362. How to End Poverty: Evidence-based Impact + Centering Community -Heather Reynolds
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Overview
Meet Heather. She’s the Managing Director at Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) where research is identifying the programs and policies that help people move permanently out of poverty. LEO’s nonprofit partners test their ideas and programs and then share their strategies to ultimately have an even greater impact in the pursuit of eradicating poverty. Tune in for this conversation that’s grounded equally in data and hope🥰👏
💡Learn
The current state of poverty in the United States
The mission of Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities
Impact evaluations and how nonprofits can use them
Today’s Guest
Heather Reynolds, Managing Director, Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at University of Notre Dame
“The level of abundance we have as a country and the level of people suffering in poverty, it’s just not okay.”
Episode Transcript
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Episode Highlights
Heather’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
What Heather has learned throughout her career (6:50)
What LEO is doing (15:00)
LEO’s research findings (24:00)
How Heather balances priorities (21:40)
What tactically a nonprofit gets from LEO (33:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Heather’s life (37:20)
Heather’s One Good Thing: “Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher
How to connect with LEO (40:00)
Powerful quotes
“I quickly fell in love with the idea that I was serving in a place that could bring not just real help to people but real hope to people.” -Heather
“The level of abundance we have as a country and the level of people suffering in poverty, it’s just not okay.” -Heather
“It has always been important for me to understand what are the things in the organization you're working on that are truly those comparative advantages? What are those things that are unorthodox or unique? I live in a world where I do everything average except those things.” -Heather
“You don't need to be all things to all people, but do the things you're doing really well.” -Jon
“The answers that reside to the most systemic problems in our world are on the front lines of that issue. They are right there in the community. We just have to ask.” -Becky
Having the framework of a client is a person of strength, and understanding what their strengths are, so that you can reference those strengths to help them overcome the vulnerabilities they have in their life is time and time again, what our studies are showing actually works and makes a difference.” -Heather
“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.” -Mary Anne Radmacher
Connect with LEO
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Connect with Jon
Connect with Becky
Episode Sponsors
Studio Selfie
Julie Confer, Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott + Heather Reynolds
