When Kacey Morabito Grean of Cold Spring began broadcasting on WHUD’s Morning Show in the 1990s, she didn’t have a clue about where the job would take her; nor was she waiting to find out. As she was building her base of loyal listeners on the radio, Grean created several serious side hustles driven by her commitment to helping individual women and her community.
I learned this about Grean while sitting among a circle of women last month for the Shine On Women’s Wellness Weekend retreat at The Center at Mariandale in Ossining. We were there to take a break from the distractions and commitments of daily life so that we could participate in a community event that would help bring our own selves into better focus.
Helping women find peace and happiness has long been a particular interest of Grean’s. In fact, in the early 2000s, she expanded her radio repertoire with “Shine On, the Health and Happiness Show,” which continues to air on WHUD at 6:30 Sunday mornings. The program proved popular, and from that base of listeners, Grean launched A Circle of Women, a Facebook group for women seeking more human connection and growth.
About 35 initial followers bloomed into an engaged group of more than 2000 as the women formed a community and enjoyed activities together, including luncheons, hikes, labyrinth walks and retreats.
As Grean continued her day job at WHUD, her side hustles continued to take off. She spent time as an inspirational speaker and event curator, focused on women’s mental, physical and spiritual growth.
Then, one day in 2018, Grean’s sister mentioned that kids were coming to school with no snacks. This was a concern that Grean couldn’t ignore. So she opened a food pantry in Cortlandt for the town’s residents.
The timing couldn’t have been better. The pandemic hit two years later. Grean and her sister Maria focused on the food pantry. It grew to serve more than 150 families weekly until it was asked to cut back due to its popularity. Too many cars clogged the small street where it is situated.
The pandemic wreaked havoc on many lives. When a single mom of three kids under 6 posted about her struggle to pay her mortgage on Grean’s Facebook page, many commenters offered their thoughts and prayers. But one member suggested that “…the group could surely offer more than thoughts and prayers!”
And so, the radio host with a passion to support women in her community struck once again. She said to her husband, “I’ve got to do something to help. I’m starting a non-profit.” Grean made sure that the mother who posted was able to pay her mortgage for the month, and provided other necessities.
On March 8, 2020—International Women’s Day—a new non-profit called Let It Shine kicked off operations that include…
- The Circle of Women Facebook group
- The food pantry
- L.I.S.A. (Let It Shine Again) Thrift Boutique in Verplanck
- LetItShineOnline seasonal pop-up markets and
- Shine On Podcast and Women’s Retreats
Grean left radio broadcasting late last year and began a new gig as Executive Director of the Holy Mountain Franciscan Retreat Center in Garrison. But she continues to pursue her side hustles, which focus on caring for both individuals and her community.
At the Mariandale women’s retreat last month, Grean kicked off the event on Friday evening by explaining what the expectations were for the weekend.
“We have lots of hopes for you this weekend but no expectations,” she began. “If you are exhausted and want to spend tomorrow in bed, go for it. You are going to be fed and housed for the next two days. Do not offer to help. That is one of our few rules!”
“And,” she continued, “now that you are here, sitting in this peaceful place, we want you to breathe a giant sigh of relief. Think about how you feel at the end of a long workday, when you finally return home and free yourself by stripping off your bra. That’s the feeling we hope you will hold this weekend and beyond.”
The retreat’s programs vary, but most include yoga, meditation, reiki, art, spending time in nature and lots and lots of laughter. Grean is an enthusiastic and entertaining host who manages to impart a good deal of wisdom as she leads participants through exercises that help them go deeper within themselves to foster their own growth.
The retreats feature various instructors who are given just one mandate:
“These weekends are geared to helping women find the answers within,” says Grean. “Therefore, we ask our presenters to avoid providing answers, but instead to guide the participants inward so they can discover the answers for themselves.”
2025 marks 10 years since Grean began offering retreats for women. The next one is planned for the weekend of Aug 15-17, 2025 at The Center at Mariandale.
