Meant For More - Karen Olson

It was just a ham sandwich.

Karen Olson walked that route hundreds of times. Heading home after a long day of work in New York City at pharmaceutical company Warner Lambert, she noticed a woman sitting in front of Grand Central Station who appeared to be homeless. Instead of walking past as she’d done so many times before, she ran across the street and bought the woman a sandwich and a bottle of orange juice. “Thank you,” the woman said. It was the first time she had eaten since the day before. 

As she sat beside her, Karen took the woman’s hand in hers. She was struck by its warmth, even in the cold of a winter’s day. “It was in that moment that the vail was lifted,” she said. “I recognized our shared humanity.”  

What happened that evening changed the course of her life. A few years later Karen founded the Interfaith Hospitality Network, now renamed Family Promise, to address the devastating effects of family homelessness. Now a national movement with more than 192 affiliates across the country, Olson’s work has inspired more than 160,000 volunteers in 42 states to make a difference in the lives of families who are struggling.

Karen Olson is President Emerita of Family Promise and the author of a new memoir, Meant for More in which she shares the stories of the many people she met and worked with during her uncanny journey. 

As you listen to this episode, consider:

• Karen’s work reminds us that small acts can have big impact. What is one small act you can take to help someone today?
• The power of a single act can be multiplied when we invite others to join us. Where are the opportunities to expand your reach by inviting others to join in the work?
• Karen believes we are “Meant for More?” What is the “More” that you are called towards?

You can learn more about Karen Olson on her website. 
Get your copy of Meant for More here.

To learn more about Robert Maggio, the composer of "Where Love is Love," our theme music, please check out his website.

To learn more about Suzanne, visit her website.

To learn more about the inspiration for this podcast, please check out Suzanne's memoir, Estrellas - Moments of Illumination Along El Camino de Santiago

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