She Walked in Homeless Then Became Hopeful. How Women's Empowerment Changes Lives.

Robin Kelly-Dunton: [00:00:00] So when I walk into women's empowerment, I'm trying to be strong, I'm trying to be professional. And then there's wonderful woman at the front desk named Lois. I'll never forget her. And she said, take a deep breath. And I was like, she said, when you come into this program, you will not be the same woman walking out that you are walking in.

And that one moment that she said that I finally got that first glimmer of hope, I finally felt like, okay, something's gonna happen. And I felt like my whole body when she asked me to take that breath, like on my whole body and my whole soul. And that was the first time in months that I thought, oh, it's gonna be okay.

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion are simple to highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our communities stronger. Each episode is a chance for [00:01:00] these organizations to tell their story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it matters to the people they serve, to their supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

Through podcasting, we hope to amplify their voices, inspire connection, and give them one more tool to impact the hearts of donors, partners, and neighbors alike. This work is made possible through the generous support of our incredible partners. CAPTRUST offering fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations, Western Health Advantage, a local not-for-profit health plan that believes healthcare is more than coverage.

It's about caring core executive leadership and comprehensive support services. They work in it so you can work on it. Five Star Bank, a local trusted advisor to community nonprofits for over 25 years. When [00:02:00] people talk about homelessness, we often picture someone on a street corner, but the reality is far more complicated and far closer to home than many of us realize.

This episode, I sit down with Lisa Culp, the founder and executive director of Women's Empowerment, and Robin Kelly Dunton, a graduate of the program who now serves as chair of its board. Yes. Let that sink in for a moment. What started 25 years ago is a vision shaped directly by women experiencing homelessness has grown into one of Sacramento's most transformative pathways out of poverty for women and children.

Lisa shares how listening to the voices of women living through homelessness helped build a program that focuses on dignity, employment, housing, and long-term stability. Robin shares a story that is both heartbreaking and inspiring, going from sleeping on the floor with a newborn and an incapacitated husband [00:03:00] to rebuilding her life, launching a career in public service, and eventually helping lead the very organization that helped her arise.

This conversation is about resilience, about community, and about what can happen when people are given, not just survival services, but a real pathway forward. Lisa Cope, Robin Kelly Dutton. Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. 

Lisa Culp: Thank you for having us. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yes, absolutely. Glad to be here. 

Jeff Holden: I am excited for the stories we're about to hear Lisa as founder and now going into 25 years of the organization.

Tell us how it came to be that you started it. 

Lisa Culp: I had just returned from working 10 years in Central America, primarily with women and children. And I started working at Mary House, which is a daytime hospitality center for women and children at Loaves and Fishes. And I was struck by how much harder it is to be [00:04:00] poor homeless in the United States than in Nicaragua, which is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Because there they still had their dignity, they still had family, they still had community. And what the women have told me over and over again is that the process of homelessness strips so much of that away from you. And as I worked at Loaves and Fishes at Mary House, the other story that I heard over and over was, we are so grateful for the survival services that Loaves and Fishes provides and.

We want a pathway outta poverty and homelessness for ourselves and for our children. And so I started holding focus groups with women, both at Loaves and Fishes and other places, and asked them what it would take to create that pathway out of poverty and homelessness. So literally these [00:05:00] women created the blueprint for women's empowerment and community volunteers and community leaders.

And I implemented that vision and we started off in a three room space behind Goldie's Boutique. Oh, 

Jeff Holden: don't we all know that? Well, only because we drive by it on one 60. Right, 

Lisa Culp: right. Ask a board member who was, had to park in that parking lot. 

Jeff Holden: Oh my goodness. 

Lisa Culp: Who was a development director for a church and bumped into a parishioner and he said, I'm going to a women's empowerment board meeting.

And the guy says, yeah, sure. 

Jeff Holden: Oh my goodness. 

Lisa Culp: Now we have, uh, 10,435 square foot building with a wonderful place for our child development center, a beautiful backyard, a computer lab, a good sized classroom that can accommodate about 35 students and, you know, confidential offices where the [00:06:00] women can meet with their counselors and their support team people.

Jeff Holden: So that's amazing to see what's, I'm sure from your perspective 25 years ago to today, just having that entire lineage of history to see, I remember when 

Lisa Culp: mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: To where we are. And the thing that is so interesting for me in a perspective is. The mission hasn't changed. 

Lisa Culp: No, 

Jeff Holden: the impact hasn't changed. And you are doing the same thing for women then, as you are today.

Only now you have it on a much broader basis to provide so many more services as a result of 25 years of experience and, and growth and funding, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 

Lisa Culp: It's very true. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: I mean, 

Lisa Culp: our mission has always been that kind of north star, and when the housing crisis became so unbearable, we knew we needed to step into [00:07:00] 

Jeff Holden: mm-hmm.

Lisa Culp: Providing housing, which is a huge expense, but there was no way to continue to fulfill the mission if women who were getting jobs couldn't afford housing still. And the same thing happened in, you know, 2008 when we had the great recession. Mm-hmm. And so many people were laid off. A lot of programs closed.

We grew, we started to have more paid training programs so that the women would have current skills for jobs that had upward mobility. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And that's where we've continued to work is that upward mobility. Because on minimum wage, you cannot afford a place to live. 

Jeff Holden: Especially not if you have a child.

Lisa Culp: Especially not if you have a child. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: I mean, it costs about $28 an hour. You need to make $28 an hour for a one bedroom apartment in Sacramento. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. Add and add another person to that. And you really are in a world of her. And we see that so often. I [00:08:00] had the ability to go out for a point in time.

Scott Thomas: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And it was amazing to me to hear the stories of what people said Yeah. On why they were homeless, right? 

Scott Thomas: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And so, so different than the perspective or perception that we've got when we see somebody that maybe has. A mental illness on the corner. Mm-hmm. That's our perception of, of homelessness.

But the reality is the majority of people don't want to be there. 

Lisa Culp: They do not. 

Jeff Holden: They, they want to get out of this, this horrible cycle that they've fallen into. And some of the reasons that this happens, and I'm sure we'll get into this in in just a minute, let's talk about who you serve and, and what the problems are that you're trying to rectify.

Lisa Culp: So we serve women and children who are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Like they've got an eviction notice. And we receive referrals from domestic violence centers because about 80, between 80 and 86% of the women have experienced domestic [00:09:00] violence. And that's the leading cause of homelessness for families.

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: We, we work with mental health programs for people who are engaging in trying to help their mental health work is something that helps a lot of people's mental health. 

Jeff Holden: Sure. It's purpose. 

Lisa Culp: Yeah. It's purpose. We work with clean and sober programs and living environments because these women have dedicated themselves and they're working really hard on their sobriety.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: But mostly we work with women who come and say, I really want to change my life because we have found that motivation is the greatest indicator for success. And so if that's where they're at, this is the right time and they will not be in the same place nine weeks later. 

Jeff Holden: Let's talk about that and, and that gets into the programs of the organization.

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: What are the programs that you provide? What is it that [00:10:00] happens when somebody comes to women's empowerment? 

Lisa Culp: So we have the initial nine week program 

Jeff Holden: and tell us about that. 

Lisa Culp: Okay. So that from nine to 12, they have classes on employment readiness, they have classes on mental health, they have classes on.

Basic health and wellbeing. So we offer health services, legal services, and most of those come through the classes. And then appointments that they make afterwards in the afternoon, they have classes on. They're more learning and support groups for domestic violence. For wellness and recovery. For parenting.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: For cooking and nutrition on a budget. Uc, Davis comes and provides that one. And then Pipeworks Gym, which is right across the street from us, invites the women to come over and do an hour and a half workout. So it's very holistic and well-rounded. And then they have a support team, which includes a master's level social worker, a housing specialist, a job developer, and probably most [00:11:00] importantly, a volunteer career mentor.

And a lot of the classes are taught by volunteers, but the message that the volunteers can bring that staff can't is that I'm here. Because I believe in your power to change the circumstances of your life. 

Jeff Holden: Do the women get referred more often or do they come in on their own? 

Lisa Culp: So it used to be we would get, you know, referrals mostly from agencies.

But now the women who graduate are our greatest ambassadors. 

Jeff Holden: As referrals. 

Lisa Culp: As referrals. They're the ones that tell the story. And if you come to women's empowerment, we have the biographies of women of history on the front wall of the classroom. But on the rest of the 10,000 square feet, we have the biographies in the pictures of each woman who's graduated.

Jeff Holden: Oh, amazing. 

Lisa Culp: And each morning the students, the new students choose a biography to read. And it can [00:12:00] be a woman of history or it can be one of the graduates. Many times they know that person. Sometimes they were in recovery together. They were homeless together, their kids were, and it's just a reinforcement that if they did it, I can do it too.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. On the women of history, how many are there? 

Lisa Culp: Gosh, I haven't counted, but probably about 50. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. That's amazing. 

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: So that's 50 inspirational moments for anybody that's coming into the organization to see 

Lisa Culp: That's right. 

Jeff Holden: What's going on? 

Lisa Culp: That's 

Jeff Holden: right. As well as the graduates, which is 

Lisa Culp: as well as the graduates.

Jeff Holden: More and more and more, do you have an a rough number of women that go through the program in the course of a year? 

Lisa Culp: Okay, so we will serve, you know, each class starts off with about 25 or 30 women, and we'll have, each year we'll probably have about 70, 75 women who will graduate graduation's. Really just the beginning, once they graduate.

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Lisa Culp: [00:13:00] They're eligible for all sorts of services. So for example, last year. We served 576 unduplicated women and 169 unduplicated children. 

Jeff Holden: Wow. Wow. That is a lot of women you are helping through the program and who helps 

Lisa Culp: themselves. 

Jeff Holden: So we have Robin sitting across from us who has gone through the program.

Robin, when did you go through? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Gosh, it seems like it's been forever now. I believe I graduated in September of 2016. Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah, it was session 64, 

Jeff Holden: so about 10 years ago. Yeah. Which is great because that gives us some history to say, okay, what's happened in these last 10 years? Yeah. But before we get there, I'd like you to share what brought you to women's empowerment.

How did, how did you get to women's empowerment in the first place? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Oh gosh. Yeah. So. Several years ago when my husband and I were in college trying to get our degrees and start our life off, he [00:14:00] was suffering from a debilitating series of epileptic seizures. Mm-hmm. That left him incapacitated and we're working, called students, you know, part-time jobs, not a lot of medical insurance and benefits and things like that.

And at the time he wasn't able to get access to the medications that he needed to, you know, treat his condition. And so he literally almost lost his life. He did not know who he was. Barely could recognize himself, me, you know, all the things. He was completely out of it and incapacitated. So at that time, obviously college had to be taken off the table.

I had to take a leave of absence from the jobs I was working at that time to be a sole provider 'cause I couldn't hire a nurse or anything like that. And he couldn't stay in a facility 'cause we just didn't have the funds for that. So we had some savings, which was nice because um, that held us for a little bit.

But as things got tougher, we had to end up selling everything that we owned. And by the time we were done with that, we were sleeping on the floor. And also I was pregnant. [00:15:00] 

Jeff Holden: Oh 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: yeah. So you can imagine all the thoughts that went through my head during this time. I never thought that I would be in a situation like that and never experienced being unhoused before.

I was very nervous. And then on top of that, you're thinking about, okay, this life is coming into the world and I'm gonna be responsible for this too. So I have a husband who basically can't function and I'm carrying a child and I'm scared outta my mind and just really. Spiraling into, you know, state of depression and anxiety.

But I'm very resourceful. So I did like go around the community seeking resources. I remember going to one community center in Sacramento and grabbing like all the flyers, you know, the little tabs with phone numbers. And I remember grabbing a bunch of those and just making tons of calls. And every door I was getting was like, we don't really have the resources.

Shelters didn't have rooms open. You know, they had an opportunity, it was like a wait list and you wouldn't be on for like several months. I did have one shelter, even say, call every day and we'll have to let you know on a day by [00:16:00] day basis. And so just wasn't getting anywhere with that. Some of the organizations did provide some small things like maybe some clothes, maybe some food, maybe a couple bus passes, something to maybe get you by for a day or two.

But it was nothing significant to get outta the situation. And I know people usually have a stigma of folks who are experiencing homelessness, like they did something to be there or they made that choice and they don't wanna get out of their circumstances. I definitely was not one of those people, and my husband and I desperately want to get outta the situation we were in, especially with a child coming.

Well, fast forward a couple months, I did have that baby and it was getting harder and harder and I ran into a friend of mine on the bus one day and she said, gosh, Robin, what's going on? I kind of explained it broke down like all the things 'cause I hadn't talked or seen that friend in a while. We actually went to college together, so it was quite embarrassing for me to actually say what was happening, but at that point something just came over me like I can tell her this.

She's safe, you know? And the first thing, she came outta my mouth. Her mouth was like, you need [00:17:00] to go find Lisa Cope. You need to find women's empowerment. This is where you can go. Please do that. And I was like, okay. And I was grateful for the information, but I did have that sinking feeling like, okay, here we go.

Another place that's not really gonna be able to. Help me, but you know, I'm gonna give it a try. I have this child here now with me and I do everything I can to make sure we have a better life. So I went down to women's empowerment and I was always taught to be very stoic. Like pull yourself up from your bootstraps.

I come from a very hardworking family, military, so all you can imagine the rules and place where like we always do for ourselves and we always, you know, get through these things. So I wanted to be strong and I wanted to take care of everything. And when I walked in there, I was on my last leg. To be quite honest, my depression had reached such a level of despair.

I almost thought, you know, if something doesn't happen in the next few months, I don't know, I felt like virtually I would, might lose my marbles at some point, you know? 'cause the stress was unbearable. 

Jeff Holden: Well, and you've also got, not only do you have the depression of the situation, the anxiety of the situation, you probably had [00:18:00] some PO Postpartum.

Postpartum. Yeah, I know situation that you're dealing with as well. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: I probably did. And at the time, you know, I really didn't think about that too much. I was able to get a little bit of Medi-Cal for me and my son to cover us. And so the doctor's appointments were not that frequent, so I didn't really have, you know, a chance to address that with the provider.

But you know, looking back now, that probably was the case. I remember one doctor that I had before I had my son, I didn't have any money to catch the bus and I needed to go to OB GY appointment, and I was so determined to make that I walked 40 blocks to that appointment and the doctor was so kind that he gave me a little bit of money to get something to eat and catch the bus home, which I was truly grateful for.

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: So when I walk into moon's empowerment, I'm trying to be strong, I'm trying to be professional. And then there's wonderful woman at the front desk named Lois. I'll never forget her, had the most beautiful smile. I mean, she just looked like she was an angel coming across that desk. And she looked at me and I think she could just tell, I was just holding it like by a thread.

And [00:19:00] she said, look at me. And she pointed at a sign and right behind her it said, no shame zone. And she said, take a deep breath. And I was like, she said, when you come into this program, you will not be the same woman walking out that you are walking in. And that one moment that she said that I finally got that first glimmer of hope, I finally felt like, okay, something's gonna happen.

And I felt like my whole body, when she asked me to take that breath, like when my whole body and my whole soul like took a breath. And that was the first time in months that I thought, oh, it's gonna be okay.

And to this day when I talk about it, it's still, it's, 

Jeff Holden: I can only imagine. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah, I'm gonna gravitate 

Jeff Holden: you just because I can only imagine. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: But from that point on, I had that hope and I rolled up my sleeves and I got to work. There was a, an interview that I had to go through to see if I was ready to commit to the [00:20:00] program.

And I think after about two minutes of talking to me, they saw that I was ready. They're like, this girl, yeah, we need to let her in. Please, please, yeah. Can you start today? So I started the very next week. It was a nine week job readiness program. And so I just wanted to prepare myself as much as possible.

So anything they told me to do, any kind of, you know, program study materials we had, I just relentlessly went through them, made sure I mastered everything they were telling me. When Intel came in on Fridays to help us with our computer skills, I took full advantage of that full, and then all the wonderful enrichment classes that Lisa was talking about, they had yoga.

And you can imagine you don't get a lot of time for self-care when you're in a house and like struggling. So that was like a little piece of an hour of a day that I could just focus on myself and the things that I needed to take care of myself. 

Jeff Holden: And where's your baby boy at the time? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: He's in the daycare, actually.

Yes. So one 

Jeff Holden: part of the program. At women's empowerment. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Absolutely. Part of the wonderful things of that program was they have a onsite daycare and they have programs there to help the children get [00:21:00] through the stressors and things that they also go through. 'cause you can imagine children experience a lot of trauma going through that situation.

And fortunately today I can say that my child doesn't remember any of these things, which I'm very grateful for. But I remember one of the childcare providers sat down with me and they went through a report to see, 'cause they assessed him to see where he was at with his markers. Mm-hmm. And they guided me through the process of things that we could do if he was falling short to help him and where he was meeting his markers to what we could do to facilitate and foster that.

And I believe that was a huge turning point in his healing because we had all of that, those resources and I knew what to do and I took parenting classes to help me. He is a very healthy and whole child. And I contribute a lot of that to that, those resources. 

Jeff Holden: So as you're going through this program at, at the.

Origin, what is the home life? Where are you living 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: at that time? We did a lot of couch surfing. We had, I had one friend. 

All 

Jeff Holden: three of you 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: all. All three of us, yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Wow. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. Just trying to make it day by day, figure [00:22:00] out, you know, how we're gonna feed ourselves if we're gonna have a warm place to stay, and just trying to figure out stability on a day by.

It was very day by day basis. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Basis. Yeah. Which 

Jeff Holden: I can only imagine the anxiety that you're dealing with going through that. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: You have a husband who is somebody incapacitated. You have a child that you have to take care of and it's infant all on you. A baby, right? Yeah. With diapers and formula and everything else that that requires.

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And all that burden is on you. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. It was a heavy load to carry, and you stayed a few nights in a hotel too, so it was very overwhelming. It was very stressful, as you can imagine, and just. You know, trying to focus on pulling your life back together. When you're, when you have all these weights on you, you, you think, how can I do this?

But being at women's empowerment, I had a whole bunch of cheerleaders and a whole bunch of people that supported me. I remember Lisa coming in on the first day of class and talking about what we're gonna do in the program. But before that, [00:23:00] she had lit a candle and we got to share some things, like goals that we wanted to have.

And we wrote a letter about where we wanted to see ourselves when we were finished with that program. And to this day, when I look at that letter, all of those things came true. 

Jeff Holden: Some value in those goals and objectives and getting things set. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Was it all part of the nine week program? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. Rolling up my sleeves and digging in was part of that nine week program.

And then the more holistic self-care portions were a part of the enrichment courses after. So we had about a three hour day Monday through Friday, and I caught a bus, two light rails, and a shuttle to get to class every day. And I was never late. We have a slogan at women's empowerment, if you're on time, you're late.

If you're early, you're on time. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: And so I was always early to make sure I was on time. And it's located in a, in a space that has a lot of unhoused people. Unfortunately, that's the state they find themselves in. And so it wasn't always the safest street to walk on, but the security there, they would [00:24:00] take a group of us women to make sure we got with our children safely to program every day.

And once you stepped across that threshold, that gate of women's empowerment, you knew you were in a safe place and that you could focus on what you needed to do to get out of your s. 

Jeff Holden: There's more to come from Lisa and Robin following these few short messages from those we appreciate for making this program possible.

James Beckwith: I'm James Beckwith, president and CEO of five Star Bank. We're dedicated to supporting nonprofit organizations who advocate for the strength, resilience, and vitality of those they serve When nonprofit organizations thrive, our community does too. By supporting the nonprofit podcast network, five Star Bank is amplifying the voices and meaningful impact of our nonprofit community.

We're Five Star Bank, a trusted nonprofit partner. How can we help you? 

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It's a partner in your purpose. Explore your options today@westernhealth.com. Western Health Advantage, healthcare with Heart. Designed for those who give back. Lisa programs. Talk about the programs, talk about what happens in the nine week course. What's the, the, the genesis. You start? 

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: You come in in a situation, not unlike Robin.

Does everybody have a child? Is it 

Lisa Culp: 73% of the women are single moms? 

Jeff Holden: Okay. So, majority. Majority, for sure. 

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And that's probably not always just a single child. It could be one or two or many. 

Scott Thomas: Mm-hmm. Okay. 

Jeff Holden: So they come into the program, they start the the nine week course. What transpires over the course of that nine weeks?

I see you're smiling. So, yeah, because you know this program inside out, don't you? And I [00:28:00] know Robin's, but you kind of got us going on it, 

Lisa Culp: so I'm smiling because some of it just happened so organically. Other, I mean, we have every day scheduled and Sure the majority of classes are taught by volunteers. The first week we really spent setting the groundwork and the boundaries and having the women get to know each other and the staff getting to know the women and creating that sense of safety.

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: Because most of them have not been in a safe place for a long time either because they're leaving domestic violence and they're having to choose. I mean, people say, well, they made bad choices. I'm not sure. Which is a good choice between staying in a violent relationship. Or becoming homeless or be, you know, experiencing homelessness.

Jeff Holden: Yeah. And I don't think any of us intentionally make a bad choice. No, 

Lisa Culp: no. 

Jeff Holden: We, we, what I recognized from the point in time is we all could be only one catastrophe away from being homeless. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: One 

Lisa Culp: trophe story is a perfect [00:29:00] example, 

Jeff Holden: right? 

Lisa Culp: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Some, some loved one requires significant medical care or, or yourself.

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Something happens. Mm-hmm. We just don't know. I 

Lisa Culp: think they're in their twenties. We don't expect that. 

Jeff Holden: Right. Okay, so go ahead. 

Lisa Culp: So that first week, yeah, we do that. The second week we start bringing in a lot of volunteers and people who are experts in their field. So we have a lot of HR people who will come in and, you know, start talking to the women about resumes and cover letters and, you know, building up to mock interviews, how to do a professional email.

And then we start having some employers come in and talking about openings they may have for what they're looking for. In a candidate. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And we have partners. For example, for the last couple of years we've been partnering with Kaiser because Kaiser recognizes that they're going to have a deficit of allied healthcare positions in the next, between now and the next five years.[00:30:00] 

And they're trying to make people more aware of what an allied healthcare position is, as well as start getting people interested in doing that. So it's tough to get in, but they are helping open some doors, you know, that usually have people come in through environmental management, I believe is what it's called.

Mm-hmm. Which is all actually janitorial. And then you can start taking classes and getting certificates and kind of stacking those certificates to go into the field that you want to be in there. And one of our board members is from Kaiser, so she's also been very helpful in that. We have someone who comes in from the Northern California construction workers and she's an electrician.

And what we're looking for is, you know, this, this job, this environmental management job at Kaiser pays $29 an hour. 

Jeff Holden: Wow. 

Lisa Culp: So it's may pays a whole lot more than cleaning people's houses. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: The same thing is true with the construction worker jobs. These are jobs that you're gonna actually be [00:31:00] able to get housing with.

Mm-hmm. We work with the women a lot on just their self-confidence. You know, they need the skills to get a job, but unless they have enough confidence in themselves, they're not going to be able to convince an employer that they're gonna be an asset to their team. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And so, you know, we do, one day I have them pick quotes that are all from women.

And you know, there, there are different quotes from Helen Keller and you know Angela Hi 

Jeff Holden: Angelou. 

Lisa Culp: But one of them that the women really appreciate is tell the negative committee in your mind to sit down and check up. Love it. I can't remember who wrote that. It was probably anonymous because women were frequently anonymous.

But as graduation gets closer, many of these women have never graduated from anything. Robin obviously had, but many of them hadn't. And so this is a big deal and this is an [00:32:00] opportunity where their friends and family can be proud of them and they can be proud of themselves. Their children can be proud of them.

So we make a beautiful ceremony and we don't tell the moms but their kids towards after the women receive their certificates and they've all gotten up and spoken and talked about the changes that have happened in their life and where they're at and if they've gotten a job or how many. Interviews they've gone on.

Just, you know, whatever success they've made, they share that and they're proud of it. And some of the women who've never touched a computer before, they talk about the computer skills that they can do. They can now do a PowerPoint, they can do a vision board on PowerPoint. I don't even know how to do that, so I need to sit in on that.

Jeff Holden: Good, as I say, not as I do. Okay. 

Lisa Culp: Intel tells them what to do and they have been part of women's empowerment since almost the very beginning. And every Friday they show up with volunteers [00:33:00] and really work, especially with those who have the most fear, but also those who can move more quickly, individualizing the the course so that they can, you know, everybody can move at their own pace.

And graduation is a really special moment. The women all speak, they get their certificates and they'll get their certificates from Intel. They'll get certificates from women's empowerment. They'll get certificates if they attended five of the, five of the seven afternoon classes, you know, so they'll get a certificate from uc, Davis extension, they'll get a certificate from the Family Justice Center.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And all of these things are especially important, the parenting class, they'll get these certificates and if, for example, they have lost custody of their children, these are things that they're doing that are above and beyond what CPS has asked them to do. And in the last session, we had a woman who did not have custody of her children, and she'd been working really hard on getting custody, [00:34:00] and it was hard to find a place where she could do supervised visits.

So the classes ended at three. So I said, you're welcome to have visits in the, in the Child Development center from three o'clock on any day of the week. And so her CPS worker would come and she would have her three children in there, and she would play with them. And I would put it on my calendar to go sit in and talk to him.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And just tell him what a wonderful job she was doing. You know, she was turning in all of her deliverables. She was on time, she was focused. It was, you know, she was overcoming a lot of barriers to be there, but she was doing it, and in large part she was doing it for her children. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: So that they could be together again.

And we have this job bell that when people get a job or unify with their children or get into housing or whatever success it happens to be, they come back and they ring that bell and they share those successes with the current students and give them hope that if they could do it, [00:35:00] so can I. So can 

Jeff Holden: I.

Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And at the very end of graduation, all of the women's children bring up a flower to their moms. And there's not a dry eye in the house. Mm-hmm. I 

Jeff Holden: can only imagine. 

Lisa Culp: You know, the teachers and the volunteers have to carry a lot of them because they are infants. Some of the kids miss school that day and they come, but there's about 150 people who are in attendance to watch them graduate and to hear people talk about how wonderful and how hard it is.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: It takes a lot to show up every day from nine to three. And as Robin was saying, early is on time. On time is late, and if you're at a job late is fired. 

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Lisa Culp: So everything we do is to practice those habits that will be, will lead them to being successful in work. 

Jeff Holden: So Robin, at the end of the coursework then, what?

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Well, like Lisa said, that's when the real work begins, right? Because now [00:36:00] we need to go back and stabilize our families and get jobs and get housing and do all of that stuff. So women's empowerment was instrumental in, in me reaching those goals first. The housing component, getting on wait list for affordable housing was a big deal, and they had people there that could help me with those resources.

And then they had a internship program, which I didn't know at the time, but I found out later that it was a pilot program with assembly member Kevin McCarty. He's a huge supporter of women's empowerment, has been a champion in that area. You know, supporting this organization. He would give us certificates at graduation and they were really fancy from the state assembly, so we were all very proud when we received them, but he wanted to do more.

And so he opened up his office to do an internship, um, one in the capital office and one in his district office for three months. And hopefully during that time we would get training. We would be able to have put that on our resume for a reference. We would get a letter of recommendation and hopefully, you know, be able to procure for ourselves a state, [00:37:00] city, county, some kind of stability, right?

Mm-hmm. A really, you know, good job to put us back on that pathway. So I went into that interview and I was able to get the internship. Oh, 

Jeff Holden: congratulations. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Mm-hmm. Thank you. I. Very excited. And one of the services that women's empowerment provide is a clothing closet. 'cause at that time I didn't have anything really to wear to a job interview.

So it was really wonderful being able to go in there and get a really nice outfit and jewelry and makeup and the things that I would need to, you know, really look good and feel my best. So I went in there with a lot of confidence. One of the things I shared with him was my passion for community. So he thought I'd be a good fit in his district office.

So I started interning there and I kept those words in my head about, you know, being on time is early, you know, or being on time is late. Right. And being early is on time. On time and being late is fired. Right. And definitely didn't want that last one. Definitely didn't wanna be fired 

Jeff Holden: because this is a paid in internship.

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yes. It's a paid internship. Yes. So that was also a gift. So during that time I was able to take [00:38:00] advantage of that opportunity and I just worked incredibly hard, whatever they needed, I was always early, if they needed support in anything, I was the first one to volunteer and raise my hand. I asked what can I do to be of service to you guys?

And every time before I left, I would talk to my supervisor and, you know, ask them if there's anything that they saw that I could improve on or, you know, just anything that I could help with other than what I was already being assigned. So I really wanted them to know that I was very, you know, grateful for this opportunity and I really wanna do my best.

And women's empowerment. I wanted to make sure I did a good job for them. 'cause I wanted the reputation to be stellar. 'cause I knew that other women would be able to come through this program as well. Towards the end of that internship, you know, I'm looking for jobs ready to get that letter of recommendation, all the things.

And my supervisor pulled me in the office, asked me how I was liking it here, you know, and I shared what I enjoyed about the position. And at the end of that conversation I was able to get another interview with the member and I was offered a full-time position as a district field representative. [00:39:00] Oh, 

Jeff Holden: how 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: wonderful.

With full medical benefits. 

Jeff Holden: How wonderful. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. For 

Lisa Culp: your entire family. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: For my entire family. And so, you know, gratitude that I had was unmeasurable. It was the big first step to getting my stability back. And my husband was able to see neurologists and get the treatment that he needed and the medications and he made a full recovery.

Jeff Holden: Oh my goodness. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yes. Yeah, it was a miracle. And he was able to go back to school and finish his degree. And he is now a high school math teacher. He teaches statistics and calculus and some other math classes. I don't know. But he is a pillar in his community and loved by his students and his colleagues, where he teaches and is doing a remarkable job in education.

Jeff Holden: And you now have a 16-year-old, 12-year-old out? Oh 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: no, not 

Jeff Holden: that 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: old. 

Jeff Holden: How old? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: He just turned 10 in 

Jeff Holden: January. Oh, 10. Okay. Okay. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. Yeah. So I was able to work for a assembly member now, mayor MCC Cardi for several years. And I enjoyed every aspect of that job and gained so much from that [00:40:00] opportunity. But when my husband finished, I got the opportunity to go back to school myself.

So I am now in a master's program at Sac State. So I was able to finish my undergraduate education. So we were made whole and came back to that complete space of where we were when we left off. So now my son has two first generation college. College graduates. Mm-hmm. For parents with postgraduate degrees.

Jeff Holden: That's amazing. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: That is just amazing. Four point. So you have, look and, and I know you're not the only women's empowerment. Graduate or alumni who has done this. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Absolutely 

Jeff Holden: not. You're one of many who have been successful in the program that have come out and integrated back into the community successfully.

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Exactly. And even with the state assembly, there were a few women that came in after me, which are still at the state assembly, so that's just a testament to how much that program is really, you know. What I noticed about women's empowerment is that they make sure they meet their [00:41:00] mission. They're not just a organization that says, we're gonna do these things.

They show the proof that we're gonna do these things. And there's so many different stories, like you said, of many women who have gone on to own their own businesses, have gotten their college degrees, have gotten really wonderful jobs. And one of the things that did amaze me when I walked in that first day was when I looked in, I saw all the faces on the wall, hundreds and hundreds of women who were smiling and looking happy, and they're sharing their stories.

And that was a really powerful moment to me. 'cause it, it showed me that it worked. It 

Jeff Holden: wasn't on paper. Something good happens here. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Absolutely. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: It's real. 

Jeff Holden: So, Lisa, collaboration, obviously you don't do this alone. No. And you already mentioned some of the domestic violence organizations that you might collaborate with.

Tell us a little bit about what that looks like for the organization. 

Lisa Culp: So with organizations, a lot of times it's referrals. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: But for example, with the Family Justice Center, which is a domestic violence, 

Jeff Holden: yes. 

Lisa Culp: They teach the domestic violence learning and support group in the afternoon. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Lisa Culp: Um, they can help women.

I mean, [00:42:00] I walked into the parking lot this morning to get out of my car and go to work, and one of the students who's in this current class stopped and she said, can I talk to you for a minute? And she had blood on her shirt. Mm. She just had, she had all, everything she owned in her car, she said he just started beating me again and I knew I had to leave.

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And so having the Family Justice Center do the domestic violence, we have that connection. They work with the courts, they work with the da, they work, you know, and so that's. Good to have. We also, you know, we've had partnerships with the shelters. It's very hard to get into shelters. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: But I also know that almost every night there's at least one or two beds open.

And so if that's something I have to do, I have a relationship with those partners and I'll give them a call 

Jeff Holden: begging for beds. 

Lisa Culp: Begging for beds. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: Begging for beds. Then there's the employer partnerships, obviously assembly [00:43:00] member McCarty was, we're working on 'em now, working with him now to do that with the city.

And we have apprenticeships, like with Grid Alternatives, which is a solar energy company. 

Scott Thomas: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And with NCCT, they have an apprenticeship program and the women don't have to pay for that. And we'll pay for the, the stipend for them. We have a partnership with the Institute of Real Estate Management, which is our property management training program, which I love because once they get a job in property management, they frequently get housing on site.

Because that benefits the, the company as well. 'cause they've got somebody on site 24 hours. Right. Not just eight. So we work really hard to have those employer partnerships and then housing partnerships. We get everybody on affordable housing lists. But those are really long waits. 

Jeff Holden: I, I've heard from everybody that's in there.

They, they just can't build enough. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: They can't. 

Jeff Holden: And as soon as they're built, they're full. 

Lisa Culp: They're full. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: That's very true. 

Lisa Culp: Yeah. It's, and in the B, there was a statistic a couple of years ago that just said, [00:44:00] homelessness has increased by 153% from 2018 to 2023. Housing is increased by 30%. 

Jeff Holden: Easy math. Right. 

Lisa Culp: Maybe her husband can do that math.

But 

Jeff Holden: yeah, 

Lisa Culp: I haven't figured out anybody else that can. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Lisa Culp: And so meeting landlords and you know, working again with the institute real estate management, who are landlords that you work with that are willing to, you know. Give somebody a second chance. And then we work with them to help build their credit, you know, to start their savings.

We partner with Safe Credit Union, they'll come down and, and they'll start with budgeting and then credit and building your credit and at the end they'll come in and open up accounts for people who want it. And because it's a for-profit and not a nonprofit, it makes me feel that the women are in safe hands or in good hands.

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Lisa Culp: And then, you know, we've now started our own transitional workforce housing, which was a big step. It was really pretty much the first time we took any [00:45:00] government money, in part because HUD defines homelessness differently than I see it in women and children couch surfing wouldn't have counted. 

Jeff Holden: Oh.

Lisa Culp: So we use the definition that the Department of Education uses, which does count couch surfing, and which does count when women have to exchange favors with somebody to get a roof over their head and their children's head. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: I can't think of anything more degrading. 

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Lisa Culp: But these women are willing to do whatever it takes to keep their children safe.

And I had one little boy come up to me and say, how come when my mommy stays at Mr. Mike's house, she doesn't sleep with me. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And I just said, you know what, sweetheart? What I know is that your mommy is working so hard to have a place for just the two of you, and then she'll be there with you every day and every night.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: I mean, what [00:46:00] answers do you give to a question like that? 

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Lisa Culp: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And it's 

Lisa Culp: partnerships are, are a huge piece. 

Jeff Holden: And so often that is the beginning of substance abuse. 

Lisa Culp: Right. Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: For, for a variety of different reasons. Mm-hmm. Whether it be escape or if it just be to 

Lisa Culp: numb the 

Jeff Holden: pain keep or to keep yourself up at night so that nothing happens, that's exactly sleep during the day and.

Just, just it. It's a cascade of, of bad events that in many cases were not choices. 

Lisa Culp: Right. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: They weren't choices. Wow. 

Lisa Culp: And that's why when we talk to the women about that, because it wasn't really a choice. They know now they can make a choice. 

Jeff Holden: Correct. 

Lisa Culp: And they do. 

Jeff Holden: And you've built that confidence to where the choice is a good one.

And and they see it and 

Lisa Culp: it helps 'em further their goals. 

Jeff Holden: And they, they have mentors, 

Lisa Culp: right? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: They can reach out and they can have that conversation with a Robin, 

Lisa Culp: right? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yes. We are definitely a sisterhood. If you go anywhere and you see a woman that's graduated from women's empowerment and [00:47:00] you didn't never see her, you know, she's in different class, it's an instant connection and you wanna do whatever favors you can for them.

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: During the big crisis of COVID, there were a lot of people that had lost employment and a lot of those were my sisters and women's empowerment and, you know, the EDD crisis. Well, I happened to work for the assembly member so I could assist in that way, so I was gathering list of names of them so I could, you know, make phone calls and help facilitate and at least get them a phone call or somebody to talk to somebody at ED that could assist them 

Jeff Holden: mm-hmm.

Robin Kelly-Dunton: To help them work out whatever it was so they could get the benefits they needed to stay housed or get housing and, you know, feed their kids. 

Jeff Holden: And I'm sure every one of your graduates has that same mentality. I will support the woman Yeah. In any way, shape, or form that I can. 

Lisa Culp: And at graduation. Every day we light a candle and they share a goal.

It's part of the goal development process. Mm-hmm. And, you know, they learn about smart goals and they learn about, you know, action plans. But at graduation, it's a brand new candle that comes out and they light it to celebrate their success, but [00:48:00] they also light it so that it's a light in the darkness for women and children who are still out there.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And you know, they kind of send it out so that the, it will bring women to where they want and need to be. 

Jeff Holden: Let's talk a little bit about funding. How are you funded? 

Lisa Culp: So, 50% of our funding comes from individual contributions or family foundations or grants. 

Jeff Holden: Wow. Good for you. 

Lisa Culp: Yes. Yes. Chris Delaney, who was one of the founders of Loaves and Fishes once told me when I was working at Mary House and was getting ready to start women's empowerment 

Jeff Holden: 25 years ago.

Lisa Culp: 25 years ago. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: 25 years ago. 

Lisa Culp: Um, she said, just remember the. Of the community, the Bank of Faith is far more reliable than the bank of the government. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. Sage words of advice, 

Lisa Culp: Sage words of advice. You know, [00:49:00] we've had to pivot many times because 

Jeff Holden: Sure. 

Lisa Culp: The world changes and resources changed and the funding that we got for this transitional workforce housing program was through COVID money, the American Rescue Plan Act.

It sunsets December 31st, 2026. It was a three year grant. We're in con, we're in conversations with the landlord there about continuing to rent there because we're looking for a place where the women can be together and support each other, help with childcare and all of that kind of stuff. We're also looking for alternative funding sources.

Um, we have an application. Process for Cal aim, which seems from everybody that I've talked to, like a really wonderful program that comes from the, the hospitals and healthcare plans. 

Darrell Teat: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: Because it's less expensive for them. Partner with the nonprofit to do all of this work to get people into housing and, you know, into work [00:50:00] so that they can be healthier and the social determinants of health are real.

And if they're out on the street and they don't have any income, you know, Robin's husband couldn't get an appointment with a neurologist. He could only get the emergency room 

Jeff Holden: Right. 

Lisa Culp: So I think they've really realized that it's a good investment for them and they're partnering with lots of nonprofits and we hope that we'll be one of them because you.

It's also a reimbursable grant, but you get reimbursed for a whole series of different services, many of which we're already providing. And I think that's what's really important in terms of funding, is look for funding that pays for what you're already doing, rather than that mission creep where, well, I can get this money 

Scott Thomas: if, 

Lisa Culp: if we start doing this.

You know, our mission has three parts. One is to help the women with the skills and confidence to get a good job. Second part is to create a healthy life. And the third part [00:51:00] is to gain secure housing safe. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: Stable housing for themselves and for their children. So all of that fits and you know, focusing on, you know, the child development center, not just childcare, but child development because children who are experiencing homelessness are four times more likely to have developmental delays and emotional disorders, then even children living in low income housing.

And so if we can. Help them meet those milestones now that will boost them being able to start their educational 

Jeff Holden: and the burden it relieves on the community. 

Lisa Culp: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: In all the resources, whether it be medical, whether it be in childcare, whether it be in mental wellness and health. My goodness. If, if we, everyone that has the ability to gainfully employ is one less that we don't have to worry about.

That's 

Lisa Culp: right. 

Jeff Holden: And add in child, children, [00:52:00] 1, 2, 3, whatever that number is. 

Lisa Culp: And childcare is so expensive. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Outrageously expensive. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. And, and we hear that so often. The the sad part is somebody gets engaged, they get a good employment, they start going and they have childcare support subsidized Great. They hit the threshold.

Great. I got a raise and now I'm making this much. Guess what? There goes your childcare. Now you're worse off making 

Lisa Culp: less. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. Yes. Because of the childcare than you were when you were subsidized and supported. Mm-hmm. And so people unfortunately stay in roles that are beneath their capability and skillset.

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Simply because of the childcare. 

Lisa Culp: Yeah. Because they need those benefits, those health benefits and the childcare benefits. 

Jeff Holden: Right. If money were no object, what would it look like? What would you see? 

Lisa Culp: I would see this big, huge space of land where we would build 200 units of affordable supportive housing with a community center in [00:53:00] the middle.

Where classes, ongoing classes could be taught, where there was computers for people to use who didn't, couldn't afford them right away. There would be places where the children could run and play and climb trees and do all of those healthy things that children need and just continue to buoy their success going forward.

Our ultimate goal is to alleviate the trauma of homelessness and, and homelessness, one woman, one family at a time. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. To work ourselves out of jobs, 

Lisa Culp: to work ourselves out of jobs. 

Jeff Holden: And after 25 years, I'm sure you're probably thinking there's a point in time where I can't continue to do this, so let's hurry up and get this problem fixed.

Right. Let's see. Mayor McCarty, is he listening do you think? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Well, HEAs, I would like to thank him for everything he's done for this feminist organization and encourage him to just staying there with us with this ongoing support. 

Jeff Holden: And I like that. Robin, [00:54:00] for those who are just listening, Robin looked right at the camera when she made that statement.

So, greatest need today. 

Lisa Culp: I think what any organization, nonprofit organization would tell you is we need stellar staff who deeply believe in the mission and deeply care about and for the people they're serving, volunteers because their need is too great to do it on our own. And volunteers and staff who will, you know, execute these programs with excellence and integrity and, and love.

I mean, I know sometimes we shy away from that word, but 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: It's so, it takes so little love for people to begin to feel like they matter, and therefore they're willing to take risks that they weren't willing to take before. And then finally, money, people need to be paid. And nonprofits are notorious for not being able to pay people [00:55:00] enough programs.

I mean, in our last audit, 84% of our revenue went directly to services. That's a high percentage. 9% went to admin and 7% went to fundraising. So we probably need to add a little more to fundraising so we can get some more money. 

Jeff Holden: Well, and I'm, I'm a believer you've seen it for 25 years. This was a small business 25 years ago.

Today, what's the budget? 

Lisa Culp: 2.4 million. 

Jeff Holden: That's not a small business. You, I, I you are a significant business. Mm-hmm. And it needs to be run like a business. And businesses, most businesses don't run at an 84%. 

Lisa Culp: No 

Jeff Holden: margin. I mean, it's crazy to think that nonprofits are held to a different standard. Standard when in fact they are a business.

They should be run like a business. And if you can commit to fundraising to grow the business, that's a win. 

Lisa Culp: That's a win for everybody. 

Jeff Holden: Correct. And, and we know no money, no mission, 

Lisa Culp: no money, no mission. 

Jeff Holden: So 

Lisa Culp: absolutely. 

Jeff Holden: It's, that's the essence of what needs to happen. And now that you are graduating all [00:56:00] these women through the program, they're understanding it from a different perspective.

They see the value of the nonprofit, but they're the same women who can now support and give back. 

Lisa Culp: And they do. We have, we have graduates that are donors. 

Jeff Holden: Love it. 

Lisa Culp: I love it. 

Jeff Holden: Isn't that the, the 

Lisa Culp: penultimate of it all? A graduate that is the president of our board of directors. 

Jeff Holden: Is this Robin sitting across from me?

Are you pointing at her? 

Lisa Culp: I am, 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: yes. That's, that would be me. 

Jeff Holden: Congratulations. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Thank you. It's been an amazing experience. And to be real honest about it, when I first joined the board, I had no idea what it took behind the scenes to run this organization. I thought it was just this magical whistle thing that was wonderful and you know, all these people in the community just band together.

But it is a lot of work 

Jeff Holden: and it takes, how about that dose of reality, right? 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yes. And it takes a lot of resources to keep the doors open. And so it's been one of the best moments of my life to be able to give back. I always joke with Lisa, I don't think I ever could repay you for all of the gifts that I've gotten from this program, but it's definitely [00:57:00] one, you know, way I can make an impact.

And you know, it's really interesting too because I am, I think, the first graduate that's ever been chair of the board. Um, so that is an amazing, you know, reflection for me just on the journey of how far it's come for me and my family and for, you know, this organization. And you know, to tell you the truth, if I would've heard somebody say that to me when I walked in that door that day, I probably would have laughed them down the street.

But it has been such a transformative experience. I've grown so much and. All the roles that I've had, I started out as just a board member, then the secretary, and now the chair. And what I have realized is that the people on our board are some of the most compassionate, passionate, dedicated community people that you could ever find.

They are so invested in this mission and they contribute so much. But you know, we still need more 

Jeff Holden: always. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: And so we're always out there trying to share the [00:58:00] message and the mission and to let people know about this organization. And one thing I will say, um, I've never seen anything like it in the Sacramento community.

I've never seen the well-rounded, impactful services that are so holistic and the results, I mean, the results are phenomenal. And I truly believe that women's empowerment is, you know, significant to its name. It's not a place women just come to survive. It's a place women and children come to thrive.

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. So. You have a lot of responsibility. Mm-hmm. On your shoulders. The organization's grown from nothing to multimillion dollars. That's no small feat in itself. Congratulations. 

Lisa Culp: Thank 

Jeff Holden: you. You've got all these women you've put out into the community who are, are grateful Yes. Recipients of what you've done.

Somewhere along the line, Lisa takes a break, relaxes, refreshes does something because you can't maintain the weight of the [00:59:00] nonprofit all the time. No. So what is it you do for fun? 

Lisa Culp: I love spending time with my family. I love to hike. I love to be outdoors in nature, travel. I love, I haven't gotten to travel very far lately.

I did a lot of traveling when I was younger, 

Jeff Holden: well, Nicaragua for, uh, 

Lisa Culp: for 10 years, and then language school in Bolivia. And I studied in France for a year, you know, so I, 

Jeff Holden: oh, France just threw me off. I say your Spanish is great, but then you said France. 

Lisa Culp: Yes. And my dad was a physician in the military. And so we lived in Germany for a couple years and I learned to speak German.

So yes, so I do, I enjoy languages. I enjoy reading. I have two amazing grandchildren. My son took a job in Atlanta. He's in public health and project management. So the CD C's there. Mm-hmm. And so he and his wife went there. They bought a house, five bedrooms, and you know this on a third of an acre room for grandma, room for grandma.

But when they decided to have a second child, they knew they wanted to be near family. And so [01:00:00] about a year and a half ago they came back, uh, 

Jeff Holden: congratulations. 

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. And in one month they bought a house. Moved, had the second baby and my son got a new job at Sutter. 

Jeff Holden: Ah, fantastic. 

Lisa Culp: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And then there's an igra greater need for grandma.

Lisa Culp: That's right. So I've got a 4-year-old little girl who is just strong and, and empowered, watch out world. I wonder where she learned that from, 

Jeff Holden: say, yeah. Can you, I can see the pose already. The, you know, 

Lisa Culp: he does it. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Lisa Culp: And I have a nine month old grandson. 

Jeff Holden: Congratulations. 

Lisa Culp: So that they just bring so much joy and light to my life.

Jeff Holden: Lisa, where would somebody go to learn more about the organization? What's the best way to find out what women's empowerment's all about? 

Lisa Culp: Certainly you can go to our website. Mm-hmm. And it's got lots of information on there and information for people who are experiencing homelessness, information for people who wanna [01:01:00] volunteer information for people who wanna donate, whether that's clothing for our professional clothing closet or.

You know, financial resources, and you can also just give us a call and say, I'd like to come down and see this amazing space that has 2000 women on the wall and this wonderful child development center that, you know, zero to 5-year-old children are there to, to play and to learn and take their first steps.

And I love giving tours. We've got so many phenomenal stories that, you know, come from the tours that I'm happy to give tours. Um, 

Jeff Holden: and the big wall of the 200 houses that are gonna be built. 

Lisa Culp: That's right. I gotta put that up. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Put that up. Where's, where's your vision board gonna say, where's her vision board Exactly.

Lisa Culp: That's right. I gotta, I've done vision boards before, but not on PowerPoint. But that, yes, that's a good one to put up. I, that's my commitment. I will put that up. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: And we have our annual gala 

Lisa Culp: and we have our annual gala. So I [01:02:00] 

Jeff Holden: That's every year it takes place at, at what time? When is it? 

Lisa Culp: In September. 

Jeff Holden: Okay.

Lisa Culp: Mm-hmm. And we have, we're celebrating the first celebration for the 25th anniversary is next week. And, and 

Jeff Holden: we're recording this in March of 2026. So, 

Lisa Culp: so it'll be in March of March of 

Jeff Holden: 2026, 

Lisa Culp: 19th. And then we will have an event with all of the graduates and their children. Then we'll probably, you know, rent out space at a park 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: to celebrate Over a hundred sessions now of women's empowerment.

A 

Lisa Culp: hundred we're. Just graduating 102 and we'll start. 

Jeff Holden: Isn't that amazing? So that, that website is women's empowerment.org 

Lisa Culp: org? Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And we'll put that in the show notes as well, as well as the number, if you know, people wanna call, we'll see if, if that is an engagement of some way, shape, or form. 

Lisa Culp: Right. And you know, my extension is one oh two and they can call me.

I'll answer. 

Jeff Holden: Perfect, perfect. 

Lisa Culp: We have a customer training program going on at the front desk, so if you don't get through there, call my extension. 

Jeff Holden: What you have done with women's empowerment over the course of the last 25 [01:03:00] years and the product that you are producing to see somebody like Robin sitting across from me, who was on the verge of a, a really horrific situation.

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yes. Very 

Jeff Holden: much because you know, Lord knows where that could have gone. To where it would be a very different situation today. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And the many, many women that have come through the organization to you and your team. Mm-hmm. It is just amazing the, the dignity that you are providing for these women and the stability and the ability to make me cry too.

Stop this. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: It's an amazing journey. When I look at my son now, he's doing so well. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: He's on two sports teams. He's in chess club, he's in computer programming club. He's been in custody scouts, isn't scouts. And he's Tim all, and he's 

Jeff Holden: got a bunch of cousins who are women's empowerment cousins. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Exactly, exactly.

Lots 

Jeff Holden: of them. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yeah. He even went to elementary school with one of the babies he was in the daycare with. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: And wasn't her, his mother was in my class. So we graduated together. 

Jeff Holden: That's the reason you do what you do. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: That's [01:04:00] right. 

Jeff Holden: And I can only imagine the pride you have when you look at somebody like Robin, who now is your board chair, 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: who is my 

Jeff Holden: boss.

She's, I was just gonna say she's your boss, which, and the best part of that is look at what's happened. You've, you've taught so well and the program has been so impactful that it can produce your board chair. 

Lisa Culp: Yeah. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And, you know, for, for that, we're grateful. So thank 

Lisa Culp: you forever. I'm grateful because I feel like I have the best job in the whole world because I get to watch this arc of transformation.

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Lisa Culp: You know, where women start off feeling hopeless and, and broken and, and victims. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Lisa Culp: And in, in many, many ways, many cases, ways they are many. 

They 

Jeff Holden: truly are. Yes. They 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: absolutely. 

Lisa Culp: Um, and by the end they declare graduation that, you know, I am no longer the victim of the circumstances of my life. I'm the author 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Yes.

Lisa Culp: Of my story. Mm-hmm. And my life going forward. 

Jeff Holden: And what a beautiful book that [01:05:00] is. Yes. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Thank you for letting me write such a beautiful story for my family's life. Thank you for all you did to make it happen. 

Jeff Holden: And on that. Thank you. 

Robin Kelly-Dunton: Thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Jeff. 

Jeff Holden: Thank you for listening to the Nonprofit Podcast Network.

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