Stand Together

This #SecondChanceMonth, Stand Together actively supports the people working to understand what keeps people stuck and build targeted, informed solutions for their long-term success, like at Mount Tamalpais College. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4cEJwJh

A hospital charges $100,000 for a procedure. The insurance company negotiates it down to $20,000 and calls it savings. Dr. Keith Smith, founder of the Surgery Center Of Oklahoma, calls it something else: a system designed to profit from its own dysfunction. Smith's clinic skips the game entirely. Every procedure has a fixed, published price. A gallbladder removal costs $6,836 total, covering the facility, equipment, anesthesia, and surgeon. That figure is on the website before a patient ever walks through the door. The bigger structural problem, according to Stanford economist Dr. John H. Cochrane, is that patients are shielded from prices at every turn. When buyers can't compare costs, competition disappears and prices have nowhere to go but up. Dr. Josh Umbehr, MD runs AtlasMD, EMR in Wichita on a different premise. "We don't try to buy gasoline with car insurance," he said. "It's not that insurance is bad; it's really more prepaid medical than it is an insurance product." His direct-care membership runs about $1,500 a year. The national average for family premiums exceeds $25,000. When these models opened in 2010, only a handful existed. Today there are more than 2,500 direct-care clinics nationwide, with 30 to 40 more opening every month. The question these doctors are asking isn't whether affordable care is possible. They're showing it already is: https://bit.ly/4tF2q92

It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity dominating today’s headlines. But that’s not the full story of who we are. In this powerful conversation with Daniel Stid, Stand Together CEO Brian Hooks reflects on the enduring values that continue to define what it means to be American. Listen on Apple: https://lnkd.in/eubPAM68 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eDgMDsYz Read more: https://lnkd.in/eKtZWNkK

Real change starts with people. The most powerful solutions come from individuals who care deeply about their communities and take action to make them stronger, not top-down systems. As Aloe Blacc shared: “Believe in People reminds us that the power to change lives and strengthen communities lies within each of us. It's an inspiring call to lead with dignity, optimism, and connection.” When we invest in people, we unlock potential that transforms lives — and builds a future where everyone can thrive. Get Believe in People, America’s 250th Anniversary Edition at: https://bit.ly/41SHb7u

Excited to see this next step with Yes, Coach!   Comcast NBCUniversal, Telemundo, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation just launched ¡Sí, Coach!, expanding access to resources for Spanish-speaking families and communities.   This is how opportunity grows. Meeting people where they are and creating more ways for young people to develop and thrive on and off the field 🙌⚽

This NFL Draft Day, former National Football League (NFL) running back, MVP, and Stand Together Ambassador Shaun Alexander reflects on how the start of an NFL career is also the start of a player’s role as a community leader. It’s a reminder that service and community engagement often become one of the defining parts of a player’s legacy. Read the full USA Today op-ed: https://bit.ly/3QsV2yL

Founder Scott Strode and community member Paige Scanlon joined CBS Boston to talk about how The Phoenix uses fitness and community to help people thrive, whether they are in recovery or sober-curious. Proud to partner with organizations like The Phoenix that are showing what’s possible when people come together and uplift each other 🙌 https://cbsn.ws/48iLNqX

This tiny 500-person island off South Carolina had no middle school, so kids were taking a two-hour round trip ferry commute to the mainland to get an education. They faced bullying, exclusion, and loneliness. Then a group of local parents decided enough was enough — and built Daufuskie Island Independent School with support from VELA:

When Teresa Sontag joined Birch Community Services, Inc., her family was carrying $10,000 in credit card debt and no emergency savings. Twenty months later, the debt was gone. She also started buying flowers for her yard. Suzanne Birch founded BCS on a straightforward premise: food insecurity and financial instability are the same problem. Weekly grocery access averages $1,200 a month in value per family. That frees up enough budget room to start paying down debt and planning for things that once felt out of reach. The program asks something in return. Members pay $80 a month and volunteer two hours. "When they volunteer," Birch said, "they become part of the answer for the person standing next to them." In 2024, 17 families in the program bought homes. Financial Literacy Month is a reminder that rebuilding doesn't follow a single timeline. For the families at BCS, the turning point rarely comes all at once. It comes month by month, goal by goal, until stability stops feeling like luck. "What matters most isn't how much you make," Birch said. "It's your willingness to change and the vision you have for your life." Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4sINeGn

The student lending system was built around credit scores. Ascent was built around whether you'll actually graduate. This Financial Literacy Month, Stand Together recognizes Ascent Funding, which is proving that the right bet, placed on the right person, changes everything. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4cIpJY9