805 Talk: Recent Episodes
Jeff Landau
Want to know what's going on inside the 805? Our show focuses on the Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Conejo Valley Communities. We bring you information about real estate, along with interviews of local business owners, nonprofit organizations, government officials, community leaders, and topics affecting our communities. Come on in!
In this episode of 805 Talk, I speak with Katie Wilfong, a medical social worker and senior care planning expert, to discuss one of the most critical but often overlooked parts of aging: planning for healthcare needs before a crisis hits.
Drawing from a deeply personal family experience, my mother’s journey through different healthcare needs, this conversation highlights the importance of proactive planning and how Katie’s expertise helped guide my family through the overwhelming process after my mother’s injury and subsequent needs between assisted living and memory care.
This recording is from a few years ago, in December of 2021.
We explore why creating a plan now can make all the difference when the unexpected happens.
We also discuss a service that Katie, and her business partner in Solo Aging Solutions, Ken Kossoff offer. What happens when someone is alone and doesn’t have someone to name in the Advanced Healthcare Directive? Or has family, though no one that is relatively close by.
🗝️ What You’ll Learn: * The difference between an Advance Healthcare Directive and a POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) * Why choosing the right healthcare advocate is crucial—not just the oldest child * How Solo Aging Solutions steps in when family isn’t nearby or available * The emotional costs of not planning ahead * How local resources like Ventura County’s senior programs can support families * Why it’s important to regularly review and update healthcare wishes * How early planning can save families from making rushed, painful decisions during a crisis
💡 Key Quotes: “We plan for so many things in life—but we try to stay away from planning for when we’re not as capable. Having these conversations early is truly a gift to your family.”
—Katie Wilfong
“In a moment of crisis, you’re overwhelmed. Having someone like Katie helping to navigate that maze was absolutely invaluable.”
—Jeff Landau
In this episode, I speak with Kelila Heller, co-founder of Assisted Living Connections, an expert who helps families place their loved ones in assisted living and other similar type communities. We talk about one of life’s toughest transitions: finding the right care for an aging parent or loved one.
Kelila, her partner Tami Podell, and their team have helped hundreds of families across Ventura and LA County navigate the emotional, financial, and logistical challenges of senior care—from independent living to memory care, assisted living, and beyond. With warmth, honesty, and deep expertise (including helping my family more than once), Kelila shares real-world guidance for making confident decisions during a stressful time.
🗝️ What You’ll Learn:
- When is the right time to start planning for senior care?
- Assisted living vs. in-home care—what’s the real cost?
- What are the types of senior care: independent, assisted, memory care, and residential board and care?
- How do families pay for care: Social Security, long-term care insurance, reverse mortgage, VA benefits, and more
- What red flags to look for when deciding if it’s time to seek help
- How a senior placement advisor can make all the difference in finding the right fit
- How socialization, safety, and mental health factor into senior care decisions
- Why proximity to family members is crucial—and what happens if you wait too long
💡 Key Quotes:
“You don’t have to hire us—our services are free. We’re like a real estate agent for senior living.”
“Planning early gives you options. Waiting until there’s a crisis limits them.”
—Kelila Heller
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
• Website: www.assistedlivingconnections.com
• Phone: 888-800-1811
• Coverage Area: Ventura & West LA County (with referrals available nationwide)
• Nonprofit Partner: Senior Concerns
Episode Overview In this episode we deviate from the focus on real estate and inheritance. I speak with business continuity expert David Gering of Business Resilience Solutions to discuss how individuals and businesses can prepare for disasters and disruptions. With over 15 years of experience, David shares practical insights into risk management, disaster preparedness, and business recovery. Whether you’re a homeowner, business owner, or simply looking to be better prepared, this conversation is packed with actionable advice to help you navigate uncertain times.
Key Topics Discussed: ✅ David’s Background & Experience – How his firsthand experience with earthquakes, wildfires, and business disruptions shaped his career. ✅ Mindset & Disaster Readiness – Why preparation is critical and how stress impacts decision-making. ✅ Evacuation Planning – The importance of go bags, checklists, and what to do before leaving your home in a crisis. ✅ Lessons from Recent Wildfires – How wildfires have changed over the years and why modern fires are harder to fight. ✅ Communication During Disasters – Why cell phones may fail and how to establish alternative communication plans. ✅ Earthquake Preparedness – The impact of aftershocks and key takeaways from the Northridge Earthquake. ✅ Business Continuity Planning – How businesses can prepare for major disruptions by focusing on three key impact areas. ✅ Recommended Resources & Apps – Tools for staying informed and managing emergencies effectively.
Key Takeaways & Actionable Tips: * Always have a go bag ready at home and in your car. * Plan for multiple disaster scenarios—fires, earthquakes, power outages, etc. * Use checklists to ensure you don’t forget essential items during an evacuation. * Consider signing up for emergency alert systems (VC Alert, Alert LA County, Notify LA). * Download useful apps such as Watch Duty (wildfire tracking), MyShake (earthquake alerts), and Audacy (radio streaming during emergencies). * Businesses should create business recovery plans focusing on data/system loss, loss of workplace, and loss of personnel. * Have alternative communication methods, such as out-of-state contacts and text-based messaging. * Invest in a generator or backup battery to sustain critical power needs.
Resources Mentioned: 📌 Emergency Alert Systems:
- Ventura County Alerts: ReadyVenturaCounty.org/VC-alert
- LA County Alerts: Alert.LACounty.gov
- Notify LA: Emergency.LACity.gov/NotifyLA
📌 Recommended Apps:
- Watch Duty (wildfire alerts)
- MyShake (earthquake warnings)
- Audacy (radio streaming for real-time news)
📌 Mass Notification Platforms for Businesses:
- AlertMedia.com
- Everbridge.com
- OnSolve.com
Connect with David Gering 📞 Phone: 805-630-9731 📧 Email: David@ResilienceBCM.com 🌐 Website: ResilienceBCM.com
Final Thoughts: Preparation is key to ensuring safety and business continuity during disasters. By taking proactive steps today, you can improve your resilience and peace of mind. If you have questions or need professional guidance on business continuity planning, reach out to David Gering for expert advice.
Episode Summary:
In this insightful episode, I sit down with David Schneider, a seasoned estate planning attorney, to discuss the crucial aspects of estate planning. We explore common mistakes, the importance of having a trust, and how failing to plan can cost families tens of thousands of dollars. David shares real-life cases, explaining why estate planning is essential for every homeowner and how proper preparation avoids probate, delays, and unnecessary expenses.
Key Takeaways:
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Why Every Homeowner Needs an Estate Plan
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In California, probate proceedings apply if a homeowner passes away with assets over $184,500.
- Probate is time-consuming and costly, eating up tens of thousands of dollars from estates.
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A revocable living trust ensures assets pass smoothly without probate delays.
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Common Pitfalls in Estate Planning
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Not Funding the Trust: Many people create a trust but fail to transfer their home and assets into it. Without proper funding, the trust is useless.
- Failing to Update the Trust: Life changes (marriage, children, property purchases) require updates. Outdated trusts can cause legal issues.
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Misunderstanding Successor Trustees: Picking multiple co-trustees can cause family conflicts. It’s often best to appoint one responsible person.
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The Hidden Costs of Probate
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Attorney fees and executor fees are calculated based on the gross value of an estate, not the net equity.
- On a $1 million estate, probate fees alone can exceed $40,000.
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Personal representatives can charge the same amount as attorneys, doubling the cost.
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Avoiding Legal Roadblocks
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If a homeowner becomes incapacitated (e.g., dementia), their spouse cannot automatically sell the home unless it's in a trust.
- Power of Attorney does not cover real estate transactions after incapacity unless properly structured.
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Naming a guardian for minor children is critical to ensure their care in case of an untimely death.
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Administering a Trust: What Happens After Someone Passes?
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Successor trustees must follow California probate code, which includes formal notifications and legal procedures.
- Mistakes in trust administration can lead to lawsuits and prolonged court battles.
- Working with an estate planning attorney simplifies the process and ensures compliance.
Final Thoughts & Action Steps:
- If you’ve refinanced your home, check that your property is still in your trust. Lenders often remove it during refinancing.
- Estate planning is not just for the elderly—every homeowner should have a trust in place.
- Review and update your estate plan every 5-10 years or after major life events.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
David Schneider
https://www.drs-law.com/
(805) 374-8777
Honored to be interviewed by Wayne Baxter of One Capital Management. Wayne and I discuss all the benefits of buying a home in the Conejo Valley. We also discuss what is going on in the homeowners insurance market in general and in the area. If you have thoughts of buying a home in Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Agoura, Oak Park or Westlake Village, this episode is for you!
Simi Valley Unified Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jason Peplinski discusses the challenges the District is facing with the pandemic and budget cuts. Will we have a full return to the classroom? A hybrid model with alternating attendance days? Full distance learning? Dr. Peplinski discusses all the variables being considered and what orders are needed be followed.
As we find ourselves working from home, Dina Braverman from Organizing Concepts and Designs offers tips on best practices in organizing your home work space. Dina also helps people prepare their home for sale, whether with de-cluttering, organizing, packing and even staging!
Dina's specialty is helping people organize! We hope you have a lot of takeaways that you can implement right now!
Dina has only 5 star reviews on Google, and can be reached at (310) 560-5060 or https://organizingconceptsanddesigns.com
Technology seems to be a timely subject and this episode features specialist Dan Natarelli from MSP Pros. We cover tips for working remotely, setting up an effective workspace, security and protecting your data and network, tips for hosting an online meeting, how to set up a redundant system in case your WiFi goes down and, channeling my inner Carrie Bradshaw, backing up!
Do you rent a home? Do you rent a commercial property for your business? Do you own a residential or commercial property and want to know what new rights your tenants may have and options you have during this state of emergency? Please join the conversation with Don Lanson of Manfredi Levine and Janice Miller of Miller Haga as we discuss the new and changing landscape of landlord and tenants rights, as well as ways to keep relationships smooth. Because, at some point we will be on the other side of this pandemic!
Our mindset and beliefs are challenged every day. Jeffrey Saad has a way about him, how he thinks and acts that produces energy and enthusiasm. I'm hoping our conversation will uplift you, even if you don't feel you need it, and perhaps offer new ways to approach your day. Maybe even offer you a "pick me up." I've known Jeffrey for years and have seen him present many times, and he is someone I will never get tired of being around and hearing from, and I hope you'll feel the same after listing.
Greg Spaulding, from Turnkey Advisory, share his expertise regarding both consumer and business credit. Greg's specialty is helping business owners establish credit under their business name, to separate it from their personal business. In this episode we discuss what consumers should know steps they should take to monitor their credit, the different FICO scores available, changes the federal government instituted on credit reporting and late payments, and how to build up business credit.
You can access a free credit report at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action where you can monitor your credit weekly during this pandemic.
Marcine Kline and Lauren Greer of Glen Oaks Escrow give us an update on what is going on with real estate transactions from their side of their side. How can buyers and sellers best prepare themselves before opening escrow and what can they do during the escrow period.
Recorded on April 10, 2020.
Marcine can be reached at 818-500-0400
What an amazing conversation with Bob Miller, voice of the Los Angeles Kings for 44 years. We talk about Bob’s passion for broadcasting and how he started doing play-by-play during his Little League games that he played in as a child. His time growing up in Iowa and Wisconsin and doing play-by-play for the NCAA national champion Wisconsin Badgers coached by Bob Johnson. His break getting the play-by-play job with the Los Angeles Kings. Stories about then owner Jack Kent Cooke. His reaction to the Kings trade for the great one, Wayne Gretzky. The lean years and the two Stanley Cup runs. Memorabilia in his office. His interview with Vince Lombardi. His relationship with Chick Hearn.
In this episode we are joined by Leah Segedie as she shares concerns over the quality of the drinking water in Simi Valley, as well as steps being taken to help improve it. Leah's website, https://www.mamavation.com/, is about empowering women through eco-wellness. This website is a wealth of information on hormone-disrupting chemicals as well as environmental pollutants and toxins in the outer world and in our homes, and what we can do to lessen them. Leah is an amazing educator and activist.
It is well documented that there will be a great transfer of wealth as the baby boomer generation ages and passes away. There exists an amazing opportunity for non-profit organizations to keep in close touch with their donor base, and keep their eyes and ears open for planned gift opportunities. Although planned gifts rarely happen immediately (hence, planned gifts...), they can be transformative for an organization.
Do you work for a nonprofit? Do you sit on the board of a nonprofit? If so, this episode provides very important information for your organization.
Juan Ros, financial advisor with Forum Financial Management, offers our listeners a unique perspective. Juan offers a unique perspective as he possesses great experience in the nonprofit world as a planned giving officer. He also has a wealth of knowledge as he now advises clients on planning strategies that could also involve gifts to nonprofits.
This episodes focuses on real estate gifts. Where a monthly gift can be as little as $5 a month, and is incredibly valuable to an organization, and a major gift can be a donation of $500 or $1,000, a planned gift can easily be in the $100,000s and even over $1 million.
Organizations that think they are too small to accept a real estate gift can learn a great deal from this episode. It could be as simple as creating a gift acceptance policy (if one isn't already in place) and speaking with someone from a community foundation, such as Ventura County Community Foundation or California Community Foundation.
I hope you find great value from this show, and if you do, please share it with your donor base and others in the nonprofit world.
You can reach Juan at 805-494-3416.
What do we know about the Santa Susana Field Lab? It depends who you ask. In this episode I interview Denise Duffield, Associate Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility. There are a few PDFs I was not able to attach to these notes. I did offer to have Boeing part of the show and they declined. Please find links where you can do further research.
The timing of the show is critical as NASA wants to break out of the cleanup agreement they entered in 2010. Info on public hearings is:
Best Western Posada Royale,
Wednesday, November 20th, 2019
from 6:30–8:30 p.m., 1775 Madera
Road, Simi Valley, CA 93065
Corporate Pointe at West Hill,
Thursday, November 21st, 2019 from
6:30–8:30 p.m., 8411 Fallbrook
Avenue, West Hills, CA 91304
The notice says that written comments due around Dec. 9, via email to msfc-ssfl-eis@mail.nasa.gov This website from 2017 has good background on SSFL history (and history of cleanup agreements) as well as Boeing's greenwashing, (Boeing's effort to claim that cleaning up the site will do more harm to the environment) and also a map that shows the operational areas of the site for DOE, NASA, and Boeing see https://www.protectsantasusanafromboeing.com/faq/ Another good article for background on SSFL's nuclear past, and on the Woolsey Fire, is https://thebulletin.org/2019/02/a-failure-of-governmental-candor-the-fire-at-the-contaminated-santa-susana-field-laboratory/ And here is the Parents vs SSFL Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PARENTSvsSSFL/ which will always have the most current news and actions. On Boeing's website, they write "Since acquiring its portion of the Simi Hills site from Rocketdyne in 1996, Boeing has made significant progress with cleanup and restoration. The company secured the future of nearly 2,400 acres as permanent open space habitat to benefit wildlife and the community, fulfilling a commitment made 10 years ago. The transformation of Santa Susana from field laboratory to open space is well underway, with native plants and animals reclaiming most of the previously developed areas of the property."
In disagreement with this statement, a year ago, Pacific Magazine wrote, "Fifty years later, the contaminated site has yet to be cleaned up, although this month two federal agencies promised to plow ahead without the site's current owner, Boeing. And in March, the Department of Energy provided $38.3 million in funds to complete the radiologic survey of "Area IV" as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act." This isn't accurate today, as Boeing continues to dodge cleaning up the site to high standards, and the Department of Energy and NASA want out of their agreement from 2010 Administrative Orders of Consent since Boeing is fighting to live up to those standards. Boeing is proposing to clean the site to a "recreational" standard, which could leave up to 98% of the contaminants, as opposed to a "residential" standard, clean enough to build homes on.
If you want to take action, you can attend the public meetings in November, contact government officials Henry Stern, Christy Smith, Brad Sherman and Julia Brownley.
You can also get information from Parents vs. SSFL and Rocketdyne Clean Up Coalition.
Hub101 is a place for experimentation, discovery, and growth, and was created as part of Cal Lutheran University's Entrepreneurship program. Hub 101 creates a community for entrepreneurs and early stage start-ups who otherwise might be isolated in their home or other office. Featuring collaborative co-working spaces starting at $199 a month, Freelancers Academy, Pitch to your Peers, StartUp Weekends, and other benefit and opportunities, Hub 101 is THE place to be if you are a local tech start-up. And they could not have chosen anymore more motivated and engaged than Greg Monterrosa!!
For more information, please visit http://www.hub101.la or contact Greg Monterrosa at info@hub101.la
Or, find Greg on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/gregmetro/
Please join Marc Mackenzie of Acorn Law, Susan Coert of Help Unlimited, Kelila Heller of Assisted Living Connections and I as we go in-depth on upcoming decisions we need to make for our parents as they age. Should they stay in their home? If so, should they hire an unlicensed or licensed help? If they need assisted living, how do you go about choosing independent, assisted, and other type of living arrangements? What about qualifying for MediCal and Medicaid? Do you have to hide your assets to qualify? What is the best way to structure your trust? This an more in this timeless episode.
Two shows rolled into one! Esta McIntyre from My Health Studio in Westlake Village joins the show and shares her mission what makes her studio different from the big box gyms. Please click the following link for information about My health studio.
My introduction to cryotherapy a few weeks sparked my introduction to Synergy in Westlake Village. There practice involves massage therapy, cryotherapy, physical therapy and chiropractic, for a comprehensive approach to recovery. Please click the following link for more information about Synergy.
Can you mix politics and religion? If you are Thousand Oaks Mayor Rob McCoy you can! Please join us for a conversation with Rob where we discuss his journey to serving in public office, what it was like to be named Mayor Pro-Tem the day before the Borderline mass shooting and two days before the devastating wild fires and what it was like behind the scenes with families and leading our community during that time. Rob talks about his mission to create a Borderline memorial during his one year term as Mayor. He also shares about his effort to connect with the community through his YouTube channel #TOTalks.
A special treat having as our guest spokesperson Melissa Giller from the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. How special is it that we have a Presidential Library in our area?! Melissa discusses the differences between the Foundation, Library and Museum. How President Reagan chose this area for the Musuem and his final resting place. How the Library and Museum are funded, their missions, special exhibits and more. After our interview we walked through the Museum and it brought back a lot of memories from that time. Air Force One and Marine One helicopter are not to be missed either!!
While we are all immersed in the digital age, while print advertising has been on the decline, how can a local newspaper survive? John Loesing, managing editor of the Acorn Newspapers, describes his how his background in TV news reporting lead him across the country to our community, the value of having a thriving local newspaper, the 5 local editions of the Acorn and what it's like running the paper.
What do you get when you put together a bunch of charitably-inclined gentlemen, hor d'oeuvres, cocktails, 3 local non-profit organizations, and over $10,000 in donations? You get the 100 Men Who Give a Damn - Conejo Valley!! Please join this conversation with Tadd Eckstrand and Jason Dawes as we discuss 100 Men Who Give a Damn, a donation driven organization that combines fund raising for nonprofit organizations and networking. With an attendance of over 100 per event and each member donating $100 per meeting, the organization donates over $10,000 to 1 of 3 charities that make a 5 minute presentation to the membership. Please join 100 Men Who Give a Damn - Conejo Valley, at their next meeting! For more information, please go to https://www.100menconejovalley.com/
Ever wondered what it would be like to make a movie? Write? Direct? Produce? Be the star? Well, local talent Travis Greer discusses his first feature film, a "Rock n Roll Heart." Which, just won Best Original Screenplay for a Feature Film at The Silicon Beach Film Fest. More accolades to follow I'm sure! Travis wrote this film in an incredible 3 weeks, and even more incredible than that, finished filming and editing in a mere 10 months on a budget that you will have to listen to to find out. For screening information, please go to arocknrollheartfilm.com
To follow Travis on Facebook and get updates on this film, (he's posted 77 updates so far), and his future projects, please go to https://www.facebook.com/tenacioustravis
Raising HOPE, Inc. provides advocacy, funding and support for children and families in the foster care system and offer funding to provide for the needs of dependent youth or recently emancipated youth. They also offer a high quality mentorship program for teens and young adults. Please listen to learn more about the important work they are doing for our community's youth.
Did you know we have a zoo right in our own backyard, on the campus of Moorpark College? The Exotic Animal Training and Management program at Moorpark College is only of two teaching zoos in the country, and trains students from all over the world! Mara Rodriguez shares her experience working at the zoo, it's origins, and what it's like taking a tiger for a walk. Please listen to this fun interview, and better yet, please visit the zoo. They are open every weekend from 11-5. For more information, please click here: https://www.moorparkcollege.edu/teaching-zoo
I'm so happy to present Debbie Goldstein of Savvy College Funding Solutions, a Westlake Village based consultant that helps navigate the college search and application process, as well as how to qualify for scholarships and financial aid. What is a FAFSA? What if you don't fill it out correctly? What if you present information about you, your family and your child differently? Will that impact whether your child gets accepted to the school of their choice? Will it impact qualifying for scholarships and/or financial aid? What you don't know can really hurt you. Take a listen and please let me know your thoughts and best takeways. To reach Debbie directly, you can call 888-305-1441. To get more information and watch informational video, please go to http://savvycollegefunding.com/
What a pleasure having Don Lanson, Real Estate Attorney at Manfredi Levine in Westlake Village, on the show! We talked about the common disputes between tenants and landlords, how to avoid liens on your home, and as 1 of 5 City Planners, Don treated us with some insight into the direction Thousand Oaks is headed in terms of building, improvements, and the plans for Downtown T.O. He also gives some beneficial advice on how to avoid common mistakes that lead to the need for legal action. Take a listen! I'd love to hear what your biggest takeaway was in the comments section below.
Former Simi Valley City Councilmember and 8 year Simi Valley Mayor and current Ventura County Supervisor Bob Huber spends time with us sharing his early life experiences that shaped who he is and his work ethic and why he is so dedicated to serving our community.
The Skateboarding Hall of Fame is alive and well! Founder Todd Huber takes us through his history, his founding of World Famous Skate Lab in Simi Valley, to his founding of the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum. What do you do when you have a passion of skateboarding and own over 5,000 (not a typo) skateboards? You share them and their history with the world. The 2019 Skateboarding Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is May 2, 2019 at The Globe in Los Angeles, California. For more information, please visit http://www.skateboardinghalloffame.org
Leslie Appleton Young has been the Chief Economist for the California Association of Realtors for the last 35 years. In this episode she talks California Real Estate, ongoing trends, and what is needed to help spark growth in our local Ventura County real estate market.
Wendy Jaffe of Conejo Deals and Simi Deals talks about how she and her brother Robert started these 2 local award winning "daily deals" websites. Wendy talks about her career before starting this business, some challenges faced during the launch, how they grew from 2,000 to over 60,000 subscribers, lessons learned, and how they've donated over $500,000 to local schools and nonprofits.
Newly inaugurated Mayor of Simi Valley Keith Mashburn talks about his background of public service, his 30 years of service in the Ventura County Fire Department, Simi Valley Town Center, potholes and the budget.
Founder and CEO Cindy Rakowitz talks about Fit 4 The Cause, a Thousand Oaks based nonprofit organization that provides therapeutic exercise and nutrition education to those who cannot afford trainers or attend gyms under normal circumstances. Cindy talks about the need for their services, how she got started, services offered and where they are going! You can find more about them at https://fit4thecause.org/