Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Marcie Smeck Bryant, who recently was honored with the Social Justice Impact Award at the 2025 Strobel Volunteer Awards hosted by Hands On Nashville powered by United Way of Greater Nashville. Marcie Smeck Bryant is a retired strategic communications professional, who has been actively involved with The Nashville Food Project for over a decade, helping to establish and manage a weekly community meal program at Trinity Community Commons that focuses on food security and community building.

Through her work with The Nashville Food Project, Trinity Community Commons, and Feedback Nashville, Marcie has been instrumental in addressing food deserts, waste reduction, and supporting urban farming initiatives while emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and community engagement.

During the interview, Marcie shares her story and passion for serving others. She describes The Nashville Food Project's mission to grow, cook, and share food, focusing on community building and hunger relief. She highlights their three main components: providing 7,000 meals weekly, recovering and collecting donated food from various sources, and supporting urban farming initiatives. Marcie also details the partnership with Trinity Community Commons, which offers free meals, wraparound services, and neighborhood support through a community garden and upcoming supportive housing development.

Marcie then talks about serving on the board with The Nashville Food Project and their engagement in Feedback Nashville, highlighting the importance of strategic planning and addressing food deserts and waste in the city. She shares her personal experiences and insights gained through volunteering, emphasizing the power of taking action. Marcie wraps up talking about the significance of the 2025 Strobel Volunteer Awards' Social Justice Impact Award, and encourages others to find their passion and get involved in community organizations like The Nashville Food Project and Trinity Community Commons.

Visit https://www.thenashvillefoodproject.org to learn more about the Nashville Food Project. Visit https://www.trinitycommunitycommons.org to learn more about Trinity Community Commons.

On this episode of the cityCURRENT Show, host Andrew Bartolotta sits down with Keisha Walker, Community Affairs Manager for Vitalant, to explore how one of the nation’s leading nonprofit blood providers is turning compassion into action—and giving students an opportunity to save lives and earn scholarships.

Keisha shares Vitalant’s mission to maintain a steady, lifesaving blood supply for patients in need and sheds light on the challenges in cities like Memphis, where only one in four blood units needed by hospitals is donated locally. With stories that highlight the real-world impact of donation—from trauma care to sickle cell treatment—Keisha emphasizes the critical role every donor plays in the healthcare system.

The conversation dives deep into Vitalant’s 2025 Student Leader Scholarship Program, a summer initiative (June 1–August 31) that empowers students across the region to host virtual blood drives and earn up to $1,000 in scholarship funds. Keisha explains how easy it is for students to get involved, the leadership skills they gain, and how they can build a legacy of generosity starting now.

Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or simply someone looking to give back, this episode will inspire you to take action, get involved, and recognize the power in just one donation.

Learn more and sign up: https://vitalant.org/scholarship

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Ben Utecht, Super Bowl XLI Champion, bestselling author, and entrepreneur, who discusses his journey from sports to business leadership and philanthropy. Ben is the founder of SoleCareRx and Chief Culture Officer for True North Private Equity, where he oversees a family of companies spanning multiple industries. He was the keynote speaker at the cityCURRENT signature speaker series event in Nashville on May 15, 2025 and will be speaking in Memphis in August.

During the interview, Ben talks about his experience playing for the Indianapolis Colts under Hall of Fame Coach Tony Dungy, which inspired his second book "The Champion's Creed" and his work as a chief culture officer. Ben highlights his book "The Champions Creed: Build Your Culture on the Power of Belief," which offers a blueprint for organizations ready to transform their culture from the inside out. He explains how the Indianapolis Colts, under Coach Tony Dungy, integrated beliefs and values and intentionally designed, built, and practiced their winning culture, both on and off the field. Ben emphasizes that culture should be treated as a strategic priority in businesses, and shares practical examples of how to create objective protocols that can be measured and reviewed. He encourages readers to see culture as a revenue driver and provides the website benutechspeaks.com for more information and book purchases.

Ben also discusses the development and recent launch of Shower Sock, an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal disposable shower sock to protect feet in private and public showers. As the founder of SoleCareRx, he shares how the product idea started when he experienced a foot infection after taking a shower in flip flops while playing in the NFL. He talks about the product's exciting potential, noting its affordability and applications in preventing foot infections globally. Ben also highlights the philanthropic aspect of Shower Sock, partnering with Samaritan's Feet, a nonprofit organization distributing shoes to under-resourced communities around the world to help prevent skin infections. Ben is donating part of his cityCURRENT speaking honorariums to support Samaritan's Feet shoe distributions in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee.

To learn more about Shower Sock, visit https://showersock.com/. To learn more about Ben Utecht, his speaking and his book, "The Champion's Creed: Build Your Culture on the Power of Belief," visit https://benutechtspeaks.com.