A South Carolina nonprofit is chipping away barriers and teeing up fun for Upstate adults and children with disabilities.

By tee time Monday, nearly a hundred people with disabilities arrived at Upstate Carolina Adaptive Golf's monthly gathering at Top Golf.

Founder Brandon Worley said it's about having a ball while using the game of golf to learn real-life skills.

"Golf, essentially it's a game of misses," said Worley. "You don't hit every shot perfect in golf, right? And just like in life, you're not going to wake up every day and every day's going to be a perfect day. Having that perseverance to overcome, keep going, adapt, and do whatever it takes to get the job done."

Worley started this nonprofit four years ago, inviting now-Coach John Robinson to the first meeting.

"I said, 'wait a minute, there's no way I can hit a golf ball in my wheelchair.' He goes, 'trust me,'" said Robinson.

Robinson has spina bifida. After several back surgeries, Robinson uses a wheelchair. That meeting, specialized machinery helped him stand on his own for the first time in years to hit the ball.

”I cried like a baby," he said. "And he thought something was wrong, thought I was hurting, and I told him 'no, it's tears of joy.'"

Now a golf coach for the nonprofit, Robinson uses his disabilities to relate to the children and adults who want to learn.

"To see some of the kids here getting in the same equipment brings happiness to my heart," he smiled.

Robinson and Worley said their goal is to train golfers to adapt to their circumstances and learn independence and growing confidence.

Watch the video above for the full story.

The blurred line between politics and religion has been around for quite some time.

Seeing politicians in the pulpit is about as normalized as seeing the pastor himself, with presidents from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump mentioning their relationships with the church in speeches. However, churches and other tax-exempt organizations are not allowed to outright endorse or oppose political candidates.

"When you mix religion and politics, you get politics," said David L. Thompson, vice president of public policy with the National Council of Nonprofits.

The 1954 tax law known as the Johnson Amendment, introduced by then Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, is meant to temper just how much religion and politics collide. The law aims to keep money from influencing religious institutions and keep places of worship from becoming super PACs. 

"There's a reason that the auditoriums of all religious institutions are called sanctuaries, we are safe havens from the acrimony of partisan activities," Thompson said. "We're the only ones that can receive tax-deductible donations. Someone who gives to a church knows that that money cannot be used for partisan election-related activities."

But, that doesn't keep people of faith from donating to candidates individually. According to Open Secrets, since 1990 Democrats have been the top recipients of donations from people with a religious affiliation.  

The law also doesn't keep pastors from opening their doors to political messages, like one that played at 300 churches ahead of the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race that said, "This is the first year you can vote on Sunday, so please, vote after today's service."

Because it's rarely enforced, the law hasn't stopped faith leaders from walking the endorsement line. Still, its opponents, like former President Donald Trump, want the Johnson Amendment gone completely, and the reason is simple: Religious leaders are influential, bringing about political and societal change in the U.S. for centuries.

"Those who supported the King would say...'The Bible, says Honor the King. Romans 12 says respect those in authority.' And, the other side said, 'But what about Moses? Oh, you know, God wants his people to be free.'" said author John Vile. 

Vile is the author of "The Bible in American Law and Politics" and he says religion was also used to perpetuate racism and power.

"That's how it was with slavery," Vile said. "There are passages in the Bible that seem to say, you know, leave it alone, and there are others like the Exodus narrative."

But, through pastors like Andrew Young, John Lewis or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights movement was ignited. Today, faith leaders are still marching, with dozens fasting and praying recently to move the needle on voting rights. 

Pastor Jennifer Butler, executive director of Faith in Public Life, is among them. 

"It was religion that drove the civil rights movement," Butler said. "It was religion that drove the effort to end apartheid in South Africa."

Her group Faith in Public Life boasts a network of 50,000 faith leaders engaged in political issues.

"We're going to be lifting that up as a faith community, mobilizing thousands of faith leaders around the country to lobby to bring their voices to the public square to make sure that the voters can indeed cast their vote when it comes time for midterm elections," Butler said. 

But, she says there is a difference between Christian nationalism, the belief the U.S. is a nation built by Christians for Christians, and pastors working to bring about good for all people.

"On Jan. 6, there are Christian flags flying high in that crowd," Butler said. "That was extremely disturbing to me as a Christian and as a pastor to use Christian imagery to justify violence and to justify denying people their right to vote."

Despite her dedication, the former Obama administration faith adviser says the Johnson Amendment is a good thing for the country and people of faith.

"From a faith perspective, it's actually idolatry to tie faith to full-on endorsement of something that supersedes God," Butler said. "So as faith leaders, we want to be careful not to be beholden to any political party."

This story was originally published by Newsy.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — “There’s something about it. It’s in my heart, and I can't... I just can’t stand to see them not have a place to be.”

Cathy Graeve’s life’s purpose is bringing care and comfort to dogs who need it most.

“I love all dogs, but old dogs, they just get me. Even when they’re peeing on the floor, it’s just like, what do you do?” Graeve laughed.

Her passion was sparked about 15 years ago as a member of a dog walking group at the Council Bluffs shelter.

“We started noticing the senior dogs were the ones that were really getting left behind. There just weren’t a lot of people in our area that were adopting the seniors,” said Graeve.

The group eventually opened Promise 4 Paws Senior Dog Sanctuary, a nonprofit where dogs live out their final years in a home-like environment.

About thirty dogs live at the sanctuary, staffed 24 hours a day.

“We have a few dogs now that are hospice dogs. We bring in some dogs that just, you know, they just come here, and we know their time is really limited, but we give them all the care that they need, and we make sure that they’re comfortable," said Graeve.

Graeve makes sure none of them pass away alone.

“We just keep them until it gets close, and then we make that decision and take them, and they always cross the rainbow bridge with me,” said Graeve.

With help from volunteers and the community, Promise 4 Paws has cared for hundreds of dogs in the last few years.

“I feel very fulfilled taking care of these dogs, and I do feel like if I ever have to stop and I get too old to do this, I’ll feel like I’ve done something to make a difference," said Graeve.

From food to medical costs, caring for each dog adds up fast. Visit their website to learn more about donations.

Danielle Meadows at KMTV first reported this story.

Women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population — and the homeless veteran population.

Despite over 200 years of service, women say they’re often not recognized as veterans.

“My husband is in the Marine Corps," said Cynthia Taylor, an Army veteran. "His service always, always overshadows mine. No one ever assumes I’m the veteran.”

Taylor served nearly seven years as a combat swim instructor and logistics specialist in the Army.

“I was stationed in Germany and ran 38 different warehouses. We supported Africa and all throughout Europe with supplies, as far as helicopter supplies and food. We provided for humanitarian missions in Africa and things of that nature," said Taylor.

Skills she uses today in her work supporting women veterans. Taylor is a program support coordinator for the Foundation for Women Warriors, a 100-year-old nonprofit dedicated to honoring and empowering the women veteran community.

The nonprofit is campaigning to honor women veterans with a California license plate dedicated to their service. The effort began with a woman who served in the Air Force during Vietnam, who also designed the special decal.

Jodie Grenier, CEO of the foundation, shares a similar experience as Taylor after transitioning from the military.

“When I did tell people that I served in the Marine Corps or served in combat in Iraq, I was often met with, 'Well, you're so petite,' or 'Your hair is so long,'" Grenier.

Questions, she says, men often don’t receive.

"Even if we go to a veteran appointment together, veteran, VA appointment, they will ask for his ID. And he'll be like, she's the veteran, we're here for her," said Taylor. “I had a veteran license plate, they thought I was driving my husband’s car. It wasn’t me. I wasn’t the veteran.”

Despite her years of leadership in the Army, Taylor faced a new uphill battle entirely entering the civilian world.

“I had very little savings, I didn’t have a job, I ended up moving back with my parents because they don’t prepare you for any of that," said Taylor. "You don't know your benefits, what’s available to you because they don’t share it with you.”

And the sisterhood she once had all but disappeared.

"The men, you can only joke around so much, but they don't understand what you're going through," said Taylor. “You just feel so disconnected that you don't know how to make friends with regular people, and it was really isolating and lonely.”

Grenier believes a lack of recognition of women's service has contributed to issues seen today, including many women not accessing the benefits they've earned and a general misunderstanding in society about how many women serve in the military.

“Women have served this country long before they even had the right to vote. They served dating as far back as the Revolutionary War, where they disguised themselves as men to provide battle care. For years and years, women have participated in wars, and it wasn’t even until the 1970s that women that participated in WWI were recognized as veterans.”

Grenier says the isolation and barriers to health care are compounded for women, who have a higher rate of single parenting.

“You don’t serve with a ton of women, and when you transition, you certainly don't transition out into some sort of sisterhood," said Grenier.

According to the VA, 18 states or territories currently offer women veterans license plates.

To make the women veteran license plate available to all California women veterans through the DMV, the foundation must first collect a minimum of 50 paid applications for the license plate with a special decal.

“This is not an initiative to say women veterans need their own thing," said Grenier. "But until we get there until society realizes that women are veterans as well, this is just another way that we can honor the service of these women.”

“Having something that symbolizes the woman as the veteran really speaks volumes and honors her service, that she is the one that made the sacrifice," said Taylor. “I think as a community we owe it to that individual to make sure they don't become homeless, that they are offered the same chances as their male counterparts.”

More than symbolic, they hope it will connect women.

"I really look forward to the day when I can honk my horn and wave and say, 'Thank you for your service,' and know that it’s a woman in the vehicle.”

The foundation is also collecting new and unused children’s toys, clothes, and baby items for women veterans, hoping to support 100 veteran families this holiday season.

Several industries have been disrupted since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S., including the food supply chain. From dumped milk to piles of uneaten onions and potatoes, this was just some of the food going to waste on farms across America due to COVID-19-related shutdowns.

“Really, its impact on the food supply chain started in March,” said Jack Buffington, a supply chain expert currently developing the supply chain program at the University of Denver. “Most of us who have been in the supply chain have never seen an event like this happen.”

While farmers were dumping or burying products, food banks were missing out on some much-needed supplies, and dealing with growing demand. So were grocery stores, as restaurants were closed and consumer buying habits changed.

“More of the retail food market went down and more of the consumer home food market went up,” Buffington explained. “This caused a major shock in the supply chain where you had this situation where some foods were going to waste and some foods were in high demand.”

First, the federal government stepped in to help. The USDA was given up to $3 billion through the Coronavirus Assistance Program to buy fresh produce, dairy, and meat from farmers and then distribute that to those in need.

And then there were nonprofit organizations like FarmLink.

“We matched a farm in Idaho, an onion farm, to our local food bank in Los Angeles,” Max Goldman with FarmLink explained. “We delivered 50,000 pounds of onions to them.”

He said that was their proof of concept.

Goldman is a student at Brown University. He and a group of students saw the disruption in the supply chain, and decided to do something about it.

“A lot of what we do is finding food that would’ve been sent to the dump,” he said.

So, FarmLink was born to help with food waste.

“We’ve done 2 million pounds in seven days,” Goldman said.

In just two months, they’ve reallocated 4 million pounds of food. They pay farmers their cost with donations and grants they receive, and help get the food to food banks. Goldman said the farmers are generally grateful

“One of the first farmers we worked with, he said the day he has to dump his food is the worst day of his life. He works all year to basically produce this food, and for him to have to dig a hole in his backyard and just take a dump truck and put all his potatoes and onions or whatever it is, he said it makes him cry, and it’s the worst day of his life,” Goldman said. “Even if he lost money on it, he was glad he could send this food to people in need during this time.”

So far, they’ve delivered food to approximately 30 states.

“This is not a new issue and it's been accelerated and made more public due to coronavirus, but every year there’s over 60 billion pounds of food waste,” Goldman said.

Buffington said the work of FarmLink and organizations doing similar work is just a drop in the bucket, but it’s promising.

“Small in scale of the overall supply chain, but it’s huge in this opportunistic saving of food,” he explained.

Buffington sees this type of work as a Band-Aid on the bigger issue, but it could open eyes to solutions down the road.

“Supply chains work really well on stability,” Buffington said. “It’s tough to think about innovation, which is disruption, when you're worried about a disruption to your current model.”

“I think when we pull out of this you’re going to see remarkable opportunities for innovation,” he said.

For now, FarmLink and other organizations are working to make sure food doesn’t go to waste. Goldman’s goal is to move over a million pounds of food a day.

“We’ve had tens of thousands of people reaching out wanting to help, and that’s just so uplifting and really gives you hope,” Goldman said.

There's a silver lining for one nonprofit with the frenzy around the Robinhood stock trading app that's now facing dozens of lawsuits after the company restricted trading on GameStop.

Robin Hood, an organization that has been fighting poverty in New York City for 32 years, is welcoming the new attention.

The organization initially got confused for the stock trading app on social media, which led to some angry comments directed at the nonprofit. But it has also led to an increase in donations when people realized the nonprofit's mission.

Their CEO, Wes Moore, says they've received hundreds of donations in the last few days from across 29 states.

“It’s also provided an opportunity for people just to learn more about the work, to learn more about why an organization like ours exists and why this issue of poverty, this issue of entrenched poverty in many ways is something that everyone should be spending and focusing their time,” said Moore.

The CEO says the last year has really shown the extent of the challenges we were already facing with poverty.

Robin Hood launched a relief fund during the pandemic that has been supporting social services in New York City and offering cash assistance.

“A core focus of our work is not just addressing the very human need right now, but it's also understanding the fact that the reason that we have such a significant human need oftentimes is because of holes in policies,” said Moore.

One policy they're advocating to change right now is the child tax credit. Some families are missing out on this, because their earnings are too low to qualify.

President Joe Biden’s stimulus proposal would fix this by expanding the credit for one year and making it fully refundable.

Robin Hood is also pushing for the credit to be permanent.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge has scheduled the guilty plea hearing for a nonprofit that authorities say was used as part of a $60 million bribery scheme.

Federal investigators say former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and others used the nonprofit Generation Now Inc. as a conduit for $60 million secretly provided by Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. The money was allegedly used to gain legislative approval for a $1 billion bailout of two nuclear power plants operated by a FirstEnergy subsidiary.

Federal Judge Timothy Black set the hearing for Feb. 19. An agreement filed last week calls for Generation Now Inc. to plead guilty to one count of racketeering, the seizure of nearly $1.5 million from two bank accounts and a sentence of five years’ probation.

Generation Now, Householder and four of his associates were indicted in July of last year on racketeering charges. Two men have pleaded guilty. Householder, who was stripped of his leadership post but remains a state representative, has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.

Generation Now attorney Robert Krapenc has declined to comment ahead of the hearing.

CINCINNATI — A local nonprofit organization that deals with retired individuals is requiring that all employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Episcopal Retirement Services operates nearly 30 retirement communities across the Tri-State, and managers said they want to protect the people they serve – some of whom are considered among the most vulnerable to the virus.

“We decided based on the variant and the fact that we have new data that says that the variant is more contagious and more deadly for the most vulnerable in our society,” Episcopal Retirement Services president & CEO Laura Lamb said. “We felt it was in our residents’ best interests to make the vaccine mandated.”

Data shows the number of cases in the area is on the rise.

“Over the last three weeks, we have seen a significant number of cases here in Hamilton County as well as nearly a triple increase in the number of hospitalizations in our 14-county region,” Hamilton County Health Commissioner Greg Kestermann said.

ERS employs close to 850 people throughout the region – and while some might be opposed to getting vaccinated, Lamb said it’s what’s needed to prevent anyone from getting sick.

“It may not be for every aging service provider, but for ERS, we want to make sure that, at the end of our day, that we’re doing everything in our power to protect the individuals that have been entrusted to our care,” she said.

Private companies and government agencies can mandate the vaccine, but there are exceptions which are stated on the company’s website – citing medical or religious reasons.

All continuing care retirement community (CCRC) and ERS support staff must have their first dose by September 25. Medical or religious exemptions must be submitted by that date as well.

All of the nonprofits’ affordable living staff must have received their first dose by December 31.

An employee who refuses to get vaccinated can be terminated.

CNN —

Eric Talley, the first police officer to arrive at the scene of the Boulder supermarket shooting last week, was the last of the gunman's 10 victims.

To honor his bravery, the nonprofit Tunnel to Towers Foundation, set up to support the families of fallen first responders and service members, announced Saturday it will pay off the mortgage on Talley's home.

Talley, 51, is survived by his wife and seven children.

The community came together to grieve him

Hundreds flooded the streets in the days after Talley's death, watching as a hearse transferred his body to an Aurora funeral home.

His patrol vehicle, parked in front of the police station, was adorned with flowers, cards and other tokens of grief and gratitude.

Talley was the first Boulder officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1994, and the sixth on-duty death in the department's history, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

His bravery was known to his friends and colleagues well before his death.

"Didn't surprise me he was the first one there," his father, Homer Talley, told CNN affiliate KUSA.

Talley had been a member of the Boulder police force since 2010.

He was aware of the danger he faced as a police officer. His father told KUSA he recently looked into becoming a drone operator because he thought it would be safer.

Police Chief Maris Herold said at a news conference that Talley was "willing to die to protect others" and embodied "everything policing deserves and needs."

Within 30 seconds of arriving at the King Soopers store, Talley led a team of officers inside to engage the shooter, the Boulder Police Department wrote in a tweet. After Talley, no one else was shot.

A non-profit for first responders is responding to Talley's death

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was created in honor of New York firefighter Stephen Siller, who died responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The organization builds mortgage-free smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, and pays off the mortgages of first responders and military servicemembers who are killed in the line of duty and leave behind young children.

The foundation also provides mortgage-free homes to surviving military spouses with young children.

The nonprofit's mission to honor fallen first responders prompted the effort to pay Talley's mortgage.

"It's so important because Eric gave his life and left behind a wife and seven children, and for him to rush in and go toward ... the danger to save people is just incredible," foundation CEO Frank Siller, Stephen Siller's brother, told "Fox & Friends" on Saturday.

CINCINNATI —

Imagine you're enjoying a nachos at a Reds or FC Cincinnati game.

Chances are, guests didn't buy the last of the loaded snack from the concession stand. So what happens to all the leftover lettuce, tomatoes and onions after the game is over?

A new Greater Cincinnati nonprofit called Last Mile Food Rescue aims to prevent any and all food waste from going into landfills.

"Currently in Cincinnati, food waste is able to wrap around the I-275 loop two times. And so we're working to put a dent in that," LMFR dispatcher Benita Munnerlyn said.

Last Mile Food Rescue began in November with a goal of wiping out food insecurity and promoting a healthier environment in the local area. Freestore Foodbank reports more than 270,000 households in the Greater Cincinnati area experience food insecurity. LMFR collects leftover and unused food and delivers it directly to more than 100 local nonprofits.

"Children are not going to learn on empty stomachs and parents and not going to go to work on empty stomachs," Last Mile volunteer Paul Verhagen said.

Verhagen along with other volunteers drive to donor partners including Great American Ball Park, Delaware North, TQL Stadium, Kroger and United Dairy Farmers to pick up leftover meat and produce. Instead of taking food back to the Last Mile site, volunteers take the food directly to nonprofits like shelters and halfway houses. Pick-ups are called "rescues."

Verhagen began volunteering in March and has already participated in 50 rescues. Volunteers use a free app to coordinate rescue assignments and companies utilize Last Mile technology to track their donations.

"You know, some days I'll do one," Verhagen said of his volunteer rescue runs. "Just one day last week I did four. And it's a blast. I mean, meeting people and serving the community which is really, I think, the most important thing right here."

Last Mile Food Rescue said it has rescued more than 600,000 pounds of food since its beginning in November. LMFR said its goal is to rescue one million pounds by the end of 2021. So far, it's rescued more than 500,000 pounds.

The nonprofit is currently seeking more drivers and more food-providing partners.

To join the effort and inquire about having food picked up from your organization or delivered to a nonprofit, click here.