#26 We present Dr. Amanda Hackford Founder of the nonprofit Love to Serve in Vero Beach, FL

SUMMARY Dr. Hackford has been active in education as a teacher in the School District of Indian River County. After earning her Ph.D. her heart was moved to give back to the community by helping and supporting needy children through the nonprofit Love to Serve.  In this podcast, she will share her journey to the present and the special impact her nonprofit is having on children in Indian River County. ------------------------------ HIGHLIGHTS [00:56] Susan introduces Dr. Amanda Hackford and she talks about her non-profit Love to Serve. [07:04] Dr. Hackford describes how it is best to talk to children having a rough time in their life. [21:54] Dr. Hackford goes over the importance of all non-profits and how they help her organization. [27:20] How does Love to Serve help kids that have aged out of the foster care program? [37:18] Dr. Hackford talks about her program that help senior citizens in need. [38:44] How and when can you help Love to Serve in their next projects and how can you contact them? ------------------------------ QUOTES [6:37] “If you really want to help, if you really want to know, ask questions that are more important to really dig deeper and , even little questions that are open-ended.” [13:00] “If you have a uniform or socks or underwear, and they are still in. You grow out of them, but they're still in good condition. That's what you give. Just because these people don't have a home doesn't mean they don't have dignity. So that's what you give to these people.” [31:14] “When you go out on your own there's expenses that you have, and if you're not even out of high school and you have been in a foster shelter, where does that stuff come from? People like us.” [35:38] “Someone will say something to me like, oh gosh, those kids are horrible. Or why help them? And my first thoughts are, what are you expecting? What are you expecting from them? How do youeven know what some of them have been through or witnessed.” [44:28] “No matter what the giver's ability is, Love to Serve are willing and in need of. From very small items like plastic eggs for gift baskets for Easter, all the way up to large monetary donations for your fishing tournament. So whatever the person's ability to give you have that ability to receive in the need for it.” ------------------------------ RESOURCES Love to Serve - https://www.lovetoserveirc.com/ Phone - (772) 584-1751 Email- lovetoserveirc@gmail.com Love to Serve Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/lovetoserveirc/ Team Success: Phone-https://www.teamsuccessschools.org/ Salvation Army-https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ CareNet-https://www.care-net.org/ Friends After Diagnosis- https://www.friendsafterdiagnosis.com/ Hibiscus Children’s Center-https://hibiscuschildrenscenter.org/programs-svcs/hibiscus-childrens-village/ Hope for Families: https://hopeforfamilies.org/ The Chesnutt Law Firm-  https://www.thechesnuttlawfirm.com/about/ The Chesnutt Law Firm Parenting Plan Info- https://www.thechesnuttlawfirm.com/parenting-plan-lawyer/ 

Om Podcasten

This is Susan Chesnutt of The Chesnutt Law Firm. This is my podcast From Foster Care to Family Law: A Child Welfare Focus. I was raised in the foster care system, I was a child abuse investigator for the Department of Children and Families, and now I am an attorney practicing family law where my passion is to focus on the best interests of the children involved. In my podcast, I will be meeting industry experts exploring the seemingly impossible scenarios that families often struggle to manage. Each episode will include insights and concepts from professionals that deal with these issues.