Hi, Michelle, welcome was so happy to have you here with us. Thank you. I'm so honored to be here on your specially on your very first podcast. We wanted to start off talking about your career path because you were initially a probation officer. Sounds really interesting. Can you tell us a bit about what that involves?Hi and welcome to the very first podcast episode of women wellness and wisdom. We are Joanna Hamilton and brahe Schneider to Jewish Mothers of nine kids between us and a wealth of experience passionate about connecting supporting and inspiring women through our podcasts. We are delighted to welcome Michelle Barnett to the podcast Michelle is founding director of gift Charity. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology for Manchester University and Ma in social work from Brunel University and an MA in Psychotherapy and counseling from Regents College shocked by the volume of wasted food in supermarkets and restaurants and inspired by Rabbi. Naphtali chefs Vision gift started for Michelle's kitchen table in 2004 Gathering excess bread from bakeries each week and redistributing it to struggling families whilst continuing her work as a probation officer. Michelle is married to husband Danny and has three children. I met Michelle through setting up gift and we've both known. She'll pass me as a friend and our kids and families have been involved in gift activities. She is an extremely giving person every sense of the word and she lives and breathes the concept of gift. Thank you. It was a really exciting and stimulating career so varied and a real challenge, especially working with high-risk offenders visiting them in prison supervising them on release the community and working with them on their offending Behavior. We've ever scared Yes from time to time. I literally just left uni. That was my first job. So to be working with murderers and pedophiles and rapists was quite daunting when I worked for about 11 years. Wow. I started just general General offending Behavior with just normal offending me didn't risk offending, but then eventually worked into worked in a high-risk team. Why did you choose that the higher esteem? Oh, why did you choose that career path? I thought it was just such a different world to my world and I suppose I was hoping that I could affect change which so as out of there take that to be a little bit more tricky than I expected. But you risings. Did you find it rewarding? I loved I loved it. I loved the work. I love the that it was just such a different world that it was exciting. It was so varied. We had to write Court reports speaking in front of the court to a judge about about the offender work with them in the community. Visit them in prison. It was just it was just a totally different world what I found really frustrating was The end of the days most of these people has a lifetime of offending behaviour and there was a couple of families that their parents and grandparents have been clients in my probation office. Oh my gosh, and it was kind of like no chance for them. It was just very very very hard to affect any change that was kind of the first rating element to it. Did you see any changes was that anyone on you know, you wouldn't have wood. You have seen now. I know some of the people some of the murderers who had been imprisoned for like 20 20 odd years a couple of them really had changed their lives around one through religion. He converted to who is a born-again Christian and he just couldn't wait to do what he could you know, he just literally turned his life around and in fact when I started with gift and we Food to distribute we had we had loads of Breads and bagels. He actually worked for he's actually distribute food in town. And when we had Surplus Bagels used to give it to them to his community and these to go around Distributing and I was just hoping he would have come across someone Jewish and give them some coach of bagels and town but on the whole of the very difficult, but it was still an amazing career. So why? Did you decide to change careers and join this startup charity? Well around 16 years ago a group of us got together and to start gift headed by Rubber an Italian chef. We all felt very passionate about starting a Grassroots charity where our young kids could volunteer be Hands-On and we're in a culture where kids are so focused on themselves. We could educate and Inspire them to be more giving and outward focus in their everyday lives. I'd always been involved in just the Jewish Community growing up in Bellaire Kiva and I felt this stage of my life that I could possibly be more impactful and make more of a difference working with gift then affecting change with the murderers and pedophiles that I was working with. So tell us about how about what's involved in setting up a charity? How did it involve? How did it grow? So I feel that give kind of grew organically. We formed that committee that We just spoke about and we brainstormed ways that we could impact the community. I think in the most effective way and then each subcommittee focused on a different project. I remember talking about food collection at that very first one of those first meetings. There was another subgroup that talked about that worked on getting recipient families recruiting volunteers. And at first we were all volunteers and then after a while Hired our first part time employee. I think that was mainly to fundraise and apply for Grants so that we could cover our expenses and then we need to trustees a Treasurer accountant and then we had to apply for charity status part. It started with the Breads and then you remember we went out look we went out the two of us at midnight one night to collect surplus food from a function. Oh, yeah, perhaps if I got remember Well, the cages the caterer said to us we got we came there was so excited got dressed up. We've had enough at midnight and the Caterers said you don't think we're going to give you all our leftover food you it's been sitting around since 5 o'clock this afternoon. Do you have a refrigerated van? Are you going to give it out right now? And we had all these plans and all this good all those good intentions and then we kind of it was all for today because we didn't have a refrigerated van. They wouldn't the cage was wouldn't work with us because they didn't want their reputation or they didn't want anyone to get ill so that was kind of quite tricky, but that's still going around around but the bread because it wasn't cooked perishable foods that kind of carried on that was fine. And then a number of years maybe five years after that we started with with the food the gift boxes. Yeah, and then collecting proper Foods non-drying. Non-perishable food that we could distribute. So did you ever imagine gift would become this big in the Jewish Community? I didn't actually but we just came up with more and more initiatives volunteers want to get involved. And unfortunately, there were more and more recipient families who needed our support and kind of one thing led to another and Where is we are? This is amazing think maybe being part of Jewish Futures meant that we were in that building were pushed off tallies quite a Visionary. Yeah, and I think he just pushed it and how was it was our co-chair co-chairperson door's always was also very interested in stats. How much more we increasing how many more volunteers do we have? How many more sessions? Suppose the two of them kind of really pushed us to expand and get better and better stats more volunteers. What does gift currently provide we spoken a bit about it, but it's huge what it provides can tell us like so I think gift in the past as people have only known it for its for our food bank, but our focus is actually quite different now, so I would we'll start with saying that give provide a stimulating and Powerful education and multimedia curriculum for students children wipies the community focus on changing attitudes to giving then as we just mentioned I'd also say that we provide the opportunity for the community to engage in meaningful volunteering opportunities from packing delivering food support packages to tutoring helping a family home. Eames and visiting patients and residents in hospital and Care Homes and that we feel that the education together with the volunteering experience will really succeed in shifting attitudes to giving and throw it through those aims the less fortunate those less fortunate in our community will hopefully be positive positively supported in the huge way currently food-wise. We're giving out over 13,000 support. packages every year consisting of dry food Halas bread fruit and vegetables, especially on surf packages, but the impact of our work changing attitudes are giving we feel will not only impact our recipient families But ultimately every charity every community and every one by creating a more giving Society better parents better spouses and better people in general, so it's more about teaching people how to Give I think so. Yeah. Yeah because of the beginning it was missing on. Yeah, that's that's been quite a big change has been quite a big shift and there's a lot of work on that you go into loads of different schools are our kids have been part of it. Yeah, and I educate we've got an education team and they are absolutely incredible. They are rubber rooms even puts the other most incredibly creative sessions. We sat down Friday and hers he Just went through. For be around 50 or 60 of his different set of different sessions. He's created from Hands-On two lectures to talking your two sessions to just the creative ability is is unbelievable. And then we have Sarah Joseph who runs in also runs incredible sessions particularly in secondary schools. She's put together a program called time to give which gets sick formers learning about different skills that they can use in the community takes them out to the homeless makes sandwiches make sandwiches for the homeless learns about mental health clowning and hospitals just all different skills to really quit young people with the skills they need Need to give in society and then we've also shown a Dresner has groups her Burrus and she runs lunch and do sessions and schools and she also runs we've got an amazing program of bomb, but Mitzvah. Yeah sessions to really inject meaning into the bar mitzvah It's very good experience. So, how did you balance raising a family with your role? Haha. No easy. I'm quite addicted to my work as I love it so much. So it's been really hard to tear. It is really hard to tear myself away from the office when my kids were younger when gift was based in my home. It was slightly easier in a way and then they could be part of everything I was involved in the food packing was in my kitchen. It's a bomb. It's visible gift events to every function we went to I had to stay behind the collect the surplus food. I can't say they never got frustrated. But in other ways they've grown up immersed in the hazard, which is has to be a good thing. Yeah, I love that. So what is your vision for the future of gift? My vision for gift is for us to have the funding to grow and expand to more schools universities and communities for One who's exposed and touched by gift to be that much more moose to be a giver to appreciate what they have and to be inspired to give to others at every opportunity. Have you seen that? I have you seen that the people that you have seen that having you that the people you've given to have given back. It's like a yeah exactly in a big way. Not only not only the not only those of school that are exposed to our sessions. Have shifted their attitude to giving and I say in the volunteers when people are volunteering with in a really meaningful placement. It just changes the whole experience of Life. They start appreciating what they have and it feels really good to give so I think it just kind of changes but I'm not only not only the volunteers but the families that we give to The so grateful and we get such amazing letters from them and a recent letter from some from one of the families. She said that she wishes that there will be a time when she too can donate food into the gift boxes rather than receiving help. I think think people probably I think people prefer to be givers and takers and and I think just being giving as just a pleasurable experience. I think it's just a spiritual experience and I just think we can kind of open people's eyes to the experience of giving so what is your philosophy on giving I love Pearl banishes quote on giving to give us to live an amazing quote. I just kind of feel when I'm giving I just Do you feel more alive? She was a holocaust Survivor wasn't yes. So it even during the camps even during the most terrible terrible situation. She they were just incredible stories about giving everyone people had nothing tiny crumb of bread. They're just most inspiring stories about how they were happy to give or to share. Did she write it she wrote a book Lynch? I think to Vanquish the eigen. Yes. Naphtali. Always. Yeah, beautiful work. Yeah. What are you most proud of I think I'd say that I'm very proud of how my kids have turned out. So far parenting is one of the hardest jobs in the world and maybe it's despite us, but I'm really proud that my kids have turned out so special and such good kids and so giving Could be very different. I think that's everyone's dream, isn't it? Yeah, it is one of the houses they're not perfect. That's it get me wrong. But but they're good really good kids, and I'm really proud of them. So have you got any advice to women seeking balance? And no, not really. I think it's a constant struggle saying no and having boundaries is quite important for balance and I haven't yet mastered that what have you learned about yourself? I've learned that I'm a bit of a control freak and I like to know what's going on in all aspects of gift at all times on a positive note. I think I've learned that I'm quite good at getting things done and quite tenacious and passionate and will always find a way to make things happen and you've made something very big. Thank you. We're now going to ask five questions that we're going to ask Every Woman we interview. What is your Favorite book. I think my favorite book is called talking to God by Naomi Levy. If you've ever come up with that. It's a stunning book with a chapter on every possible life event or experience thanking God or asking God for help in that area and it's just just find it. So spiritual and connecting I've given example, what do you mean? So what? See when I went to find the book this morning it disappeared. My husband was a decided to clear out all the books in the house and give them to charity shop. So so someone is going to be reading a lot about five coffees. So five people I'll give an example in my mom was ill and in surgery. There was a prayer for there's a prayer to say when Someone loved one is in surgery is literally you cannot cannot believe the amount of scenarios that it has and it's just a prayer and it just ask God to give the surgeon and wisdom and knowledge and insight and skill and to bless the surgeon while they're operating on your loved one. It's just literally every possible scenario when someone you're close to. As to as ill or when you've had a bereavement or press to say before positive things as well before a bris before wedding for an engagement. So it's kind of tools. It's not really a book and it's a book. It's a book of prayers. I was a book of prayer. Yes, but it's written so beautifully. So now every circumstance. Yes anything you can imagine. Even the good sign when a pet dies just like anything possible. Yes positive and but it's a really stunning connecting book sounds fascinating. So what do you do for your own self care? How do you give to yourself Michelle? I know it sounds corny, but when I'm working and when I'm running sessions involved in a hackathon or I now I'm helping a family. I'm in my element and I really feel like I'm feeding my soul. So I kind of really feel I am giving to myself even when I'm working when I'm not working. I love traveling to different places experiencing different cultures and countries and soak in the beauty of what the world has to offer. I do get that how you give to yourself as by doing because everyone always says you need to slow down but sometimes the actual Act of yeah, well, I kind of stopped I kind of think like I just kind of it's really hard. I kind of now no It's like yeah, then he starts and personalities who just need to keep moving and will those saying that Shabbos? I don't I don't struggle kind of just sitting and just relaxing and being I do enjoy that as well. So do you have time with you're by yourself or do you always have visitors? Because I know you know, I do all different kinds of all we do is very different. We like it. We like having interesting people characters over now. I also love just not having guests and just kind of just having family, especially when my kids back come back from uni. It's just lovely just to be together with the family. So so Shabbos his kind of your day of red is chilling. Yeah, just chilling and sleeping. What's your favorite Shabbos recipe? My son received a bread machine for his bar. Mitzvah and such a cool present is a really cool present. Did he ask for it or someone just thought of it? There's someone thought of it. So cool up there and I love using it to make colors but different types of colors and Granary follow with seeds sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Yeah, I don't always get to make it but when My I do I love that you can see one of the recipes and maybe I will yeah. Well Link in the show notes. Okay, great. Thank you. This is definitely my favorite question. So who's your female role model? And why? So I'd say my mom is my role model. My mom lost her sight some years ago, but I never heard her once complain never she she was so positive and driven to achieve and was so giving there's a real inspiration. Well, that's very beautiful. Amazing. Hmm. And what's your favorite quote? My favorite quote is by Pablo Picasso and it goes as follows. The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. That's just perfect. However the website yes. Yeah. Thank you so much for joining us as our first guest Michelle if people want to find out more about gift what you do and how to get involved. Where should they go? So probably best to look up our website, which is www.jtgeek.com org, so don't forget the J and our Instagram Facebook and gift charity, or they can call us on. Oh 208 four five seven double 4 to 9 or email to info @ J get dot-org. Thank you Michelle. We look for it. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much. It's been amazing. Thank you. Please subscribe like and review the podcast. You can also find us on Instagram at women Wellness wisdom.
In our first interview, we chat to our good friend Michelle Barnett about her role in setting up and running Gift from her kitchen table in the early years, building it in to a large successful charitable organisation that affects the lives of hundreds of people. Some of the topics we cover include:    Her career journey   Her philosophy on giving   Her vision for Gift   How she finds balance   What she does for self-care    The books mentioned in the interview are:    Talking to God by Naomi Levy   To Vanquish the Dragon by Pearl Benisch    Michelle's favourite quote:    "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away" Pablo Picasso    Michelle's bread machine challah recipe:    13.5oz water   2 & 1/4oz olive oil   2 & 1/4 t salt   2 & 1/4 t sugar   832g strong flour   1T dried yeast    Put ingredients in bread machine in above order and set to dough setting. After dough is ready, roll out into challah or rolls and leave to rise for about an hour (can be less if in a hurry). Brush with egg. Top with sesame seeds. Bake in pre-heated oven at 220 degrees for 12-14 mins. Michelle uses granary flour and adds a handful of sun dried tomatoes and cut up olives. She also uses slightly more flour than in the recipe. 