives you an opportunity to keep your eye on number two, three, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:06:53
five, 

Rich Bennett 1:06:53
four, 

Alicia Hamilton 1:06:53
six, five, 

Natalie Johnson 1:06:54
six. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:06:54
six, 

Natalie Johnson 1:06:54
No, they get on my nerves. 

It's 

Alicia Hamilton 1:07:00
kind of funny to 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:01
room. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:07:01
be in the 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:03
They 

Alicia Hamilton 1:07:04
do their thing. 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:05
So, if I could fire them, I would. But I can't. They're amazing. They're brilliant women. They're just a little, um, opinionated. Just a touch of opinion, but they're brilliant. And they work very hard. Um, it's just, it was difficult for me, because I'm, um, a little tunnel focused. Don't work when I'm working. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:26
I understand. 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:28
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 1:07:28
I'm the same way. I hate 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:30
it. Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:31
I could not work well in a cubicle 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:32
And with human 

Rich Bennett 1:07:33
before my off. 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:34
services. Yeah, with human services, you need to be. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:38
Yeah. 

Natalie Johnson 1:07:38
I have to pour into the people that pour into others. And that's one thing that I did. Just leave it all the way open. And they come in and out. And I'm, I'm getting there. I'm comfortable. My candle's going, I'm using. Alicia, my office plants everywhere. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:58
Natalie, it's been a 

Natalie Johnson 1:08:00
pleasure being 

Rich Bennett 1:08:01
And I can't wait 

Natalie Johnson 1:08:02
you. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:02
to talk with you again. Alicia, it's always good seeing you 

Alicia Hamilton 1:08:06
two. 

Natalie Johnson 1:08:06
Thank

Rich Bennett 1:08:07
you. Dreno, you wait it. What? 

Alicia Hamilton 1:08:08
I've been 

Rich Bennett 1:08:09
years before you came. 

Alicia Hamilton 1:08:10
I've definitely been hibernating a little bit. I needed, I needed a little bit 

Rich Bennett 1:08:13
It's 

Alicia Hamilton 1:08:13
of time. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:14
allowed. Alicia, thank you so

Natalie Johnson 1:08:16
much. Thanks for having us. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:20
Thank you for listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and learned something from it as I did. If you'd like to hear more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you have a moment, I'd love it if you could leave a review. It helps us reach more listeners and share more incredible stories. Don't forget to connect with us on social media or visit our website at conversations with rich Bennett.com for updates, giveaways, and more. Until next time, take care. Be kind and keep the conversations going. You know, it takes a lot to put a podcast together, together. And my sponsors help add a lot, but I also have some supporters that actually help me when it comes to the editing software, the hosting, and so forth. There's a lot that goes into putting this together. So I want to thank them. And if you can please please visit their websites, visit their businesses, support them however you can. So please visit the following full circle boards, nobody does charcuterie like full circle boards. Visit them at fullcircleboards.com. Sincerely, saw your photography, live in the moment. They'll capture it. Visit them at sincerely soyer.com. The Jopitan Lions Club, serving the community since 1965. Visit them at jopitanlionsclub. org and don't forget the E at the end of Jopitan because they're extraordinary.