Mark Redmond Decided Serving At-Risk Youth Was More Important Than Material Wealth

Stories of Transformation

It was a Friday morning like any other, and Mark Redmond was walking down Madison Avenue, en route to another business meeting. Mark had found himself exactly where he and everyone else had always envisioned: living in New York City, working at a multi-billion-dollar company, with all of the material fulfillment a young man could ask for. But still, he wasn't fulfilled.

As he sat at the roundtable to discuss business finances, Mark could almost see his entire life flashing before his eyes. He would advance professionally, make more money, meet someone, get married, grow old, and someday, he would die. But for what? Mark couldn’t shake the sentiment that such a life path didn’t resonate with him, and would ultimately leave him feeling like he hadn’t accomplished much at all.

Later that same day, Mark would end up quitting his job. And only three days later, he would be starting his life as a live-in volunteer at Covenant House, a nearby shelter serving homeless and at-risk youth. He had traded in the fancy suit for jeans and sneakers, and gave away his material possessions in exchange for what his heart had truly yearned for: emotional and spiritual fulfillment. By devoting his life to charity, generosity, and providing guidance for those in need, Mark had found his calling.

Going on 40 years later from that fateful day, Mark says he never looks back on his decision with any regret. Today, he is the executive director at Spectrum Youth and Family Services — a shelter and recovery center based in Burlington, Vermont — whose mission is to “…empower teenagers, young adults, and their families to make and sustain positive changes through prevention, intervention, and life skills services.”

In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the difference between happiness and fulfillment; the nature of trauma and how it lives in the body; the importance of homeless shelters and recovery centers, and the scope of services that they offer; and how seemingly small acts of kindness can change a life.
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For full show notes
https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast

Connect with Mark Redmond
Website: http://www.spectrumvt.org/staff/mark-redmond/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/markredmond1?s=20

Resources
For more information on Spectrum Youth and Family Services:
http://www.spectrumvt.org/
Mark Redmond's Storytelling:
https://themoth.org/storytellers/mark-redmond

Purchase The Goodness Within: Reaching Out to Troubled Teens With Love and Compassion by Mark Redmond
https://www.amazon.com/Goodness-Within-Reaching-Troubled-Compassion/dp/0809141868

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Credits
Produced by: Joseph Gangemi
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-gangemi-audio/

Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/

Theme music by: Qais Essar
www.therabab.com

Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/masheed

Episode Music Credits
“Oh, Endless Day” by Philip Daniel Zach
“Unwanted Tears” by Philip Daniel Zach
“For There’s a Mighty Captain In These Turbulent Seas” by The Soundkeeper