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EPISODE SUMMARY:
Tommy “Tommy D” DiMisa is back “in the attic” for Episode 239 (recorded January 16th), and he’s joined by Marit Molin of Hamptons Community Outreach (HCO)—an organization proving that the Hamptons are far more than the “white parties and yachts” stereotype. In between the mansions are pockets of families living with food insecurity, kids without coats, and homes in dangerous disrepair—and Marit saw it up close.
Marit shares how a single moment sparked the mission: a child at her dining table didn’t want to stop doing arts and crafts because she didn’t have paper or markers at home. That heartbreak became action—a free, six-week Hamptons Art Camp (launched in summer 2018), running 9–3 and designed to give underserved kids safety, creativity, and real summer memories, while also easing the burden on working parents. But the needs didn’t stop when camp ended—families needed shoes, backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, and ongoing support.
Then COVID changed everything. Unable to fundraise for a camp no one knew could happen, Marit pivoted to what communities asked for most: food. HCO raised $320,000 in 2020, delivered 7,000 hot meals, 20,000 pounds of fresh produce, and provided groceries to 250 families twice a month, while also supporting struggling local restaurants by purchasing meals from them. As volunteers helped distribute door-to-door, HCO uncovered another crisis hiding in plain sight: families raising children in homes with black toxic mold, broken windows, collapsing ceilings, splintered floors, and no heat.
Today, HCO has grown from grassroots to high-impact—supporting hundreds of families and children, repairing dozens of homes, and building a serious pipeline of help. Marit’s current, crystal-clear goal: raise $4.5 million to help the 64 families on HCO’s home repair waiting list—including some who need an entirely new home. And if you want to show up with love in action, HCO’s annual fundraiser Love Fest is February 7th, 5–7 PM, at 230 Elm in Southampton. Learn more (and donate/volunteer) at HamptonsCommunityOutreach.org.
Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
Tommy D kicks off episode 239 (January 16th) by reaffirming Philanthropy in Phocus’ mission: helping nonprofit leaders tell their stories, build relationships, and amplify impact—because real change happens through connection and community. He highlights the kind of frontline work nonprofits do by sharing how Allied Foundation fights diaper need and period poverty, reminding listeners that essentials like diapers and hygiene products often aren’t covered by WIC or food assistance programs. The segment then introduces Marit Molin of Hamptons Community Outreach, whose work reveals the “hidden pockets” of poverty between the mansions—turning compassion into action through programs like a free art camp and wide-reaching support that now includes hundreds of families fed weekly and millions raised to serve local communities.
Back in the attic (space heater and all), Tommy D spotlights how Hamptons Community Outreach grew from a grassroots idea into a real organization—now with 3.5 staff—by proving that if you connect with the right people and work hard, you can turn a mission into momentum. Marit shares how the free Hamptons Art Camp launched in summer 2018 with plans for 4 weeks, expanded to 6 weeks (9–3 each day) because families wanted more, and even built in practical supports like extended pickup and free lunch for underserved campers so working parents can breathe. From there, the need didn’t stop when camp ended—families asked for backpacks, shoes, clothes, haircuts, and art supplies, and when COVID hit in early 2020 the organization pivoted fast from “fundraising for camp” to “meeting urgent needs,” raising small-dollar gifts to deliver essentials to homebound elders and preparing to support both food-insecure families and struggling restaurant workers in a moment of massive uncertainty.
Tommy D pauses the “how” to ask Marit the deeper “why,” and she answers with raw honesty: she’s wired with empathy that won’t let suffering slide—if she sees pain, she has to act, and she’s also angry that systems and neighbors don’t do more to help struggling people. That inner drive becomes the engine behind HCO’s COVID-era “triple win” model—raising funds to buy meals from struggling restaurants, keeping workers employed while delivering help directly to families—resulting in 7,000 hot meals, 20,000 pounds of produce, and groceries for 250 families twice a month, fueled by $320,000 raised in 2020. As volunteers delivered door-to-door, the organization uncovered a shocking next layer of need—homes with black toxic mold, broken windows, no heat, and unsafe floors—and Marit turned heartbreak into action by launching a home repair program, while Tommy frames it as a “social determinants of health” crisis and a moral one: there’s enough in the world, but the problem is distribution and priorities.
Tommy D and Marit make the case that impact isn’t about doing everything yourself—it’s about mobilizing a community, asking people to give what they can in “time, treasure, and talent,” from professional skills to simple acts like knitting warm hats. For home repairs, Marit explains donated construction is tough on the East End, but highlights a key partner—Forden and Company in Sag Harbor, where Alex Forden rallies his subcontractor network to donate pieces of projects (like framing, roofing, or staircases) when possible, while HCO continues to fundraise to cover what can’t be donated. The big vision is crystal clear: HCO has 64 families on the home-repair waiting list, some needing major repairs and some needing entirely new housing, and Marit’s goal is to raise about $4.5 million to take every family off that list—supported by a donor base that includes generous high-net-worth supporters—while inviting the community to show up next at Love Fest, their annual fundraiser on February 7 (5–7 p.m.) at 230 Elm in Southampton.
00:00:44.910 --> 00:00:45.620 Tommy DiMisa: Aye.
00:00:47.350 --> 00:01:02.660 Tommy DiMisa: Your boy is back, Tommy D, the nonprofit sector connector. Oh my god, I'm out of breath, you know why? I'm back in the attic, baby. Two flights up from the kitchen where I get my big ol' cup of coffee to show is called Philanthropy. In.
00:01:02.780 --> 00:01:13.979 Tommy DiMisa: Focus. The host is Tommy D, the nonprofit sector connector. Guess what? It is 239 episodes. It is January 16th. 239 episodes of a show.
00:01:14.110 --> 00:01:31.270 Tommy DiMisa: a journey that I am on to continue to help nonprofit organizations and their leaders tell their story and amplify their message. And that's what I'm all about. And I always say, as a nonprofit sector connector, if it wasn't for the relationships I've built, the connections I have.
00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:33.259 Tommy DiMisa: the people that I know.
00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:39.989 Tommy DiMisa: Some of these guests would never make it to the show, because I wouldn't have had these introductions, and years and years ago.
00:01:40.160 --> 00:01:58.249 Tommy DiMisa: I was hanging out with my friend Heather Edwards, and Heather Edwards is the Executive Director of Allied Foundation. Millions, literally folks, millions of diapers in the hands of families in need. You may or may not know, but diapers are not covered by,
00:01:58.310 --> 00:02:17.980 Tommy DiMisa: by food stamps, and WIC, and support and things like that. Also feminine hygiene products are not covered by these, by those costs, or rather those, that support. So, it's organizations like Allied Foundation that is out there on the front lines, helping both with period poverty, as well as
00:02:17.980 --> 00:02:35.649 Tommy DiMisa: programs for diapers. So it's funny because, you know, Heather Edwards and the team at Allied Foundation, it was Allied Physicians Group, what was happening? Babies were coming in and seeing the physicians, and, you know, the docs were saying, like, why does this baby have a rash, or why does that baby have a rash? And bottom line was.
00:02:35.690 --> 00:02:45.219 Tommy DiMisa: The moms and dads were reusing soiled diapers, and, like, it was like, this is like a… not to say it's an easy fix, but here's a challenge, let's fix the problem.
00:02:45.230 --> 00:02:57.119 Tommy DiMisa: And that's how that organization… so what does that have to do with Hampton's Community Outreach? Well, it's funny you should ask, because my friend Merritt Mullen is here from Hamptons Community Outreach, and what's good… we're going to talk in a second, but what's funny is, I said to Heather.
00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:05.589 Tommy DiMisa: who are some of these organizations you do work with, getting diapers out there? And because I can't help myself, and I'm maybe in some ways a little bit
00:03:05.850 --> 00:03:24.230 Tommy DiMisa: insatiable and a little bit wild. I was like, dude, what if I rented, like, a U-Haul, and I drove out to Hop Hog, where you're at, and I filled up the U-Haul and drove it out to the Hamptons, and that… she said, I love you, Tommy D, you're a wild man, and I did that, and I remember… so, Merrick, good morning, we'll talk about that in a second, but good morning, how are you?
00:03:24.230 --> 00:03:26.959 Marit Molin: Good morning, I'm good. Thank you for having me on.
00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:27.550 Tommy DiMisa: I'm so…
00:03:27.550 --> 00:03:28.120 Marit Molin: hair.
00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:30.560 Tommy DiMisa: I'm so psyched to have you, man, this is fun.
00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:32.530 Marit Molin: Yeah, thank you.
00:03:32.530 --> 00:03:37.080 Tommy DiMisa: And that day that I did that, when I was telling Heather, I go rent the U-Haul.
00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:54.200 Tommy DiMisa: And then, I remember on exit, like, 69 or 70 on the expressway, and I, like, pull over, and I shot a video, like, on the… on the shoulder. I was like, it's your boy, Tommy D, I'm out here, it's… and I went… it was this time of year, too, I remember it being chilly, because I was with…
00:03:54.200 --> 00:04:00.719 Tommy DiMisa: Chuck, who, very involved for a long time with your organization, met him at his house, he had the trailer.
00:04:00.720 --> 00:04:11.109 Tommy DiMisa: And then we drove around, like, with his truck and his trailer. I think… I think I followed him with the U-Haul van that I had. And we went to all these different pockets out… out east, and we're,
00:04:11.490 --> 00:04:21.120 Tommy DiMisa: We're handing out diapers and wipes. I remember we went to a church and different things. And, you know, as we stand here, in 2026,
00:04:22.019 --> 00:04:28.589 Tommy DiMisa: Many, many challenges going on in this planet, many, many challenges going on in this country right now.
00:04:28.980 --> 00:04:38.300 Tommy DiMisa: I just send love and compassion to everybody, man. I just think we gotta find more love for each other, and hug each other, and look out for each other, because there's a lot of stuff going on now.
00:04:38.300 --> 00:04:52.630 Tommy DiMisa: I always wonder, like, is there more stuff going on, like, right now, in the moment when we feel it, or is it always like this, but it just feels like it, right, because you're living right now, in the moment? I don't know the answer to that question, gang, but there's a lot going on, but I bring it up just to say…
00:04:52.630 --> 00:04:57.260 Tommy DiMisa: That, you know, Many of the communities that need these services,
00:04:57.280 --> 00:05:13.909 Tommy DiMisa: are unfortunately under attack right now in a lot of ways, and it's a really challenging time in our history, and I will… it's not a political show, gang. It's not about that. It's… this is a show about humanity, and love, and compassion and helping each other.
00:05:13.910 --> 00:05:22.440 Tommy DiMisa: So, Merritt, in that… through that lens of love and compassion and humanity, I want to really hear your story, because
00:05:22.440 --> 00:05:27.560 Tommy DiMisa: I make this kind of a joke, but I don't know how funny it is, but I feel like…
00:05:27.570 --> 00:05:32.280 Tommy DiMisa: If… if people don't know Long Island, and you talk about the Hamptons.
00:05:32.280 --> 00:05:51.390 Tommy DiMisa: they think it's the Hampty Hampts, man. It's just, you know, white parties, and, you know, and cosmopolitans, and martinis, and, you know, and it's… everybody's high-rolling, and Bugattis, and stuff like that, and yachts, and there's a lot more to the Hamptons, and that's…
00:05:51.460 --> 00:05:55.530 Tommy DiMisa: why… I want to ask you, and we talked about this, is…
00:05:55.790 --> 00:06:00.950 Tommy DiMisa: why does this organization exist? What's your background? Why did you get…
00:06:01.050 --> 00:06:18.370 Tommy DiMisa: Like, did you want to run a nonprofit? Was this a dream? Did you always say, I want to lead a nonprofit one day? I want to hear your story, and then obviously, you and I will get into the programs that the organization runs, how you're helping people, and as I always say, as we draw towards the close of the show, how can we help? What do you need?
00:06:18.370 --> 00:06:38.009 Tommy DiMisa: You know, so, how's that? First of all, what I need is I need one of those sweatshirts. I ran downstairs after you and I were talking in the little green room here to find my winter hat, because Chuck gave me a winter hat, so I have a nice Hamptons Community Outreach beanie, and unfortunately, I didn't prepare, so when I went down to look for it now, I couldn't find it. But I have a… I have that…
00:06:38.010 --> 00:06:41.449 Marit Molin: Happy, happy to mail you, put a mailing… share it in the mail for you.
00:06:41.450 --> 00:06:46.479 Tommy DiMisa: I got, you know what, I'm gonna be out in Sag Harbor at,
00:06:46.940 --> 00:07:03.780 Tommy DiMisa: Am I going to Bay Street theater? Yeah, I'm gonna be at Bay Street… I'm gonna be at Bay Street theater, with Tracy Mitchell, with regards to, the Long Island Imagine Awards, and I'm gonna be out there… so I'm gonna be out there on Tuesday, so I may have to figure out a way to get out and get… and get some swag from you.
00:07:03.780 --> 00:07:13.330 Tommy DiMisa: Absolutely. Alright, we'll talk about that. We'll talk about that offline, as they say. Tell me this story, man. Why does this organization exist? What did you find out? Tell me your background.
00:07:13.330 --> 00:07:25.050 Marit Molin: Yeah, sure, sure, sure. So, I moved out here, back in 2015, and I, just like many other people, imagined the Hamptons to be where you
00:07:25.050 --> 00:07:40.630 Marit Molin: described, right? Everyone is wealthy, it is a very wealthy place, but what I did not know, and what a lot of people don't know, is that in between the mansions are pockets of deeply, you know, impoverished people. People that
00:07:40.630 --> 00:07:43.829 Marit Molin: Don't have enough food to give their children.
00:07:43.830 --> 00:07:59.440 Marit Molin: they have, you know, their children that walk around with shoes that are too small. There are… we hear from a lot of families, and we hear from school personnel who call us and say, hey, do you have a coat? You know, there's a boy… boy or a girl. There are many children who go to school without coats. So, I was…
00:07:59.440 --> 00:08:12.150 Marit Molin: you know, I… I started finding out about all these different needs. So, in… back in 2018, I had a couple of encounters with children. So, I have two children, they are now 18 and 15.
00:08:12.220 --> 00:08:36.280 Marit Molin: And back then, they would have play dates at our house with different kids, and sometimes I would ask the children questions, such as, oh, you know, summer is almost here, are you excited about summer? And they would say things like, no, I hate summer, because it's really boring. Because I just sit in the back of my dad's landscaping truck, or my mom's car, waiting for her to be done cleaning houses, or for my dad to be, you know, done
00:08:36.280 --> 00:08:45.880 Marit Molin: cutting grass or clean, you know, cleaning pools, things like that. And I was just shocked. So I also then started seeing, children, like.
00:08:45.880 --> 00:08:47.410 Marit Molin: You know, like…
00:08:47.600 --> 00:09:06.450 Marit Molin: I was volunteering a lot, and I, I saw… I went to a lot of different houses in the Hamptons, and I would see that there would be kids in the back of, you know, their… you know, these people's trucks, and I was just shocked to find out, that in a place that's so wealthy that, you know, that there are children who are suffering so much.
00:09:06.450 --> 00:09:11.430 Marit Molin: And, there was another kind of…
00:09:11.430 --> 00:09:36.189 Marit Molin: incident at my house, something happened, maybe not an incident, that's not the right word, but something happened, which really kind of propelled me. My daughter had a playdate with a girl who was… who is the daughter of an Ecuadorian immigrant, single mom, and they were sitting at our dining table drawing, doing arts and crafts and painting, and… and my daughter got bored after a while and asked her friend, you know, can we go do something else? And the friend
00:09:36.190 --> 00:09:50.950 Marit Molin: said, no, I don't want to. And then they kept drawing, and then my daughter asked again, and this little girl said, no, I don't want to. I don't want to stop doing arts and crafts, because I don't have markers and paper at my house.
00:09:50.950 --> 00:10:06.499 Tommy DiMisa: So this was… this was an opportunity for her to… to do something she didn't have the access to. And again, we're talking about… this is Long Island. And look, I'm from Long Island. You're not originally from Long Island, right?
00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:07.829 Marit Molin: I'm from Sweden originally.
00:10:07.830 --> 00:10:09.719 Tommy DiMisa: You're from Sweden. So…
00:10:09.890 --> 00:10:27.150 Tommy DiMisa: you know, I always find it so interesting that you use that word, pockets, and I think that's such an interesting word to use, because, you know, I grew up middle class, depending on the year, maybe a little upper, then a little lower, like, you know, both my parents always worked, you know, and…
00:10:27.800 --> 00:10:29.780 Tommy DiMisa: Communities that are, like.
00:10:30.130 --> 00:10:52.690 Tommy DiMisa: ultra-wealthy are literally right next to communities that have serious need, and I always… I don't know if the whole country or the whole planet's like that, I just know Long Island is, where you can have… you can walk through… the one that always stood out for me was Garden City, where you walk through Garden City right into Hempstead, and you have, you know, million-dollar homes, and then you have people with very, very high…
00:10:52.690 --> 00:10:57.690 Tommy DiMisa: High needs, and lack of income, and food insecurity, and housing insecurity, and it's…
00:10:57.710 --> 00:11:16.539 Tommy DiMisa: So, you know, that awareness, that made you very aware, that incident that you used, now we're using that word, that event with the young girl. Yeah. And what did that… what kind of fire, what kind of spark did that, like, build inside of you? What'd you do there? What happened?
00:11:16.540 --> 00:11:34.439 Marit Molin: Yeah, so when I heard that, I was just shocked, and like, I was just thinking, you know, we're living in this place where, you know, as you talked about, like, they live in mansions, you know? People live in 5 to 10 million dollar mansions, and they have 3 cars, and, you know, some of them even have private planes, and here's this little girl whose mom
00:11:34.440 --> 00:11:38.739 Marit Molin: you have to choose between getting milk or getting drawing papers at Staples.
00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:41.389 Marit Molin: And I just… I was just so shocked.
00:11:41.390 --> 00:12:04.649 Marit Molin: And so these children, you know, talking to these children and hearing this little girl, they inspired me to start a summer camp. I decided that, I have to start a summer camp so that these children that have nothing to do all summer have a place to go, have a chance to have a fun summer, you know, summer, have a chance to create great memories. So I started fundraising for the camp, and this is
00:12:04.650 --> 00:12:09.890 Marit Molin: winter… this… the event with the girl, that was winter, like, February.
00:12:09.890 --> 00:12:31.389 Marit Molin: that was in February, 2018, and then I had the idea then that winter, and then in the winter and spring, I started working on the idea, and I decided to go for it, and I started fundraising, that spring, 2018, and the camp opened its doors for the first time summer of 2018.
00:12:31.390 --> 00:12:45.069 Tommy DiMisa: what did you know about nonprofit, camp, any of this? Did you have any… I mean, you're… because you're a licensed clinical social worker, you're a therapist, that's your background, right? Talk to us about that, and how that informed this idea a little bit.
00:12:45.070 --> 00:12:57.349 Marit Molin: Yeah, so, well, I told a friend, I was like, I'm starting a camp, and the camp is going to be for free for underserved children. And she's like, wait, what? Like, you're… I've never been a camp director, you're not an
00:12:57.680 --> 00:13:02.990 Marit Molin: and it's actually an art camp, I didn't mention that, but it's an art camp. And I was inspired by this girl, you know.
00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:19.780 Marit Molin: want to do art. So I wanted to make art accessible, so it's an art camp, Hamptons Art Camp, and if anyone's interested in learning more, it's on our website, HamptonsCommunityoutreach.org. You can click on the tab, what do we do, what we do, and then you can click on the camp to learn more.
00:13:19.790 --> 00:13:44.640 Marit Molin: But my friend said, you're not… you've never been a camp director, you probably even haven't been a camp counselor, you're not an artist, you're not a teacher, like, what are you doing, right? And basically, my idea was just to connect with everyone that knew exactly what needed to be done in order to run a camp. So I reached out to Miss Meg Mendel, who back then, she's now retired, she was a veteran art teacher.
00:13:44.640 --> 00:14:04.720 Marit Molin: from Sag Harbor Elementary School. And I asked her, do you think you can help me start a camp? Can you be an art teacher, and can you help me purchase, you know, the supplies? And can you do the curriculum? And she said, sure, I would love to. So, basically, by hiring and connecting with the right people, anyone can kind of do anything, you know?
00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:29.049 Tommy DiMisa: Hold on a second, hold on a second. I… gang, I think what my friend is talking about is networking, connecting, relationship building, and leveraging the smarts of other folks, right? Like, somebody can have a vision, you had a vision, and maybe you didn't know how to get it done, but you said, I definitely know people, though, right? I can ask for favors, I can ask for support, I can tap into the people who know how to do this.
00:14:29.050 --> 00:14:52.140 Tommy DiMisa: gang, you can do anything you want, man. Nobody does anything, though, in a silo. You could do it all when you work and collaborate with other organizations. I was just at… so I'm on the board of directors for several nonprofits here on Long Island, and I was at the Spirit of Huntington Arts Center yesterday, which is a community arts center, and at the old South Huntington Library, and you know, we have a… it is in all abilities.
00:14:52.210 --> 00:15:03.400 Tommy DiMisa: you know, full community art center, although we… however, we definitely have a focus for, for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities, and specifically the artworks program.
00:15:03.400 --> 00:15:17.690 Tommy DiMisa: which is when young people age out, they get to learn digital design work, website design, they redid, our Vanguard Benefits, our company, they redid our website, our mission, our vision, our value. And I was checking out their podcast studio yesterday that they just built, which
00:15:17.830 --> 00:15:37.749 Tommy DiMisa: my family foundation, in memory of my cousin Linda, the Lindy Liu Foundation, supported some of the funds for the podcast studio. So, the arts are so important, and we know that we lose a lot with the arts with funding and things like that, but I'm just so jazzed. I, you know, it's… the wild thing about this is there's so many
00:15:37.750 --> 00:15:47.959 Tommy DiMisa: important organizations doing the work, sometimes it's just not enough hours in the day. I was on the phone with Mercy Haven yesterday, and they have an event, they just did a documentary film.
00:15:47.960 --> 00:16:09.590 Tommy DiMisa: Mercy Haven in the mental health space, which, gang, you know, I'm all about hashtag ending the stigma together. I see my therapist twice a week, I tell you that all the time, and why do I tell you that? Because it's okay to do that. It's okay to see our therapists, it's okay to realize we're all battling things. Everyone you meet… Tommy D, here he goes, everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
00:16:09.590 --> 00:16:23.900 Tommy DiMisa: Be kind, always. Merritt, we gotta take a quick break. I'm gonna share the website while we go to break. We'll come back, we'll talk about camp, and how that camp rolled into what it is that all the different services, and I… and, you know.
00:16:24.090 --> 00:16:41.319 Tommy DiMisa: when I first became aware of you all, it was a small organization, and I understand it still is a small organization, but dollar-wise, I'm seeing some things, man. You're really… I mean, when I say small, I mean 68 homes repaired, over $6 million raised, right?
00:16:41.330 --> 00:16:50.340 Tommy DiMisa: 400 families fed weekly, 550 children supported, so… you know, as far as impact, not so small anymore, right?
00:16:50.470 --> 00:16:53.760 Marit Molin: Right, so last year, we raised $3.5 million.
00:16:53.760 --> 00:16:57.059 Tommy DiMisa: $3.5 million. So, we're gonna talk about all that today, because.
00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:57.640 Marit Molin: Awesome.
00:16:57.640 --> 00:17:11.059 Tommy DiMisa: What starts out as grassroots, gang, can certainly change by the power of the people. Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world, because in fact, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead. Tommy D, right back, in the attic. See you soon.
00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:35.439 Tommy DiMisa: In the attic. I, you know, things have changed, I'm on the road a lot, I'm in my office a lot, so I haven't been in the attic as much. And I will tell you this, gang, an attic is just a little, like.
00:18:36.020 --> 00:18:54.250 Tommy DiMisa: room on the top of your house, and when it's 27 degrees out, it's pretty cold in that room on the top of your house, so the space heater's keeping me a little toasty, but I have to get out of the attic soon, because it's a little chilly to be in an attic. Anyway, your boys in the attic, cut through the static every week on the show, helping nonprofits.
00:18:54.260 --> 00:19:11.110 Tommy DiMisa: tell their story, and amplify their message. Marriott, let's get back after it. Let's go. I share the website. Again, go to HamptonsCommunityoutreach.org, HamptonsCommunityoutreach.org, to check it out. I really like the website, by the way. I love the colors, and… and I…
00:19:11.110 --> 00:19:30.209 Tommy DiMisa: tell me about… you have the idea, you see that… and we just got… we kind of told people a little bit, which we'll tell them again, about the real large impact that this organization is making. But when I say small, I mean it started out as a grassroots organization, right? I mean, do you even have other employees, or is everybody volunteers? What's that?
00:19:30.210 --> 00:19:38.960 Marit Molin: Yeah, now, right now, we have four, employees. Actually, I'm gonna say 3 and a half. We have 3 full-time, and half, one person that's part-time.
00:19:39.140 --> 00:19:40.060 Tommy DiMisa: Got it, I got it.
00:19:40.060 --> 00:19:42.890 Marit Molin: But to bring it back to the camp.
00:19:42.890 --> 00:19:43.520 Tommy DiMisa: Yep.
00:19:43.520 --> 00:19:52.459 Marit Molin: And to what you just said, it's the truth. Like, if you have an idea, and you just connect with the right people, and you're willing to work hard, nothing is stopping you.
00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:59.589 Tommy DiMisa: I love that, I love that. So, camp, what, year one, summer of 18? Is that really what… the first year?
00:19:59.590 --> 00:20:00.230 Marit Molin: Yeah?
00:20:00.230 --> 00:20:15.880 Tommy DiMisa: What was that? Let's reflect back on that, which some of my guests go, wow, that was cool, we got to reflect back. Well, let's think about that first year. Kind of don't know what you're doing, but you have the people behind you, you have Meg Mandel, you have people, right? How many campers, how many weeks, what did that look like?
00:20:16.110 --> 00:20:24.229 Marit Molin: Yeah, so it started off as… well, the first summer, we had plans for 4 weeks. Okay.
00:20:24.230 --> 00:20:41.359 Marit Molin: what the… how we started off was, like, I would put up stake signs around the Hamptons, you know, Hamptons Art Camp, and we got a couple of people signing up that way, and when I say signing up, that means that, you know, privileged, paying campers. So, I would fundraise for the camp.
00:20:41.410 --> 00:20:59.790 Marit Molin: But we also had some paying campers, and that helped us, obviously, pay for everything, because you've got to pay for rent, you need insurance, you need supplies, you need staff and counselors, and so, you know, it's expensive. So, we got some paying campers through word of mouth and these steak signs. I also started an Instagram account.
00:20:59.790 --> 00:21:04.609 Marit Molin: And that first summer, we had about 22 children.
00:21:05.010 --> 00:21:17.520 Marit Molin: And the camp ran for 4 weeks, and after the 4 weeks was over, people would… or maybe after week 3 into the camp, there were some parents of saying, oh my god, my daughter or son really want to continue. So we actually…
00:21:17.620 --> 00:21:31.899 Marit Molin: we actually found another space, we rented a church in Sag Harbor, so that we could extend the camp. So, that first summer, the camp ended up, last… running for 6 weeks, and it's always been a 6-week camp, ever since 2018.
00:21:31.900 --> 00:21:34.829 Tommy DiMisa: That's awesome. So, how much… how many hours a day?
00:21:34.890 --> 00:21:53.240 Marit Molin: 9 to 3. That's a full day, man, that's really great. Yeah. And sometimes there are people that struggle to pick up their kids at 3 o'clock, which we obviously understand. So, we've also made arrangements, like, we can pay a camp counselor to stay longer just to allow, you know, working parents.
00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:53.670 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:21:53.670 --> 00:21:54.100 Marit Molin: Now, of.
00:21:54.100 --> 00:21:54.620 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, well…
00:21:54.620 --> 00:21:55.080 Marit Molin: 10%.
00:21:55.080 --> 00:22:12.309 Tommy DiMisa: And so that's great, because you're solving so many problems. You're exposing these young people to the arts, you're giving them a great summer, and you're also relieving the stress for the parent, who, like you said, may be a laborer, or maybe a, you know, own a small business.
00:22:12.310 --> 00:22:15.150 Tommy DiMisa: Housekeeper, landscaping, etc.
00:22:15.150 --> 00:22:27.419 Tommy DiMisa: But now they know that their children are taken care of during the day, and, you know, having four children and dropping them off at school every morning is, well, that's my biggest challenge of my day, and I know that.
00:22:27.420 --> 00:22:28.070 Marit Molin: Yeah.
00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:32.340 Tommy DiMisa: But there is a part of it that, like,
00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:48.699 Tommy DiMisa: you know, where that… at least, you know, they're… they're all set for 6 or 7 hours in the day, right? Like, you know, and I say 6, 7, gang, 6, 7, but, you know, 6 or 7 hours. I don't know how… I don't know if that's gonna be timely when people listen to this 5 years from now, this episode, but…
00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:49.629 Marit Molin: He's like, what is he talking about.
00:22:49.630 --> 00:23:08.940 Tommy DiMisa: What is he talking about at 6'7"? But, like, you know, for those, it reminds me of other organizations. I don't know if you've ever done any work with Blessings in a Backpack, or Blessings Across Long Island. Very, very important organization. They send children home with,
00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:18.450 Tommy DiMisa: food for the weekend, because as you probably know, many children go home on the weekend. They get, you know, folks get meals at school.
00:23:18.450 --> 00:23:24.060 Tommy DiMisa: But then on the weekends, they're… they're not getting… so sure where their meals are gonna come from, so I think it's like…
00:23:24.540 --> 00:23:44.939 Tommy DiMisa: I think it's like, I'm laughing because I'm being told that 6-7 is not even timely now. I guess 6-7's over. But I, I think that, you know, it's organizations like that that they send, these children home with food for the weekend. Because, you know, so it just goes back to what I was gonna say, 9 to 3,
00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:50.789 Tommy DiMisa: So, the moms and dads also aren't really worried that the kids are getting fed, because they're going to be at that part of camp.
00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:58.659 Marit Molin: Yeah, we provide, free lunch to underserved campers, so for paying campers, we charge. I mean, it's an option.
00:23:58.660 --> 00:24:18.799 Tommy DiMisa: It's okay, though. It's okay that if you can swing it, pay for your lunch. If you need the support, you get the support. That sounds something like, I don't know, man. That sounds like humanity and community merit. I don't understand why isn't that what we're trying to do everywhere? I get… I'm gonna get on my soapbox, so let's just focus on
00:24:18.800 --> 00:24:30.719 Tommy DiMisa: on the story of HCO, because I get crazy sometimes, but the idea is, I love what you're doing, because you're supporting people who need… need the help and need the support. So… so,
00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:36.849 Tommy DiMisa: So, 6 weeks, but then you realize that camp is not the only thing you need to do here.
00:24:36.850 --> 00:24:37.799 Marit Molin: Right. What happened?
00:24:37.800 --> 00:24:41.749 Tommy DiMisa: there. What did you… what was that next epiphany for you?
00:24:41.930 --> 00:25:06.919 Marit Molin: Yeah, so, so camp ran 2018 and 2019, and some of the parents of the underserved campers, when camp was over, you know, like, end of August, we would hear from them. They reached out to me, and they said, you know, my daughter needs a backpack, or my son needs new shoes, or he has grown out of all of his clothing, can you help? And so we started supporting families after the camp was
00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:13.829 Marit Molin: over, and some of them would ask for art supplies, because they wanted to continue doing arts and crafts and, you know, drawing at home.
00:25:13.830 --> 00:25:14.410 Tommy DiMisa: Yep.
00:25:14.580 --> 00:25:39.219 Marit Molin: And so, so shoes, backpacks, school supplies, clothing, all of that. Haircuts also, I remember paying for. And so that was 2018 and 2019. And then COVID hit in February 2020, and that is the time, like, February and March is really the time when we start getting really busy. I'm gonna say I, just because now it's a we. We're an organization, we have staff.
00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:39.840 Marit Molin: right about back.
00:25:39.840 --> 00:25:41.370 Tommy DiMisa: then it wasn't. It was you.
00:25:41.370 --> 00:25:45.500 Marit Molin: it was a one-person show, really, it was. And so.
00:25:46.090 --> 00:25:58.089 Tommy DiMisa: So I would start fundraising, you know, heavy duty, like, in the winter for the camp, and so February, March, and so… What did you need to fundraise at the time? Let me just understand that, like, at that time, again.
00:25:58.130 --> 00:26:02.009 Tommy DiMisa: you were not a fundraiser, right? That's not… you don't… you didn't…
00:26:02.010 --> 00:26:19.160 Tommy DiMisa: You're not a member of the AFPLI, or AFP, or you don't have a development background, so… so… but you figure out a way to tell a story, right, that was compelling. So I want people to understand that, too, because that is a skill set.
00:26:19.710 --> 00:26:24.649 Tommy DiMisa: that you had to figure out and learn. So talk to us about that. What did fundraising feel like?
00:26:24.780 --> 00:26:38.120 Marit Molin: Yeah, yeah, so, so winter 2020, COVID hit, and like I said, that's a time when I started getting very busy fundraising, and I then could not reach out to
00:26:38.120 --> 00:26:46.619 Marit Molin: the people that I had reached out to in 18 and 19, because remember, like, everyone was so confused, during this time, because, like.
00:26:46.620 --> 00:27:06.110 Marit Molin: everyone was told to stay at home, right? And most of the kids were doing, like, virtual learning, and nobody had any idea what the world was going to look like in the summer of 2020. So… so people would say to me, like, I would try to ask them for money for camp for the summer, and they would say, well, how do you know you're holding camp?
00:27:06.110 --> 00:27:06.640 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:08.879 Marit Molin: How do you know camp is gonna take place?
00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:18.220 Tommy DiMisa: Right, right, so they… so it'd be like, so you're asking me to fund something with so much uncertainty. You know, I gotta… I gotta ask you a question, just to… just to take a quick pause on this.
00:27:18.560 --> 00:27:31.090 Tommy DiMisa: does it ever happen to you and everybody else out there, like, I know I lived through that. That is when this show started, in the attic. You know, like, I… and it's because I was in the attic. That's how come this whole thing happened, but…
00:27:31.260 --> 00:27:33.479 Tommy DiMisa: I know it happened, I lived through it.
00:27:33.650 --> 00:27:40.039 Tommy DiMisa: it feels like it was forever 100 years ago, but it also is like, I feel like it didn't end either. It's so weird, like…
00:27:40.210 --> 00:27:51.769 Tommy DiMisa: Because, again, it was supposed to be done by Easter, remember that? Yeah, right. That's always the joke I loved. I always loved it. It was gonna be… we were gonna be done by Easter, but what about that, right?
00:27:51.770 --> 00:27:59.129 Marit Molin: Yeah, yeah. So… so I couldn't really fundraise for the camp, right? Right. Because nobody knew what was gonna happen. And…
00:27:59.330 --> 00:28:18.100 Marit Molin: So I reached out to different communities and asked them how I could help, because I wanted to fundraise, I wanted to do something, but I couldn't fundraise for the camp at that point, so I reached out to other people, and I asked them, you know, how can I help you right now, because I can't fundraise for a camp. And everyone said the same thing. We need food.
00:28:18.100 --> 00:28:18.610 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:28:18.610 --> 00:28:38.499 Marit Molin: So I started, sort of a couple of different things. One of the things I started was, I started asking for money, right? It was on Instagram. You know, I… I know people that need to isolate their elders who are stuck in their homes, and they can't get to grocery stores, and they're not supposed to leave their house. Yep.
00:28:38.500 --> 00:29:02.720 Marit Molin: could you send me a donation so I can go and buy nutrition drinks and coffee and, like, whatever, toilet paper, whatever they needed? So I started raising money that way, like, friends, I sent out an email to all of my friends, and asking if they could send me $50 or $100. Yeah. But I also did something else, and that is that I reached out to different restaurant owners, because
00:29:02.810 --> 00:29:15.940 Marit Molin: As you know, everyone stayed at home, and nobody was eating out, and so the restaurant was really struggling, and there were numerous restaurants that were very close to having to close their doors. And both you and I know who works in these restaurant kitchens.
00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:16.600 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, same thing.
00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:17.000 Marit Molin: Hannah?
00:29:17.110 --> 00:29:27.600 Marit Molin: Yeah, yeah. It's a lot of time, it's undocumented people, it's migrant workers, it's, you know, the people that really struggle. So I did not want these restaurant workers to get fired during COVID.
00:29:27.600 --> 00:29:49.629 Tommy DiMisa: It's only gonna double down the challenge, right? These people are having challenges making it work to begin with, and then you take away the… you know, and, you know, certainly for the community that you're referring to, but also for the entrepreneurs, the restaurateurs, and, you know, back in that era, I had friends, on the show, it was early episodes of the show, where folks were doing… restaurants were doing a lot.
00:29:49.630 --> 00:29:58.230 Tommy DiMisa: in the, the first responder community, and they were bringing food to the nurses and the doctors and stuff like that. But, you know, just to hear you
00:29:58.230 --> 00:30:05.710 Tommy DiMisa: talk about, and we'll take a quick break, and we'll come back and talk about this, but just to hear you say, like, you're raising this money, and then you're gonna go
00:30:05.710 --> 00:30:28.689 Tommy DiMisa: shopping. I mean, this was a point, Merritt, just to refresh people's memories, I mean, this was a point where, like, we were leaving our… our produce on the… from Instacart that was delivered. We were leaving it on the porch for 3 days, and then cleaning it off on the porch with a mask on and gloves on. I mean, we gotta remember, like, so the fact that you went out and went shopping, and then…
00:30:28.690 --> 00:30:44.749 Tommy DiMisa: apparently, you're gonna tell me, delivered food to people who are homebound and needed support. At the time… and right now, it doesn't sound like, oh, that's not crazy. No, like, we didn't… I mean, I would have… if somebody was delivering food, we would make sure we were inside the house. It was like… it was like… remember that time, how…
00:30:44.750 --> 00:30:50.440 Tommy DiMisa: I don't want to say it was crazy for us, but it was just, we didn't know. You didn't want to be near another person, right?
00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:51.120 Marit Molin: That's right.
00:30:51.120 --> 00:31:07.619 Tommy DiMisa: It was… yeah, it was such a… such a wild time, so you, just to put yourself in that position as somebody caring about others and raising that money and things like that. I want to take a quick break, because when we come back, we'll go into that restaurant piece, because what I really want to just point out, though, if it wasn't for…
00:31:07.620 --> 00:31:15.489 Tommy DiMisa: for COVID, maybe Hampton's Community Outreach is a summer camp, a summer arts camp, and that's what the organization is.
00:31:15.490 --> 00:31:16.390 Marit Molin: Very possible.
00:31:16.390 --> 00:31:30.970 Tommy DiMisa: Right? But this evolution in need changed some directions. So let's talk about the restaurants and the support you did when we come back from a break. The show's philanthropy and focus. Merritt Mullen is here from Hampton's Community Outreach, making big impact here on Long Island. Right back.
00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:31.899 Tommy DiMisa: Alright, alright, show me in the attic. Merritt, I want to ask you this.
00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:34.980 Tommy DiMisa: You didn't need to do any of this.
00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:47.059 Tommy DiMisa: You didn't need to do any of this. There's… so, I want to go backwards before we go forwards. I promise we're going to come back to this restaurant thing, but you did not need to do this. Plenty of people had become aware of similar needs.
00:32:47.170 --> 00:32:57.420 Tommy DiMisa: and maybe didn't do something, or maybe people see similar needs, and I'm looking… I happen to be looking on the home repair piece on your website, everybody, HamptonsCommunityoutreach.org.
00:32:57.670 --> 00:33:09.359 Tommy DiMisa: you didn't need to do this. What was it in your background, your upbringing, your youth, your, like, your family situation when you were younger? What was it that you… that you said.
00:33:10.060 --> 00:33:14.840 Tommy DiMisa: I'm in a good position, I can be helpful, I'm gonna do this. Why?
00:33:15.600 --> 00:33:40.370 Marit Molin: It's such an interesting question, because I meet people all the time that tell me things like, oh, yeah, I saw this, you know, this homeless man at 7-Eleven, or I saw this or this, and, you know, that's just so sad. And I have this thing in me that when I see something that's sad, or I see someone suffering, like, I have to do something about it, because otherwise it will just
00:33:40.370 --> 00:33:49.240 Marit Molin: eat me, you know? Like, I will go home and I will not stop thinking about it. So, personally, like, for me, like, my…
00:33:49.240 --> 00:34:00.679 Marit Molin: makeup, my, my person, like, my, my emotional makeup is that I am a very, empathic person. Like, I have so much empathy,
00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:16.929 Marit Molin: maybe, sometimes even too much, right? Like, I meet someone that's hurting, and I just can't stop thinking about them for days, you know, and it's sometimes distracting, you know? But I also… I also feel angry. I feel angry that,
00:34:17.330 --> 00:34:30.050 Marit Molin: society, the state, the government, the world, the neighbor… like, I feel angry that not more is done to help struggling neighbors, and so I have to do something about it.
00:34:30.300 --> 00:34:44.220 Tommy DiMisa: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that. And in a lot of ways, I hear exactly what you are, because to my own detriment sometimes, I go above and beyond when I forget to,
00:34:44.610 --> 00:34:47.650 Tommy DiMisa: To take care of what Tommy D needs, sometimes.
00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:48.259 Marit Molin: Sweet.
00:34:48.260 --> 00:34:59.590 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, it kills me, like, I always try, when I see somebody broken down on the road, I always try to stop, and if I can't, because I'm, like, jamming, I got… maybe I gotta get somewhere, and I cannot stop, I'm like.
00:34:59.590 --> 00:35:10.979 Tommy DiMisa: Man, but, like, I beat myself up that I didn't stop to try to help the person with the flat tire, and it's because, like, I have a meeting I'm supposed to be at, or I have to… a presentation I have to give, and I'm like.
00:35:10.980 --> 00:35:21.219 Tommy DiMisa: I'm torn. It's… it's… you know, I think that's just the… that's, I believe, where we're supposed to be from a humanity perspective, is just supporting
00:35:21.220 --> 00:35:23.500 Tommy DiMisa: Each other, and… and helping, and…
00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:45.890 Tommy DiMisa: you know, so let's… so the restaurant piece, let's go there, because it was like a double whammy, right? Where you have the… the restaurants are hurting, some of them are going to close down, and people were just making ends meet or not making ends meet prior to the pandemic now could be out of work, and it's only gonna get worse. So, yeah, and it wasn't… it wasn't even just people, like, in that
00:35:45.890 --> 00:35:58.020 Tommy DiMisa: in hospitality, in restaurants, I mean, so many people who are never on a food line, who are never going to a pantry, were all of a sudden going to a pantry, right? So, talk about, you know, the restaurant piece, because that's… you really poured into that, it sounds like.
00:35:58.020 --> 00:36:00.659 Marit Molin: Yeah, so, I…
00:36:01.010 --> 00:36:13.350 Marit Molin: found out what restaurants were really struggling and, you know, close to having to close their doors. And again, like I said, you know, having these restaurant workers being fired during COVID, it would just… I mean, tragedy.
00:36:13.350 --> 00:36:13.850 Tommy DiMisa: Yep.
00:36:13.850 --> 00:36:15.560 Marit Molin: So…
00:36:15.740 --> 00:36:26.780 Marit Molin: I raised funds, and then I took the funds to the struggling restaurants and purchased meals, and I took those meals and delivered them to struggling communities.
00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:35.169 Marit Molin: So, at the end of 2020, we had delivered 7,000 hot cooked meals.
00:36:35.560 --> 00:36:53.590 Marit Molin: and 20,000 pounds of fresh produce. So there is a produce company that's located at Mid-Island who sent trucks out to the restaurants in the Hamptons, and we placed orders with them so we could get fresh produce, and that was delivered to families. And we also provided
00:36:53.590 --> 00:37:02.960 Marit Molin: groceries to 250 families bi-monthly. And that was done with the funds that I raised in 2020.
00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.619 Tommy DiMisa: How much did you raise in 2020?
00:37:05.040 --> 00:37:07.400 Marit Molin: $320,000.
00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:21.900 Tommy DiMisa: Got it. So, brand new organization, not brand new, but I mean brand new in this focus, right? A couple years in, right? 18 and 19, you have the camp, but new into this part of the venture, raising some serious money there. 7,000…
00:37:21.900 --> 00:37:44.459 Tommy DiMisa: cooked meals, 20,000 pounds of produce. The produce piece, first of all, I love the double, benefit, the win-win, or probably a triple win, really, with the restaurants piece, because you're supporting these restaurants, right? Their folks are now working where they might not have been working. But the produce piece really stands out for me, too, because we talk a lot about certain areas where there's food deserts.
00:37:44.460 --> 00:37:51.809 Tommy DiMisa: And communities have, you know, you drive through certain communities, and you have a bunch of fast food restaurants, but there's not somewhere to get, maybe, fresh produce.
00:37:51.810 --> 00:37:52.140 Tommy DiMisa: And that's.
00:37:52.140 --> 00:37:52.700 Marit Molin: Okay.
00:37:52.700 --> 00:38:10.749 Tommy DiMisa: That's a lot of 20,000 pounds of fresh produce. I mean, that's a game changer. And what… now, how did you do that from a distribution perspective? Were you dealing with community-based organizations? Were you dealing with… I'm assuming there'd be, like, faith-based organizations that you would partner up with and stuff like that?
00:38:10.750 --> 00:38:16.189 Marit Molin: Well, I… There were a lot of people in 2020 who wanted to help.
00:38:16.190 --> 00:38:16.900 Tommy DiMisa: Yes, that's true.
00:38:16.900 --> 00:38:23.749 Marit Molin: People weren't working, and they were… they had a lot of free time, or they started working from home instead of commuting, so they just.
00:38:24.140 --> 00:38:45.780 Marit Molin: times on their hands. So people started reaching out to me, saying, I want to volunteer. So we relied on volunteers, that would distribute it. And we also have a trailer, and we would fill it, and we would drive to the different communities. That's awesome. So the different communities that benefited from us was,
00:38:46.660 --> 00:39:10.209 Marit Molin: like, in every town, there are streets, there are neighborhoods where you know the marginalized, you know, communities live, right? So we would drive to these streets and houses, apartment buildings, and there were some apartment buildings that, you know, like, you can see from the outside, they're falling apart, right? But then when you go in, and they start… people started trusting you, and they opened the door for you, you go in, and you see there's actually, like.
00:39:10.310 --> 00:39:26.019 Marit Molin: three families living in a two-bedroom apartment. And so, then, after, you know, people started to trust us, and we would come to their doors, and we would, you know, leave… we would knock on their door and leave the food outside, it was word of mouth. People started reaching us to, reaching us
00:39:26.020 --> 00:39:36.910 Marit Molin: out to us and saying, you know, like, I'm a single mom, I just lost my job because of COVID, could I also get food from you? So we structured a delivery system with the help of volunteers, and we would go to their doors.
00:39:36.910 --> 00:39:42.470 Tommy DiMisa: Wow. I mean, that's, like, again, thinking that time in history, door-to-door service was, like.
00:39:42.630 --> 00:39:49.310 Tommy DiMisa: it was a scary thing. I'm not… I don't joke when I… I mean, I remember the Lysol wipes. You couldn't get enough Lysol wipes, and…
00:39:49.310 --> 00:39:49.710 Marit Molin: Okay.
00:39:49.710 --> 00:40:05.610 Tommy DiMisa: I remember… I can very clearly remember green apples that sat on my porch for 3 days before we would bring them in the house. I mean, like, just so… so the fact that you were putting yourself in, at the time, what we considered harm's way and danger of interacting with folks.
00:40:05.610 --> 00:40:11.459 Tommy DiMisa: Face-to-face, you know, that's just not… not everybody was doing that at that time in history, and…
00:40:11.520 --> 00:40:20.779 Tommy DiMisa: When did it sort of come into the fact where you realized some of these homes are in disrepair, and that was, like, kind of a next thing?
00:40:20.780 --> 00:40:34.569 Marit Molin: Yeah, absolutely. So, when we were out in different communities delivering these meals, or produce, or groceries, we… we started meeting people, and I became known as
00:40:34.930 --> 00:40:38.500 Marit Molin: kind of like someone that gets things done, or like, here's someone that's, like.
00:40:38.710 --> 00:40:44.240 Marit Molin: you know, in action, right? Trying to help people. So people saw that, and
00:40:44.240 --> 00:40:58.980 Marit Molin: people would come up to me and ask me for things, and one of those things that people would ask for was… was help with home repair. And I was really, really shocked. I started meeting with families in their houses, and
00:40:58.980 --> 00:41:23.659 Marit Molin: I had… I just could never imagine that I would ever see something like that in the Hamptons. I met with families that, you know, they raised… they raised their children in a house full of black toxic mold. What do you do when you work paycheck to paycheck? And, I mean, you struggle to… you can't even buy enough food. What do you do when you need to do a mold remediation for maybe $15,000, and then
00:41:23.660 --> 00:41:31.050 Marit Molin: As you know, when you do a mold remediation, you also then have to pay for a rebuild. So what do you do when you have nowhere to go and you have no funds?
00:41:31.050 --> 00:41:47.799 Tommy DiMisa: No, and you know what it is, too? This is just, gang, listen up for a second. This is the social determinants of health. What are we talking about, right? Certain communities, you know, you want to talk about poverty, lack of food, and lack of housing, but, you know, you talk about then people are in living environments where they end up getting sick.
00:41:47.800 --> 00:42:06.669 Tommy DiMisa: Right? You're talking about black mold, so, right? Now you're sick, now you're in the healthcare system. What does that do? You know, yes, I… professionally, I own an employee benefits agency, so we talk a lot about health insurance and healthcare and things like that. In fact, when I leave you now, I'm actually interviewing Nick Stefanese, who's the CEO of
00:42:06.670 --> 00:42:20.479 Tommy DiMisa: Northwell Direct, which is their health insurance carrier. He's gonna be meeting me in the studio this morning, and we're gonna have an interview. And, you know, that piece on the social determinants of health, man, it's… this is a whole thing, Marit. Like, you know, so now you get in there, and…
00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:34.200 Tommy DiMisa: what happens? You start to realize that there's this need here to tell people… and I was sharing the website, gang, when you go to the website, you go to… you hover over our work, and then click on Home Repair, and the before and after, I mean, it's…
00:42:34.260 --> 00:42:37.529 Marit Molin: You've done 70, over 70 homes repaired?
00:42:37.530 --> 00:42:40.019 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, and that's… yeah, talk to me more about that.
00:42:40.370 --> 00:43:00.050 Marit Molin: Yeah, so I started meeting with families, and I saw them racing their children, you know, in their houses so that they'd have black toxic mold. Their flooring was so worn down that it was down to the particle board. So the children would be told that they could not walk around without shoes, because they would get splinters.
00:43:00.210 --> 00:43:06.210 Marit Molin: There were lots of families with that, living without heating systems, and we heard, you know, that.
00:43:06.210 --> 00:43:11.610 Tommy DiMisa: stories where they would say, well, our children have to sleep in their snowsuits. Yeah. Unbelievable.
00:43:12.480 --> 00:43:29.900 Marit Molin: So, and broken doors and broken windows, people that tape up garbage bags to try to, you know, cover their broken windows. So, I was just devastated, and I remember I came home, and I live in a safe, nice house, and I came home, and I just start… I started crying.
00:43:29.900 --> 00:43:30.989 Tommy DiMisa: That's where you did, yeah.
00:43:30.990 --> 00:43:51.270 Marit Molin: horrible that our neighbors, just, like, a couple of miles down the road, they live like that, but we live like this? Like, this is not okay. It's, like, not okay. So I decided, that we have to add on a home repair program ASAP to, you know, to our nonprofit, because we are not allowing our neighbors to live like this.
00:43:51.270 --> 00:43:55.210 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, we'll take a quick break. I mean, I…
00:43:55.370 --> 00:43:57.460 Tommy DiMisa: I know we spoke years ago.
00:43:57.460 --> 00:44:17.089 Tommy DiMisa: But we should be friends, man, we should hang out. I love everything you're about, man. This is, like, I'm getting very emotional, because this is the stuff I say, like, this is unacceptable. This is not acceptable. And I don't even just mean on Long Island. This is unacceptable on this planet. There should be nobody. There is… this is not a resource situation, this is a distribution situation, gang.
00:44:17.090 --> 00:44:17.480 Tommy DiMisa: Correct.
00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:24.179 Tommy DiMisa: Let me… let me let you all in on something, so you… everybody ready? Come on, lean in, guess what? There's plenty!
00:44:24.300 --> 00:44:45.469 Tommy DiMisa: There's plenty. There's an abundance. We don't do the right stuff and get it to the people who need it. We're doing the wrong behavior. This is the wrong behavior. This is not how this is supposed to work. And I'm getting angry, and I'm gonna pause right now and take a commercial break, because I'm… I'm pissed off for greatness, Merritt. This is not the way we're supposed to do this as a race of human beings.
00:44:45.470 --> 00:44:47.340 Marit Molin: It's wrong. It is wrong.
00:44:47.340 --> 00:44:49.529 Tommy DiMisa: We'll be right back. Philanthropy in Focus.
00:45:47.600 --> 00:45:49.140 Tommy DiMisa: Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright, alright.
00:45:49.730 --> 00:45:50.209 Tommy DiMisa: in the attic.
00:45:50.650 --> 00:46:07.769 Tommy DiMisa: focus our efforts on the South Fork of Long Island from the Hampton Bays to Montauk, and there's a quote right here on the website. Again, go to the website, hamptonscommunityOutreach.org. I can't believe what has happened. Because I wrote an email to your organization, my friend got the eye surgery he needed.
00:46:08.270 --> 00:46:10.870 Tommy DiMisa: You've changed his life. It's a miracle.
00:46:11.030 --> 00:46:23.639 Tommy DiMisa: Sharing her motion, I said, Jackie, you are the miracle. It is because you cared about your friend that this miracle happened. All right, look, Merritt, here's my question, okay? You're not a construction company.
00:46:23.830 --> 00:46:31.090 Tommy DiMisa: you are not an eye surgeon. You are not dentists, right?
00:46:31.510 --> 00:46:36.519 Tommy DiMisa: You also are not an art teacher. We found out about that in the beginning of the show. So…
00:46:37.450 --> 00:46:43.580 Tommy DiMisa: how do you leverage the community? Because I would… maybe some of your volunteers are doing the construction, but…
00:46:43.830 --> 00:47:00.099 Tommy DiMisa: are there contractors, construction companies that you deal with that maybe we should shout out, or are there more people that you're looking to deal with? Are there certain vendors you would like to deal with? I mean, I love the… just, you know, that piece about the 20,000 pounds of produce I'm gonna go back to, because not only did you…
00:47:00.100 --> 00:47:13.839 Tommy DiMisa: support the community, but now you supported a company that might have been struggling during that time, because again, if their main clients are restaurants, and the restaurants are struggling, then the distributor of the produce is struggling, etc, etc, the ripple effect, right? So…
00:47:13.950 --> 00:47:19.550 Tommy DiMisa: Who do you commune with? Who do you connect with in the… because, you know.
00:47:19.790 --> 00:47:25.219 Tommy DiMisa: Construction people, architects, electricians, talk to me about that stuff.
00:47:25.470 --> 00:47:32.020 Marit Molin: Yeah, so… What we need is…
00:47:32.210 --> 00:47:34.080 Marit Molin: Wow, we need a lot of things.
00:47:34.420 --> 00:47:59.070 Marit Molin: We need a lot of funds, right, so that we can pay for everything. As it relates to construction, it's not that easy to get donated services, because as you know, like, living on the east end of Long Island is very expensive, and it's hard, like, it's hard to get donated services. There is a construction company that's located in Sag Harbor, Forden and Company, and Alex Forden, who is the founder.
00:47:59.070 --> 00:48:20.130 Marit Molin: he is… he's really a rock star. What he does is that he reaches out, he's, you know, he builds a lot of, you know, big, very expensive houses, and he uses a lot of subcontractors. And so, when we need help, like, we are building a house, he will reach out to his contact, and he will ask them if they are willing to donate
00:48:20.380 --> 00:48:45.370 Marit Molin: something. Like, could you donate the staircase, or can you donate the framing, or the roof, right? And so, I absolutely adore this so much, because I say all the time that we all have to do what we can. Like, you might… you're not a millionaire, like, you can't donate $5,000, like, don't worry about it. Like, what can you donate? Could you help us with a delivery? Can you donate some time? There's a woman in East Hampton
00:48:45.370 --> 00:48:55.870 Marit Molin: who does not have a lot of money, but she knits hats for the homeless people, right? So she knits hats, she gives this to us, and we pass them on to help people stay warm throughout the winter.
00:48:55.870 --> 00:49:12.450 Tommy DiMisa: Time, treasure, and talent. Time, treasure, and talent. Some folks have plenty of treasure, and I believe they should donate some of it. Other folks have talent. This woman can't… maybe she can't write you a big check, but she can make these hats. And you know what? You know what's nice on a cold day? A warm hat and some gloves. That's actually really nice.
00:49:12.450 --> 00:49:15.060 Marit Molin: Right. You know? And some people have skills.
00:49:15.060 --> 00:49:16.170 Tommy DiMisa: Of course, talent, yeah.
00:49:16.170 --> 00:49:28.009 Marit Molin: Like, if you're an accountant, or, you know, you're good at administrative tasks, like, we need all the help that we can get. So, I feel like it's my belief, everyone can help in a way, even if you don't have funds.
00:49:28.010 --> 00:49:37.200 Tommy DiMisa: I love that. Yeah, and shout out to Alex Forden, I don't know you, Alex, but shout out to what you're doing. Website, Fordenandco.com, F-O-R-D-E-N-Co.com.
00:49:37.480 --> 00:49:56.759 Tommy DiMisa: Alex, whenever we connect, love to have you on an episode of Long Island Changemakers, because it sounds like you certainly are a Long Island Changemaker, so we'll get that going. So, let's, how big can this get? I mean, you're raised now millions of dollars, and all that money goes right back to the communities that you're serving.
00:49:56.790 --> 00:50:07.639 Tommy DiMisa: And you're doing this with a three and a half employee staff, and must be so many volunteers, right, that you tap into that community.
00:50:08.050 --> 00:50:14.730 Tommy DiMisa: How big, from your assessment, let's just focus on the communities you're serving, meaning geographic areas.
00:50:15.360 --> 00:50:19.749 Tommy DiMisa: how big is the need? Like, you say we need more funds, like…
00:50:20.290 --> 00:50:34.280 Tommy DiMisa: I mean, would you break it down to how many people need services, need support? Like, when you think about it, you're a visionary, I see that, Merit, I've seen it since we started this conversation, right?
00:50:34.610 --> 00:50:36.290 Tommy DiMisa: What's your big vision?
00:50:36.290 --> 00:50:38.240 Marit Molin: Yeah, so,
00:50:38.400 --> 00:50:48.269 Marit Molin: My… my goal is to take… to be able to help every single family that's on our home repair waiting list.
00:50:48.610 --> 00:50:49.130 Marit Molin: Got it.
00:50:49.130 --> 00:51:12.939 Marit Molin: we have about 64 families on our waiting list, and it's organized in a, like, a Google spreadsheet, right? So it will say the family's name, we will have received information about their income so that we can verify that they're in, you know, that they're, underserved or, you know, in need, and then it's, what do they need?
00:51:13.030 --> 00:51:18.979 Marit Molin: on that list of 64 families, some of them are in need of a new house.
00:51:19.310 --> 00:51:32.490 Marit Molin: And, you know, they could be currently living in, like, you know, their parents' or grandparents mold the basement, and they don't have a way out, because both parents are, you know, working minimum wage.
00:51:32.490 --> 00:51:32.910 Tommy DiMisa: Right.
00:51:32.910 --> 00:51:54.179 Marit Molin: So, they're in need of a new house. And then some of those people are in need of home repair. It's like, our doors and windows are broken, our roof is caving in, our ceiling is collapsing, you know, can you help? So, my goal is to raise enough money to take everyone off of that waiting list, and I'm not stopping doing this work until everyone is off that waiting list.
00:51:54.270 --> 00:52:05.269 Tommy DiMisa: what do you… now, I mean, there must be a range, because if it's doors and windows, maybe that's 3 grand, 4 grand, 5 grand, right? And then if it's a new home, you know, that's another thing, or if it's mold remediation, it's something else.
00:52:05.280 --> 00:52:06.440 Marit Molin: Yeah.
00:52:06.540 --> 00:52:10.759 Tommy DiMisa: So, I have some connections for you, we're gonna talk offline, but… Amazing.
00:52:10.760 --> 00:52:11.530 Marit Molin: Amazing, thank you.
00:52:11.530 --> 00:52:24.400 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, for sure. What do you think, like, can you, in your mind, when you do a job, and again, I just already set out that there's a range, but what does it cost, roughly, for a project?
00:52:24.400 --> 00:52:30.130 Marit Molin: Yeah, so what I can tell you is that, we need about $4.5 million.
00:52:30.130 --> 00:52:34.430 Tommy DiMisa: Okay, so you know, that would get that… that would clean up that waiting list, four and a half million bucks.
00:52:34.430 --> 00:52:47.260 Marit Molin: And I'm well aware that $4.5 million is a lot of money, but you and I also know that there are a lot of people in the Hamptons who could write a check for a million dollars, and they wouldn't even miss it.
00:52:47.260 --> 00:53:04.370 Tommy DiMisa: How… so, let's go there. How supportive is the community? I mean, you said you went to friends and family and connections and things like that. How supportive is the community, you know, of the people who really… of the haves, you know, out that way? Have you got a big lift from folks?
00:53:04.370 --> 00:53:17.210 Marit Molin: I would say yes. There are, we have many, well, multiple millionaires, or many… I would say many millionaires on our, on our donor list.
00:53:17.210 --> 00:53:17.610 Tommy DiMisa: Great.
00:53:17.610 --> 00:53:29.069 Marit Molin: we have some people that donate $100,000, $50,000, $75,000, even $200,000, $250,000 even. So, they are, you know, very wealthy people. I mean, sorry, very generous.
00:53:29.070 --> 00:53:38.689 Marit Molin: You know, some, as you know, everyone is different, right? And there are very wealthy people who are not generous. Sure. But we happen to have, you know, some very generous, wealthy people.
00:53:38.690 --> 00:53:51.470 Tommy DiMisa: I love that. And again, you know, the more these stories get out, and the more people hear about the need, and I mean, you're very specific with that goal, and I love specificity. I never know how to say that word.
00:53:51.470 --> 00:53:52.780 Marit Molin: Yeah, sorry.
00:53:52.780 --> 00:54:06.679 Tommy DiMisa: I always have trouble with it, and I worry about it so much as I'm about to say it, so it even gets worse in my head. But, you know, you're very specific. 64 families on the list, $4.5 million. That's, like, that's a campaign right there, man. Like, that's…
00:54:06.680 --> 00:54:14.190 Tommy DiMisa: you could put that, you know, on a flyer. That's a real thing. I want to talk… we'll talk offline, I have some ideas about that, but I also…
00:54:14.190 --> 00:54:34.239 Tommy DiMisa: I want to shout out, Sattel Institute, where I'm… I operate as an executive liaison. Sattel Institute is a fully funded nonprofit organization all about corporate social responsibility, and the members of Sattel Institute make a multi-year… they're all for-profit leaders who make a multi-year giving commitment to a non-for-profit, and in doing so.
00:54:34.240 --> 00:54:58.289 Tommy DiMisa: they become a member of the Sattel Institute. So, in Philadelphia, there's 450 members of Sattel Institute who are… I'll just use the title CEO just for a placeholder, but it's C-level executives at for-profits that get together, they mastermind. It's not a think tank, it's a think and do tank, and it is not just about altruism. These folks are getting together because they're business professionals.
00:54:58.310 --> 00:55:12.419 Tommy DiMisa: but they don't necessarily know how to implement the work that needs to be done in community. They can fund these things. So, it's fully… you and I will talk about it offline. I'll connect you with my colleague Paul Howard. We're going to be doing some stuff on Long Island, but the bottom line is.
00:55:12.790 --> 00:55:25.369 Tommy DiMisa: because we're growing Sattel Institute here on Long Island, and the thing is, that multi-year giving commitment, so it's a minimum of $25,000 per year over 4 years, and by doing that.
00:55:25.370 --> 00:55:37.990 Tommy DiMisa: that then opens up the opportunity for that for-profit company to become part of Sattel Institute, and then there's the conferences and masterminds and all this cool stuff, and the non-profit partner becomes a member as well. We'll get into that.
00:55:37.990 --> 00:55:38.310 Marit Molin: Amazing.
00:55:38.310 --> 00:55:39.000 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, we're…
00:55:39.000 --> 00:55:41.070 Marit Molin: People are talking about people doing what they can.
00:55:41.070 --> 00:55:50.840 Tommy DiMisa: 100%. That's all it is, man. I want to ask you real quick before we go, is there, aside from what we just talked about, is there anything specific coming up, something specific we should know about?
00:55:51.620 --> 00:56:02.409 Marit Molin: Yes, yes, yes. I would love to tell you about Love Fest. We have an annual fundraiser that's called the Love Fest, and this year it takes place on February 7th.
00:56:02.410 --> 00:56:17.710 Marit Molin: In Southampton, 5 to 7 p.m. at, at the place called 230 Elm, and I would love for… we want to fill the room with compassionate people, so I would love to, to have you help us spread the word.
00:56:17.710 --> 00:56:32.679 Tommy DiMisa: Absolutely. Absolutely. You and I should do, next week, we should do a quick video about it, just specific about that, about Love Fest. I'm all about love, man, that's it. Tommy D, you know, I… when my hair's short like this, I say I'm like a short-haired hippie. When it's, when it's long, I'm just a regular one.
00:56:32.680 --> 00:56:54.020 Tommy DiMisa: And, that is at 230 Elm Street, and I'll share that out, you get me some more information, but if you, gang, if you go to the website, the pink bar on the top of the website takes you right there to Love Fest. So I want to be there with you that Saturday afternoon, so we'll talk about that. I'm going to be in Sag Harbor, I said, on Tuesday afternoon, so you and I will text later on.
00:56:54.020 --> 00:56:54.940 Marit Molin: I owe you a shirt.
00:56:54.940 --> 00:57:12.930 Tommy DiMisa: You owe me a shirt, you owe me. Yeah, now, now you, you know, I love it, I love it. Listen, Merritt, this has been so awesome. I appreciate you. We're gonna, we're gonna do some stuff together in 26, and I know specifically what you're looking for, and specifics are what really are things that people remember.
00:57:12.930 --> 00:57:24.870 Tommy DiMisa: The show is Philanthropy in Focus. I am Tommy D, the Nonprofit Sector Connector. This has been another In Focus production. I'll see you… next week's, like, episode 240, but who's counting? I'll see you guys next week. Make it a great day. Bye.
00:57:24.870 --> 00:57:25.819 Marit Molin: Tommy, thank you for having me.
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