I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

What does it take to build something that lasts 30 years?

In this episode, I sit down with Donald Kendrick, founder and artistic force behind the Sacramento Choral Society, to reflect on three decades of music, leadership, and cultural impact in our region.

Founded in 1996, the Sacramento Choral Society has presented more than 180 performances, toured internationally, recorded professionally mastered albums, and — in a model almost unheard of nationally — built a chorus that owns and sustains its own professional symphony orchestra.

Let that sink in.

In most cities, orchestras run the chorus. In Sacramento, it’s the other way around.

This conversation is about far more than music. It’s about passion. Volunteerism. Culture. Succession. And what it means to build something that belongs to a community.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

🎶 How a volunteer chorus became a nationally recognized cultural force
🎶 Why the Sacramento Choral Society owns its professional union orchestra
🎶 International tours — from Carnegie Hall to China
🎶 Raising over $3 million to sustain world-class performances
🎶 The culture of love and passion that defines the organization
🎶 What succession planning looks like after 30 years of visionary leadership
🎶 What the next conductor must bring to carry the legacy forward

A Unique Model of Excellence

Under Donald Kendrick and Executive Director James McCormick, the organization has:

• Presented 180+ classical performances
• Performed in Carnegie Hall multiple times
• Toured Germany, France, Slovenia, China, Canada, and more
• Built a $550,000 annual operating budget
• Created a growing endowment through the Sacramento Region Community Foundation
• Engaged hundreds of volunteers and nearly 900 alumni

And perhaps most importantly — they’ve created a culture.

A culture of music.
A culture of healing.
A culture driven not by obligation, but by love.

Why This Moment Matters

As the organization approaches its 30th anniversary, it is also entering a thoughtful succession planning process.

For the first time, the question is being asked:
What happens when the founders step away?

This episode is both a celebration and a call to awareness.

The Sacramento Choral Society is a cultural gem — one that deserves long-term sustainability and visionary leadership for the next generation.

Learn More

Visit: https://sacramentochoral.org

Chapter Summaries

00:00 Welcome & 30-Year Milestone
03:00 What Makes the Choral Society Unique
07:45 Owning a Professional Symphony Orchestra
13:30 International Tours & Carnegie Hall
19:00 Community Collaborations
24:00 Funding & Sustainability
29:00 Succession Planning & The Future
33:30 The Next Conductor’s Vision
39:00 Passion, Purpose & Personal Renewal
44:00 Protecting the Legacy

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

In this update episode, I welcome Debbie Gabelich back to the Nonprofit Podcast Network, the third time for the organization — and a lot has changed since our last conversation in early 2024.

Kids First has always been known as a trusted place for families in crisis, but Debbie explains how the need has deepened: cases are more complex, trauma is more severe, and stability can hinge on something as small as a dead car battery or a missed paycheck.

What makes Kids First different is simple — they don’t just hand out a list of resources. They walk with families, step by step, through housing insecurity, food insecurity, insurance enrollment, transportation barriers, parenting education, job readiness, and counseling support. We also talk about their frontline work supporting youth impacted by trafficking — and a bold vision for the future: a new crisis center model planned with a goal to open by 2028, serving youth up to age 25.

We cover:

• Why Kids First is more than a “resource center” — and what “walk with families” really looks like
• The shift from mild/moderate cases to high trauma realities
• How schools, hospitals, and community partners drive referrals (and why word-of-mouth still matters)
• Why families often stay engaged 4–7 months now (not 12 weeks)
• The “system” problem for ages 10–17 (and even up to 25): hospital or juvenile hall can become the default
• How Medi-Cal/CalAIM and enhanced case management changed sustainability
• A vision for a crisis center + transitional housing that keeps young people out of the system

To learn more about Kids First or for help:

• Website: www.kidsfirstnow.org
• Phone: (916) 774-6802
  You can also find their monthly newsletter, programs, classes, and counseling information on the website.

If you believe families shouldn’t have to face crisis alone — please share this episode, and consider supporting Kids First through donations, partnership, or volunteering. Prevention is hard to fund… and it’s exactly what changes outcomes.

Chapter Summary

00:00 – Welcome Back to Kids First
Kids First returns for their third appearance to share what’s changed since 2024 and why the work has become more urgent.

04:45 – Walking With Families, Not Handing Out Lists
How Kids First supports families through housing, food, insurance, transportation, and stability — step by step.

12:30 – Deeper Trauma, Youth Trafficking, and the Teen Gap
Why cases are more complex, how Kids First works with trafficked youth, and where systems fail teens.

22:10 – A Full-Circle Success Story
From Kids First client to Miss Placer County — a powerful example of long-term impact.

30:15 – Funding Shifts and Sustaining the Work
The move from contract-heavy funding to CalAIM, Medi-Cal billing, and diversified support.

40:05 –

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

Family businesses sit at the heart of our economy — and at the heart of our families. In this episode, I’m joined by Maggie Bender and Justin Horner from the Capital Region Family Business Center for a thoughtful, honest conversation about what it really takes to sustain a family enterprise across generations.

This episode is especially meaningful because it marks a leadership transition. After four years as president, Maggie Bender is stepping down, and Justin Horner is stepping into the role. Together, they share how intentional succession, transparency, and trust can strengthen not only an organization — but the families it serves.

We talk about the realities family business owners face every day: navigating family dynamics, planning for succession, managing governance, preparing for the unexpected, and balancing long-term legacy with present-day decision-making. Business doesn’t stay at the office in a family enterprise — it follows you to the dinner table, holidays, and sometimes across decades.

Maggie also shares her personal journey growing up inside a family business, the isolation many next-generation leaders feel, and how the Family Business Center became a place of connection, mentorship, and belonging. Justin offers insight into why engagement, education, and peer trust are the organization’s greatest strengths — and what’s ahead under new leadership.

We also explore the impact of the Center’s signature Generations Conference, where multiple generations of the same family come together to learn, have hard conversations, and walk away with practical tools they can apply immediately.

If you’re part of a family business, serve family-owned companies, or simply want to understand how legacy organizations endure and evolve, this conversation offers perspective, wisdom, and real-world insight.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Why family businesses face unique leadership and governance challenges
• The importance of planned, intentional leadership transitions
• How peer networks reduce isolation for family business leaders
• Succession planning beyond titles — values, trust, and communication
• What makes the Generations Conference such a powerful catalyst for change
• Why family businesses are a cornerstone of regional economic stability

To learn more about the Capital Region Family Business Center, visit:
👉 capfamilybus.org

Chapter Summaries

00:00 – Family business dynamics and why they matter
02:00 – What the Capital Region Family Business Center does
06:30 – A thoughtful leadership transition: past to present
11:30 – The real challenges of multi-generational businesses
18:30 – The Generations Conference and shared learning
39:30 – What’s next for the Family Business Center

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.