Inspired by Their Stories Podcast

Rabbi Jack Bemporad and our late founder, Bill Pulte, shared a friendship rooted in faith and respect.Together with leaders from multiple faiths, they created the “World Peace Prayer”, now translated into 19 languages, inspiring people around the globe to embrace peace, understanding, and shared values. 🕊️In this episode, Rabbi Jack reflects on their journey, the power of interfaith collaboration, and the enduring legacy of turning friendship and faith into action.

This March marks the 8th anniversary of Bill Pulte’s passing. We take this time to reflect on the incredible legacy he left behind as our founder—a devoted father, inspiring teacher, and cherished friend. In this special podcast episode, Nancy, Bill’s daughter and President of the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, shares stories about her father and what it was like growing up with him. We’re also joined by Father Vettese, founder of Internal Samaritan and a close friend of Bill’s, who reflects on their friendship and Bill’s lasting impact through the Foundation.

Olivia leads the team at Mission ONE, serving to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of communities across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East — all in the name of Jesus. Grounded in her deep faith, she seeks to transform lives through love, compassion, and connection, believing that true leadership is rooted in humility and servanthood.With a heart for nonprofit leadership and international development, Olivia has followed God’s call to more than eight countries across four continents. Holding master’s degrees in Law and International Business, she brings experience in justice, human rights, and education — from helping author Rwanda’s first National Human Rights Policy to partnering with the United Nations. Through it all, Olivia remains devoted to serving others and sharing Christ’s redeeming love wherever she’s called.

Homeless youth need more than shelter—they need a real chance to thrive. With housing, safety, and support, they can build a stable, self-sufficient future.In our next episode of Inspired By Their Stories, James Conner sits down with Vicki Sokolik, founder and CEO of Starting Right, Now, an organization transforming the lives of unaccompanied homeless youth. Although, these young people face immense challenges, Vicki’s work ensures they don’t have to navigate it alone.Tune in as we explore how holistic support, education, and stability are breaking the cycle of youth homelessness—one life at a time.

In our upcoming podcast episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Julia Caribardi, Director of Camp Services at Camp Ozanam and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Detroit. Join us as we explore the incredible impact of summer camp and how it serves as a transformative experience for youth. With over 100 years of history, Camp Ozanam has empowered more than 128,000 campers to connect with nature, build self-confidence, and develop leadership skills—all while exploring their faith. Best of all, this amazing opportunity is offered at no cost to qualifying youth in the Detroit area. Tune in to discover how Camp Ozanam is shaping the lives of young individuals and making a difference in the community!

Curt Bowen, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Semilla Nueva, joins us to talk about their bold mission: using better seeds to fight poverty and malnutrition. Across Central America, smallholder farmers face huge challenges—from poor yields to poor nutrition and climate change. But with biofortified, high-yield, climate-resilient corn seed, Curt and his team are giving families the tools to thrive.In our next episode, we’ll explore how faith, determination, and innovation are taking root and bringing about a brighter future.

Nicole Gize, Vice President of Advancement and Communications at Detroit Cristo Rey High School, joins us to share how faith, education, and opportunity are opening doors for young people in the heart of Detroit. With a 100% college acceptance rate and an innovative work-study model, Cristo Rey is helping students from underserved communities dream bigger—and achieve more. In this episode, we’ll explore the power of possibility when faith meets determination.

The first episode of Inspired By Their Stories features an interview with Bonnie Schmidt, the co-founder of The IDDeal Foundation, a non-profit based in Palm Beach County, FL. The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation is proud of its relationship with The IDDeal Foundation and the work they are doing for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.Enjoy this wonderful conversation...