Are You a HearStrong Champion?

Take a listen to this empowering, inspiring podcast about CHAMPIONS!  In this podcast I sit down with Julianna Hebert and Andrew Hebert from HearStrong.  HearStrong is a not for profit organization built around recognizing and sharing stories of remarkable individuals with hearing loss in order to empower others to be inspired.  With over 200 champions and counting, HearStrong stories are making a positive impact.  Julianna and Andrew share about how HearStrong got started, the HearStrong champion program, and the Pay it Forward program which allows Champions to give the gift of sound to someone else.  What a ripple effect this organization has!  Listen in and learn how you can nominate a HearStrong champion, be a supporter, or be a part of a servant leadership movement to help others gain the gift of sound.  

Visit https://www.hearstrong.org/ and Lemon-aids | HearStrong | Donations for more information, ways to get involved, nominate a HearStrong Champion, and give.  

For more information about Dr. Carrie Spangler- check out her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-spangler/

For transcripts of this episode- visit the podcast website at: https://empowearaudiology.buzzsprout.com

Transcript

Announcer: Welcome to Episode 22 of empowEAR Audiology with Dr. Carrie Spangler.
[00:00:16] Carrie: Welcome to the empowEAR Audiology Podcast which is part of the 3C Digital Media Network. My name is Dr. Carrie Spangler, and I am your host. I am a passionate audiologist with a lifelong journey of living with hearing challenges and this vibrant hearing world. This podcast is for professionals, parents, individuals with hearing challenges and those who want to be inspired.
[00:00:45] Thank you for listening, and I hope you will subscribe and invite others to listen and leave me a positive review. I also wanted to invite all of you to visit and engage in the conversation on the empowEAR Audiology Facebook group. Transcripts for each episode can be found at www.3digital media network that come under the empowEAR Audiology Podcast tab.
[00:01:18] Now let's get started with today's episode. All right. Um, I am excited today to welcome two guests to the empowEAR Audiology Podcast. Today I have Juliana Hebert and Andrew Hebert from HearStrong foundation. And I'm just going to share a little bit about the HearSTrong foundation, and then I'm going to let them share a little bit about themselves.
[00:01:44] So HearStrong was founded in 2013 with a goal of inspiring. Hearing healthcare awareness movement, an estimated 48 million Americans experience, you know, in last and 80% of these individuals, let it go unaddressed. This could be due to barriers such as social stigmas, financial difficulties, lack of awareness and resources and monies and response to this need.
[00:02:12] HearStrong recognizing and sharing the stories that we might talk about. People. With hearing loss and an effort to empower and inspire others to take control of their hearing, help. These individuals are known as Hearstrong champion. And today I'm really excited to have Juliana who is the program director.
[00:02:34] for Hearstrong and Andrew, the chair of the board of directors with me today to share a little bit about themselves and the HearSTrong foundation. So welcome both of
[00:02:45] Andrew: you. Yes.
[00:02:50] Carrie: I don't know who wants to start. Can you just share a little bit about yourself and how you got invested in the HearStrong foundation?
[00:03:05] Julianna: So, um, let's see. So my background was, I went to undergrad for speech therapy and audiology. Um, and then later on. I went to get my master's in teaching and special ed. Um, and the speech therapy audiology component of my, uh, educational background was due to my father who had hearing loss. So growing up, my dad always tried to wear hearing aids.
[00:03:32] He lost his hearing at a young age from chickenpox, and he was born in 1945. So at that point, It wasn't very, uh, well welcomed, I guess, having a hearing loss. Um, and he was treated, you know, in, in bad ways, I guess, through the educational system. And he always thought that his hearing loss kind of put him down and he wasn't always open to wearing hearing aids.
[00:03:59] Um, But nevertheless, you've kind of persisted. He got, he went through school education, he did great things. He was an educator himself. Um, and it wasn't until recently, um, getting involved with Hearstrong, that I got to hear a little bit more about his story about when talking to him and talking to my mom and just hearing about kind of all the struggles that he went through, but he never led it.
[00:04:24] Kind of keep him back or anything like that. Um, and now he wears hearing aids. He loves them. He loves them. He can stream all of his show. It was through that. I can talk on the phone through them, so he loves them. Um, but he was one of the main reasons why I went into speech therapy and audiology. Um, and then later on, in special education, I was able to see within the schools, um, some children with hearing loss with the FM systems and all that.
[00:04:50] So it really opened my eyes. So in that there, I dunno, components of what else I could do. Um, Andrew was working with EarQ, um, and your cute, the founder of EarQ decided to found Hearstrong. And I decided to get involved and asked Andrew, you know, do they need any help or anything? And, um, I signed on in 2019.
[00:05:16] Um, and I've been with HearStrong. Um, now I'm helping with all the different programs and working on our fundraising campaigns. Just trying to get the word out there and helping as many individuals get fit with now through some of our programs as possible.
[00:05:33] Carrie: Wow. That's great that you brought your undergraduate speech and hearing and your family experiences and then your special ed experience all into one place.
[00:05:42] So what a great background to bring the, to here, Andrew? How did you get involved?
[00:05:48] Andrew: Yeah, so, um, I was less intentional with getting into the door into the audiology industry. Um, you know, I was looking after I graduated with my undergrad, I went to school for food and nutrition. So I was really into like, you know, healthy lifestyles and, um, it, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.
[00:06:11] Um, but I was looking at different jobs in the market at the time. Uh, this was back in 2008. Um, and it was looking into a lot of pharmaceutical medical device sales, uh, Juliana. And I worked together back then as well. Uh, so she definitely had an influence and, uh, along my career search, I started interviewing at various companies, you know, the, the companies that I've just mentioned as well as this small company called EarQ
[00:06:38] Um, and you know, I got several job offers, uh, and I ultimately decided to go with EarZ. Um, one Juliana said, Hey, it's a great industry. She told me a lot about it. And it was really important to me that whatever I was going to do was going to have a positive impact on individual's lives. And, you know, based off of what she was telling me, it sounded if I got into that field, there would be something there.
[00:07:05] Um, and to, you know, it just really loved the company culture and the mission of the organization to help audiology practices and hearing practices in general succeed, uh, and educate more people about hearing healthcare and ultimately get more patients connected to practices. Um, so I started with the company right at the beginning of the national expansion.
[00:07:28] It was really fortunate timing, uh, ended up growing as the company grew, uh, was fortunate enough to grow into be the organization's president, um, and, uh, and had a lot of fun with that. We were working with independent practices, just helping them to run a more efficient practice overall and really take a look at their marketing efforts, uh, in, you know, more of a light of patient education.
[00:07:56] And how do we adjust, um, you know, educate more people on the importance of hearing healthcare and then motivate them to come into the practices. So, um, we learned a lot while we were doing that and, and had a lot of fun. Um, and ultimately in that is along the way, the journey of creating EarQ, which grew to this 1500, you know, practice location, distribution network, um, here's Hearstrong was created because you know, the, the focus on, you know, we, we saw the needs.
[00:08:28] Um, for more education out there and also just changing the dynamic around the conversation of hearing loss, um, you know, hearing just saying that it's like, you know, it comes across as a negative and in some ways, but it's really not. Uh, it's just, you know, it's just like somebody that has to wear glasses, but somebody wearing hearing aids to help them hear altogether.
[00:08:49] Uh, and we really wanted to redefine what it meant to do something about hearing loss. So we. We got this idea that, Hey, why don't we start telling people stories? Let's, let's talk about, you know, the folks that are doing something about their hearing healthcare and talk about the amazing things that they've done and accomplished with their lives.
[00:09:08] Uh, and that's where, you know where Hearstrong. Started to start it from a, it's just this idea of, Hey, why don't we tell more people's stories and start to change the conversation around, uh, hearing healthcare in general? Um, you know, it morphed into like really big thing. All of a sudden, uh, Ed was extremely passionate about it.
[00:09:29] Um, you know, linked up with, uh, one of our other board members, Brian McCaskey, uh, of the McCaskey family that owns the Chicago Bears. Um, and, you know, we started to find other individuals that were passionate about the same cause. And I started to really just snowball. So we ended up, you know, we've, we've grown over 200 champions that we've recognized.
[00:09:54] Uh, the programs are expanding to more directly help, uh, individuals with hearing loss. And Juliana is way better at talking about some of that stuff than I am. So I'll let her do that later on. Um, but it's just been a really cool experience.
[00:10:10] Carrie: Yeah, no, I think your, the idea of storytelling is so powerful and there's so much research about how storytelling can be so positive and it really sticks with you.
[00:10:22] Like we can talk about what 48 million Americans experience hearing loss, but when you share a story, it really that's where that emotion really sticks with people. And we can really have that positive spin on it that you were talking about. So you shared a little bit about how HearStrong got started. Is there anything else you want to add to how that started?
[00:10:46] So it was really what it was like the nonprofit arm or a 501c3 of EarQ. Is that correct?
[00:10:55] Andrew: Uh, it was always a separate organization, but EarQ is definitely driving it. So the staff members of your key, we're putting together a lot of the materials that we were creating and helped us create, you know, websites and they still do today.
[00:11:09] We're really thankful for everything that EarQ provides. Um, but, uh, yeah, so it was, uh, there were, there were technically separate, but a lot of the same people were working on the materials and everything like that. Um, so it was a. It was, uh, it was a great effort and I like it. One of the things I really loved about it is it helped reconnect the staff to like what we're doing and like the people that we're impacting.
[00:11:36] You know, we obviously had a for-profit business that had great intentions, but it's a traditional business. So, um, you know, you have the for-profit side of it, but the non-profit non-for-profit allowed us to really focus on, you know, what it is that we were ultimately doing, which was helping people, you know, improve people's lives.
[00:11:56] Carrie: So you guys have both been with HearStrong for a few years now. So what are your exact roles, Juliana, what's your exact role, if you would have to define
[00:12:08] Julianna: it? So there's only really only 2 employees for HearStrong it's myself and my, um, and my other employee, which is Scarlett. Um, and she does like all the social media and she does a lot of the stuff behind the scenes, which we both do.
[00:12:24] Um, We kind of run the day-to-day operations. I communicate a lot with the champions as she, as the shape. Um, but I reached out to a lot of providers. Um, I work with other nonprofits, um, to match up people who are in need of hearing healthcare and don't know how to access it. Um, we try to match them up and help in any way we can.
[00:12:44] Um, it's just the day to day operations and just trying to work on fundraising, trying to, um, Get applications in for either HearStrong champions or through our pay it forward program, or people just reaching out in general, um, which we've seen an uptick recently of, you know, I need hearing aids. I have a hearing loss.
[00:13:06] I can't afford them. I don't know where to go. Where do I start? So it's kind of connecting those dots and seeing in all of our power, how we can possibly help them. Um, just cause when you hit someone that reaches out to, you know, like what you're saying with storytelling. They put it all out there for you and you know, all of their troubles and everything that's going on and why they're in this position.
[00:13:30] And it's hard to just not say like, yes, let's help you. So that's what we've been doing a lot lately is just trying to help those individuals were really a need. Um, and we're, so it's been a lot of children lately. Um, families reaching out to us for that help. So. That's what I do most of the time each day is just the daily day to day, like emails, communication with providers, families, and other nonprofits.
[00:14:01] Um, and just trying to help people. Yeah. So I love it. It's. The
[00:14:07] Carrie: sounds very rewarding
[00:14:10] Julianna: Yeah.
[00:14:12] Carrie: So Andrew, what's your main role?
[00:14:16] Andrew: So I, I get the fancier title than Juliana as the chairman of the board. But, uh, I have to say she's the one that just drives the organization forward. I mean like, and she inspires me to continue working as the chair.
[00:14:31] Um, you know, I see her. 10 o'clock at night emailing patients or emailing providers and trying to connect people and it put all this together and it's just truly inspiring. I mean, it's amazing what she did. Um, but you know, as, as the chair of the board, I help organize the, the, uh, board meetings as well as, uh, we're looking to expand the board, uh, as we're looking to grow as an organization and get prepared for that next level.
[00:15:03] Uh, so it's starting to bring in some expertise from different areas. Uh, and you know, ultimately, you know, do some networking and helping out with some of the fundraising side of things. So, uh, it's, it's really rewarding when I get to hear the stories. Um, but it's, it's, it's been a lot of fun.
[00:15:20] Carrie: Oh, that sounds exciting about the growth too.
[00:15:24] It seems like. Yeah. I think HearStrong is built around your champions. So could you share a little bit more about how champions become champions? Like how are they nominated and selected and celebrated?
[00:15:42] Julianna: Um, yeah. Do you want it to start into that ? Had the process all began.
[00:15:47] Andrew: Yeah. I mean, like, uh, the process began at first.
[00:15:50] I mean, when we didn't have, uh, you know, a lot of recognition and people didn't know who you were, we were doing a lot of outreach. So it was about, you know, just, we would scan the web. We would look at, uh, you know, Google alerts and hopefully get some good stories and then we'd contact people and tell them about what we were doing and talk about amplifying their message and, and all of that.
[00:16:13] So there was a ton of work that got put into. Um, it's evolved now where, you know, we start to have some inbound, um, uh, re uh, people being, um, nominated to be HearStrong champions. Um, but, uh, you know, honestly going through some of those, the stories are, you know, that's the, one of the favorite parts of being with the organization is just being able to see them for the first time.
[00:16:38] Um, but Juliana can talk more about what we're up to.
[00:16:42] Julianna: Um, so yeah, like Andrew was saying, now we have a lot of people that are reaching out to us, you know, on our web page, we have forms where, you know, anybody can nominate someone that they know who has a hearing loss and share their story with us. Um, and you know, for the most part, you know, in terms of selecting champions, it's we really select everybody because all of the stories are so, um, Interesting different, um, empowering in their own way.
[00:17:10] Um, just to kind of see all the different backstories of individuals and they range in ages from young children to older adults. Um, so I think in that sense, it kind of gives a different highlight too. I think the stigma is only affects people who, old age, like hearing when you're older. Our organization highlights.
[00:17:35] No, it affects everybody from birth to 99 years. You know, it, it affects everybody. We share all those stories. Um, and yeah, the stories are great. And the people that nominate the individuals, um, they don't always tell the person that they're nominating them. So then we kind of get to surprise that person like, oh, you know, so-and-so nominated you.
[00:17:57] And this is what they said about you. Some of the times when people are like, oh my gosh, okay. I wouldn't think of myself as being nominated for something and they're, you know, they're honored and they're just so happy. Um, so it is wonderful. And, you know, from those stories, we gather all the information and we send out a questionnaire to the champion and then we write up like a little bio to kind of encapsulate their whole story and who they are and what they're doing.
[00:18:24] Um, what their plans are. Um, so we put that on our website and we put it on our social media platforms as well. Um, and then, you know, in honoring them prior to COVID, we would have in-person events. So we would, you know, do events and we would partner sometimes with EarQ, um, and have attendees time.
[00:18:46] And we would have them come up to the stage and we would, you know, tell them everybody about them and what their story was, and then honor them. Giving them a metal, plaque and making them like a HearStrong champion. Um, obviously that is changed. So being married to Andrew, he and I were kind of stuck in the house together, uh, with COVID and we were trying to.
[00:19:08] Put our brains together, you know, saying like, what do we do now? You know, we can't have in-person events and then zoom, that was like all the rage, everything. So we decided, you know what? We have these kits that we were trying to get people to do their own ceremonies at home if we couldn't have an event.
[00:19:28] So we wanted everybody to have a ceremony and we thought, you know what? We have all of these kits that we just had made. You know, what, why don't we do virtual ceremonies and we'll send out a zoom link and we'll just see how it goes. And Andrew and I will kind of moderate and we're both in the same house, so it's easy to do.
[00:19:46] And it kind of took off and it's been a lot of fun, just Andrew and I teaming up and getting to talk with champions as well as the people or the individuals who nominated them. So it's been a great experience. Um, so that's how we're kind of. Highlighting and celebrating individuals now. Um, and I don't know if we're actually going to move away from it because it's been so nice.
[00:20:08] Um, because there, in some sense, you know, everybody gets their own ceremony, um, that we get to then push out on our social media platforms and share. And, um, yeah, it's been really nice.
[00:20:20] Carrie: That's awesome. I know just from personal experience of being nominated, um, said Derek Houston, who is a colleague of mine that is at Ohio state University.
[00:20:33] He nominated me and I was so surprised too. When I found out I was like, wow, it was just nice. As I think, as an individual with hearing loss or hearing challenges, I don't really know. I don't always think about my story and then have the opportunity to share it and know that maybe someone else will be inspired by just everyday life.
[00:20:59] And this is what my journey is like. And hopefully. Uh, what you all said, you know, breaking down that stigma of having a hearing loss and wearing devices and it's okay. Um, but we need, I think the nomination process is a great surprise for the champion too. Yeah. And you said you have now was that over 200 champions?
[00:21:26] Julianna: Yeah. So as of today, I, I double check. We have 233 champions. So
[00:21:34] Carrie: you asked who they US or all over. Um,
[00:21:39] Julianna: I have a couple in other countries, primarily United States, but we have a couple international, there's
[00:21:46] Andrew: a couple of international ones. I think we got a rugby player, uh, that was international. Um, maybe. Yeah.
[00:21:53] Maybe a singer too. Um, but the majority are here in the US yeah.
[00:21:58] Carrie: Do you, either of, you have like a favorite champion story that sticks out, I mean, there's 233, but is there anyone that, or a couple that stick out to you?
[00:22:12] Andrew: That's a really tough question just because so many of them do, but I guess I can talk about one that like personally impacted me.
[00:22:20] Um, So this was early on in Hearstrong. When we were doing a lot of our events, I was with EarQ a, we were having a lot of events where we would get. Uh, like 90, a hundred, uh, audiologists together, hearing instrument specialists talk about, you know, you know, programs that EarQ was offering or the manufacturers would also, you know, do some manufacturer product training.
[00:22:48] Uh, and we started doing Hearstrong ceremonies at these events. Uh, this one happened to be at the Oticon headquarters. Um, and I, it was. It was earlier on in my career. So like I was, I would just started getting really into public speaking, like in front of like an, a group of like 90 or a hundred people.
[00:23:09] And I remember I had to give some presentations for that event and that was like a nerve wracking for me. I had to prepare a lot of practice in my room and hope that everything was going to go. Uh, cause I don't think it came as natural to me as I would have hoped. Um, but I, so I remember being nervous about all those presentations that I had to give.
[00:23:31] And then the event was almost done. We had our HearStrong ceremony to go. And this young man, Elliot Gross, who he must've been 13 or 14 years old, I showed up to because he was going to be recognized as a Hearstrong. Uh, and he showed up with his electric guitar, which was just really cool. Um, so I didn't host that ceremony.
[00:23:56] I got to sit on the sidelines and watch it. Um, but why it impressed me so much is like I was kind of this business executive that was nervous to talk in front of this group of people. And Elliott shows up this 14 year old kid walking in an auditorium full of strangers with all the confidence in the world, brings his guitar that nobody was even expecting to happen, plugs in, into an amp and just starts, you know, rocking out in front of this group.
[00:24:26] And has everybody just like in awe at his talent? And then we got to hear his story. And I just remember saying like, oh my gosh, that's so cool. If he can have that level of confidence, I can too, uh, so like, you know, he, like, he was inspiring to me and like, I definitely carried that with me when, you know, I've had to do so many presentations and public speaking events over the years and everything like that, I think.
[00:24:53] But he really had a significant impact on me at that event. And it was just really cool to see him. He was a great guitar player, too. Super talented guy. I wonder what he's doing today. It's just, you're asking that question. I want to look him up cause he's probably doing some really cool stuff.
[00:25:13] Carrie: Yeah. He's probably some famous musician somewhere, but think about how that impacted you and then all of the professionals who were in that room with you and the impact that it had on them and probably, yeah.
[00:25:30] As a professional thinking, this is why I do what I do. When you see that who HearStrong story and that here, Hearchampion. Juliana. Do you have, uh, anything that impacted you? It doesn't have to be a favorite, but maybe something that impacted you
[00:25:48] Julianna: there's been so many. Um, I mean, there was one audiologist that we did our first virtual, Hearstrong champion ceremony for, um, and she was in, she became an audiologist only after finding out that she had hearing loss.
[00:26:04] So she went through. Until she was in college with hearing loss and it totally went undetected because I get stuck with me is because she did well in school that she kind of fell through the cracks because she was told like, oh, well, if you weren't doing well in school, maybe you would need hearing aids or maybe we would have done something more, but you were doing well in school.
[00:26:26] You were fine. And the fact that she made it all the way through, and I think she was going to major, um, in, I think like opera singing or theater, I think she was saying, um, and she had a severe hearing loss and then she was in a class and I think one of her friends, um, did a hearing tests? And she was like, oh my God, And so she decided to take the path of being an audiologist.
[00:26:50] And I loved talking to her to hear that she, um, is a true advocate for patients because she tries out all the hearing aids prior to fitting her patients with her so she can figure it out. And, um, and she gets back. So she stood out to me, just the fact that, you know, here's. I don't know, this is a girl that went through school this entire time had hearing loss and no one did anything about it.
[00:27:19] And then she's now taken upon herself as her profession to help people. Um, and then the other one that stands out is when I first started, um, it was this young girl. And I just started HearStrong, or we're looking at stories of, you know, nominating through HearStrong champions and these two little girls, um, we're hearing loss, but their older sister decided to start their own nonprofit called lemonades.
[00:27:44] Um, and the older sister. She decided to sell stuff, design these lemons and sell them for money. She would ship them out. And the money that she made, she would help other children get hearing aids because she realized when her sisters were diagnosed, how expensive they were, our insurance didn't always cover it.
[00:28:05] So she made it her mission with her sisters. They would try to get any child that who needs to fit with your needs. Um, so we did that story with them and that stood out to me because she was only eight years old when she decided to do this. And we actually ended up teaming up with them, um, and doing a fundraiser.
[00:28:24] Um, and that was when I started in 2019. We're still partnering together and I've become very close with their mom and our two organizations together. Um, I think we've helped almost 10 children. Get fit with hearing aids through, um, her programming of getting applicants that apply, we read through their story, and then we try to find a provider that's close to them and get them evaluated and get devices for them, um, all at no charge.
[00:28:56] So those stories really stick with you. Um, and then doing the follow-up and actually getting to talk to the child or the parents afterwards. And just seeing the impact that you have. So it's been, that was one of those things where, you know, were looking for a champion found a champion and then it kind of just, I don't know, it took like a natural course of events where now we're close with them and we work together.
[00:29:20] Now both of our foundations are nonprofits, um, to help more people, which is ultimately. You know, that's, that's really all that we really want to do. So yeah, those, those two stand out to me.
[00:29:31] Carrie: Yeah. That is a great story. I remember when that first came out too, and I think you guys were featured on Good Morning America to that story.
[00:29:42] So the girls, everybody was on stage and they had the lemon and. Yeah, we talked about the story. So what did great outreach and awareness that really started with, with a HearStrong champion and being able to partner with them further, which you brought up the point about. Finding providers who are willing to partner with you, obviously you're a nonprofit and organization and depend on people, also kind of doing this share of volunteering, whatever they can, whether it's a services or, um, you know, time and all of that.
[00:30:23] So how can professionals or providers get involved and what is the criteria for that?
[00:30:32] Julianna: Um, well, we have on our website, we have a form that, you know, providers can fill out a form just with their contact information, you know, their name, their practice. Um, if they're interested in partnering with us. So in the case that we have somebody, um, through our Pay it Forward program, where is a program that we allow champions to nominate somebody who's in need, um, said they nominate somebody who needs to be evaluated and fit with hearing aids.
[00:31:00] We find a provider near them. So if we do get a provider who is interested and we put them in our little database and hopefully, you know, we'll, we'll have somebody who's in need and that provider would be able to help us out, um, by seeing the patient, um, which, which is ultimately what we want to do. We want to kind of try to build like a network of providers that we can always depend on.
[00:31:22] I guess have our same, um, um, mission and they want to help individuals. Um, and they'd be willing to do that with us and partner with.
[00:31:34] Carrie: Yeah. So can you share a little bit more about the Pay it Forward program and the, how that, that works? So it's part of your Hearchampions. If you're nominated and you're a champion, you have the opportunity to Pay it Forward.
[00:31:50] Can you share it?
[00:31:50] Julianna: Yeah. So this is a, it's the most reward. It's the best part because, um, you know, champions who have hearing loss, they have here needs, um, they've done something about it, but we share their stories. We kind of surprise them by telling them like, you know what, now you have an opportunity to pay it forward.
[00:32:08] You get to nominate somebody, give us their information, we'll contact them. Um, you know, somebody who might just not know how to go about getting hearing aids or who do I see to get tested or, you know, I don't have the financial means necessary to access this year in healthcare. So we partner, we find providers near them who will then test that individual.
[00:32:32] Um, we get devices donated from hearing aid manufacturers. We reach out to various manufacturers, and they donate devices that providers them fit on the patient. Um, and then we get to. We follow up and find out their story afterwards. Um, as you can imagine, usually it's a shock because this is the first time they've ever had hearing devices.
[00:32:58] So it's, their whole world has changed. Um, and it's been so interesting to do because you know, our champions range in age from child to adults. Um, and so do our pay it forward recipients. So it's so incredibly rewarding. The family members are so grateful individuals grateful, and you see how it impacts them down the line and how it changes their life.
[00:33:27] I mean, it's, it's a wonderful, wonderful program. Um, but the only way we do it is through donations and having providers to help us. So it's an important program and a rewarding program.
[00:33:41] Carrie: Yeah. So hopefully more providers will jump on board because I think it's such an important aspect of audiology that we participate in things like this, because it does benefit so many different people.
[00:33:58] And I think we just have a. Just part of who we are that we need to be doing this. It's like paying it forward that way. So I'm thankful that you guys also have that program too, because it does really impact. And I know from my experience to be able to pay it forward was such a blessing. It was a mom who I've known.
[00:34:21] since her children who two out of a three kids had hearing loss and hearing aids. And I had known the mom since her kids were preschool and now they are like teenagers. And so she always put her kids first, which I would too. I always put my kids first. And so their technology in hearing aids were always, you know, came out first.
[00:34:46] And so she was like, I'm just gonna wear it. My old devices. And, and so to be able to pay it forward to someone who like this mom who is always put her kids first, I am, she was the excited and emotional about the whole process. And it really did change her life. So thank you guys. But, but that program
[00:35:08] Julianna: too, that was such a touching story to, to hear from you about that mom, and then to get her.
[00:35:15] Reaction like when she was notified, what she was receiving and what the program was that, I mean, I started crying, reading the testimonial and then started crying. And then I was like to Andrew was, and he was like, no, this is very touching. We shared them with our board members and I was like, this is why we do what.
[00:35:38] Because this mom always put herself first, like you said, that's what parents do. Um, and she wouldn't have done this for herself. If you hadn't stepped up and give it your. Like just so surprised and shocked and just so grateful and yeah, I mean, that's you get, I get shows now thinking about just because now I see that you're kind of tearing up, so yeah, everything.
[00:36:05] It was wonderful
[00:36:06] Carrie: though, you know, so it was, it was a great process to be involved in and I'm so thankful for that program as well. So you talked a little bit about sponsors and getting donations. How do you guys, how can people get involved with being a sponsor or donating to Hearstrong?
[00:36:29] Andrew: So, uh, they can reach out to us through our website, which is Hearstrong.org
[00:36:35] Um, we have a fundraiser going on right now. Um, so we're looking for some sponsorships for that our, our next fiscal year fundraise, uh, that we're doing where we want to help 50 individuals, uh, and get them fit with hearing aids. Um, you know, that's, uh, I do want to just mention this because it's kind of a really, uh, touching thing that just happened.
[00:37:02] It's a new milestone. Someone who recently passed away, had it in her will, uh, that they wanted to have, uh, donations instead of flowers and the donations we're going to HearStrong. So that was, uh, that was kind of an incredible thing. If you think about like somebody's last wishes, uh, and what they're asking folks to do, uh, and for them to say.
[00:37:25] Uh, we'd rather have, you know, money to go to this great cause then, you know, flowers or whatever it is. That was, that was just a really, really cool thing that happened recently. And we're, we're so grateful for that. Um, but there's all different types of ways that people can get involved. Um, and we have a sheet of different, uh, fundraising ideas for our, our, um, our helpers out there and our volunteers.
[00:37:50] Uh, so if you're interested in getting involved, uh, let's say. Maybe you can't make a direct donation yourself, uh, but you want to get involved and you want to help out with stuff. Just reach out to us through Hearstrong.org. Uh, and we can help get you set up and ready to, to help us out with that effort.
[00:38:09] Uh, Juliana, you want to give some more detail on, um,
[00:38:12] Julianna: the current one there's boxes, so we've kind of changed our route. Um, so when we were tied with EarQ, um, you know, we're completely separate now. We worked a lot with hearing aid manufacturers who would help us sponsor in the past, um, and presently, um, and now we're kind of trying to branch out more just to, again, raise that awareness of hearing loss, what we do, what can be done, how you can help.
[00:38:42] Um, so we are trying to kind of branch out and reach out to, you know, more businesses, other different types of companies, um, even individuals. Um, and you know, when they sponsor or donate money to Hearstrong, all of that money goes towards, um, you know, fitting people and giving them that gift of hearing, where we pair them up with a licensed professional who will test them, take care of them, guide them in the right direction.
[00:39:09] And then, um, with brand new devices, um, that will hopefully enrich their lives for the better a great changes. So that's, you know, when people are interested in donating or sponsoring, like that's where the money goes, that's what it goes towards. Yeah. So yeah, if anybody's interested in donating or sponsoring, you can always find all the information on our webpage.
[00:39:32] Um, like Andrew said, um, or, and can always reach out to us too. It's Scarlett and I, so we're, we're behind the scenes, so it'll just be talking to me or her. So, yeah.
[00:39:46] Carrie: Oh good. That's a great. And I show notes after the podcast. I'll definitely link that Hearstrong website, people can click on it and they can get involved that way as well.
[00:39:58] But before we wrap up, I know just from exploring your website and seeing your social media posts, you also have a couple other things that people can participate in such as you have a sports scholarship. Could you share a little bit.
[00:40:15] Julianna: Yeah, we partner with, um, the NFL players association. So we grant, um, scholarships two scholarships.
[00:40:23] Um, I mean, out of $2,500 each to a student athlete with hearing loss. So they have to be. We have all of the, uh, the criteria on our website, but, you know, they have to have a 2.0 grade point average. They have to be at least playing on a varsity level for a year. Um, and they have to be either a high school, senior to college, sophomore to apply.
[00:40:45] Um, you know, they have to get a letter of recommendation from a coach, um, or faculty member and they write in and apply. Um, so we have that. Um, and then we also pair up with walk for hearing. So they now have turned because they can have virtual events, um, hopefully there'll be transitioning to in-person events, but they do virtual walks now.
[00:41:07] And so we're an Alliance. So being an Alliance. If you want to do one of the virtual walks, you can choose HearStrong as your Alliance. So the money we get, just a small portion of any money that's raised and it goes to her strong. Um, and yeah, again, like any small amount, any little bit helps, um, cause it just helps us to continue to do what we're doing, um, and helping more people, which is really what we strive to do.
[00:41:32] Carrie: Yeah, that's great. Is there anything that I didn't ask you that you want to share?
[00:41:42] Julianna: What do you think Andrew? Anything?
[00:41:45] Andrew: No, I mean, we covered a lot. I, it's not, it's just such an important thing. I definitely want to thank your listeners for tuning into our story. Just, um, learning more about Hearstrong, um, that's, uh, uh, it's really cool that you're doing this podcast.
[00:42:02] I mean, we just can't have enough positivity focused on, um, you know, our space right now. Uh, and I hope we can continue to, to grow the industry and just really grow the amount of people that are stepping up and doing something about their hearing loss.
[00:42:20] Carrie: Well, I want to thank, do you want to say anything else?
[00:42:22] Juliana, let me cut you off. I just want to thank both of you guys for your time and just as a HearStrong champion, I think your mission is so important and to be able to have different people's stories that there is so. Critical and empowering and positive for others to see whether you're a professional.
[00:42:48] Like you said, Andrew, listening to that, Elliot, I think you said his name was playing the guitar and having that impact. Or A parent who might be starting the journey and to be able to go to the HearStrong champions and be like, wow, look at all these different people. And they all have something unique and talented about themselves that they are sharing with the world or a teenager or a young adult or an older adult
[00:43:16] I mean all anybody to be able to read somebody else's story and get that inspiration. Yeah. So important and really thank you guys for everything that you do with HearStrong.
[00:43:33] I thank you, listeners for tuning in, and I will put information right here, starting on the show notes, and please tune in again to empowEAR Audiology and share this information with all of your friends. Have a great day.
[00:43:48] Announcer: This has been a production of the 3C Digital Media Network