# The CEO Who Sees Himself in Indiana's Most At-Risk Kids | Matthew Purkey, Josiah White's

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/get-in-with-nate-spangle-6204412/the-ceo-who-sees-himself-in-indiana-s-most-at-risk-kids-matthew-purkey-josiah-white-s
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/get-in-with-nate-spangle-6204412/the-ceo-who-sees-himself-in-indiana-s-most-at-risk-kids-matthew-purkey-josiah-white-s.md
Podcast: [Get IN. with Nate Spangle](https://stenobird.com/podcast/get-in-with-nate-spangle-6204412)
Published: 2026-09-04T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://e6ac4656-1cdf-45b4-afa0-630691d86f8a.libsyn.com/the-ceo-who-sees-himself-in-indianas-most-troubled-kids-matthew-purkey-josiah-whites
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/e6ac4656-1cdf-45b4-afa0-630691d86f8a/JosiahWhites-Final-9-4.mp3?dest-id=4673917
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Duration seconds: 3840

## Resource

On today's show I sat down with Matthew Purkey, President and CEO of Josiah White's in Wabash, Indiana, a 175-year-old nonprofit founded on 800 acres to provide opportunities for every child. Purkey explains their Christ-centered mission and statewide services, including residential programs (PATH for behavioral issues, MAP for unhealthy sexual choices, and TREK for long-term substance abuse), serving youth ages 13–17 referred by DCS and juvenile probation, plus family preservation, foster care licensing, and fatherhood engagement. He shares key statistics about students' family instability and trauma, describes the holistic campus approach (therapy, on-site school, work stipends, and certifications), and recounts his own journey from legal trouble to the Marine Corps and nonprofit leadership. Our conversation highlights the need for transitional housing after age 18, the impact of hope, and why Purkey chose Indiana and Wabash as home. If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast. You are going to learn about: - The Origins of Josiah White's and Its Mission - Josiah White's Residential Programs - Family Instability and Traumas for Students Thank you to our partners: ClusterTruck (use code GETIN at checkout for $5 off orders of $25 or more) Berne Apparel Check out these great clips from the show: 00:00 Hope For Kids 01:16 Guest Introduction: Matthew Purkey, Josiah White's 02:26 Origins Of Josiah White's 03:32 Mission Today 04:13 Residential Programs 06:02 Who They Serve 10:28 Campus Life Explained 13:31 Jobs And Certifications 15:18 Matthew Backstory 16:24 Marine Corps Turning Point 17:52 Deployments And Haiti 20:29 PTSD And New Mission 27:15 Nonprofit Career Path 30:20 Trave…

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