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What separates communities that merely recover after disaster from those that come back stronger?
In this episode of the Leaders of Transformation, Nicole Jansen welcomes back former Augusta mayor, leadership coach, and community builder Deke Copenhaver to discuss how communities can become stronger after disaster through trust-based leadership and servant-hearted collaboration.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Deke stepped into an unpaid leadership role to help launch the Greater Augusta Long-Term Recovery Group. What began as a local disaster response has become a powerful model for rebuilding homes, restoring hope, and uniting people across generations, organizations, and lines of difference.
Together, Nicole and Deke explore how trust, faith, collaboration, and a mindset of abundance can transform not only disaster recovery but the future of communities everywhere. If you’re passionate about leadership, community impact, or creating lasting change, this conversation offers a practical blueprint for turning crisis into opportunity.
What We Discuss in this Episode
- Why trust is the foundation of effective community leadership
- How servant leadership creates lasting transformation after disaster
- The story behind the Greater Augusta Long-Term Recovery Group
- Lessons learned from rebuilding after Hurricane Helene
- How faith-based organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers are uniting around a common mission
- Why simple, trust-based systems often outperform bureaucracy
- Building a disaster recovery model that other communities can replicate
- The importance of developing leaders who care more about impact than recognition
- Why communities heal best from the grassroots up – not the top down
- The difference between a scarcity mindset and an abundance mindset
- How young people are finding purpose through serving others
- Why belonging creates stronger communities than simply fitting in
- Practical ways to build bridges across political, cultural, and generational divides
- How service restores hope for both those receiving help and those giving it
- What it takes to build resilient communities that emerge stronger after crisis
Episode Highlights
00:00 – Rebuilding More Than Homes After Disaster
03:00 – Hurricane Helene and the Birth of a Community Movement
07:00 – Why Trust Became Their Greatest Asset
11:00 – Bringing Faith, Business, and Nonprofits Together
16:00 – A Simpler Model for Disaster Recovery
20:00 – Reaching the Forgotten and Vulnerable
25:00 – Why Grassroots Leadership Outperforms Bureaucracy
30:00 – Building Communities on Trust Instead of Fear
35:00 – Raising the Next Generation of Servant Leaders
40:00 – The Power of an Abundance Mindset
45:00 – Creating Belonging Across Every Divide
49:00 – Healing Communities One Relationship at a Time
53:00 – A Blueprint Other Cities Can Follow
57:00 – Hope for the Future of Our Communities
Favorite Quote
“If we’re going to heal this nation, the healing has to start at the local level.” ~ Deke Copenhaver
Episode Resources 
- The Changemaker Book by Deke Copenhaver
- Changemaker Podcast
- News Story
- 377: Integrity in Politics: Redefining Leadership with Deke Copenhaver
Connect with Deke Copenhaver
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deke-copenhaver-621915b0/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dekecopenhaver1920
Did You Enjoy This Episode?
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Other Episodes You May Like
- 377: Integrity in Politics: Redefining Leadership with Deke Copenhaver
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- 529: Ending the Cycle of Poverty with Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene with Shilpa Alva
- 517: Empowering Communities with Compassionate Healthcare with Echo VanderWal
- 337: Naysa Mishler: Connecting People in Need with Donors and Brands That Want to Help
