So You Think You Can Give: Recent Episodes
Stephanie Finigan
So You Think You Can Give is a weekly conversation featuring the work of non-profits, social enterprises, and everyday changemakers. Each week the podcast aims to bring awareness to a different mission-driven organization or individual – discussing the social issues they’re addressing, their model and methods of operating, and both the successes and challenges they face in carrying out their work of serving others. Each episode will also highlight practical ways that everyday people can get involved in giving back, even on a budget.
This week's episode is part 2 of the Back on My Feet interviews - this time, with one of Back on My Feet's alumni members - and 2 time half marathoner - Bomani Perkins. In this episode we talk about what brought Bo to Back on My Feet, why he thinks the organization is so special, and what he's learned about life through running.
Back on My Feet is a national nonprofit focused on combating homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources. When today's guest, Bo, first heard about Back on My Feet his primary interest in joining the group was to get himself a new pair of sneakers.....nearly a year and a half later he's finished 2 half marathons, gained employment and independent housing, and is now a role model for others.
In this episode you'll hear:
- How Bomani first learned about Back on My Feet
- Why he feels Back on My Feet's mission is so important, and what he's gained by being a part of the team
- The benefits of Back on My Feet he's found most helpful
- Why everyone should have a life coach!
- What he'd tell someone who is looking to make a change in their life and doesn't know where to start
To learn more:
https://dc.backonmyfeet.org/
https://www.backonmyfeet.org/
https://www.501auctions.com/bomfdcgala
https://www.runwayfarers.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBtyydzyu1Q&t=1s
This episode is a special one featuring Back on My Feet, an organization using running to address homelessness. (Yes, you read that right!). While not a natural pairing in most people's minds, the fact is running can be an incredible tool for confidence building, goal setting, and community - all necessary skills for those transitioning out homelessness and into better lives for themselves.
Back on My Feet, a national organization operating in 12 major cities coast to coast, combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources. The organization's vision is that that if you first restore confidence, strength and self-esteem through running, individuals are better equipped to tackle the road ahead and move toward employment, independent housing, and new lives.
But running is really only the start of what Back on My Feet does. By providing members with job training and employment skills, job readiness programming, financial literacy classes, and access to employment and independent housing opportunities, Back on My Feet is actually addressing a number of root causes of homelessness, all while providing a community of teammates in the form of a three-times-a-week running group.
This week's interview with Grace Foster, the Back on My Feet DC chapter's Director, will provide listeners with an understanding of:
- Back on My Feet's model and impact, both locally and nationally
- Who Back on My Feet serves and why
- What some of the core, practical challenge are facing individuals who are seeking to transition from homelessness to independent living
- The variety of services Back on My Feet provides
- Why 5:45AM runs really aren't so bad!
- How you can help Back on My Feet's work - even if you're not a runner
In addition to this interview, today's episode also includes an update from Season 1 interviewee Shared Nation - the organization building a community of thousands that is combining its resources to gain clout and solve big global problems. Shared Nation has an amazing new campaign launching for any nonprofit seeking funding (which is every nonprofit!) and anyone looking for a fun, innovative way to engage in philanthropy. Stay tuned to the end of this episode for more info.
Links to this episode's resources include:
https://www.backonmyfeet.org/
https://dc.backonmyfeet.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=LBtyydzyu1Q
https://dc.backonmyfeet.org/calendar
https://dc.backonmyfeet.org/event/dc-2017-blue-green-bash
https://www.sharednation.org/
https://www.sharednation.org/pages/project-submission
http://soyouthinkyoucangive.com/episode-9-shared-nation/
There are few topics as difficult to address as sex trafficking. From the scale of the crisis at a global level to the stigma faced by many survivors to the challenges of prosecuting perpetrators, the issue is as overwhelming as it is complex. NightLight is a non-profit working in both Thailand and the US to rescue and support victims of sex trafficking and exploitation in the sex industry. Working case-by-case, the NightLight team is providing holistic support to those in need - making an impact on a global crisis one individual at a time.
In this episode, NightLight Missouri's Director, Savannah Stepp, walks us through the work of this heart-centered organization - both in the US office in Missouri, and in Thailand. In this episode you'll hear about:
- The definition of trafficking and the challenges in recognizing it
- How exploitation occurs in the sex industry
- The challenges for victims of sex trafficking in Thailand, and what can be done to help, including the importance of job training and employment
- How law enforcement in the US can play a role in supporting victims - just by listening
- Why focusing on "eradicating" sex trafficking is not the only answer
- Why doing something about a cause you care about will probably also have an impact on trafficking
There's no question this global crisis is a daunting one - but this episode will help you understand more about this complex topic, and what you can do to make an impact.
Resources mentioned in this episode to help you learn more about this issue - and ways to get involved - are:
https://www.nightlightinternational.com/
https://www.nightlightinternational.com/bangkok/
https://www.nightlightinternational.com/missouri/
http://store.nightlightinternational.com/
http://isupportthegirls.org/
https://www.consumewithlove.com/
Think about this: most of the 520,000 elected offices nationwide are not significantly contested. There are no shortage of opportunities to get involved in politics in America - so why don't more people do it? And what would it take to get more people engaged? These are the challenges Empowered to Run's online courses are out to address, by breaking down the process so that everyone can have access to our democracy.
After working on a 2008 presidential campaign, Executive Director Steve Sinha realized how many people really do care about making change happen - and then saw the opportunity slip away to actually get them engaged politically. Fast forward to today, and Steve's solution to address this problem: Empowered to Run. Empowered to Run is a start-up non-profit on a mission to bring democracy back to the people. By developing online training and guidance on campaign techniques, policy, messaging, and governance, with a state & local focus, Empowered to Run is taking a seemingly overwhelming topic for most of us - running for office - and breaking it down into practical steps. Empowered to Run provides an opportunity for anyone, in any corner of the country, to learn the practical steps to take to engage in public office.
After a successful pilot, Empowered to Run has just launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise the next round of funding needed to develop their upcoming courses - and further their mission to empower thoughtful leaders everywhere to run for office successfully and govern effectively.
In this episode you'll hear about:
- the vast opportunities there are to run for office in the US
- the top reasons why people don't run even when they're motivated to do so
- how Empowered to Run's courses work and what's included
- what it takes to get a non-profit started in DC
- the most obscure (and important!) elected office out there
- the many ways you can help Empowered to Run grow (including their crowdfunding campaign!), or get involved!
Empowered to Run's site: https://www.empoweredto.run
Crowdfunding campaign can be found here: et.run/give
Founding story video: et.run/foundingstory
Season 1 is coming to an end! Don't worry - the party's just getting started, but before we officially move into the future we're taking one more look back at the past by chatting about the big lessons learned from Season 1 and how they apply to whatever you're up to these days!
This season as been full of lessons. The interviewees and social causes featured during Season 1 of the podcast ranged from fair trade to financial literacy, from mentorship to money, from world class hospitals of New York City to make shift birthing centers in Haiti. We talked about privilege. We talked about theatre. We talked about voting with your dollar, and why every dollar counts.
And we talked about about giving back is the new black. Philanthropy isn't a privilege for the wealthy. We're taking it back, one Broke Girl at a time.
In this week's solocast I go over the 5 biggest takeaways I have from Season 1 - takeaways which relate to both giving back, and launching a podcast (they actually have a lot in common!):
- Just get started – and don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks
- You’ll learn things you don’t even know you want to learn
- Sometimes it may not be amazing....
- ....and sometimes it really will
- The Narnia Door (you'll have to just tune in to hear more about this one!).
Season 1 has been amazing and I'm beyond excited for what's ahead in Season 2 (here's a hint: its starting with a little facelift for the website!). Stay tuned for new episodes in a few weeks - and in the meantime, get out there and give something back. Because if we've learned one thing this season its that every dollar - and every person - counts.
Quite simply, its really hard to not get behind this week's featured organization, St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children. It's all too easy to take a healthy childhood for granted - until a child with special needs enters your life. For children with special needs, who require care which is often complicated as well as costly, an organization such as St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children is a game changer. One of only a handful of organizations around the country dedicated to providing intensive rehabilitation, specialized care, and education to children with special needs and life-limiting conditions, this organization aims to bring health care to every child who needs it, now and in the future.
St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children is committed to improving the health and quality of life for children and families with special needs. Their work includes a broad portfolio of initiatives aimed at improving the lives of special needs children, and supporting their families, every step of the way through a network of inpatient, home care and community programs and services. Their programs include hospital care, home care, therapy for children with a variety of complex issues such as developmental delays or head injuries, after-school, weekend, and summer camp programs for children and young adults with cognitive and physical disabilities, and a Center for Pediatric Feeding Disorders to assist children with eating difficulties (and the list goes on!).
Today's interview with Sara Farkas of the Friends of St. Mary’s Committee talks us through the work of the committee - which includes volunteering, fundraising, and advocacy for St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children. Sara dives deep into the unique fundraising strategies the committee employs for its efforts for St. Mary's, the advocacy work they do, especially on behalf of children who age out of the System, and how a $20 donation really can make a difference.
Links to more information:
http://stmaryskids.org/giving/fosm/
http://stmaryskids.org/programs-and-services/center-for-pediatric-feeding-disorders/
https://www.facebook.com/Stmaryskids
https://twitter.com/StMarysKidsNY
https://www.youtube.com/user/stmaryskids
https://www.instagram.com/stmaryskidsny/
https://www.instagram.com/friendsofstmarys/
When Sloane Davidson realized there was a refugee family from Syria living down the street from her Pittsburgh, PA home she did what was just in her nature to do: she reached out. And after realizing others around her wanted to do the same for refugees new to their community, Sloane launched Hello Neighbor , a mentorship program connecting refugees and immigrants with dedicated neighbors able to provide guidance, support, and friendship to families working to rebuild their lives in the U.S.
Sloane's career has spanned sectors and geographies, with her varied experience all falling under the umbrella of living what she refers to as a "cause-filled life". Her knowledge and expertise in the areas of digital marketing, philanthropy, international development, and non-profits blend together under Hello Neighbor, which aims to connect newly resettled refugee or immigrant families to neighbors - in an effort to bridge the divide that culture, language, and even our day-to-day habits can create (how many of us actually go say hello to our neighbors?). Through an innovative mentorship model, Hello Neighbor aims to ease the process it takes to rebuild a life in a country that is not your own, and to develop connections and friendships among neighbors who may otherwise not have a chance to meet or support one another.
With a refreshing view on non-profit operations and an openness to sharing her own thoughts on everything from the current refugee crisis to letting the market decide what a good idea is in the non-profit world, Sloane provides listeners with a chance to learn what it's like to turn a spark of an idea into a truly impactful organization, and why every dollar really does count.
Mentioned in today's show, and other relevant links:
https://www.helloneighbor.io/
https://www.sloanedavidson.com/
https://twitter.com/helloneighborhq
https://twitter.com/sloane
https://www.facebook.com/helloneighborhq/
https://www.rescue.org/
http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/
Looking to learn a little more about international development, social issues, or how to be a donor on a budget? Its 2017: access to information isn't the issue, but knowing where to begin can be. So with that in mind, today's solocast will give you some suggestions for jumping off points for you, dear listener, if you're looking to learn more, do more, or just want a few suggestions on some good ways to kill time during your commute.
This solocast will give you recommendations for books to read on a wide variety of topics in the international development/social issues space, as well as a few suggestions for podcasts which will provide you with insights on personal finance - the non-boring and non-scary kind (and what Broke Girl doesn't need a bit of that?)! If you're looking for a few new reads, want to educate yourself on some fascinating world events from recent decades, or are just curious about how a Broke Girl who Gives Back likes to unwind at the end of the day (hint: it involves Bravo TV) then this episode is for you.
Links related to today's episode are:
The Big Truck That Went By: https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Big_Truck_That_Went_By.html?id=cFKdtzGITDcC&hl=en
Haiti: The Aftershocks of History: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/books/review/haiti-the-aftershocks-of-history-by-laurent-dubois-book-review.html
First They Killed My Father: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_They_Killed_My_Father
Sold: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/sold
Chasing Chaos: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/220550/chasing-chaos-by-jessica-alexander/9780770436919/
So Money: http://farnoosh.tv/episode/welcome-to-so-money/
Words and Money: https://www.tesswicks.com/podcast/
Dear Sugar: http://www.wbur.org/dearsugar
Tiny Beautiful Things: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tiny-beautiful-things-cheryl-strayed/1110776517?ean=9780307949332&pcta=u&st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Core+Shopping+Textbooks_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP62420#/
Bitch Sesh: http://www.earwolf.com/show/bitch-sesh/
We Really Like Musicals: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/we-really-like-musicals/id1227245454?mt=2
Selfie Podcast: http://lifelistened.com/category/selfie/
Rage Against the Minivan: http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/
Sarah James: http://whoorl.com/
Ready to get excited about giving back? Then this is the episode for you. Shared Nation is a new kind of philanthropy - one that is addressing global problems by gathering people together and allowing them to select exactly where and how their donations should be used. By blending philanthropic capital with a democratic voting system and a March Madness style "tournament of good", Shared Nation is bringing both excitement and empowerment back to everyday people looking to make a difference by creating a new way to address some of the world's most pressing problems.
Each of Shared Nation's tournaments aim to address a global problem - something which is impacting people no matter where they live. The current tournament is for Women's Rights and Gender Justice - with over 50 organizations vying to win funding, all donated by everyday citizens who want to help out, and also want a voice in just how that's done. With a minimum donation of $3.00, and an online platform as well as an easy-to-use app, Shared Nation is accessible to nearly anyone looking to make a difference addressing the global challenges.
But Shared Nation isn't stopping there: they dream big, by asking the question "IF MILLIONS OF US COMBINE OUR MONEY AND OUR TIME, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT COULD WE MAKE?" Their goal is to grow into an online community of global citizens donating next-level sized funding towards causes they collectively decide on, in order to create change in a more equitable and efficient way than its ever been done before. Its a bold mission developed by a bold team who firmly believe that when given the right tools and access, there is no limit to the positive change that can be made on a global scale.
Check out the links below for more info and to get involved in this round of voting!:
https://www.sharednation.org/
https://www.facebook.com/sharednation/?fref=ts
https://twitter.com/sharednation
Money. You can't escape it: no matter who you are money has an impact on your life, every single day. Whether you have more money than you need or not enough to get by, money is something we all interact with daily - and yet, so few of us ever get the proper financial education we need to really understand money, and to know how to use it as a tool to help propel ourselves forward. Financial literacy should not be reserved for those lucky enough to be born into wealth - its something we all deserve access to. High Water Women believes this as well. This New York City-based non-profit is addressing the financial education gap by providing financial literacy educational opportunities to low-income youth, as well as by focusing on the economic empowerment of women and children. High Water Women aims to give everyone - regardless of their current economic status - the skills necessary for a healthy financial future.
Founded in 2005 by women in the hedge fund and investment industries, High Water Women is dedicated to providing enriched educational opportunities for low-income youth and the economic empowerment of women and children. The organization also seeks to make an impact in other areas related to economic empowerment and education through their work in the impact investing space, as well as their annual backpack drive for low income children. By operating on these multiple levels, the impact of High Water Women's work is felt both broadly and deeply by the NYC community, and as Executive Director Diane Keating talks about in this interview, their aim is to scale their impact in the coming years. In this interview we speak about why financial literacy matters to everyone, what High Water Women's financial literacy work looks like, and how individual donors can really have an impact on this organization's ability to keep doing the excellent work they do.
Links:
http://www.highwaterwomen.org/
Nancie Rothman didn't ask to be an advocate or a non-profit founder; the duties came to her as a means of paying it forward after her youngest daughter Emma went into sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 12 and received a life saving heart transplant 17 hours later. Overwhelmed and inspired by the community which rallied around her family during their ordeal, and awakened to the lack of information the typical person has regarding organ donation, the Rothman's founded Hearts for Emma, a dual-purposed organization focusing on caring for families dealing with a medical crisis, as well as organ and tissue donation awareness and advocacy.
Hearts for Emma focuses on providing niche needs for families with kids in hospitals (think: meals, parking passes, blankets, room decorations, journals, face wash....all the stuff you need that just gets pushed to the side when you're in the hospital caring for a sick kid). Additionally, they've partnered with the New Jersey Sharing Network to develop curriculum and supporting materials such as videos and brochures educating people - especially students - about what it means to be an organ donor, and why the need is so important.
Hearts for Emma is a fantastic example of how one family can make an impact, of how a $20 donation actually does help, and of how we all have the ability within us to get through some of life's most unthinkable challenges - and ultimately pay it forward.
Links to learn more:
http://www.heartsforemma.org/
info@heartsforemma.org
https://www.njsharingnetwork.org/
https://www.facebook.com/HeartsForEmma
https://twitter.com/heartsforemma
https://www.instagram.com/hearts.for.emma/?hl=en
https://youtu.be/Ho-IEi2kzds
Gail Anderson is a powerhouse of positivity who turned her love of volunteering and giving back into her life's work. In this episode we dive into Gail's motivation, mantras, and the movement she's building one small action at a time.
Gail is one of those people who you just can't ignore; her attitude and energy is infectious, and she's taking her desire to contribute to a whole new level by creating Giving Back with Gail. What started as an Instagram account of daily positivity has grown into an online community of people who not only want to see change in the world - but want to be a part of making it happen. Giving Back with Gail is part inspiration, part motivation, and part action, as Gail offers herself not only as an example of how to fit giving back into a busy girl's life, but also as a resource for people looking to get started in giving more - and just aren't sure where to begin.
Links below to Gail's info as well as some of the resources we spoke about in today's episode:
https://www.givingbackwithgail.com/
https://www.instagram.com/givingbackwithgail/
https://www.newyorkcares.org/
http://bigsunday.org/
When Nadene Brunk traveled to Haiti in 2003 as a midwife working with a small medical team, she had no idea the trip would lead her into the work of her lifetime. For over a decade Midwives for Haiti has trained over 120 midwives, cared for over 94,000 safe pregnancies and births, and provided reproductive health education to women in some of the most challenging regions of the country.
Midwives for Haiti is on a mission to increase access to skilled maternity care in Haiti, and has a vision that pregnancy and childbirth are safe for mothers and babies in Haiti. Working in collaboration with Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population and other NGOs, Midwives for Haiti delivers "culturally appropriate, high impact health interventions",
with an approach aimed at reducing three major challenges pregnant women in Haiti face: the delay in the decision to seek care, the delay in reaching care, and the delay in receiving adequate care.
In this interview Nadene speaks about her own experience as a midwife, how the idea of Midwives for Haiti came to be, the core work they carry out in training Haitian midwives and carrying out the work of supporting pregnant mothers, and their organization's current needs. This informative interview provides insight into the challenges facing mothers in Haiti, and great practical suggestions on ways to support Midwives for Haiti!
Links referenced in the interview include:
https://midwivesforhaiti.org/
https://www.instagram.com/midwives4haiti/
https://www.pih.org/
When Deb Gottesman and her partners opened a small theatre coaching program for striving actors 25 years ago, she couldn't imagine what The Theatre Lab would eventually become: an inclusive theatre training community with services that reach far beyond the stage. With an emphasis on "access" to anyone with an interest in performance, The Theatre Lab is now the home to both a major scholarship program providing theatre training to low-income students, and a Life Stories program which provides an opportunity for marginalized people to finally get a chance to tell their stories.
Working with senior citizens, returning veterans, women experiencing homelessness and addiction, incarcerated youth, and other people who generally don't have a chance to speak openly about their lives, the Theatre Lab's Life Stories program provides both a platform for expression as well as artistic training to those whom "theatre training" can seem beyond reach.
The Theatre Lab relies on funding from various resources, including individual donors, and for this organization every dollar really does make a difference. From producing DVDs for Life Stories' performers to take home, to providing free theatre education for people who otherwise couldn't afford high-quality theatre training, The Theatre Lab is both a vital part of the D.C. community as well as an example to other arts programs of how to build inclusive programing.
Links mentioned in the episode:
https://theatrelab.org/content/about-us
https://theatrelab.org/content/life-stories
http://www.higodoc.com
http://www.nstreetvillage.org
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
When Ryan Weimer took his 3-year-old son out for Halloween in a pirate ship costume, he saw for the first time people treating his son not like a child in a wheelchair, but just like every other child out trick-or-treating that night. The moment was so meaningful that Ryan realized it was something that other families with special needs kids deserved to have as well - and Magic Wheelchair was born.
Magic Wheelchair is a non-profit organization with a vision "to put a smile on the face of every child in a wheelchair", and a mission "to give kids in wheelchairs an unforgettable experience by creating custom costumes for them at no expense to their families". By recruiting and organizing Build Teams, and supporting them with technical guidance and materials, Magic Wheelchair teams have transformed wheelchairs into pirate ships, fire engines, race cars, sea turtles, even a chef's kitchen. The all-volunteer teams are a mix of pros and amateurs, artists, designers, photographers, and just people eager to pitch in and help, and they work directly on customizing the costume idea to meet the design each kid desires.
Magic Wheelchair looks for donations of all sizes and volunteers of all kinds to keep their organization growing. Donations can be made on their site, and all their costumes can be seen on their website and social media pages. Learn more here:
http://www.magicwheelchair.org/
https://www.facebook.com/magicwheelchair/
https://www.instagram.com/magicwheelchair/
This first interview episode of the podcast features Megan Bahns, one of the co-founders of Consume with Love, an online marketplace for sustainable, fair trade, cruelty-free clothing and accessories. A great "Ethical Shopping 101" conversation, this episode explores ways to be a more conscious consumer - even on a budget.
Let's be honest - the struggle to be a more ethical shopper is real. Whether its because the fair trade clothes you find just aren't so cute, the sustainably made bag you're eyeing is just too pricey, or because you're not even sure what "ethical shopping" actually means - its not easy to vote with your dollar. Megan and her twin sister Michele founded Consume with Love as a way to address these challenges and make ethical shopping more accessible for all of us. By finding fashionable clothes and accessories, made by a variety of artisan groups, women entrepreneurs, and suppliers focused on core values such as sustainability and cruelty-free products, Consume with Love is an answer to a problem many socially minded people have: making sustainable shopping accessible, affordable, and efficient for the everyday person who wants to vote with her dollar without spending excess time and money to do so.
Megan also provides some great resource recommendations for those looking to learn more about ethical shopping - and The Broke Girl's Guide to Giving is adding a few endorsements of our own on places for Broke Girls to shop more consciously. Check out the links below if you're looking to learn more - or looking for some great products to buy!:
https://www.consumewithlove.com/
https://truecostmovie.com/
http://fashionrevolution.org/
http://www.peopletree.co.uk/
http://31bits.com/
https://www.krochetkids.org/
https://sojustshop.com/
http://www.dassieartisan.com/
This episode is a brief hello and introduction of the The Broke Girl's Guide to Giving Podcast, a weekly conversation featuring the work of non-profits, social enterprises, and mission-driven individuals, bringing awareness to the work they do, the social issues they’re addressing, and practical ways that everyday people can get involved in giving back - even on a budget.
Each week this show will feature one organization or individual trying to make a difference. The podcast has 3 key goals:
- It aims to bring awareness to the work of mission-driven organizations – discussing the social issues they’re addressing, the model of their work, and both the successes and challenges they face in carrying out their work of serving others.
- The podcast will also highlight practical ways that everyday people can get involved in giving back to the episode’s featured organization, even when money's an issue (when is it not?)
- And finally, The Broke Girl's Guide to Giving Podcast, social media accounts, email list and website will all provide links to resources where listeners can learn more about the issues discussed on each week's show.
Sign up over at http://www.thebrokegirlsguidetogiving.com/ to join the email list.