How a Childhood in Kansas Inspired a Brooklyn Leader's Commitment to Community Service

[0:16]  Well with the Heart and Hustle Podcast. We got Miss Jody in the building. How you doing, Miss Jody? I'm excited to have this conversation. We had a really good conversation the first time I met you. But for those that do not know who you are, Jody, if you can let them know what organization, what is your title with the organization?

[0:24]  I'm good, thanks. Sure, so I'm the chief operating officer for Brooklyn Community Services here in Brooklyn, New York.

[0:33]  Come on, Brooklyn. You gotta get you from Brooklyn. You know what I mean? Well, where's where's where's that Brooklyn accent? Born and raised in Brooklyn?

[0:42]  Well, I was not born and raised in Brooklyn.

[0:44]  that's what it is. That's what it is. Where are you born?

[0:47]  well I was born in England, but I was raised I was raised on a farm in Kansas. So occasionally it will sometimes slip out.

[0:52]  Really? Where w like, how'd you get from England to Kansas?

[0:58]  it's a long story. My parents were in the military.

[1:02]  Makes sense. Every time someone tells me something like that, it's usually military. I just found out my best friend's fiance is from Hawaii. And I'm like, You're born in Hawaii? Spent no time there. He was born there, but raised out in Miami. I said, but just imagine Hawaii, Miami. That's a that's a huge difference there. Almost similar to you, Jody. What brings you to this line of work? I mean, you're in this space of not so much about

[4:19]  Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[4:20]  paychecks as I always say, but really just station that passion and purpose. Let people know what the kind of work you do as well.

[4:22]  Yeah. Well actually I think my childhood probably brings me here. I grew up in a community that didn't always have as many resources as it needed. and that kind of got me interested in helping other folks kind of with their struggles.

[4:23]  And and when you say the resources, what are some of those resources that you felt were lacked maybe in your community, but that you guys are bringing to the Brooklyn community?

[4:25]  Yeah. well, it was an impoverished rural area, so folks didn't always have all the things they needed to kind of thrive and and be successful in their lives. and I had the good fortune of having folks that kinda gave me chances along the way, opened doors, got me you know, to my education and into here to Brooklyn. And so that's I've always kind of felt like it was my obligation to

[4:26]  Mm-hmm.

[4:28]  open the doors for the folks that come behind me as a result. And I think that's one of the things really draws me to BCS is that it's the kind of organization that really does kind of open doors for other folks.

[4:30]  How long has BCS been around?

[4:31]  We are celebrating a hundred and sixty years this year. So we've been in Brooklyn for as long as it's been Brooklyn.

[4:33]  my god, a long time. Yeah, that is so crazy. And when when we think about just getting into this line of work, it's not easy, right? But you also mentioned just people kind of pouring into you. Do you remember some of those maybe sayings that they were saying to you that made you think like, Wait, I'm I'm more than just who I thought I was. I I need to kind of tap into that. Do you remember some of those things people were telling you?

[4:34]  I think the first supervisor I ever had, said to me, It's always better to work with your mind than your back and she was somebody who worked her whole life with her back. So I I took that saying to heart.

[4:36]  That's a good one. Wow, yeah, I know that's definitely good. I never heard it, but yeah, now that you say it, it definitely truly makes sense. What are you saying to others now? Because now you're pouring into others. What is your saying to someone?

[4:38]  Yeah. Well, also, you know, to recognize the folks along the way who who have the ability to open a door for you or give you a chance and to be grateful and thankful for them.

[4:39]  Love it. And did you you're in a pretty high role now. Did you start boots on the ground and work your way up? What did that look like for you in the organization?

[4:41]  I did. I I came to BCS in 2004, working in our family centers. So I'm a social worker by training. So I was working with families who were involved in the child welfare system. and I spent a lot of years doing that. which really gave me a very humbling perspective of the strength and resiliency of the families that that come to BCS for help.

[4:42]  So you've been doing this for some time. For for a long while, would you say? What what what have you seen change within the organization, especially being there since early, what did you say, two thousands, was it? Yeah.

[4:44]  Have been. Yeah, a long while. Yeah, yeah. Well, we've definitely grown and expanded and you know are working in Brooklyn in ways that we weren't we weren't at the time. but I think you know the things that change are probably the things that have changed throughout the history of BCS. The the the needs are growing, that folks come to us with more complex problems and the resources are are stretched further and further.

[4:46]  What are some of the programs you guys offer?

[4:47]  so we offer programs to help folks with educational support, employment, housing, and then health and mental health. Those are our major areas. But within that we offer more than fifty programs. So we are all over Brooklyn helping folks who are dealing with all different kinds of struggles.

[5:05]  And how do people find this organization? Is this more like they're looking for you? You guys are all boots on the ground, there's QR codes throughout Brooklyn. Like, how does someone find you guys?

[5:14]  Well, if you wander around Brooklyn, you are likely to see one of our signs somewhere. you know, in some cases people walk in and and find us off the street. in other cases, people were children when their families came to us for help. you know, we have a a you know, generational footprint here. so you know, we are, I think, well known among as a place to come to when you really when you really need some help.

[5:31]  Love it. And how many how many individuals are you guys serving on a yearly basis? I mean, an organization this big, been around for this long, can imagine you guys are really making a huge impact in the communities.

[5:48]  Yeah, so we serve about twenty thousand people per year, across all of our different programs.

[5:53]  Wow. How do you stay engaged with these all these people? Is it like just a one stop, you know, they come in, get what they need, or are you guys still always consistently keeping them on top of mind and making sure that they have a place to come to in the time of need?

[6:18]  Yeah. so it's it it really varies by the kinds of help folks need. some people come to us for a single thing and then that's it. They go on about their lives. some folks live in our buildings and have been clients of ours for years and years. we have folks, as I mentioned, that's you know, they their parents came here when they needed help. We have folks whose you know, grandparents worked for us years and years ago and So it really just depends on on on what a person needs and you know, we're we're here for we're here to start where people are and you know, see where it goes.

[6:43]  Meet them where they are. That's always what we have to do with people. It's just meet them where they are. And what does your your role look like on a day to day? I mean, could I can imagine evolved. You know, at some point you you were not doing what you're doing today, but what does your role look like on a day to day, Jody?

[6:57]  Yeah. So currently I oversee all of our administrative operations. So everything finance, human resources, facilities, IT, every everything that keeps the programs running from behind the scenes. So my job is really to keep our system strong and supportive so that the folks on the ground don't have to think about the logistics. They really all they have to think about is the person sitting in front of them.

[7:23]  Do you appreciate being in the C suite space where you're making even bigger impact? At one point it was very one on one. Now you're running the sh you know, running the show. You got people under you. You're making sure that others are doing the work that you once were doing. how does that feel like for you?

[7:37]  Yeah. I think at some point in in my career I realized that my best impact could be about providing the support to people who are doing the to who are doing the work on the ground. And it really does, you know, feel like you have a bigger impact in that way, particularly when you see the good work that folks are doing.

[7:52]  I I wanna know who Jody was when she was leaving high school. Was she always a person that was giving and and helping others? Like, how does Jodi get into this line of work? This has now been a career for you.

[8:07]  Yeah. I mean, I think I always knew that I wanted to work with folks that were felt kind of left behind and forgotten. so from early on I was working with kids who are in detention, people who needed anonymous HIV tests. Those were kind of some of my first my first experiences. And then I got to Brooklyn for grad school and I was really, you know, one of the I say luxuries is the right word. But one of the perks of being in Brooklyn is there's a lot of folks doing work like this. So there's lots of opportunities to really get involved in the community.

[8:29]  I was gonna ask you, what kept you at Brooklyn? There's something that you love about Brooklyn, not just the opportunity. Is it the people? Is it the opportunities? Is it the food? What really keeps you at Brooklyn?

[8:52]  Yeah. Well, this is gonna sound insane, but Brooklyn is a small town. And it really for a town of you know, eight million people, it it feels it has a real small town feel. So there's a lot about living in Brooklyn that is very similar to the place that I grew up. so you know, the closeness and the interconnectedness of the communities is just it's a place that feels like home.

[9:15]  Love it. And we're in a place of storytelling, right? As an organization. Love to hear some stories. What are some of the stories that continue to fuel you in the time where you feel maybe exhausted or am I doing the right thing? But something continues to just kind of play in in the back of your your mind. Maybe there's a story that you've helped someone or stories within the organization that you can kind of tell. What are those stories that continue to resonate with you?

[9:37]  Yeah. You know, I think my experiences working with the families in the family center are probably where I get a lot of motivation and inspiration from. You know, our families were coming in the like really some of the worst days of their lives. And when they would tell their stories, I was I was really humbled by like their ability to keep their families together, to get up every day and make life happen.

[9:51]  Mm-hmm.

[10:05]  even while they were going through really terrible, difficult times. and I felt like, you know, if these folks can do this with you know, often very limited resources and supports in their lives, well then I have no excuse. There's no reason for me to be sitting back and feeling sorry.

[10:22]  I mean, I hear you. I hear you. What does it look like for someone that let's say going through it mentally, just feel like maybe they don't belong or maybe feeling the weight on their shoulders, and they just need some guidance. What does it look like for me knocking on the door to get in the assistance?

[10:38]  Yeah. Yeah. So that's what lots of our clients look like, whether they're coming because they need help, you know, because they're in high school and struggling, or because they don't have housing, you know, they they often come kind of in this very low point in their lives where they're really struggling, and and feeling like they don't have lots of choices. You know, you come to BCS and the first thing is that, you know, folks are gonna you're gonna come into a place that feels welcoming and like was created for you. And you're gonna meet people who both understand the place that you're in and are gonna sit down with you and hear your story, hear hear what you need, and then figure out every way to be able to to get you to the next place in your life. Whatever that whatever that looks like, whether that's a high school degree or it's you know permanent home for you or it's stability for your children, whatever that looks like, that's what we're gonna work on.

[11:36]  Are you guys is there an age range? Or do you guys hip up anybody that just comes through the doors?

[11:40]  Pretty much anybody that comes through the doors. we have early childhood education that starts at three we've got senior center programming and our community centers that go till whatever age. I mean it really is we're working with people of all ages, families of all shapes and sizes.

[11:56]  Do you have a story that you that you can talk about without probably expressing any names here? But someone that's used the services, the other side, maybe come back as an alumni to really continue to give. You have any of those stories that we can tell our audience?

[12:21]  We we definitely do. one of our after school teachers, so we have after schools all over East New York and Brownsville. that's some of the, you know, hardest hit neighborhoods in Brooklyn. our schools have high, high rates of children who experience homelessness, who experience food insecurity. One our f one of our afterschool teachers was a kid 30 years ago when we were just starting out in one of those schools. She went through our elementary program and then, you know, continues to live in the neighborhoods that we serve. And she now has been an after school teacher with us for years, giving back to the same kids that she once was.

[12:47]  does make you feel, Jody, knowing that it's a cycle now, like people are not only living it but coming back to pour back into it.

[12:54]  Yeah, it's one of the things that I think has kept me at BCS this long is that you could really you could really just walk outside and see the impact of the work that folks do. When I go home, I see it in my my neighborhood. I I know my neighbors who have received services from BCS. So it feels like the work continues to be very close to the ground, no matter no matter what pos whatever what chair you're sitting in. I do. I have three.

[13:16]  Yeah. You got little ones of your own? What do they think of mom doing this work?

[13:21]  So my oldest was a year old when I came here. So they have BCS has been an an integral part of their lives. They have, you know, they show up at events, they come to the office, people see them around and know them. They BCS is as much of a part of their lives as as as it is mine.

[13:38]  I love it. And what do you tell them about just you know I have young ones and I feel like I'm in this work and I can't wait for them to really be a part of it. I don't take them, they're still too young, right? They're just going to make a lot of noise if anything and run around. I don't have time to taste them at that moment. But what do you want them to know about serving people? I think there's something amazing in that, you know, giving to others even when sometimes we don't have, right? Sometimes when we're struggling, it's still about helping the next individual.

[13:38]  Yeah.

[14:06]  'Cause it's really not about us, especially in this line of work. What what what would you like to your kids to kind of take away from all the work that you've been doing, Jody?

[14:13]  Yeah. You know, I feel like it's been important for me to t to teach them about being involved with their neighbors and their community, how important that is, whether they're doing nonprofit kind of mission driven work or they're out there chasing a paycheck, whatever it is that's that they're wherever they find themselves in life, but that how important it is to be connected to the community that you're part of. And that means really like giving a hand to other folks who need it, because it always comes back. It just it never, you know, you never stop receiving something from that gift for, you know, as long as it goes. So it's no matter where you are in your own life, being able to give back to others, it doesn't have to be financially. It's often support or just, you know, visibility. I see you and I see, you know, I see what you're going through and I'm here too, is, you know, it it it It doesn't just give to that person, it gives back to you as well.

[14:52]  Hundred percent. I always say the work that we do because we help others, it really fills our cup. not so much fills our wallets, but it fills our cup, right, Jodi? No, just joking. what is your kids teaching you? I think there's lessons to be learned as a parent when we have these young kids that are very different than who we are, right? Technology is very different. I can imagine you're learning a lot from them to this day, Jody. What are you learning from young kids? What have they taught you?

[15:31]  Yeah. Yeah, you know, patience for sure. yeah. But also to kind of have respect and honor for the person the the per who that person is, right? They, you know, I have three boys and they are all extremely different and sometimes hard to understand how they came from me. but to recognize like their own personhood, no matter whether I understand it or not,

[15:35]  Number one, patience.

[15:59]  To just kind of make space for it.

[16:01]  Love that. What is Jody's legacy? When we think about legacy, are you even thinking that far? Are you just just going with the flow nowadays, Jody?

[16:09]  I don't know if I'm thinking that far. But, you know, I hope that folks remember something. Remember that, you know, I was a ear for somebody who needed it or, you know, a hand up that I opened a door for them and made an o opportunity possible. but, you know, that along the way that I, you know, did something that that that stands out for them.

[16:31]  Who is the ear for you? I mean, you talked about be being a year for others. Who was listening to you at the times where maybe the imposter syndrome was very loud, the noise was loud? Who was that person that was saying, Jody, you got this girl? Don't don't give up on yourself.

[16:44]  Yeah. Yeah, I feel like I've been really lucky to work from some great some great supervisors who it you know, if nothing else, taught me that about to believe that I could do it, that I you know, that I wasn't I wasn't entirely faking it, that there was some there was there was something there.

[17:07]  What do you say to that little the young Jody that maybe wasn't as confident she is today? that was still trying to find herself. I think now Jody talking to you, I could tell there's a little bit more of you being just you, right? Authentic you. I think there's nothing better than just being truly yourself. But as we kind of grow through those of leadership, we, as you mentioned, sometimes maybe have to fake it till we make it. maybe put on a mask that we don't really like to wear. But what do you tell that young Jody?

[17:25]  Yeah. Yeah. I think, you know, that it's that you're gonna be just fine. It's gonna it's gonna all work out in the end and that there's absolutely no reason to be worried about it now.

[17:44]  Yeah, you got siblings of your own, only child.

[17:46]  I do. I have a younger I have a younger brother.

[17:48]  so you're really setting the standard? do they think about their sister doing this work?

[17:53]  He you know, I think that he's probably not surprised 'cause I I I grew up bossing him around, so leading others probably doesn't surprise him in the slightest. Yes.

[18:03]  So it's only you and your brother? okay, yeah. I have how how far apart?

[18:08]  He's a year and a half younger than me.

[18:10]  Okay, got it. I see my my daughter and son and my daughter is the oldest and I can see her bossing him around. I think it's the funniest thing. you know, they they're always fighting. I I guess that's just what what good family does, right? There's no it it's cool to just know that you have that relationship with him that I can imagine he he really does appreciate you. The work that we do, Jody, it is so hard to be quite frank. because I don't know that you ever turn it off.

[18:42]  Mm. Yeah.

[18:43]  And if you do, what are you doing to turn it off, Doty? Like what is that thing that brings you peace and and just allows you to really kind of separate yourself from the nine five?

[18:45]  Yeah. I probably don't turn it off that much, to be honest. I Yeah. But I also feel like I'm not a different person in different places. So, you know, what you see with me at work, that's that's who I am at home also. It's who I am with my friends and people I care about. so I think, you know, there is some benefit in not having to like, you know, put on different masks in different places.

[18:49]  I hear, I'm the same way, no worries.

[18:50]  but I think

[19:14]  Go ahead. I was gonna ask I was gonna ask, what does Jody like to do? Even if you don't turn it off, what is the thing that Jody loves to do that people don't probably don't know she does?

[19:21]  what do I love to do that people don't know about? I I am a wannabe green thumb. I'm not sure that my plants would agree that I am actually a green thumb, but there is something that I really enjoy from from being able to grow anything, you know, little measly stick. but yeah.

[19:26]  Are you planting in your garden? Are you sitting by the water? What are you doing?

[20:50]  I do get I do get a lot from that.

[22:14]  I my wife has got into it finding herself trying to figure out what it is. You know, she's been a stay-home mom now for six years. And she said, I'm gonna start planting. And I'm usually the one inside with all the plants and probably at this point an addiction because I have about 50 of them. And she said, You know, I'm gonna start outside. And I said, All right, whatever. I got sunflowers that are six feet tall. Okay. And she's like, my god, I've never grown something this this big.

[23:38]  Yeah. Yeah.

[23:39]  And it's just so cool to see her find something that brings her peace. And now you can I now actually have a huge garden out front and now we're growing crops. I got carrots that she didn't grow and basil and all that. So it's actually it's it's cool. It is really rewarding when you're able to see something like a plant, always kind of bring it back to life where maybe they're not thriving, but as soon as you change that environment and you change their pot, they really try start to thrive. And it's like kind of the work that you're in, right? Do people come in? Maybe they're not in the right you know, pots, maybe they're not in the right spaces and they don't know what they don't know. But with a little bit of watering, a little bit of change of environment, they really start to flourish. Have you ever thought about life in that perspective?

[23:41]  Yeah, and sometimes it's not even a change of environment. It's just like a little bit of extra, right? Like you a little extra sun, a little extra water, a little extra care, and that, you know, kind of gets somebody through to the next step.

[23:42]  Mm. I love it. Yeah, no, for sure. when we talk about programs, I know you mentioned that there was a lot of them. What are those that maybe are underutilized that you guys offer and people don't really tap into?

[23:44]  Hmm. well, I don't know if our pro if we have programs that are underutilized. I think we have some programs that folks you know, maybe don't know as much about. you know, we have community centers in in several neighborhoods that are places of safety for folks that live like in NYCHA developments, where kids can get in in the evening and play some games and kind of, you know. Be in a place where their their parents can feel safe and secure, that they're being taken care of, but also that they're getting, you know, some extra. They're getting good snacks, they're getting some mentorship, they're getting, you know, some support around things that they might be going through. have a high school that helps kids that fallen behind. So a lot of our kids, maybe they're parenting themselves or their par their families have been displaced and it's been hard for them to attend school. And so our high school helps them catch up on those credits, a job, kind of plan for the future. one of my favorite programs is our shower bus program. so this is a mobile hygiene service. It's a literally a bus that has two full bathrooms. We take it on the road acro all around Brooklyn to where know folks might be living in encampments or the street and other for other reasons. we bring them medical services, food, clean clothing, mental health resources, and really most importantly, a shower, where for places for, you know, folks who just don't have access to being able to care for themselves in that way.

[23:45]  Mm. That's cool. Is this something that you guys like on a weekly show up to the same places? Is someone that is texting, calling in? How do they get in the service?

[23:47]  We have we have five locations we go to every week. So yeah, people that way folks can find us, right? So we're particularly targeting people who might not have the ability to look up a service or have internet access or easy ways to be able to find the things they need. So we show up in the same place every week so they know where to find us.

[23:48]  Wow. And how is communication with you guys? Is it only via email? Can someone text in, call? Like what does that look like?

[23:50]  Do you for our Sarah's? No.

[23:51]  Yeah, yeah. If someone wants to, you know, maybe even just engage, maybe it's not even services, but it's a volunteer, it's a donor that just wants to figure out how can they be involved. 'Cause I can imagine that you guys support all at all, right? You want to support those volunteers that wanna be a part, wanna support the donors. How does someone really communicate with you guys?

[23:53]  Yeah. So you can find us you can find us at we rbcs.org. has all kinds of opportunities for folks whether they need our help or they want to work with us, they want to partner with us, they want to volunteer, they want to support initiative that we've got going on. You can find all kinds of information for f about us on our website.

[24:13]  Love are you guys on social media or anything?

[24:14]  We are. We are on Instagram, Facebook, threads, yeah, you can find we are BCS.

[24:22]  It's so funny you say threads and it's like I sometimes forget that there's that exists as well. There's so many of you know, but that you say threads is it's just hilarious. I love it. I I really appreciate it, Jody, all the information you've given us today. But I ask you one question. If you had a magic wand to change something today within your organization for the better, what would that be?

[24:40]  Yeah. you know, I think one of the things that you know, I would want to change better is is how we are supporting our workforce. you know, as I mentioned, the our resources get stretched further and further every year, which means we have folks who are coming here doing really hard work, for sometimes what look like poverty wages themselves. And so myself and our other executives. fight to increase the the way that that the that we get paid for this work so that we could pay our folks better. And so if there was one thing I could change, it would be the ability to pay them what they're actually worth, what the what the impact that they make on our communities should actually be worth.

[25:26]  Jodi, I thank you so much for your time for all the knowledge you've given us. you know, I know you don't do this often, but I always appreciate when another leader like yourself can just kind of tell us what's happening in your communities. You know, I always go back to the conversation I had with my mom at 30 years old. And she says, I sorry, I did I you know, I did the best I could of what I I knew. And Jodi, you guys have a huge amount of different programs where people could really educate themselves, really change their lives. really move their their lives in a different direction that they didn't think was possible. All because Jody, you stepped up and said yes to this work. and it's not just you, it's obviously the team that has also kind of been part of this for you said 160 years. Like this is truly legacy and you are a part of that, Jody. So we thank you. And for those that are still watching, those that are still listening, make sure that you guys go ahead and check out the website, check out the socials. Jody, can they find you doing anything in there? Maybe a little dance or you know what what who can find Jodi doing in these

[26:20]  Occasionally they put up stuff about me without letting me know, so I don't know exactly where you might find me on there.

[26:24]  man, that's that's probably because you're so humble, all right? Cause I think we had this conversation when I met you the first time. You're just so humble that you you don't like to talk about yourself, Jody, but you are truly, I can imagine, a pillar for this organization on why it's where it's at today. So thank you for for your work. Continue to do amazing work. I'm Ephrain. This is Jody, and we'll catch you on the next one. Later.

[26:24]  Okay. Thanks.