Shelter Together: Recent Episodes
Jackson Interfaith Shelter
Hosted by the Jackson Interfaith Shelter, Shelter Together is an opportunity to share important conversations surrounding homelessness and poverty in the Jackson, Michigan community. We'll be interviewing local leaders, shelter staff and former clients to help raise awareness and discuss solutions as we work to fight homelessness and food insecurity in Jackson.
In today's episode, Steve talks with Arturo Puckerin, the new Executive Director of Jackson Housing Commission. The Housing Commission own over 500 rental units between three locations, and houses many shelter clients when they move out of JIS. Tune in to hear from Arturo as he shares some of the changes and updates that are taking place through the new leadership, and how these changes are vital for keeping low-income housing units available to our city.Visit https://www.jacksonhousing-mi.org/ to learn more about JHC.Fun fact: Arturo is also on the board of The Haven of Rest Ministries, a shelter in Battle Creek that we partner with!
In today's episode, Steve talks with Dania Cleveland and Calvin Battles from Jackson District Library's Adult Services Department. Our local library system is an essential partner to the work we're doing at Jackson Interfaith Shelter, as they serve as a hub of support for community needs. Whether you need help filling out your legal form or applying for expungement, you need to print a few documents, you need a pair of headphones or you need something else but you don't know where to start, Jackson District Library is an excellent place to go. Tune in to hear from Dania and Calvin as they share about all that JDL has to offer our community, and how their services overlap with Jackson Interfaith Shelter.
Visit https://myjdl.com/ to learn more about JDL.
In today's episode, Steve talks with Angie Guadagnini, Community Resource Coordinator at Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Tune in to learn more about the work MDHHS is doing in our community to support those in our community experiencing homelessness and poverty; specifically, their work with foster care, food stamps, providing transportation, and more. Angie facilitates the Emergency Needs Coalition, which is a group of service providers who support families in Jackson. They meet monthly to share updates and discuss how to best meet the needs of those they serve.
Visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs to learn more about MDHHS, or contact Angie at GuadagniniA@michigan.gov to join the Emergency Needs Coalition email list.
Music provided by bensound.com.
In today's episode, Steve talks with Carolyn Moser, Executive Director of Jackson School of the Arts. JSA has become a staple of the Jackson community, offering classes from gymnastics, art, dance, theater and more. They have programs for both kids and adults, and recently started offering daycare for kids ages 3-6. Tune in to learn more about JSA and the unique ways they invest in the shelter and our families!
Visit https://jacksonarts.org/ to learn more today.
In today's episode, Steve talks with Ann Monroe, CEO of A.R.E., Inc. A.R.E. is a local nonprofit, just a block away from the shelter, that provides mental health services in a variety of ways. From peer support to providing a safe space for the community to spend their down time, they offer great resources to shelter clients. Tune in to learn more about A.R.E., the services they offer, and the incredibe partnership we share.
Visit https://www.arepeerservices.org/dropins to learn more today.
In today's episode, Steve talks with Angelita Gunn, Executive Director of Aware, Inc. Many may know Aware as our local domestic violence shelter, but what you may not know is the expansive offering of services they provide to our community, including trauma counseling, courthouse advocacy and 24/7 crisis response. Tune in to learn more about Aware and the important work they're doing in Jackson! Visit https://www.awareshelter.org/ to learn how you can get involved today.
In today's episode, Steve talks with Mike Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Jackson Area Transportation Authority (JATA). JATA is not only the bus system of Jackson, Michigan, but they provide many additional services to the community including Reserve a Ride, Rides to Wellness, non-profit bus washing, and more. Tune in to learn more about JATA and the different ways they are supporting transportation needs in Jackson, especially for our friends experiencing homelessness. You can learn more at their website, https://mijata.org/.
Music generously provided via bensound-creativeminds
In today's episode, Steve talks with Cassie Watson, Executive Director of Integrated Health and Outpatient Services at Lifeways Community Mental Health. Lifeways is an essential resource in our community, providing services as they related to prevention, wellness, crisis and more for people of all ages. Tune in to learn more about Lifeways and the different ways they are supporting mental health in Jackson and Hillsdale counties, and how they directly support our work here at Jackson Interfaith Shelter.
To learn more about Lifeways Community Mental Health, visit https://www.lifewaysmi.org/.
Music generously provided via bensound-creativeminds
In today's episode, Steve talks with Wendy Clow, Executive Director of the Greater Jackson Habitat for Humanity. As part of our Fair Housing Month series, Steve and Wendy dicsuss the work Habitat does in the Jackson community (and around the globe) to advocate for safe and affordable housing. Tune in for another great conversation!
To learn more about the Greater Jackson Habitat for Humanity, visit https://www.jacksonhousing-mi.org/.
Music generously provided via bensound-creativeminds
In today's episode, Steve talks with Laurie Ingram, Executive Director of the Jackson Housing Commission (JHC). Tune in to learn more about the work of the Housing Commission, how they're providing affordable housing to Jackson residents, and how we partner with them here at Jackson Interfaith Shelter. They also discuss the $450,000 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant JHC was recently awarded to begin the process of updating their properties and surrounding areas.
To learn more about Jackson Housing Commission or the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant, visit https://www.jacksonhousing-mi.org/.
Music generously provided via bensound-creativeminds
Today's episode is the final segment of a three-part conversation with Laura Reaume, Director of Community Programs at Community Action Agency. Tune in to learn more about the work of the Continuum of Care, the Jackson-area HARA (Housing Assessment and Resource Agency), and what the process looks like for someone who is seeking permanent housing. Education is a great first step in understanding how to support housing initiatves in Jackson, and these episodes with Laura are full of great insight of what this process looks like in our community.
To learn more about the Continuum of Care, visit https://www.jxncoc.com/. To learn more about Jackson Interfaith Shelter, visit https://www.interfaithshelter.com/.
Music generously provided via bensound-creativeminds
Today's episode highlights our partner organization MyPlace Jackson. Located just a few houses down from the shelter, MyPlace is rental living space for youth 16 through 21 who are aging out of foster care or can be placed in independent living. Steve converses with Amber McKee, the board chair of MyPlace, about how their daily work supports young girls, how their mission intersects with ours here at Jackson Interfaith Shelter, and their upcoming Freedom Forum event taking place on March 19.
To learn more about MyPlace or register for the Freedom Forum, visit https://myplacejackson.org/.
Today's episode is the second segment of a three-part conversation with Laura Reaume, Director of Community Programs at Community Action Agency. Tune in to learn more about the work of CAA, how they support the community in various ways, and how our partnership with them is helping to move individuals experiencing homelessness into long-term, permanent housing.
To learn more about Community Action Agency, visit https://www.caajlh.org/.
Today's episode is the first segment of a three-part conversation with Laura Reaume, Director of Community Programs at Community Action Agency. Steve and Laura unpack the results of the PIT (point-in-time) Count, the national homeless count that took place on Wednesday, January 26. Tune in to learn more about why the count happens, what the results of the count were, and how you can be a greater advocate for those experiencing homelessness in our community.
To learn more about Community Action Agency, visit https://www.caajlh.org/.
Today's episode features a conversation with Tom Hunsdorfer, Board President of Jackson Interfaith Shelter. Tom shares some of his experience in shelter and non-profit leadership, perspective on the history of shelter work and where it's headed, and how JIS is working to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness in our community. To learn more about the work of the Jackson Interfaith Shelter, visit https://www.interfaithshelter.com/.
Today's episode features a conversation with Atalie Schwartz, our Director of Shelter Services. Steve and Atalie discuss general information about the shelter, what services we provide, and ways we partner with other agencies and nonprofits to ensure we’re providing as many opportunities for our clientele as possible. To learn more about the work of the Jackson Interfaith Shelter, visit https://www.interfaithshelter.com/.
Today's episode features a conversation with Shaunta Patton, a PATH Coordinator with TTI (Training & Treatment Innovations). Steve and Shaunta discuss the realities of street homelessness in Jackson, Michigan, the work of TTI, and how to best come alongside their efforts to support individuals living on the streets. To learn more about the work of TTI, visit https://ttiinc.org/.
This trailer is a brief overview of why we started this podcast and what you can expect in future episodes. We encourage you to subscribe to the Shelter Together podcast to be notified when future episodes are live.