When Julie Chappell was a single mom in college, she needed help—and found a system that made getting help feel small. Years later, she co-founded City Center and built the opposite: a culture that treats people with dignity, removes barriers, and meets needs in ways that restore agency.

In this conversation, Julie and Jed talk about:

• From scarcity to systems: How a dehumanizing pantry experience (≈[00:04:15]) shaped City Center’s resource model—no shaming, no hoops, just care.
• The “hope season”: Serving others while climbing out of poverty herself (≈[00:11:22]) and how that empathy informs daily decisions.
• Shoes, meals, belonging: What dignity looks like on the ground—brand-new shoes without embarrassment, warm meals shared at tables, neighbor-to-neighbor connection.
• The Christmas blueprint: Why City Center shops each kid’s wish list individually and delivers wrapped gifts so parents can lead their own traditions (≈[00:18:59–00:19:50]).
• Community as home: Block parties, backpacks, Thanksgiving dinners, and a center that feels like family (≈[00:21:31]).
• Love as a verb: Making compassion operational and measurable—and why “how we deliver” matters as much as “what we deliver” (≈[00:21:31–00:25:25]).

Key Quotes:

• “I decided I’d never let anyone feel that here.” ([00:04:15])
• “We shop for each child individually—something they want and something they need.” ([00:19:03])
• “City Center is a home for the community.” ([00:21:31])
• “Love is a verb.” ([00:25:25])

Take Action: Volunteer • Donate • Join a block party • Support the Christmas initiative
Links: [Volunteer] [Donate] [Events] [Instagram] [Facebook] [YouTube]