The Most Important Award You've Never Heard Of | Episode 157

The Most Important Award You've Never Heard Of | Episode 157

Sponsored by Redwood Living

Chapter Markers
0:01 Voices for Voices® Award Presentation
15:07 Recognition and Faith in Community

Have you ever wondered how a decorated military veteran and a skilled chef could transform lives beyond the kitchen? Join us as we spotlight Jeremiah Tomko, this year's recipient of the Voices for Voices® Ambassador of the Year Award. Jeremiah's journey as a connector between our mission and re-entry programs for returning citizens has not only enriched our community but also inspired transformative stories addressing critical issues like human trafficking. His dedication and insights serve as a beacon of hope and empowerment for individuals striving for a second chance.

In a heartfelt tribute, we explore the emotional significance of the Hayes Founders Award, honoring my parents and celebrating the legacy of compassion and community service. Throughout our discussion, we delve into lessons of empathy and genuine connection through personal anecdotes, drawing on the influence of beloved mentors like Dr. Ollie Jones. As we reflect on the journey of recognition and faith, the conversation underscores the strength found in balancing professional responsibilities with sincere engagement, drawing inspiration from military training and community commitments to uplift and support those facing life's challenges.

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Chapters

• 0:01 Voices for Voices Award Presentation
• 15:07 Recognition and Faith in Community

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to this episode of the Voices for Voices TV show and podcast. I am your host, justin Allen Hayes, founder and executive director of Voices for Voices. Thank you for all your support to us as an organization. Liking sharing following subscribing to our content really helps us continue to get the message and get the voices to be heard of individuals, whether they're professionals or students, whether they're a celebrity, whether they've been impacted politically, whether they've been impacted politically. We are trying to give you the best experience and the most well-versed as we can guests. We take a lot of gratefulness of being able to bring a wide variety of guests when we put these shows together.

Speaker 1: 1:13

This show is sponsored by Redwood Living. Redwood Living has been with us since the inception of Voices for Voices, when we started out as a one event a year and then we turned into one event a year organization and now we are continuing to do more and more additional content in between our regular scheduled TV show and podcast on Wednesdays at 4 pm Eastern time on Hudson Community Television. You can find that on Spectrum on your channel guide, I think it's 1021 is the number that you can check that out and then over 17 audio video platforms from YouTube to Rumble. Apple Podcasts, spotify, iheart, you name it. You can find Voices for Voices there. If you're able to. We are a 501c3 nonprofit. We would kindly appreciate donations, sponsorships for future episodes, for future events. We'd love to hear from you If you're able to make a donation today. You can do that by searching Voices for Voices on Venmo or you can go to love l-o-v-e voices v-o-i-c-e-s dot org lovevoicesorg. That takes you right to the landing page to have that seamless donation process. And because we are a 501c3 organization, your donation sponsorship dollars are 100% tax deductible. And we are having this show to be able to do an award presentation.

Speaker 1: 3:37

So you have seen our year in review of 2024. You have seen the Hayes Founders Award presentation show where the recipients are my mom, helen, and my dad, patrick, and my dad has passed, so my mom had accepted the award posthumously for my dad and it was a great episode to talk about ups and downs, mental health, trauma, when we lose a loved one, to be able to just talk about life and just being regular humans. You would have saw us tear up and we're humans. We have emotions too. We're not speaking down to anybody. We don't have all the answers. What we can do is share our experiences and the experiences of our guests. So this award show is the 2024 Voices for Voices Ambassador of the Year Award Presentation Show. Again, we're sponsored by Redwood Living. Thank you for all the support you have given us through the years.

Speaker 1: 5:14

Last year, you would have seen and can still take a look back at the 2023 Brand New Day event, where the Ambassador of the Year Award was presented to Judge Allison Brough, whose episode we will be airing on January 1st of 2025. She does wonderful work as a judge, but she also does what's referred to as Hope Court. So where she's able to not for all crimes, but for the crimes that pass certain criteria that she has, they're able to get a counselor if they need medication, diagnosis, and it's a two-year program. So there's meetings that individuals have to go to people they need to meet with for them to go through that Hope Corps process, and so the Ambassador of the Year Award had come about and is about individuals who are making a positive difference in our local community. They're making a difference outside the local community, but within the local community they're doing awesome work. Last year, judge Breaux was the recipient.

Speaker 1: 6:51

Great work, summit County judge in the Court of Common Pleas and this year's recipient, jeremiah Tomko. He is and has been doing great, great work. As you'll see, he's got his Voices for Voices shirt on. He's always out in the community with Voices for Voices gear, whether it's a jacket, t-shirt. He's attending community events. He really kick-started us as an organization getting into the re-entry returning citizens who have been incarcerated that are looking to try to get back on their feet, and he was and is instrumental to that, because I wouldn't have found out about that if he had not brought that to our attention after a community event that he was wearing his Voices for Voices gear at and then, as his voice, he has been on a couple previous shows.

Speaker 1: 8:06

You will have seen he's a military veteran. He's a decorated military veteran. He is an excellent culinary chef that has that mindset of ingredients and what goes good together on how food tastes and that, and so he was able to serve the military and go on a lot of different missions. Some are secret, top secret. He actually doesn't. We're not sharing any of that, just the overall. Look at his work With my dad also. He has passed.

Speaker 1: 8:50

As you know, he was in the military as well as my grandparents, so we do have a special place in our heart for individuals that do join the service and give back, because without them, you know, we wouldn't be as free to, you know, have to have the device in this politically and and all the different, different things that comes with it, just having the ability to be individuals and try different things and not be forced into one specific category but to let people learn and grow. And Jeremiah has really, since we met a year ago at a community lunch and brought so many great ideas and thoughts to help us better this experience from you know, different guests. He's instrumental. David, amanda, solomon. David was trafficked for I think it was like two weeks and so he came on our show a few episodes ago with his wife and talked about that and how human trafficking and whether that's, you know, some of it's for labor, some of it's for sex, some of it's just different reasons why this occurs. And it seemed to be like there was a curtain that was over that and with Dave and Amanda they were able to kind of pull that curtain back like wow, this is going on not just in faraway countries, it's going on right here in the United States and it's going on, fortunately, in our own communities, and so those were two great guests among others that Jeremiah has brought to us.

Speaker 1: 10:54

Jeremiah, as you know, he's a member of the Voices for Voices Board of Directors. He is as passionate about helping people than I am, and he might even be even extra passionate. He always is looking to make a difference to meet members of the community, meet organizations, see if there might be a fit we can work together. Organization, see if there might be a fit we can work together. We can have as guests, we can partner for our walk. That we have that we did this past May 25th. The reason May 25th previous year that we, as Voices for Voices, we earned our 501c3 federally tax-exempt status, and that's the importance of May 25th. Now, in 2025, that date may be a little bit different because May 25th was on a Saturday and so it just fell on a Saturday. So a good spot. So more to come on that.

Speaker 1: 12:11

But Jeremiah was instrumental in finding a location, picking up coffee and donuts and merchandise and so many areas, and that's what we look for as an ambassador Somebody that just by them, really just waking up in the morning, they really don't even they think, but they don't think as much to be intentional, because they're already intentional with the work that they're doing. They're already wired in that way of okay, if event A happens, I'm going to ask a question, I'm going to get a business card, I'm going to find what services they offer, I'm going to share information about Voices for Voices and what we do, and there may be some overlap and some things we can partner on. So there's just so much that we could really talk to. I would refer you back to some early episodes and again, we're over 150 episodes going strong 52 new episodes this year Every Wednesday 4 pm Eastern Time, Hudson Community Television. Whether you live in kind of Western Reserve and have the spectrum when you don't, you can check out the Hudson Community Television Facebook page as well as their website to catch those episodes as they come out. And again, we're also on over 17 different audio and video platforms and we are reaching, and have reached, over 50 countries and 500 cities across the world.

Speaker 1: 14:06

So, as the broad goal of wanting to help 3 billion people over the course of my lifetime and beyond is a huge goal, we're well on our way, but we're well on our way because of you, the support that you have given us. So, again, if you will make that donation, great, we would very much appreciate that. At lovevoicesorg, or you can find us on Venmo, voices for Voices, or you can follow, like, share, subscribe. Those things don't cost any money. So, jeremiah, thank you for joining us today. Thank you very much, justin. You're welcome. Thank you for the award. Yeah, and so we want to present you the 2024 Voices for Voices Ambassador of the Year Award. To you, jeremiah Tomko. Congratulations.

Speaker 2: 15:02

Thank you very much.

Speaker 1: 15:02

You're welcome. How does it make you feel to be recognized for things that you just do subconsciously? It's just part of your fabric. I know in the military and other areas previously you've been recognized for different accomplishments, so this is probably nothing new to get an award like this, but can you share maybe a little bit of what it means to you?

Speaker 2: 15:46

And then I think you have a little bit of an acceptance talk that we can get into. Well, I appreciate that, justin. You know, and to god be the glory, you know, I'm actually very humbled to receive this award, so I am very grateful as well. Um, yeah, there's definitely a lot of people over the years, the course of my life that have definitely made an impact on me. Yeah, you know, and Any, specific ones Want to mention.

Speaker 2: 16:17

You know the Lord Jesus Christ. You know he's my savior and my local church group. You know I think those have been, you know, the highlight of my life and why I'm so caring. So I would definitely have to say that is very important and very special to me. Of course, my family, people like my mom and Dr Ollie Jones, who actually is involved in the community, you know people like that have just been there for me and you know I definitely want to give back to my community in any way possible. You know, and like you mentioned, I have served my country and I'll continue to serve my country, you know, forever. Thank you for your service, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 17:22

You're very welcome. You know, as we take a look back at, you know 2024 as an organization coming on board, on board the board of directors and having a leadership role and being a face, a personality of the organization. Does that make you nervous when you go in a community and somebody asks you about Voices for Voices? Or is it because of your past successes and the giving back that you've done and the community work you've done that it just comes natural to you that you don't have a bunch of anxiety, maybe, about that somebody like me has.

Speaker 2: 18:18

Like you said, it really comes naturally Like meeting people and a lot of people you know you can just kind of talk about their demeanor, you know, if they're willing to talk about it, and really it's just a conversation just like we're having right now. You know, hey, have you heard about Voices for Voices? And if they engage, I just take it upon myself to just have that conversation and you never know who it's going to help or save a life.

Speaker 1: 18:52

Exactly, and you mentioned faith. How important is that to you, just as a human being, as a person. Somebody's out there watching or listening. They may be doing well in one or two areas, maybe they may want to explore faith of whatever their choosing is. But from what you've chosen, can you go into just a little bit of detail of how your faith has really made that foundation for you so that you're able to have that part of your brain really tuned in?

Speaker 2: 19:43

Well, you know I grew up attending a local church and of course my parents, you know, they raised us Christian since a young age. You know, and I really think it helped grow me to be that caring, helpful person who I am you know in society, you know personally. And then you know out and about and where I work. You know I really try to be that ambassador for Jesus Christ. That's very important.

Speaker 1: 20:13

It is and with the work you do professionally, you're helping people. You're helping people that may be having good days, may be having bad days, may be having the worst days of their lives, given you know the situation and the living conditions and where they're at. But if you want to consider, like a step down from prison or jail, that you're dealing with people who could be considered dangerous, and that has to, that faith really has to help you, among other skills in those situations, to know and to believe that, okay, this isn't going to turn violent, that we're going to get through our, our case management for today, our, our visit, our, our talk and, uh, because I could, I can just imagine myself being in those situations, being like, oh my gosh, be so anxious to even be in the situation, then, when the situation comes, like it would be tough to function. So what got you into wanting to help others in I call it maybe like the re-entry into society individuals that hopefully, are trying and trying to get out and trying to better their lives and you being a touch point for them to get to that point that you really listen and give feedback.

Speaker 1: 21:59

That is, you know, is from the heart that some may be looking to check a box of I did this, I did that, I'm done, close the file. Well, you do do that because that is part of the role you have. But you may notice something's going on with the client that isn't maybe one of those checkboxes. Just as an individual Like, wow, did you sleep? Okay, is there something else outside of this that's going on? How do you go through that process of kind of in your mind going, okay, what's subconscious to you now because you've done it your whole life? But for someone that hasn't, can you maybe walk through a little bit of that process you have?

Speaker 2: 22:53

Yeah, definitely got to give you know military for the utmost training that I believe prepared me for different walks of life, whom I work with. Dr Ollie Jones used to teach an excellent reentry program actually. Wow. So I believe it was around 2012,. Maybe I'm going to say around that time of my life Could have been earlier than that. Yeah, some folks were canvassing and that network was incredible. I really believe my openness to communicating with people effectively led me to a herentery program which I did complete twice. So I was very inspired by what they were doing in the community.

Speaker 2: 24:03

So I definitely look at those experiences in the past and just try to give back, and I'm always learning new experiences day by day, moment by moment, year by year day by day, moment by moment, year by year, and I think that's important, that lifelong learner.

Speaker 1: 24:27

That's how I like to feel about myself too. It was like just constantly learning things Like, oh wow, maybe next time I shouldn't do that, or maybe next time that this works, let me try this. All right, I think that that's helpful for anybody that they can take. You know, whether they serve time in the military or or or not. So you've been especially, I would say, the whole 2024, not just a stellar board member in helping community and being that ambassador for Voices, for Voices where you go, but you also have turned into a great friend as a person to me, and I want to also thank you for that, because with COVID and things getting shut down I know it was a couple of years ago and there's still some lingering effects here and there, but us as individuals, us as humans, just communicating is huge and I again just want to thank you for being a friend through my dad passed and the walk of locking down a location and, okay, what do you need, what can I pick up or what time do you need me? I really just appreciate that on a human level and I want to invite our listeners and our viewers if volunteering is something that they would like to do with Voices for Voices, please reach out to us. You can email president at voicesforvoicesorg. O-r-g and let us know what your interests are.

Speaker 1: 26:35

We don't know everything we're not experts on everything or anything what your, your interests are. We don't know everything, we're not experts on every, everything or anything. But, uh, we, we just give our, our experience, as we have what's called lived experience. Uh, we would love to hear from you uh, love the uh have that conversation and we uh have that conversation and we again the support that you as a community and really as a country and as the world.

Speaker 1: 27:06

As I mentioned, we're reaching and have reached 50 countries and 500 cities, which is really mind-boggling. When I went and looked at the analytics across all 17 plus platforms audio video that we have and a big reason for the success and some of the awesome guests that we've had this year and going into 2025 are due to your due diligence and just networking and being a member of the community, but being a member also of the Voices for Voices community. So when you're out and about, they're saying, oh, wow, he cares, he's come out to join this cause. Wow, that's outstanding. Our time really has flown. Any final words? We've got about 40 seconds that you'd like to touch on.

Speaker 2: 28:20

Well, I guess I'm just very grateful to be here and appreciative for Voices for Voices organization and you on this day and, like I said, just appreciate our community, what you're doing and other people as well, whether it be organizations or government entities, and just hope it will be a great year going into 2025 with everyone.

Speaker 1: 28:52

Great Well, congratulations. Thank you again. You're welcome and we thank you, our listeners, our viewers, for tuning in to this episode of the Voices for Voices show, tv show and podcast. Until next time, I am your founder and executive director of Voices for Voices, justin Allen Hayes, and until next time, be a voice for you or somebody in need.