Ending Poverty Together

with guest Henok Girma of Food for the Hungry Ethiopia.

It may be shocking to hear that, in some communities around the world, the practice of female genital mutilation continues to be commonplace. This is a sensitive and difficult topic, and we’re honoured to welcome Henok Girma from Food for the Hungry Ethiopia to share his experience working in communities and regions that keep to this tradition.

Henok dives into the history of female genital mutilation, as well as the root causes that have led to this harmful traditional practice. But Henok also shines hope into this dark topic by discussing the importance of entering communities as a student of the culture, offering a non-judgemental attitude while still caring for the women of the community and advocating for a path forward.

Content warning: This episode features a valuable conversation on female genital mutilation. Please be aware that this discussion could be triggering and may not be suitable for all listeners.

Recommended Resources:

Thriving Communities blog - Women & Girls

International Women's Day

Episode hosted by Shelaine.

with guest Allison Alley of Compassion Canada and Edouard Lassegue of Compassion International.

Over the past decade, Haiti has been rocked by numerous natural disasters—earthquakes, hurricanes, drought, and more. The people of Haiti have time and again proven their resilience as they rebuild, but it raises the question, how best can the global community support them? What does it look like for organizations to respond urgently to an emergency, while still investing in long-term development?

In this episode, Allison Alley, President and CEO of Compassion Canada, and Edouard Lassegue, Vice President of the Latin America and Caribbean Region at Compassion International, break down the aftermath of the 2021 earthquake, as well as the effects of the compounding crises that have swept through the country in recent years. Take a listen to explore the consequences of the “brain drain” that is affecting many majority countries around the world, Haiti included, and the beautiful, messy tension that exists between long-term development and relief.

Readings & Resources:

Instagram: @allisonalley

Twitter: @_allisonalley

Episode hosted by Shelaine.

with guest Carl Goosen of Fraser Valley Gleaners.

When you pick up a vegetable in the supermarket, it’s usually shiny and crisp, a treat for the eyes as well as the stomach! But what happens to all those veggies that may not look perfect, but are still perfectly edible? Here’s an organization that saves that healthy veg from being composted and puts it on the menu as a life-saving entrée. For over 20 years, Gleaners societies have been making and packing millions of servings of dried soup mix to ship around the world to help families in crisis!

Join Carl Goosen from Fraser Valley Gleaners and Lindsay Brucks from Food for the Hungry Canada as they discuss the process of turning these seemingly unwanted vegetables that grow in fields right here in Canada into soup that delivers life-saving aid around the world.

Readings & Resources:

Fraser Valley Gleaners

Episode hosted by Shelaine.

with guest Michael Prins of Food for the Hungry Canada.

It’s the time of year where charity Christmas gift catalogues find their way to your mailboxes and inboxes—but how do these practical, and hopefully meaningful, shopping options actually work? When you buy a pig for your mom, will a piglet wearing a red bow arrive on her doorstep Christmas morning? What happens to a community in Burundi if somebody suddenly donates 5,000 goats?

In this episode of the Ending Poverty Together Podcast, Mike Prins, with Communications at Food for the Hungry Canada, has all these answers and more for you! Listen to discover how a gift of a cow or a rabbit hops from the pages of the Gifts for Change Gift Guide right to the homes of families in need. Mike shares personal stories of impact sparked by real Canadians through the Gift Guide, and yes! He’ll even answer your question about the 5,000 goats.

Recommended Resources:

FH Canada Gift Guide

14 Questions You've Asked About Giving Goats

Thriving Communities Blog - stories of real families enjoying the Gift Guide

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest David Harlley of Third Way Capital.

What is the responsibility of a business? Is it solely to make a profit, as economist Milton Friedman suggested in the seventies? Or is there more nuance to how businesses can interact with society, culture, and even poverty?

In this episode, David Harlley, CEO of Third Way Capital, dives deep into the idea of “impact investing”. If you’re not familiar with that term, don’t worry! It only hit the mainstream a few years ago. David breaks the concept down into easy to digest chunks that inspire action and push us to reconsider everything we thought we knew about business. When business and investing are done properly, they can be exactly what the world needs to tackle poverty.

Recommended Resources:

Completing Capitalism by Bruno Roche and Jay Jakub

The Myth of Capitalism by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearn

Do Good Business blog (David's blog)

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guests Wendi Park of Care Impact (formerly Forever Families) and Craig Thiessen of Ross Road Community Church

How did you respond the last time someone living in homelessness approached you on the street? How about when you learned that your neighbour was struggling with loneliness? Or when you heard about drought overseas on the news? When we’re confronted with the devastating effects of poverty, it can feel pretty overwhelming. After all, what can one person really do to make a difference?

In this episode, Wendy Park and Craig Thiessen share about a workshop that helped them challenge their assumptions around poverty—the Ending Poverty Together Workshop (you heard that right! We share a name!). They share about the experience of coming together with other like-minded Canadians, how the interactive exercises equipped them to make a difference in their communities, and how you can get involved too.

Because, as it turns out, one person can actually do quite a lot when it comes to poverty—especially when they walk alongside others.

Recommended Resources:

Ending Poverty Together Workshops

Ending Poverty Together Promotional Video

Episode by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Kate Masson of Ian Martin Group.

Nowadays, people work a lot. Working hours keep going up and up and work-life balance is only getting more elusive. In fact, we often spend more time with our colleagues than our own family members. This current working model isn’t sustainable, but how do we fix it? Is there a way for business leaders to build a healthy culture of belonging and genuine care within the workplace?

Kate Masson, Community Manager for Ian Martin Group, knows all about what it is like to break a business down to basics and build it back up into a stronger version of itself. In this episode, she shares about how leadership intent is key to lasting change, the growing pains of a strong workplace culture, and how businesses truly are uniquely positioned to tackle poverty.

Recommended Resources & Reading:

The Five Dysfunctions of Team by Patrick Lencioni

The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

The Teal O/S: teal.ianmartin.com

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Pastor Jeremy Cook of Sherwood Park Alliance Church.

When it comes to “missions” or helping overseas, the loaded words “mutual transformation” are often thrown around. But what does this idea actually look like in practice? In this episode, Jeremy Cook, Senior Associate Pastor from Sherwood Park Alliance Church, has an answer for you.

After nine years of partnership with FH, Jeremy shares personal life-changing stories about walking alongside a community in Burundi. From a prayerful encounter in his sponsor child’s home, to a simple ask to sing together that led to a worship experience that united people across cultures. The amazing thing is, these stories aren’t just about the transformation of the community in Burundi, they’re also about the transformation of lives right here in Canada.

Recommended Reading:

The Locus Effect by Gary Haugen and Victor Boutros

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Danielle Strickland of IMBY (In My Backyard)

We’ve made a lonely world for ourselves. The way our society has designed suburbs, with white picket fences and private backyards, has left many feeling isolated and disconnected. In many ways, we’ve set up our lives for individualism and autonomy. Once the pandemic hit, many of us were faced with the disconnected life we had set up for ourselves. What’s the solution? It’s connection.

Danielle Strickland, renowned justice advocate and peacemaker, is passionate about fostering connection. In this episode, she offers a new take on how we can share spaces, land, home, and foster a community that alleviates all forms of human poverty through richer human connection. And it could involve something you might not expect—tiny homes.

Recommended Resources & Reading:

Recovering by Aaron White

Exclusion and Embrace by Miraslov Volf

Better Together: How Women and Men Can Heal the Divide and Work Together to Transform the Future by Danielle Strickland

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.

with guest Nicole Mucci of Union Gospel Mission, Vancouver, BC.

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic began, another health emergency raged on in the background across Canada: the opioid crisis. In British Columbia alone, thousands have lost their lives since the crisis was declared in 2016. In this episode, Nicole Mucci of Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver, BC shares about the stigma around addiction, how the overdose crisis is affecting community members, and how poverty and addiction don’t have to be the end of the road.

Content warning: This episode features an important and valuable conversation on the opioid crisis. Please be aware that potentially triggering topics like death, overdose, and trauma are discussed. If you or someone you love is living with addiction, please visit heretohelp.bc.ca

Recommended Resources & Readings:

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Dr. Gabor Mate 

Portraits of Loss: One hundred lives, felled by an overdose crisis - Globe & Mail article highlighting the devastating losses felt in 2020 due to the Opioid Epidemic. 

Union Gospel Mission’s blog

Vancouver Public Library - resources for overdose awareness

Episode hosted by Shelaine and Eric.