Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)
EPISODE SUMMARY:
They will learn about working with the IDD population, what it's like to be a non profit leader and, hopefully have a few laughs.
- OUR MISSION -
We will enrich the lives of those we serve through quality care, a broad range of services, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
- OUR VISION -
To expand our role as Long Island’s center of excellence for providing premier treatment, care, education and support to those with epilepsy, and to individuals with intellectual or emotional challenges.
Organization: EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies
Website: www.epicli.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epiclongisland
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epiclongisland/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/epic-long-island
#PhilanthropyInPhocus #IDDCommunitySupport #MentalHealthMatters #EpilepsyAwareness #BehavioralHealth #SupportNonprofits #LongIslandCommunity #TommyDiMisa
Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
Tommy D begins by introducing himself as the Nonprofit Sector Connector and discussing his recent business ventures. He outlines the goals of the show and introduces guest Lisa Burch, highlighting her career accomplishments. Lisa shares her career journey and goals, emphasizing how she reached her current role.
Tommy gives a shout-out to Lisa and her organization. Lisa discusses upcoming events and reflects on her experiences that led her into the nonprofit sector, detailing how these shaped her current work.
Tommy mentions the show’s theme song. Lisa talks about the different places she has worked and her career goals, explaining how her path led her to her current position in nonprofit leadership.
Tommy introduces a discussion on what Lisa’s organization needs for continued growth. Lisa elaborates on the challenges her organization addresses and the programs it offers, ending the show with details about their initiatives.
00:00:42.980 --> 00:00:44.540 Tommy DiMisa: Sound. That sound means
00:00:45.630 --> 00:01:08.729 Tommy DiMisa: we are up in the attic, your boy, philanthropy and focus your boy the one and only nonprofit sector connector. I was at my kid's school yesterday, and I found out that my son it was. It was fun. Run the fun run at school, and I get to be the Mc. Of Fun run every year where they go around, the kids run around the track and they get a ribbon. They get really cool sunglasses. I got a nice pair of red shades out of the deal.
00:01:08.940 --> 00:01:13.049 Tommy DiMisa: and I found out that my son told his teachers.
00:01:13.460 --> 00:01:41.910 Tommy DiMisa: the one and only Tommy D. Is going to be here later today, Lisa, the one and only Tommy D. Is going to be here later today. And I go. Wow! I got that kid trained. I didn't even know he liked me that much, but he was actually pretty excited that I was going to be there. I don't know if we had an argument that morning before he went to school, but certainly he was pretty proud that his dad was going to be there at the fun run. So I call myself the one and only Tommy D, the nonprofit sector connector. And that's what it's about. It's about bringing together the nonprofit sector.
00:01:41.910 --> 00:02:05.679 Tommy DiMisa: and and really bringing together the for-profit sector to support the work that the nonprofit sector is doing. This is a journey that I'm on. You know. I'm on a plan to do 5,000 episodes of this show. I think it's important to continue to spotlight nonprofit organizations. So what do we do on the show. I help nonprofits tell their story and amplify their message. Lisa Birch, good morning. How are you.
00:02:05.870 --> 00:02:08.302 Lisa Burch: Good morning. One, and only Tommy d.
00:02:08.912 --> 00:02:14.849 Tommy DiMisa: My friend, we get each other, man, that's what my daughter says. We get each other, you and me. I think you get me. I feel like we.
00:02:14.850 --> 00:02:15.570 Lisa Burch: Still.
00:02:15.570 --> 00:02:29.609 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, we connect. Certainly, we're gonna get into a lot of different topics. We're gonna learn about you, your background, the organizations that you run right because it's a family of organizations. So we'll dive into that. Really the 1st of all, shout out. I just pulled up
00:02:30.150 --> 00:02:59.560 Tommy DiMisa: Libn Long Island business news because you were showing me. I actually saw a picture on Facebook late last night early this morning, and then you showed me I'm calling it a trophy. But it's an award which is just over for you all that are watching a video just over. If I turn this way, Lisa's right shoulder so that trophy over there top 50 women in business, Lisa Birch, epic, epic family of human service agencies, epic, Long Island congrats on that before you're welcome. You're welcome before we even got started. There was another
00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:05.579 Tommy DiMisa: like bulletin poster that had come from an event. The Hia honored your organization just last week, so
00:03:05.650 --> 00:03:23.179 Tommy DiMisa: you know it makes me think of. In 2 weeks, actually 11 days, the New York City imagine awards will be at Gustavino's, New York City, 4.th Ever New York City. Imagine awards, I will be there. We're excited about that event. A couple of my guests who've been on the show.
00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:39.410 Tommy DiMisa: several of my guests who've been on the show are finalists in several categories and the Long Island. Imagine awards which, if you pay attention to this, show everybody, you know, I'm always talking to imagine awards. The applications are out right now, longislandimagineawards.com. So check that out if you can't find the website
00:03:39.510 --> 00:03:56.360 Tommy DiMisa: I was going to say, call me up. But you probably don't have my number. But if you can't find a website, hit me up on Instagram, Tommy, d dot Nyc, send me an email, Tommy D. At philanthropy and focus PHOC. us.com and check out the 2 new Instagrams that I made. I'm trying to get some people to really focus on ending the stigma
00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:11.449 Tommy DiMisa: around mental health. That conversation must happen. Wearing my ending the stigma t-shirt, I actually underneath my horse ability, Hoodie. But I've been giving out the T-shirt. Lisa. I got to get you one of these T-shirts the whole yeah. The whole thing about the T-shirt is
00:04:11.900 --> 00:04:17.359 Tommy DiMisa: I'm getting it to folks get the free t-shirt. The 1st one's free.
00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:43.350 Tommy DiMisa: That's to just say I need you as leaders in the community to wear this shirt. Do a quick video. Why is ending the stigma around the mental health conversation? Important? I say, mental health. Some people say mental illness. The point is, we all have needs. We all need support, and we're going to work together. So I'm on this campaign. I came up with a whole other rip like Riff of it. Where now what I want to do is, as I make more and more T-shirts, I might say to epic epic
00:04:43.350 --> 00:04:54.449 Tommy DiMisa: for all the T-shirts. You're able to get people to buy. A big percentage of the revenue that comes in goes back to epic because, to be honest with you. I'm not looking to make money out of this thing. I'm looking to change the world so
00:04:54.450 --> 00:05:18.930 Tommy DiMisa: hashtag ending the stigma together. That's the new hashtag. So check out ending the stigma together on Instagram, and then also the nonprofit sector Connector on Instagram. And let's just let's let's connect man. Let's just hang out. Lisa. Let's get into your story. I mean, there's so much here I can read my notes. I hate to do that, really, but I might refer to them as we go through, because I think I told you the other day when I was a kid. I used to like to watch this show on A and E
00:05:19.090 --> 00:05:38.340 Tommy DiMisa: called biography, and it was like telling the story about someone's life and where they came from and what informed their career choices. And you know we met a year and a half ago, originally through through one of my other ventures, the Philanthropy network in New York, when you were at Fca. We had a pizza party over in Hempstead.
00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:44.879 Tommy DiMisa: I brought Italian Isis shout out to my dad, Ralph's Isis in Huntington, but you know we met that day.
00:05:45.130 --> 00:05:46.300 Tommy DiMisa: and then
00:05:46.640 --> 00:06:09.939 Tommy DiMisa: we had a dinner through the nonprofit resource, Hub and I. There was one cute thing that I remember. I'm just going to say it. I'm going to bring it up, you know. I think one of our friends at dinner, and it was a number of nonprofit leaders here on Long Island had said, you know not. Most people don't want to be a CEO one day, like nobody set out. Remember that comment is like nobody set out to be a CEO, and you were like well, what did you say? There? I did.
00:06:10.770 --> 00:06:11.580 Tommy DiMisa: Yes.
00:06:11.580 --> 00:06:19.570 Lisa Burch: You know, and I am honestly well. 1st listen. Thank you so much for having me on the show. This is wonderful. I love that you do this.
00:06:19.570 --> 00:06:43.089 Lisa Burch: I enjoy listening to the episodes you connect with a lot of really great people, so many of them that I know. And you know I'm just. I'm honored to be on philanthropy and focus on your show. It's great. Yeah, that you know. That night I said that, and I don't know. I feel like it might have been the 1st time that I maybe said it out loud.
00:06:43.609 --> 00:06:44.129 Lisa Burch: But
00:06:44.650 --> 00:06:56.510 Lisa Burch: you know it it has. It's been a dream of mine. It's been the ultimate career goal for me. Right? So I've I've worked in this field for a long time. I've done nothing
00:06:56.700 --> 00:06:58.489 Lisa Burch: but work in nonprofits
00:06:58.570 --> 00:07:27.329 Lisa Burch: ever except for my stint at Wendy's, which was my 1st job. I guess that would be considered for profit, but you know, ever since then all I've ever done is work in nonprofit, whether it's, you know, at my summer camp, or you know, I volunteered. I did an internship in college at a battered women's shelter. That's where I really kind of learned a lot about you know, women and violence and and the work that I had done in that earlier in my career.
00:07:27.500 --> 00:07:31.420 Lisa Burch: Alright, I worked at a bank at school, so I I gotta be, you know, full disclosure.
00:07:31.420 --> 00:07:34.420 Tommy DiMisa: Listen you you can. You can break the rules a little bit. I mean.
00:07:34.420 --> 00:07:42.049 Lisa Burch: I tell people I I've never done anything but nonprofit. Now I think about it. So I don't want to be, you know, called out by anybody saying that I.
00:07:42.050 --> 00:08:07.730 Tommy DiMisa: I'm going to bring you in for a trial. Don't worry about it. It's funny you'd say my brother's 1st job was at Wendy's, and my children still remember this to this day, because one time I must have told him. Yeah. So my brother used to work at Wendy's, and one time he brought me home, like all these extra chicken nuggets, and this was like a thing. It was like a thing I said one time, and it was probably like 30 chicken nuggets. It wasn't like a case of chicken nuggets. They were like cooked. They were going to go in the garbage, and he brought them home for his big brother. Right!
00:08:07.730 --> 00:08:13.219 Tommy DiMisa: Said that to my kids you thought I would have said my brother worked at Fort Knox and brought me home
00:08:14.280 --> 00:08:23.519 Tommy DiMisa: of gold bars. They were like, remember that time when you got all those chicken nuggets I was like kind of. I remember it. I don't even remember telling them that story, but I know we know Wendy's for sure.
00:08:23.520 --> 00:08:24.670 Lisa Burch: They remember it. They remember.
00:08:24.670 --> 00:08:26.349 Tommy DiMisa: That's a great place to work.
00:08:26.350 --> 00:08:52.710 Lisa Burch: Great place to start my career. But you know what I honestly, I've just always gravitated toward the nonprofit field. When I finished college I actually went directly into graduate school. I was going to the Hunter School of social work to get my Msw. Because I was a psych major. I knew I wanted to be some kind of a counselor or therapist. That was sort of where I wanted to go.
00:08:53.260 --> 00:09:12.262 Lisa Burch: There were a series of events that occurred where? I made the decision to not stay in that program. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I remember sitting in a diner with my parents. I was the 1st kid to go to graduate school in my family, so I sat there in the diner and I remember telling them. Listen, I'm
00:09:12.850 --> 00:09:16.110 Lisa Burch: or dropping out. And they were like what what
00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:30.794 Lisa Burch: I said. But I'm going to get a job. I'm going to work. I'm going to do something, and I did. I? You know I went to. I went to I work then it was called Victim Services Agency in New York City. Now. I forget what it's called, but something different. And I
00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:35.829 Lisa Burch: I just started working $19,000 a year. 1st job out of the gate.
00:09:36.000 --> 00:10:01.810 Lisa Burch: I started working in a police precinct in the Bronx, working with a police officer who was assigned to deal with domestic violence cases, and so every morning we would look at the 911 calls that had come in identify the ones that had domestic violence, related issues. And we'd call the women. And then we'd go out and we'd see them, and we would try to connect them to services and get them out if they needed to get out.
00:10:02.191 --> 00:10:13.259 Lisa Burch: It was incredible. It was a wonderful, wonderful program. I loved it, and it really just opened my eyes to what's going on in the world and how much
00:10:13.400 --> 00:10:19.830 Lisa Burch: need there is and how much support people can provide. And it also showed me what an impact
00:10:19.980 --> 00:10:27.770 Lisa Burch: I could make. I had this incredible experience there. There was a woman who I had never met in person.
00:10:28.680 --> 00:10:30.010 Lisa Burch: and she
00:10:31.210 --> 00:10:32.710 Lisa Burch: killed her husband
00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:34.520 Lisa Burch: in self defense.
00:10:34.690 --> 00:10:55.360 Lisa Burch: and I was able to connect her with some legal services and other things, and you know, thank goodness, she was acquitted, and she was fine, and I had only spoken to her on the phone had never met her in person, and a few months after that had happened I was in Manhattan, at the main office of the agency I work for, and there was a big staff meeting.
00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:58.449 Lisa Burch: and all of a sudden this woman
00:10:58.520 --> 00:10:59.730 Lisa Burch: comes in
00:11:00.390 --> 00:11:05.509 Lisa Burch: to give me flowers, and she was the woman that I helped, and I was
00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:16.089 Lisa Burch: I was blown away, and that I mean that we're talking 30 plus years ago, and that sticks with me to this very day. I think about it so often.
00:11:16.180 --> 00:11:24.360 Lisa Burch: you know, if you I think it says a a Hebrew saying, or something right like, if you change one person's life, you change the world.
00:11:24.680 --> 00:11:25.230 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:11:25.390 --> 00:11:32.519 Lisa Burch: And that's kind of what I do. And I I feel like I do that every day. I mean, not directly anymore, obviously in my position now. But
00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:33.500 Lisa Burch: it's.
00:11:33.810 --> 00:11:52.629 Tommy DiMisa: Somebody's got to run an organization, too, right? Like not everybody could be on the front lines doing the work somebody has to lead from from the quote unquote c-suite, right? You know what for me, though, hearing that is, that is truly the impact story of it's for that to resonate with you all these years later.
00:11:52.810 --> 00:12:02.020 Tommy DiMisa: just informs why people enter this sector, why people go to work in the nonprofit sector. You know, I've had stories of of people who work in group homes and
00:12:02.500 --> 00:12:05.299 Tommy DiMisa: you know, are physically assaulted on Monday.
00:12:05.390 --> 00:12:11.860 Tommy DiMisa: and then on Wednesday they're back at work, you know. Maybe they have a day off to go get services for themselves, but they're back at work. And and these.
00:12:12.010 --> 00:12:18.760 Tommy DiMisa: unfortunately, these individuals are not paid high salaries, and I know of organizations that have
00:12:19.820 --> 00:12:38.280 Tommy DiMisa: people in these settings who are, who are doing direct care and have to get second and sometimes more than second jobs, you know, which is out of control. And that's maybe we can get into that today. But it's just the fact that these are people doing the good work, and they have to go get a second job. It's I mean, I have a friend of mine who
00:12:38.280 --> 00:13:01.120 Tommy DiMisa: who's a CEO of an organization, and he told me as he was through of a nonprofit organization and his. He was raising through the ranks. He had a second job because he needed to. That's a whole indictment on, on a lot of things, on how we compensate people in the in the service sector and the social service sector in the nonprofit sector, which, ironically, there's a lot. Maybe we are going to get into that conversation that you and I hinted.
00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:02.379 Lisa Burch: We should. Yeah.
00:13:02.520 --> 00:13:07.340 Tommy DiMisa: We should at some point this morning. I just want to stay on this point, though, about impact, because
00:13:07.450 --> 00:13:14.529 Tommy DiMisa: I see I see this and I get to go out and see nonprofit organizations and their people that are doing the work. And you mentioned this woman
00:13:15.270 --> 00:13:17.120 Tommy DiMisa: who was in this situation.
00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:18.120 Tommy DiMisa: who
00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:19.750 Tommy DiMisa: her life was in danger.
00:13:20.450 --> 00:13:26.399 Tommy DiMisa: Protecting herself. And then there was an organization that was there to support her and provide the services. Because.
00:13:26.410 --> 00:13:36.144 Tommy DiMisa: you know, I've had some some folks from some Dv. From domestic violence organizations on the show, and I remember, even on another show we do called the professionals and animal Lovers show.
00:13:37.090 --> 00:13:42.579 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, my goodness! Is it Long Island against domestic violence? They have a shelter here on Long Island that actually
00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:48.740 Tommy DiMisa: families with pets, though, because some folks won't leave a domestic violence, situation.
00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:49.420 Lisa Burch: Of their pet.
00:13:49.420 --> 00:14:10.869 Tommy DiMisa: They're going to leave their animal, and then their animal is going to be hurt and brutalized. So my point is, it's so much to when you're in that position, and then you need the support. And that had to be a wild thing for you to be involved with every day. You're impacting and changing people's. I'm sure it weighs on you. It had to be difficult at times, right? But that's really important work.
00:14:11.540 --> 00:14:29.989 Lisa Burch: Yeah. And I, you know what I tell people I meet with our new employees every new employee orientation that we have. I go to to meet the staff, because I just think that it's that important that they know who I am and that that you know I'm I'm a real person. Right? So I always tell them I did your work
00:14:29.990 --> 00:14:49.169 Lisa Burch: right. I started out handing condoms out to street workers under the Queensboro Bridge during the Aids crisis. Right? I went into prison. I talked to moms who were incarcerated on how to talk to their children. I went into schools. I taught kids with a banana and a condom. Right? How do you prevent? How do you prevent Stds?
00:14:49.170 --> 00:15:05.950 Lisa Burch: I've been there doing that direct service work. I've worked in a shelter, I've answered a hotline just because I'm here in this office, you know, with this title now, doesn't mean that I just landed here right? I work my way up, and I'm proud of that work that I did.
00:15:06.130 --> 00:15:25.209 Lisa Burch: and I really hope that it inspires other people. And that's what I tell my employees and younger people, too, that I try to mentor. I hope that it inspires you to do more that you can right you can. You can move up. You can do what you want, you can still make an impact, even if you're not doing that direct work every day.
00:15:25.630 --> 00:15:36.590 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I hope people hear you saying that. And I think that's important. Where leaders are the just. The other night, I mean, I had no idea I'd bring this up, but I was at an event, for
00:15:36.590 --> 00:15:55.700 Tommy DiMisa: Ramon Law firm invited me as a friend and a guest to an event for Ascam, which is Association of supply, chain management, and that is not really anything in my world but friends of mine invited me, so I say, sure I'm a by the way gang, I'm a great guest, so if you ever want to bring me to an event, I'm.
00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:57.090 Lisa Burch: Fun. Guest always a fun guest.
00:15:57.090 --> 00:16:12.159 Tommy DiMisa: I'm a fun guest, you know. It reminds me of that joke of the mushroom who's sitting at the bar, and he said, and and nobody will talk to him, and the bartender finally says, What's the matter? What's what's going on? And he goes. I'm here. Nobody will talk to me. What's the matter? I'm a fun Guy.
00:16:12.730 --> 00:16:13.300 Lisa Burch: Yeah.
00:16:15.250 --> 00:16:16.110 Lisa Burch: I love that one.
00:16:16.110 --> 00:16:38.660 Tommy DiMisa: We just lost a whole bunch of listeners on that one. They're like, really, Tommy, d enough. My kids are like, Come on, Dad. They don't listen to the show. But what's dad? Jokes? King of the dad? Jokes? Heck! Yeah, I mean, it was like my my daughter was born, and I got a whole book of jokes right away. It was like moments later I was ready. I was ready to tell Corny jokes, you know, and
00:16:38.660 --> 00:17:01.870 Tommy DiMisa: I'm at this event the other night, and they had all these university students from Adelphi, from Hofstra that are in supply chain management. And they were there. What were they there to do to make relationships to connect to network? And I said to them, Listen, are you on Linkedin? Here's my card. If I could be a resource, and I can help let me know. And I think that's what's important is to continue to inspire these young people. So I hope you're listening.
00:17:01.870 --> 00:17:28.709 Tommy DiMisa: You know I make this comment there, where I say, some people have to work 2 jobs to stay in the sector initially, and that's wrong. That that's a situation. However, we hustle sometimes in life, man, I've had plenty of different hustles going on at the same time to make things work so you can. There's, I don't want to say light at the end of the tunnel, but there's opportunity as you look up and you see that, and for the C-level leader to be at that orientation, and that onboarding is to say, Look.
00:17:28.820 --> 00:17:46.899 Tommy DiMisa: I'm here. I've done what you've done, and you can do what I'm doing, too, like from an inspirational perspective. So I think that's twofold that that you have that level of leadership. And we could talk more about leadership this morning. But I just say, you know, I'm grateful to hear that. That's the that's what you do, and I'm grateful. Just shout out to the team at Ramon again.
00:17:47.310 --> 00:18:05.449 Tommy DiMisa: Alyssa Murphy, and friends for bringing me to that event, because I know nothing about supply chain management, and now I know a little more than nothing about supply chain management. And I'm like, Hey, here's a whole new group of people that I wouldn't hug out. It hung out with before. Funny thing, before we go to break. It was at Crest Hollow this event the other night. Okay, which I'm sure you've been there plenty of times.
00:18:05.450 --> 00:18:06.140 Lisa Burch: How many times.
00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:08.159 Tommy DiMisa: Like this month or this quarter.
00:18:08.230 --> 00:18:13.290 Tommy DiMisa: and it was so wild because I was in one of the rooms at Crest Hollow that I've been in I don't know
00:18:13.290 --> 00:18:42.639 Tommy DiMisa: 50 times, and the room looked completely different. It was like, I go. I'm in this room for the Imagine awards every year, and it's a totally different scene. So I'm talking to the Mayor D. And I'm like Dude. This is like, I know it's the same room, but he's like Tommy D. We just changed the lights. We do different things, and I go. It looked like a anyway different scene. Different room. Shout out to that place because we're there all the time, and they do a great job for for Long Island. We're going to go to Quick Break. We come back from break. Let's get more into. I want to know. Was there a point in your life, even before
00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:58.149 Tommy DiMisa: you went to college? Was there something that drew you to this work. Was it? Was it something in your family, when growing up? Did your parents like instill that in you and your family about service work? I want to know what that, because I find in a lot of ways there's something there.
00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:08.770 Tommy DiMisa: I'm still trying to figure out how I ended up so focused on this, because when I was younger I wasn't necessarily focused on this work. And then, now, once I I kinda I know what it is, Lisa.
00:19:08.780 --> 00:19:24.280 Tommy DiMisa: I have an addictive personality, and it makes me feel yes, believe it or not, and it makes me feel really good to connect and help people. So that's why I just do the heck out of it. Don't tell anybody. Everybody thinks I'm a nice guy. I'm just doing it because it makes me feel good, so don't tell anybody my secret.
00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:29.320 Tommy DiMisa: Her lips are sealed. We'll be right back. Lisa's gonna tell me the story right back.
00:21:38.850 --> 00:21:42.420 Tommy DiMisa: That's right. Gang cut through the static. Join me in the attic, but like literally
00:21:42.700 --> 00:22:01.569 Tommy DiMisa: don't like literally show up at my porch, and like, try to get to the attic. It's not that kind of show. It's a virtual thing. Join Tommy in the attic. All right. Let's do it. So the organization's epic, Long Island, my friend, is Lisa Birch. The coffee is hitting me. Well, during that break I feel extra energized all of a sudden.
00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:04.850 Tommy DiMisa: I'm afraid to take another sip. I don't know what's gonna happen next.
00:22:05.300 --> 00:22:16.589 Tommy DiMisa: I'm fired up here. I'm thinking of some of the people we have in common. As I was looking at your website. I see tomorrow there is a walk. Is that right? If I do my calendar right tomorrow morning gang. So that's what tomorrow morning, what time.
00:22:16.800 --> 00:22:32.009 Lisa Burch: It's at 10 am. At Eisenhow Park. It's our annual walk to end epilepsy. You had mentioned in the beginning that we actually have several organizations. So one of them is the Epilepsy Foundation, Long Island.
00:22:32.010 --> 00:22:55.639 Lisa Burch: That's actually where epic began. Back in 1953, the epilepsy foundation was started. We are an affiliate of the national epilepsy foundation. And every year we do this walk to end epilepsy. And this is my 1st one. Obviously, I just started in this position this year. So I'm really, really excited. We have over 600 people signed up to come walk.
00:22:56.060 --> 00:23:16.890 Lisa Burch: It is not too late. If people are interested. They can find the information on our website epically.org. But it's a wonderful event, because, you know, people, there are 35,000 people on Long Island suffering from epilepsy, and one in 10 people will experience a seizure in their lifetime.
00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:32.699 Lisa Burch: One in 10, yeah, and one in 26 will be diagnosed with some form of epilepsy. So it's a lot more prevalent than folks realize. And what's so great about the walk that's happening tomorrow is that it's a hopeful walk.
00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:46.720 Lisa Burch: It's a very empowering walk, a lot of times when folks are diagnosed with epilepsy, suffering with epilepsy families. You know. They're very isolated, and they lose the ability to do certain things. Driving.
00:23:46.720 --> 00:24:13.749 Lisa Burch: for instance, right? And so tomorrow is an opportunity for people to come together as a community and to say we can do this together, and we can all live, you know, a really good and and healthful life. And and it's great. So I recommend anybody. It's going to be a beautiful day. The weather looks great. Whether you have epilepsy, you suffer from epilepsy. You don't come out, take a walk join us. It's really going to be a nice day.
00:24:13.750 --> 00:24:23.239 Tommy DiMisa: A couple of things on that. 1st of all, I don't live far from Eisenhower Park at all, so I think I'll see you tomorrow morning. Second thing is, I notice a lot of purple in that
00:24:23.350 --> 00:24:28.689 Tommy DiMisa: photo. So I have a lavender shoot in that closet right there.
00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:30.119 Lisa Burch: We wear it.
00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:34.909 Tommy DiMisa: I I think I will. I'm sort of like threatening. That's a threat.
00:24:34.910 --> 00:24:36.150 Lisa Burch: Not a threat. I love it.
00:24:36.409 --> 00:24:52.220 Tommy DiMisa: Well, it's a good threat. I don't know if threats can be good, but it's I'm wondering. Is there like a band shell like they have, like the truck opens up on the side so just like theoretically like. If I was to show up with a lavender suit on tomorrow, would it be possible I could come on stage.
00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:54.899 Lisa Burch: Absolutely put you on stage.
00:24:55.900 --> 00:25:00.210 Lisa Burch: No question. Somebody who works for us actually dyed her hair purple for
00:25:00.280 --> 00:25:05.039 Lisa Burch: this one. So that's that's commitment right there. I I didn't do it, but you know.
00:25:05.040 --> 00:25:06.190 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, right on.
00:25:06.190 --> 00:25:06.580 Lisa Burch: Police.
00:25:06.580 --> 00:25:14.989 Tommy DiMisa: Shout out to whoever that is way to go way, to way, to really embrace the mission, and kind of let your hair down, or let your hair up, or whatever.
00:25:14.990 --> 00:25:15.380 Lisa Burch: Really.
00:25:15.760 --> 00:25:36.369 Tommy DiMisa: So all right. So that's fun. I will make a point of getting out to see you tomorrow morning. It's you know what the the killer for me is all my friends have these awesome organizations, and sometimes what happens is I see the photo on like Facebook or Linkedin, like 3 h after the thing happened, and I'm like, Oh, Jeff Reynolds, I wish I knew you were doing something today, Jeff. I would have been there for you.
00:25:36.370 --> 00:25:37.420 Lisa Burch: Know what Jeff's doing.
00:25:37.420 --> 00:25:49.835 Tommy DiMisa: And it's funny. It's funny that I just said that because I don't think I've ever called him that. I just call him Dr. Reynolds cause that's what I was told to call him. So I call him that, and he hasn't told me to call him Jeff yet. So Jeff I mean Dr. Reynolds, my bad, so.
00:25:50.050 --> 00:25:52.359 Lisa Burch: I think you're okay. I think he's fine with you calling him Jeff.
00:25:52.360 --> 00:25:53.639 Tommy DiMisa: You know what I think. We might.
00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:54.680 Lisa Burch: Down to earth.
00:25:54.680 --> 00:26:14.260 Tommy DiMisa: I think we're there now. I think we are there now he's he he's becoming a Tommy d fan, for sure, like all of us, me, too, me included, on that one being a Tommy D. Fan. But Dr. Reynolds and his organization do incredible things which we should get to that. But before we get to that, and where you collaborate and work at that organization, Family and Children's Association, which is where you and I 1st met
00:26:15.310 --> 00:26:22.299 Tommy DiMisa: what was? Can you go back into childhood, or when you were older, where there was something where
00:26:22.360 --> 00:26:24.969 Tommy DiMisa: I need to help people like what was after you?
00:26:25.730 --> 00:26:45.149 Lisa Burch: Yeah, you know, a lot of people who work in this field have that moment, or you know, a family member who's been affected by something, or they struggled themselves. I don't. I don't have that per se, but I will say that when I was in high school I was the
00:26:45.220 --> 00:26:47.009 Lisa Burch: Friend Group therapist.
00:26:47.040 --> 00:26:47.574 Tommy DiMisa: Oh!
00:26:48.110 --> 00:26:49.939 Lisa Burch: I was that person.
00:26:49.980 --> 00:27:08.110 Lisa Burch: Everybody talked to me, everybody felt comfortable sharing their secrets with me, and I love to give advice elicited or not, although my family doesn't love that, but shout out to my husband, I know he's listening, and he will take my advice. I know that.
00:27:08.130 --> 00:27:10.967 Lisa Burch: But I I just I really
00:27:11.910 --> 00:27:35.850 Lisa Burch: I just always. I grew up in a family, my mother volunteered. You know she was very heavily involved in our synagogue. She was the President. She was the president of the Pta, like I saw her doing all of those things. And and I think that was just instilled in me that helping people was noble, right, and was something that you could do and
00:27:36.166 --> 00:27:43.640 Lisa Burch: and be successful and make an impact. And so you know that's kind of where it went. And then, you know, when I was in college, I
00:27:43.850 --> 00:28:07.409 Lisa Burch: like, I said I had a part-time job in a bank just to make money, but I interned at a battered women's shelter. That's what I did, I answered. Hotline calls right out of college. I worked with young women who were sexual assault survivors. I was just, you know, I had a friend when I was growing up, who was the victim of sexual assault.
00:28:07.410 --> 00:28:19.279 Lisa Burch: and so that sort of stuck with me. So I always kind of thought I'd work, you know, in in domestic violence, and you know something like that. I was a Women's Studies Minor in college so very oriented toward that.
00:28:19.653 --> 00:28:26.369 Lisa Burch: That's part of the reason why I left social work school, actually, because I wanted to work in
00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:55.103 Lisa Burch: something related to women, and my school placed me. You didn't get a choice. They placed me at the Northport Veterans Hospital, and I was not having it. I was young, I was like I don't know what to do with these old men who were dying. They were veterans, and it was disorienting for me, and I wasn't able to adjust. And then some other things happened. And I was like, All right, I'm out. And I went back into it and started working, you know, helping women in in that precinct.
00:28:55.410 --> 00:29:10.529 Tommy DiMisa: That's part of it, though. Isn't that the calling part like that's when you find your calling in that like experience, like you know, not to say. It's a rejection to the needs of the veterans. But it was not where it was not where your purpose was. You weren't supposed to be there. You had this
00:29:10.530 --> 00:29:25.730 Tommy DiMisa: passion for supporting these women, and otherwise you don't end up in the Bronx, maybe, or maybe maybe you know, maybe in the wrong circumstance, you blow out of this market altogether, this sector altogether. You go. This is not my bag, man, but that you know what I'm saying like it looks when we look back.
00:29:25.730 --> 00:29:32.019 Tommy DiMisa: and we see the how the path goes. Oh, that sort of made sense, I think that's how done, not when we're in it, though, right.
00:29:32.020 --> 00:29:51.639 Lisa Burch: Right and the pet, you know what? It's so interesting that you bring up the idea of the path right? I've had a lot of young women who have worked for me, and and I I try to be a mentor. I try to encourage them and and get them, you know, thinking about their long term goals, and I remember a woman who worked for me once when I was over at Northwell, who, you know, was just like
00:29:51.650 --> 00:30:16.530 Lisa Burch: I want to run a hospital, and I want to do that now, like she just finished graduate school. She was in like an entry level position, and she was mad and angry like this is my trajectory, and I remember telling her, and I share this with a lot of people. Now, this is never your trajectory right? You don't ever just go straight to something, or very rarely. Most of us kind of have this zigzag path
00:30:16.530 --> 00:30:40.990 Lisa Burch: right like I didn't go straight from. You know that work in a veterans hospital to being a CEO. I worked with battered women, I worked with people who had substance abuse. I worked with people with mental health. I worked with people in prison. I worked in a hospital. I worked in a community based organization. I worked in the Bronx. I worked in Brooklyn. Right? You just sort of you go where the path takes you. You learn something from every step.
00:30:41.070 --> 00:30:47.820 Lisa Burch: and then it just makes you a better person and a better professional, and eventually look, you end up where you're supposed to be.
00:30:47.820 --> 00:30:49.749 Tommy DiMisa: Well, and it, and also
00:30:50.235 --> 00:30:58.670 Tommy DiMisa: to that young person. Hey? Good on you, on the ambition that I want to be the CEO of the hospital system all of a sudden. Right good on you, with the ambition
00:30:58.980 --> 00:31:01.470 Tommy DiMisa: probably not qualified for that role right?
00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:27.749 Tommy DiMisa: Whereas you spend 35 years, or whatever it is, bouncing into all these different things and garnering experience and getting skill cards. And I did this and I did that. And now I'm doing this. And now I'm elevating. And now I'm here. Then they look at your resume and go. Yeah, of course. Actually, this is for you. This is you're supposed to be here, but because you've done the things, and I don't. You mean, Lisa, I mean, generally the person you've done the thing to qualify now, and you're you have all those things you learned along the way.
00:31:27.810 --> 00:31:51.810 Tommy DiMisa: Those are the assets. We need you at the, you know, at the top to run an organization. I can't believe this, but we got to take. I can't believe it. I've been doing a show a long time. It's just part of the show. It's just like I talk. You talk break time. So we're going to take a quick break. We come out. We come back. I want you to tell me stories because you've worked. You mentioned you worked some for smaller organizations, and then certainly you work for this big behemoth here on Long Island.
00:31:51.810 --> 00:32:11.389 Tommy DiMisa: which we call Northwell. And then we can talk about family and children's association things like that. And let's get to epic. And let's talk about programs and things about epic. So we'll take a quick break. We'll be right back philanthropy and focus Lisa Birch, CEO epic family services, and your boy the one and only the kid. I say that I go. They call me the Kid and my kids go. No one calls you that.
00:32:11.390 --> 00:32:11.735 Lisa Burch: Oh!
00:32:12.298 --> 00:32:18.620 Tommy DiMisa: No one goes in. I go, I go. They call me El Nino, and my kids go. No one calls you that, and I go! I call me that.
00:32:18.620 --> 00:32:19.540 Lisa Burch: Oh! Yourself!
00:32:19.540 --> 00:32:20.233 Tommy DiMisa: Myself, that.
00:32:20.580 --> 00:32:22.999 Lisa Burch: Fine. I can call you that if it makes.
00:32:23.140 --> 00:32:25.800 Tommy DiMisa: I appreciate, and there's 2 of us all right. We'll be right back.
00:34:24.830 --> 00:34:28.380 Tommy DiMisa: That's right. I see you bop into the song, and it's very catchy.
00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:29.940 Lisa Burch: Hey!
00:34:29.949 --> 00:34:33.509 Tommy DiMisa: And people dig it, you know, who loves that song. It's our friend Yolanda Robino Gross.
00:34:33.510 --> 00:34:34.710 Lisa Burch: Of course she does.
00:34:34.710 --> 00:34:58.490 Tommy DiMisa: Exactly. She's like Tommy in the attic like I miss being in the attic. The whole thing. I go. I know we got, you know, that's the I'm about to do. I'm gonna start to do a TV show at North Shore TV in Manhasset. And yeah, so we're going to do. It's a public access TV show. We did a wine tasting. I did not taste the wine, everybody, because, you all know, 14 years sober. But I people. Thank you. Thank you very much.
00:34:58.490 --> 00:35:21.890 Tommy DiMisa: and I put these things out there for the world. I was. I was in a conversation yesterday, and I throw that sobriety thing out there for everybody, and I throw the Adhd thing out there for everybody, and I throw the conversation around how I see a therapist, and all these things. Because I'm trying to normalize all this stuff folks. I'm trying to normalize recovery because it's real. And people live this every day, right? I'm trying to normalize. You know, this spectrum of
00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:48.939 Tommy DiMisa: of learning disabilities and or mental health, because we're all on it. All right. Sorry to inform you if you disagree with me, call me. We'll talk about it. But we're all on this. We all are human beings. It's a human experience, and we learn differently, and we engage differently. And we need different levels of support. So I figure if you see this guy who's doing really cool stuff in the world. And I'm telling you that I'm dealing with these things. Then I think it makes it more normalized. And that's where the T-shirts come in. You can't really see it hashtag ending the stigma together.
00:35:48.940 --> 00:35:54.819 Tommy DiMisa: That's where this is all about. We're changing the world, as I like to say, no big deal just changing the world. So
00:35:55.250 --> 00:36:22.170 Tommy DiMisa: wine tasting at North Shore TV a couple weeks ago. And I'm going to start this TV show where it's going to be my friends. They come on. It's going to be Lisa. It's going to be Yolanda. It's going to be Dr. Reynolds. It's going to be Jeff or Jeff Jeff might show up Dr. Reynolds might be. I'm not sure who's come, and it'll just be a kind of a slice of life in these important stories. Let's get into your important story right now. You were at Northwell when I met you were at Fca. And you're at epic. Now, can we start at north
00:36:22.170 --> 00:36:28.620 Tommy DiMisa: because that just what you did there, and how that kind of got you where you were with Fca. And then we're at epic.
00:36:28.620 --> 00:36:57.709 Lisa Burch: Yeah, yeah. So I, I was at Northwell health. For 11 years. I went there. I had been working all my career had, you know, since college was working in the city, everything I had done was in New York City. All the agencies I worked for. I was married. I, you know, had a child, had another child on the way, and I was realizing that I couldn't schlept back and forth into New York city anymore. It just wasn't gonna work because we had moved to Long Island. So
00:36:57.730 --> 00:37:06.160 Lisa Burch: I started looking. And I was fortunate enough to land this job at Northwell. They were looking for somebody to create a Grants office
00:37:06.210 --> 00:37:29.789 Lisa Burch: for non-research grants for the different hospitals in the health system, and I had been doing Grant work for some time in some other organizations. And so I took this job. I started this office. It was great. We did a really good job. We coordinated everything. We got some new grants we organized with the folks who were running the programs, the doctors
00:37:30.090 --> 00:37:51.879 Lisa Burch: and and it was wonderful I really enjoyed it. And then the offices at my behest really merged with the research office, and they didn't have. They didn't have a need. And honestly, I just I didn't want to do that anymore. And at the time the one of the senior vice Presidents in the health system had been at some conference and had something on corporate social responsibility, and he went to
00:37:52.320 --> 00:37:59.779 Lisa Burch: my boss at the time. And said, How are we Gonna do this? We have. Anybody could do this, and I just raised my hand. I'm like I'll do it.
00:38:00.120 --> 00:38:01.560 Lisa Burch: Knew nothing
00:38:01.600 --> 00:38:05.580 Lisa Burch: about corporate social responsibility, had no
00:38:05.640 --> 00:38:31.280 Lisa Burch: background, had no title, created a title director of sustainability and Social Responsibility longest title ever. They gave it to me and I just got to work. I started learning. I started doing things like greening our operating rooms in the hospital, doing recycling events with employees throughout the health system. I published the 1st sustainability report that the health system ever had.
00:38:31.420 --> 00:38:46.440 Lisa Burch: I represented the health system at a conference. It was really it was a great job, and it was a lot of new learning for me. And that's, you know, one thing about me is, I love to constantly learn new things. And it's 1 of the reasons why I took this job. Actually. So
00:38:46.460 --> 00:38:51.160 Lisa Burch: I did that, and it was great. But what happened was, I realized that
00:38:51.410 --> 00:39:01.199 Lisa Burch: I felt disconnected from the impactful work that I had been doing, and that's not to say that doing what I was doing it.
00:39:01.780 --> 00:39:12.930 Lisa Burch: North. Wall wasn't impactful, right? It's really important for the hospital to be a good corporate citizen. But I needed to do something more in the field, so to speak, and at that time
00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:40.029 Lisa Burch: my friend Dr. Reynolds was had just recently taken over as the CEO of Family Children's Association, and he had reached out to me back then. Facebook was brand new, like. Nobody knew what it was, and he reached out on Facebook and we reconnected. We've known each other since the late eighties. We actually sat together on the New York State Aids Advisory Council back in the eighties. He is still a member of that council, the longest standing member that there is.
00:39:40.040 --> 00:39:52.989 Lisa Burch: and so he and I touched Base, and he was looking for somebody to volunteer on some panel whatever. And so we just started talking. The next thing I knew, he said he had a position, and I said, I'm in literally. And it was like 2 days.
00:39:52.990 --> 00:40:17.769 Lisa Burch: And so it was a great move for me, because I was able to get back into the community based organization world. I was the chief operating officer there for 9 years. I loved it. I loved every minute of it. Fca is an amazing organization, doing really, really good work, Jeff and I I think we're a pretty good team. We did a lot of really great programming there
00:40:17.770 --> 00:40:41.349 Lisa Burch: worked with some really awesome people. I saw a lot of them last night, too. I love it. We'll always be connected. But you know, like you said in the beginning I knew that I wanted to be a CEO one day. That was kind of for me in this world to me. That's the pinnacle of the career, right? So there are not a lot of CEO positions on Long Island, and I wasn't prepared to go back to New York City, so
00:40:42.020 --> 00:40:55.069 Lisa Burch: I was just waiting for the right opportunity, and this opportunity presented itself, and I was approached by folks from epic. Who said the CEO was retiring, and I was I interested. And honestly at the time I didn't know a lot about epic.
00:40:55.565 --> 00:40:59.930 Lisa Burch: And so I looked into what they do and the programs that they
00:41:00.150 --> 00:41:05.079 Lisa Burch: offer the people that they serve, and I said, Sure, I'll I'll talk to you about it.
00:41:05.662 --> 00:41:08.020 Lisa Burch: One thing led to another, and
00:41:08.430 --> 00:41:11.980 Lisa Burch: here I am right. They chose me. And I say.
00:41:11.990 --> 00:41:24.390 Lisa Burch: I said before about the learning, because I've literally worked in every pretty much, every sector of this field. You know, mental health, substance, use, domestic violence, sexual assault.
00:41:24.440 --> 00:41:29.589 Lisa Burch: prison work, justice, work. I've never worked with the developmentally disabled.
00:41:29.590 --> 00:41:30.779 Tommy DiMisa: Is that right?
00:41:30.780 --> 00:41:31.620 Lisa Burch: Ever.
00:41:31.620 --> 00:41:34.580 Tommy DiMisa: Wow! Isn't that interesting? Because.
00:41:34.790 --> 00:41:46.349 Tommy DiMisa: you know, the Idd intellectual developmental disabled the Dd space really is a big part of the sector, and to have such a long spanning career, and you not directly have worked in. It is interesting.
00:41:46.350 --> 00:41:47.010 Lisa Burch: Yeah, I mean.
00:41:47.010 --> 00:42:00.590 Tommy DiMisa: It's just. We all know what we know. So my paradigm is, I spend a lot of time in that part of the world right, although you know, with all my new initiatives, and how I'm looking to make things better in the world, I really want to spend more time in the Mh. Mental health space, you know. So.
00:42:00.650 --> 00:42:08.959 Tommy DiMisa: But that's really interesting. So so what was it? What reservations, if any, did you have saying, well, I haven't done this work right? I mean.
00:42:08.960 --> 00:42:29.850 Lisa Burch: Honestly, I I was. I was a little bit nervous, so so the epic family and I'll just quickly give you an overview. So the epic family of human service agencies. There are 3 agencies underneath that right so epic Long Island, which is the largest portion of the organizations, is the Idd intellectual developmental disabilities. 18 group homes
00:42:29.850 --> 00:42:40.930 Lisa Burch: a day habilitation program community support services. And that was the world that I was not as familiar with. And then we have South Shore Guidance Center, which is the Mental health
00:42:41.030 --> 00:42:53.279 Lisa Burch: clinic in Freeport that we operate. Mental health substance, use family support. There's a mental health clinic here at epic, and then the epilepsy foundation. And so I just thought, you know what
00:42:53.320 --> 00:42:55.160 Lisa Burch: I I can learn.
00:42:55.640 --> 00:43:01.129 Lisa Burch: I can learn the world of epilepsy or developmental disabilities.
00:43:01.770 --> 00:43:17.470 Lisa Burch: If I have really good people on my team, that's what's needed. And they the epic family. They didn't need an expert in Idd or an expert in mental health or expert in epilepsy. They need an expert in running a nonprofit.
00:43:17.470 --> 00:43:40.402 Tommy DiMisa: Visionary. Right, Captain running, steering the ship right I was. That's so great because you have your. It's it's 3 organizations. Correct with correct me if I'm wrong, because sometimes I'm wrong. But it's 3 different boards of directors. I think you told me 2 boards. Excuse me, thank you. So 2 separate boards. So that's a whole nother management thing. Right? That's a different show. But that's
00:43:42.080 --> 00:44:03.739 Tommy DiMisa: I love that vision that I'm seeing now it's you're are. You're the top officer kind of like steering ship, but you're not in it every day doing the work your leaders are, and then their people are right. So so that's super important to to delineate that. You know the the work that you're there to do didn't necessarily, you didn't need to, you know, have spent 10 years in the Dd. Space right.
00:44:03.740 --> 00:44:32.300 Lisa Burch: Exactly exactly. And and I think you know, that's that's kind of what I talked about in my interview process, right? Is that I can get the organization where it should go right where it needs to be. I can get the you know the publicity and and bring in new blood and new donors and good people, and I can have that strategic vision. And I think that's what they were looking for. So it didn't matter so much that
00:44:32.420 --> 00:44:40.139 Lisa Burch: I had experience in one field, but maybe not so much in the other. And you know and I appreciate that. And I think that that's
00:44:40.160 --> 00:44:45.620 Lisa Burch: that's sort of what how my career trajectory has worked. And I really do feel like I've
00:44:45.670 --> 00:45:06.910 Lisa Burch: work my way up to this position. Having had the opportunity to do direct service work, do operation work, you know, do some fundraising work, do a lot of government relations work. And now, finally, it's all kind of coming together, and all those little skills put together helped me be the best, CEO that I could be.
00:45:06.910 --> 00:45:24.540 Tommy DiMisa: That's awesome. And what a cool story! I really really appreciate. Talk about Ceos. I we did. You and I kind of flirted around this conversation. Would we bring it up? Would we not bring it up? I want to bring it up. What's going on out in Suffolk County? We're gonna take a quick break when we come back. I want to talk 2 min if we could, on Suffolk County, you know you don't have employees in Suffolk County right.
00:45:24.540 --> 00:45:25.310 Lisa Burch: I didn't.
00:45:25.310 --> 00:45:30.560 Tommy DiMisa: You have employees in Southern County. Okay? You're not. The the organization is located in East Meadow right.
00:45:30.560 --> 00:45:33.450 Lisa Burch: We don't have contracts with stuff again.
00:45:33.450 --> 00:45:57.610 Tommy DiMisa: And we'll tell you all gang. Why, that's relevant. Why, I'm asking those types of questions, but I want we'll have a quick conversation about that when we come back. But the other part I want to talk about is what's upcoming for this organization. I use the word visionary, you know. You use the word bringing in new blood and new donors and things like that. So we always use that last segment of the show to say, what's upcoming. How can we help? Who are you looking to connect with that sort of stuff? So if there is some things? And I think when we talked earlier this week. You said
00:45:57.610 --> 00:46:06.989 Tommy DiMisa: I do have something specific that I'm going to bring up during that good where we do. I don't know what it is. I'm excited, too. Gang. I'm on the edge of my seat, but I'm not because I'm standing. So
00:46:07.080 --> 00:46:29.310 Tommy DiMisa: when we come back, let's just do a minute or 2, let's say 2 min on what's going on Suffolk County, the support you put out there from a leadership perspective, and you and many, many others who are on the front lines. Having this discussion, and I'm teasing it a little bit. But we'll talk about it when we come back, and then how we can help you, Lisa, and then, before we know it, you and I will be on to our 11 o'clock meetings. That's how that's just how the show goes.
00:46:29.430 --> 00:46:30.320 Tommy DiMisa: All right.
00:46:30.320 --> 00:46:30.970 Lisa Burch: Yep.
00:46:30.970 --> 00:46:33.939 Tommy DiMisa: All right. This is philanthropy and focus. We'll be right back.
00:48:34.760 --> 00:48:36.049 Tommy DiMisa: All right. We're back. So.
00:48:37.280 --> 00:48:38.830 Tommy DiMisa: Feel like the the mad hat
00:48:39.980 --> 00:48:43.110 Tommy DiMisa: in that what was her name? The little girl.
00:48:43.110 --> 00:48:43.950 Lisa Burch: 100.
00:48:43.950 --> 00:49:08.829 Tommy DiMisa: Wonderland. Yeah, my daughter was in that play recently. I feel like the man had her so much to do, so so many places to be so little time like I feel like that guy. Most of the day is like how I feel. So all right. So let's just hit this Suffolk County thing quick, because I want to go to this. I really think I could use your help with our friends, Dr. Reynolds and others. I want to do a whole panel discussion on this. Maybe we do north shore TV. Maybe this thing resolves itself before we even do the TV show, and it's away it goes away, and it'
00:49:08.830 --> 00:49:15.840 Tommy DiMisa: not an issue. Hopefully. That's the way it is. But what do you want to set it up? What's going on with the county, and a couple of legislators out there.
00:49:16.260 --> 00:49:39.390 Lisa Burch: Yeah. So there are a couple of legislators who created a bill in Suffolk County which would cap the salary of any executive or anyone who worked in a nonprofit organization that contracted with Suffolk County, and and it would cut that it would cap that salary at what the Governor of New York State makes
00:49:39.727 --> 00:49:42.349 Lisa Burch: which is currently $250,000.
00:49:42.440 --> 00:49:57.480 Lisa Burch: But it doesn't include. Obviously the Governor has a mansion, and the governor has a helicopter, and the governor has a huge pension, and so none of that's included. But it's just the salary cap, and the idea behind it from their perspective is that
00:49:57.520 --> 00:50:17.340 Lisa Burch: nonprofit executives are doing, quote unquote. God's work shouldn't really make a lot of money, and that money should go to the people who are, you know, doing the day-to-day work. And so there's a misnomer that if you cut, you know an executive salary that that money will go down to the
00:50:17.340 --> 00:50:30.059 Lisa Burch: you know the direct workers. The problem with that is, A. The county has no say in what executives make. B. That's up to the boards of directors of nonprofits. You can't
00:50:30.060 --> 00:50:34.809 Lisa Burch: recruit and retain good leadership if you can't pay them
00:50:35.290 --> 00:51:03.160 Lisa Burch: a living salary and a good salary right? And there's nowhere that it says that if you work for nonprofit you have to be poor. Now, that doesn't mean that there aren't people who are doing some direct service work who, like, we said before, are working 2 and 3 jobs. You know that that is a reality, and one that those of us who are in the positions we're in are advocating to change in terms of rates and Medicaid and getting paid more, so we could pay our staff more. But
00:51:04.120 --> 00:51:31.339 Lisa Burch: to say that you can't pay an executive. If I have somebody coming out of college or graduate school, and they can go make a lot more in the private sector. What's their incentive? Yeah, of course, they want to help people, but they also want to make money. And and there's there's nothing wrong with that. It's okay, that's the world we live in, right? So we've all. There's a group of us that have been working really, really hard and going to the hearings and and talking to the legislators, and just saying, Listen, you know
00:51:31.550 --> 00:51:41.709 Lisa Burch: you're you're misguided. This is this. Bill doesn't make any sense. We need to get rid of it. We're really hopeful. We think it will go away. The other part of the bill is that donors
00:51:41.880 --> 00:52:03.060 Lisa Burch: cannot be anonymous meaning. If you have a child who's struggling, or you have a child who committed suicide or something, and you want to make a donation. Your name and address would have to go to the Suffolk County Legislature. What what is that going to do to those of us in the nonprofit sector? It's going to gut our fundraising opportunities because some people don't want to be. They don't want their name out there.
00:52:03.060 --> 00:52:03.410 Tommy DiMisa: And so.
00:52:03.410 --> 00:52:16.410 Lisa Burch: So there's a lot that's wrong with this bill. We've been working really, really hard. I think we're in a good place. I don't think it's gonna go anywhere, and then, you know, just let it'll let those of us who've been working on this get back to our database.
00:52:16.410 --> 00:52:24.379 Tommy DiMisa: Work back to doing God's work, you know. And listen. I've been in 2 of those hearings already, and listen. I can't even we don't have the time, because I'd go on for an hour. Rant about.
00:52:24.380 --> 00:52:25.590 Lisa Burch: Do a whole episode on it.
00:52:25.590 --> 00:52:42.210 Tommy DiMisa: Forget about. I'm heated just even thinking about it. Here's what I want to pivot to really quick one of the things in show notes that you had sent over before we did. The show was addressing the shortage of direct care workers and our inability to pay them a living wage. You know, as a leader in an organization like yours, you have many, many employees. How many employees.
00:52:42.430 --> 00:52:45.850 Lisa Burch: We have almost 800 employees across all of our organizations.
00:52:46.200 --> 00:52:48.329 Tommy DiMisa: Any of those are the on the direct care side of things.
00:52:48.330 --> 00:53:09.080 Lisa Burch: Many of them are what's called direct service providers, dsps. They are paid a wage that, in my opinion, is not sufficient. Many of them do work 2 and 3 jobs. I learned recently that some of the folks who work for us live in homeless shelters, and at least one person had been living in their car.
00:53:09.080 --> 00:53:10.960 Tommy DiMisa: In their car, living in their car. So
00:53:11.740 --> 00:53:12.070 Tommy DiMisa: there may be.
00:53:12.070 --> 00:53:34.809 Lisa Burch: Coming in every day, providing services to a person with a developmental disability who can't care for themselves, and then going home and having to figure out how they're going to feed their own child. This is not okay. None of this is okay. I was up in Albany, and you know, the 1st month that I got here I was up in Albany with a group of folks just advocating for
00:53:34.810 --> 00:53:44.580 Lisa Burch: cost of living adjustment right? New York State hadn't given cost of living adjustments that were adequate for the developmental disability field in 10 years.
00:53:44.650 --> 00:54:07.309 Lisa Burch: And so we, you know, we try and we get like we go in with a big ask, and then they come back with a small, and it's a negotiation. But it's still just not enough. We need to find a way to restructure the delivery system so that we can bill more, get more revenue and pay the staff more. We can only pay what we can pay right. If you're running a house.
00:54:07.680 --> 00:54:22.720 Lisa Burch: you have to pay electricity, you have to pay food you have. There's a lot there are repairs, and you know, and staff are the most important thing, and yet they they very often, you know, get short changed in terms of salary. So we're working really hard to change it.
00:54:22.720 --> 00:54:45.850 Tommy DiMisa: I want to do something on that, you know. Maybe I'd like to bring together you and the folks in. You know our friends who are your peers in this world. And let's have a dialogue with that. And let's do that. We'll do that at the TV studio one day, because we'll have more flexibility and more time and things like that. And then it's going to go, you know. Listen! I have no problem reaching out to friends that I have that might have a connection to the governor, and saying, Governor Hochul.
00:54:45.850 --> 00:55:10.600 Tommy DiMisa: we'd love to get you on there, let's have a conversation, not nobody wants to beat anybody up. It's about, let's be real. These are people who need something. Let's get to the bottom line. How do we fix these things? These are major problems. Because gang. I said this from the 1st episode I've ever done on this show. If it's not for the nonprofits doing this work, it doesn't get done. So shout out to Suffolk County. Guess what? You really don't want these organizations to be gone because you're not going to do it. And then you have people who are
00:55:10.600 --> 00:55:23.779 Tommy DiMisa: unfed, unhoused people who need services that don't get the services shenanigans on you. That's what I say to you. Legislators out there who aren't getting the picture, and I'd like to make a very important shout out
00:55:23.780 --> 00:55:42.569 Tommy DiMisa: the legislator, Rebecca Sannen, who is our friend and is doing an incredible job telling this story, and and showing and sort of making just making the story be clear to what it is. So thank you, Rebecca Sanon, for all you do, and we appreciate it. Lisa Birch. What's upcoming for this organization? How can I help? What do we need.
00:55:42.570 --> 00:56:00.179 Lisa Burch: Yeah. So you know, we didn't talk much about the other programs that we have. Like, I was also say real quickly, you know, 18 group homes a day rehabilitation program, a couple of different clinics, mental health clinics, substance use clinics. All the epilepsy support and services that we provide. You know
00:56:00.290 --> 00:56:18.549 Lisa Burch: we are. We have the walk coming up tomorrow. One of the things one of the goals that I had coming in here, and I'm working on it now is to figure out a way to get the folks who come to us. For with developmental disabilities employed. And so we just recently connected with smile. Farms in the.
00:56:18.550 --> 00:56:19.870 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, sure, yeah.
00:56:20.261 --> 00:56:31.629 Lisa Burch: We're so we're looking at at at partnering with them to create some gardening efforts here at our East meadow location or someplace nearby, where we can
00:56:31.670 --> 00:56:37.659 Lisa Burch: bring the folks who are coming here every day for support and services. Teach them a skill.
00:56:38.160 --> 00:56:57.850 Lisa Burch: get their hands dirty, get them to understand what it means to grow some food and then work with some local restaurants and places here to sell some of that one of the things that we need. And this is where you can come into play. Tommy D. Is we really would benefit from having a corporate partner who wants to help support us.
00:56:58.146 --> 00:57:09.419 Lisa Burch: Smile farms has resources. They'll give us those some of those resources. They'll give us a lot of supplies and support and technical assistance, but they really hope, and they want people to come in with like a
00:57:12.240 --> 00:57:12.940 Lisa Burch: Oh, shit.
00:57:12.940 --> 00:57:37.830 Tommy DiMisa: 2 things I want to shout out, shout out, spirit of Huntington Art Center! I don't know. I'm on the board there. I don't know, if you know that organization, we got to get you out for a tour spirit of Huntington. They work with many of our friends and other agencies. It's a community based art center and its focus is on the population. The Idd population artworks is a program where individuals, as they age out get access to learn skills of building websites. In fact, for our business, my business vanguard
00:57:37.830 --> 00:57:55.348 Tommy DiMisa: benefits. They redid our website. And my marketing team is a neurodiverse marketing team. That's who does the marketing for vanguard benefits. Since I don't shout that out enough. Go to vanguardbenefitsuyou.com to check out our website, and that's the work of the team at Spirit Huntington, and there was another one I was going to mention. Oh,
00:57:56.530 --> 00:58:25.200 Tommy DiMisa: Chris Ponzio and Lisa Lee over at Winners Center for autism. They have been founded by the family, the Winners family. They have a cool thing going on with a garden which we'll talk about. We're out of time. I'm so happy that you've become my friend. I appreciate you being on the show. I know. When we had dinner that night you wanted to be on Episode 200, and I didn't want to wait that long, because that's going to be next year. But thank you for being here. Thank you for being my friend. That's like golden girls. Listen! Have a great day. Everybody
00:58:25.200 --> 00:58:29.460 Tommy DiMisa: make it a great day. Connect with Lisa, connect with me, connect with this important organization.
00:58:29.460 --> 00:58:30.109 Lisa Burch: Long Island.
00:58:30.781 --> 00:58:32.239 Tommy DiMisa: Make it a great day.
00:58:32.240 --> 00:58:33.200 Lisa Burch: Thanks Tommy.
00:58:33.200 --> 00:58:33.929 Tommy DiMisa: Thanks. Liz.
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