with guest Amos Manirakiza of Food for the Hungry Burundi Do you remember when you learned to read? That excitement as new worlds and stories opened up to you? Literacy is a skill that affects every aspect of life. From traffic signs to job opportunities to even reading this podcast description! Your life would probably look pretty different if you hadn’t learned to read as a kid. But for too many children in Burundi, a future of illiteracy is an all-too-common reality. In this episode, rediscover your own love of reading with Amos Manirakiza, Education Coordinator at Food for the Hungry (FH ..read more

with guest Randall Bear, from Nadleh Whut’en, Dakelh nation, of the Duntem’yoo Bear clan. How is your story rooted in the place—the land—you call home? If you’ve been displaced from that place, is that another facet of poverty? Randall Bear Barnetson, an Indigenous artist from Nadleh Whut’en in Northern BC who now resides in Vancouver, shares his personal experience with poverty—not poverty from a lack of possessions, but as a result in not living on the land he’s from. He shares about the importance of place and how wealth isn’t defined by how much you own, but is rather defined by being in c ..read more

with guest Peter Roebbelen, President of the Charis Foundation. Have you ever stared at rows upon rows of products on the grocery store shelf and felt paralyzed by the options? Don’t they all do pretty much the same thing? Some could argue the same thing is happening in the charity world, where services may be duplicated because nonprofits are doing the same work, sometimes even right down the road from one another. In this episode, Peter Roebbelen, President of the Charis Foundation, stresses that partnership and collaboration is a “high Kingdom value”—one of the most powerful tools we have f ..read more

with guest Andrea Soberg, Business Professor at Trinity Western University. When it comes to work, we all want to be valued for who we are and for what we bring to the table. You’d never want our potential to be out-weighed by stereotypes or inconveniences before even being given a chance. Yet, when it comes to hiring a woman, all-too-often potential employers first see the challenges rather than the unique expertise and passions she may bring to a role. Andrea Soberg from Trinity Western University shares about what women and other minority groups face in securing good jobs. More than raising ..read more

with guest Kadee Smedley of Covenant House Vancouver Consider the people in your life and where they come from— we don’t all get an equal “start”, do we? For too many youth in homelessness, the lack of a safe home, square meal, and warm bed rob them of mental health and personal belief in their future. Our teen and young adult years play a big role in the opportunities we have and how we achieve our goals. Kadee Smedley, ordained minister and spiritual care practitioner at Covenant House Vancouver, shares about the life-changing importance of providing a safe, dignifying space for youth who ha ..read more

with guest Jenny Stoecker, Senior Program Officer at Food for the Hungry Canada You have to admit— you can’t always do things on your own. Whether it’s a neighbour to hold the ladder, a friend to drive us to the airport, or a shoulder to lean on for comfort, we all need the support of our community. So why is it that organizations all-too-often view each other as competitors instead of allies? Join Jenny Stoecker, Senior Program Officer at Food for the Hungry Canada, as she highlights how collaboration, when done well, can mean the difference between band-aid fixes for poverty versus deep, pos ..read more

with guest Kevin McKay, Director of Business Partnerships at Food for the Hungry Canada How do businesses and poverty alleviation intersect? What do we really mean when we say entrepreneurs are “uniquely equipped to tackle poverty”? Kevin McKay, Director of Business Partnerships at FH Canada, unpacks these ideas as he challenges us to see beyond the all-important bottom line to the opportunities business owners have for redemptive work—work that lets us all join in the renewal of all things.  And we’re not just talking about transformation in far off parts of the world either! We’re talki ..read more

with guest Dr. Ray Aldred, Director of the Indigenous Studies at the Vancouver School of Theology. How does looking back at Canada’s history with Indigenous Peoples inform how to participate today in reconciliation? And what is the role of faith in this conversation when so much hurt was endured in the name of the Church?  Reverend Dr. Ray Aldred, Director of the Indigenous Studies at the Vancouver School of Theology, reminds us that reconciliation is a process, not a one-time event. He offers that looking back to the historic treaty process may be a good place to start. If treaties were ..read more

with guest Patrick Elaschuk. Why is it that the best conversations happen around a meal? At one time or another, we’ve all (hopefully) been warmly welcomed into a home to not only eat great food, but also have a good chat—and join in community. But for immigrants and refugees who have just arrived in Canada, finding community and much needed support through relationships is no easy task. Being the “new neighbour” is really hard. Patrick Elaschuk, the Global Pastor at Tenth Church in Vancouver, shares about the mutual transformation that is taking place by newcomers and Canadians simply getting ..read more

With guest Ingrid Delgado of Food for the Hungry Guatemala. It’s hard to imagine dealing with a natural disaster, especially during a pandemic. In late 2020, Guatemala faced two devastating back-to-back hurricanes. Two years later, families are still recovering and dealing with the multi-layered challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. When communities needed one another the most, they were told to distance themselves. It’s not hard to see why people’s mental health suffered. Ingrid Delgado of FH Guatemala shares about new mental health initiatives that are having a huge impact for par ..read more