Episode 15: Live PopUp Podcast with Community Foundation for Northern Virginia
Pop-Up with Purpose: Stories of Strength & Scholarship
In the first-ever live episode of the We’re Good podcast, host Lee Ann Necessary Brownlee partners with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) to spotlight stories that ignite hope and drive impact. Recorded live, this episode is a celebration of nonprofits, student scholars, and donors transforming lives across the region.
Listeners meet SPARC Solutions, founded by a mother determined to create opportunities for her non-verbal, quadriplegic daughter—and others like her. Executive Director Debi Alexander delivers a powerful call to value every life, not by productivity, but by dignity. With CFNOVA’s grant support, SPARC can now sustain professional care staff who are the lifeline for adults with profound disabilities.
Then we hear from Our Minds Matter, a movement on a mission to equip teens with mental health education, resources and support so they never die by suicide. Chief Program Officer Laura Beth Levitt shares the ripple effect of empowering teens—some of whom are now sheriffs, engineers, and changemakers. Their success stories are rooted in community care and critical life skills learned young.
In segment two, meet Kobra and Maddie, two inspiring student scholarship recipients. Kobra, an Afghan refugee, plans to become a cardiac anesthesiologist after her mother’s misdiagnosed illness sparked her purpose. Maddie, a future elementary school teacher, is driven to shape generations of learners. Their heartfelt testimonies, alongside donor Marcy Mager’s tribute to her daughter’s legacy, underscore the power of scholarships to transform lives.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the episode on our YouTube Channel here.
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