The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast

In episode 32 of The Charity Charge Show, our founder Stephen Garten chats with Sam Porritt, founder of the organization Falling Forward.
In August of 2011, Sam suffered a spinal cord injury that resulted from an accident while he was on vacation in Italy.  Initially, Sam was paralyzed from the waist down. His recovery from such a catastrophic injury would be a long one.  Thankfully, Sam learned that his medical insurance placed no limit on rehabilitation.  Fewer than 1% of policies have such a benefit.  Sam's insurance covered nearly two years of intensive physical therapy.  With the skill and support of many rehab professionals, Sam recovered.  He's now able to walk with a cane, drive a car, and work part-time.
During his more than two years in rehab, Sam saw the impact of therapy caps first-hand.  Sam met hundreds of patients whose recoveries were cut short when their insurance benefits stopped and they were unable to pay out of their own pockets.  In August of 2013, Sam launched the Foundation to give other patients the same opportunity that he had --- to continue medical rehabilitation and to recover to their full potential.
Prior to his accident, Sam spent more than 25 years in marketing and advertising, building some of America's largest brands.  While working for Payless ShoeSource, Sam's responsibilities included managing the company's Foundation and philanthropic activity.  Sam earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Show Notes

In episode 32 of The Charity Charge Show, our founder Stephen Garten chats with Sam Porritt, founder of the organization Falling Forward.

In August of 2011, Sam suffered a spinal cord injury that resulted from an accident while he was on vacation in Italy.  Initially, Sam was paralyzed from the waist down. His recovery from such a catastrophic injury would be a long one.  Thankfully, Sam learned that his medical insurance placed no limit on rehabilitation.  Fewer than 1% of policies have such a benefit.  Sam's insurance covered nearly two years of intensive physical therapy.  With the skill and support of many rehab professionals, Sam recovered.  He's now able to walk with a cane, drive a car, and work part-time.

During his more than two years in rehab, Sam saw the impact of therapy caps first-hand.  Sam met hundreds of patients whose recoveries were cut short when their insurance benefits stopped and they were unable to pay out of their own pockets.  In August of 2013, Sam launched the Foundation to give other patients the same opportunity that he had --- to continue medical rehabilitation and to recover to their full potential.

Prior to his accident, Sam spent more than 25 years in marketing and advertising, building some of America's largest brands.  While working for Payless ShoeSource, Sam's responsibilities included managing the company's Foundation and philanthropic activity.  Sam earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

What is The Charity Charge Show - Nonprofit Podcast?

Scaling a mission requires more than passion, it requires high-discipline leadership, financial innovation, and strategic resilience. Hosted by Stephen Garten, The Charity Charge Show goes behind the scenes with nonprofit CEOs, social impact innovators, and community leaders. From the TGR Foundation to the Sierra Club, we deconstruct the operational models, fundraising breakthroughs, and "durable skills" driving real-world impact. Power your mission with actionable insights from the front lines of the nonprofit sector.