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Meet Jenny Dean Schmidt of ChannelMom Media & Outreach in Bailey

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Dean Schmidt.

Jenny, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was growing up, I had two dreams – to marry my nursery school sweetheart and to be a TV reporter. When I entered adulthood, I did both. My husband (former nursery school sweetheart) and I moved around the nation in pursuit of my various television jobs. We moved from Southern California to Cleveland to Denver and I worked for affiliates of most of the major television networks. TV news became my religion. It gave me purpose, meaning and a sense of self-worth. That’s why it was unexpected when I decided that I wanted a baby.

After going through infertility, we finally conceived and I gave birth to our first baby, a 7-pound bundle named Otis. Soon after Otis’s birth, I lost my job in TV news. I lost my religion. Predictably, I sunk into postpartum depression for several years. I searched for a way out. Something. Anything. To make me feel better. I sought a new religion. A real God. I landed on the God of the Bible. The decision to believe in the love of Christ led me to a realization. When I was on TV – giving people mostly bad news – people honored me despite the negative food I was feeding them. When I became “just a mom,” the honorable treatment ceased. I quickly realized that we glorify the people on our screens while we overlook the people who raise up our next generation. And ChannelMom was born.

While serving in my role as a stay-at-home mom to Otis and our second-born, Georgia, I launched ChannelMom Media & Outreach. The goal was to produce media that encouraged moms and reminded them of the importance of their position (whether or not they had a “second job” working outside the home). We began by producing radio and podcasts and graduated to creating outreach as well – serving moms in prisons, homeless shelters, churches and homes. We are thrilled to be a conduit of encouragement, hope and healing for moms. Reconnecting them with the importance of their divine purpose as mothers.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Is there a smooth road? I would describe the development of our nonprofit as a meandering, bumpy road with large potholes that we weren’t sure we could crawl out of. If I’d kept count, the number of times we were told “no” would’ve been in the hundreds. Roadblocks. Rejections. Setbacks, Do-overs. They’ve all been part of the journey. We began airing the first incarnation of ChannelMom Radio on a sports talk radio station in Denver. The station had an audience that was 80% male. God has a sense of humor. We graduated to a small Christian Radio network and finally landed at Salem Radio Network (SRN). After nearly eight years on-air in Denver, we entered into syndication in other markets. As we’ve grown, we’ve sought many partners, sponsors and donors. We’ve been told “no” more than we’ve been told “yes,” as we’ve pursued these relationships (those who said “yes” have been a large part of our success).

We’ve had shows that didn’t broadcast—dead air. We’ve had special events that drew fewer participants than the fingers on my two hands. I’ve done speaking events for three people. We’ve had months when I wasn’t sure how we’d pay the bills or produce a program. We encountered red tape and re-dos as we worked to launch our outreach to moms in prison. I went through times when I thought I couldn’t possibly balance being a stay-at-home mom, running the nonprofit, working outside part-time jobs and volunteering – all at once. I went through a season of health struggles, including stage 1 breast cancer. But I pressed on. We pressed on. We’ve never had a staff of full-time people who were paid full-time salaries. This is the nonprofit life. This is the missional life. And it’s worth it.

Please tell us about ChannelMom Media & Outreach.
Our mission statement is simple: We. Encourage. Moms. ChannelMom offers a wide array of media to encourage moms through the airwaves and a variety of outreaches to serve moms on-the-ground. ChannelMom Homeless Outreach serves single moms and their children as they go through the process of transitioning out of homelessness. Partnering with Denver Rescue Mission, a team of trained ChannelMom mentors comes alongside single moms and their kids to provide them with a reliable relationship offering: coaching toward stability, encouragement toward healthy goals, parenting support, prayer and a listening ear.

ChannelMom Prison Outreach offers a customized curriculum – a 12-week course taught in prisons focusing on inner healing and improved parenting skills for incarcerated moms, as well as re-engagement with their children. The curriculum also offers follow-up and aftercare. The goal of the program is to help end the legacy of incarceration that often gets passed down from parent to child. ChannelMom Speaking Outreach provides uplifting speakers, mom fellowship, giveaways and inspiration. ChannelMom’s Christmas Program provides Christmas trees and gifts for up to five single moms and their children annually.

I think what may set us apart is that we’re always working to find ways to encourage every mom of every background, culture and circumstance. We are continually humbled by the correspondence we receive from moms, testifying to the ways in which ChannelMom has reminded them of the importance of their mom role. We’ve heard truly miraculous stories, including a letter from one mom who credited one of our speaking events with being the catalyst that led her and her husband to adopt a remarkable little boy named Isaac to complete their family of five.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There are too many to name. God has been our faithful Provider from the beginning, sometimes sending us people and provisions that seemed to come out of nowhere. There was the first sponsor that “put us on the map” and made us feel like we had value in the marketplace. There was our first church partner, Pinecrest Community Church in Parker that agreed to give us a portion of their giving total every month. I think I cried when the Elders announced their intention to help us. I have a friend who leads another nonprofit, The Center for Relationship Education, who is a pitbull of a mentor and inspires me.

There have been close to 20 Board Members who have given their time, money and labor to help us move forward and serve more moms. There are donors – rich and poor who have literally paid the cost to keep us on-air and on-the-ground serving moms who needed help and encouragement. We’ve had dozens of volunteers over the years who believe in coming alongside moms to remind them of their value and support them–whether the mom is behind bars, in Section 8 housing or struggling with depression in the suburbs. Sponsors like CCU, Camp IdRaHaJe, Cutthroat Cafe, The Life Center, Premier Mechanical and CONNECT Education have kept us afloat. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my parents, my children and my nursery-school-sweetheart-husband. They have provided labor, funds, faith in the mission and a willingness to cheer me on when I felt like I had to quit. The fact that ChannelMom is now serving tens of thousands of moms is a testament and credit to all of these invaluable people.

Pricing:

  • $25 to sponsor a homeless mom/mentor meeting
  • $50 to sponsor a portion of one week’s radio show
  • $75 to sponsor curriculum for one incarcerated mom

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Jessica Jo Photo

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