Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

294: Starting from Scratch: What it Takes to Build a Successful Nonprofit (Courtney Johnson)

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294: Starting from Scratch: What it Takes to Build a Successful Nonprofit (Courtney Johnson)


SUMMARY

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Armstrong McGuire & Associates. Check them out for your next career opportunity OR for help finding an interim executive or your next leader. 

What does it really take to build a nonprofit from scratch, especially when you’re balancing limited resources, overwhelming demands, and the challenge of staying resilient as a leader? In episode 294 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Courtney Johnson shares the inspiring story of founding Culinary Care, a nonprofit dedicated to providing meals for cancer patients and their families. What began as a personal response to the challenges her own family faced during her father's cancer treatment has evolved into a mission to make nourishment a fundamental part of cancer care. Courtney discusses the importance of relationship-building, persistence, and staying true to your mission in the nonprofit space. She offers insights on navigating early challenges, scaling growth, and managing burnout as a leader. Her experience highlights how strategic partnerships and focusing on small, sustainable steps can lead to big impact over time.


ABOUT COURTNEY

Courtney is the Founder of Culinary Care, which brings nourishment, care, and joy to cancer patients and their families by delivering free, restaurant-prepared meals. In 2006, while a high school junior, her father was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Told he would have five months to five years to live, he passed away just seven months later. Amidst everything, there was always one thing that brought a sense of joy and normalcy to their lives, and that was the meals that friends and neighbors delivered each night. After graduating college in 2011, she returned home to Chicago wanting to bring meals to others fighting cancer that may not have the same community support. After searching for organizations to volunteer with, she found none; that is the void Culinary Care is working to fill. Every year, 1 in 5 cancer deaths are a direct consequence of malnutrition. In Illinois alone, that’s over 6,000 individuals. With every meal, Culinary Care is helping take something off the plate for cancer patients by simply putting something on it.


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