Don Lupo | Living to Serve

Leading with Genuine Care

"I just believe we were put here for a purpose." – Don Lupo

This week's guest is Don Lupo, an advocate for the homeless and others in need. Twenty-three years ago, Lupo left a career as a successful businessman to start a new career in service to his community, the city of Birmingham, AL. In 2016, he was awarded the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award and was named one of the "Top 50 Over 50" in the state of Alabama; in 2018 he was awarded the Civilian Service Award by the Birmingham Police Department.

One of the defining moments of Lupo's life was the passing of his mother when he was 16 years old. He explains how her unconditional love for him as well as her commitment to being of service to others have inspired him throughout his life. Another defining moment was reading some words on the back of an envelope that exhorted him to "love your neighbor, feed the hungry, clothe any that are naked." This message was a "slap in the face," he says, prompting him to find a way to help others. He now includes these words in his social media posts. Lupo, who directs the Mayor's Office of Citizens' Assistance, says that he doesn't see his job as work, but as a way he can be of service to others.

Lupo has certainly found ways to serve and has done a lot of work serving the homeless in the city of Birmingham. He is proud to say that almost every homeless person in the city is known by name, and if he doesn't know theirs, they know his. As a board member for Firehouse Ministries, a homeless shelter and outreach agency, he worked on raising funds for a new facility. Despite the odds, they raised $7 million in six months. Lupo believes in the vital importance of the work of Firehouse, saying that we are all "just one step" away from being homeless and that if he ever needed somewhere to go, he knows he could go there.

In a profile in Good Grit Magazine, Lupo was called "the man to call when you need to get something done—especially connecting those in need with available resources."

Lupo stresses that he could never have accomplished all he has without the help of others. In one example he shares that after his daughter convinced him to go on Facebook and ask for the 1500 toothbrushes the shelter needed, he was offered way more than he needed. All he had to do was ask.

In this episode of Leading with Genuine Care, you’ll also learn:

• What happened when Don Lupo met the Dalai Lama
• What he thinks would help address the problem of homelessness
• What he thought as he stood next to the mayor when they went to talk to protestors over a statue
• How his faith and belief in service has motivated him throughout his life

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