In this episode of "Hometown Heroes," Lisa Lyon - Executive Director of "The Relief Zone" tells us about the faith-based, multi-faceted childcare program in the Chautaqua County community of Frewsburg. known locally as "TRZ", which has been going strong for over 20 years.

In this episode of "Hometown Heroes," Bath, NY Ccentral School District Superintendent Kelly Houck discusses Haverling High School's successful collaboration with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier to operate an in-school grocery store known as 'Ram-Mart.'

On this "Best of" edition of Hometown Heroes, we revisit our interview with Pennsylvania missionary Todd Gallagher, who recounts his experiences in Ukraine at the start of the Russian invasion over three years ago.

Mike Hennessey with "Youth for Christ" in Rochester, NY uses basketball to address an epidemic of fatherlessness in the "Flower City"

Farmers Helping Farmers  (Part 2)

Helping with Hay for Hurricane Helene's victims

Brittany Eisenman organized fellow northwest Pennsylvania farm families to ship hay to North Carolina and Tennessee farmers devastated flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.

That effort that has produced countless faith stories for those involved. 

This is Part Two of Mark Webster's conversation about how farmers help farmers -- and Christians help neighbors, even those who are a distance away. The widespread response from the community is heartening to those who are helping, and for those who have received this practical compassion.

You also can hear Part One of our "Hometown Heroes" interview. Check it out on our 2/26/2025 feature podcast. You can send a link so someone else among your family, friends or congregation can hear it. All of our original Family Life Podcasts are also available to download, or click Subscribe to be notified each time a new episode goes online.

For further details and photos from this "Hay Lift", there is additional coverage from multiple farm journals and local websites.

For more about the ministry which is overseeing the logistics of these deliveries, go to the website or social media of Spurred to Victory Ministries. Spurred to Victory's primary evangelistic work uses horses to share the Gospel.

photo credit: facebook/brittany eisenman

#hometownheroes

#familylifenews

Helping with Hay for Hurricane Helene's victims

Farmers Helping Farmers 

It's the "Hometown Heroes" podcast from Family Life News

The devastation of Hurricane Helene in mid-2024 will be felt for years in the Carolinas, Tennessee and other states. But, a group of farmers in northwestern Pennsylvania provided a helpful response that many of us might not have even realized was needed.

In this week's Hometown Heroes podcast, Mark Webster introduces you to Brittany Eisenman, who organized shipments of hay to western North Carolina farmers after those massive floods. As you will hear, it wasn't farmers "bailing" out farmers with bales of hay for their livestock, there's a strong story of a God Moment which was a major aspect to this project.

You also can hear Part Two of our "Hometown Heroes" interview about the practical and spiritual messages shared with each truckload of hay. Check it out on our 3/04/2025 feature podcast.

EYT Media is another source to find out about this haylift.

Other episodes of our original podcasts introduce you to other "Hometown Heroes", individuals and groups who take intentional steps to tangibly enhance the lives of their neighbors, communities and regions.

Find our archives at FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts and other popular podcast platforms. You can share, listen or download, or tap "subscribe" to receive an update each time a new edition goes online.

"Hometown Heroes" also airs most Tuesdays during the Family Life Noon Report and our 5 O'Clock Report, with highlights also included in our other newscasts. Hear these on one of our nearly-70 radio stations across Pennsylvania and New York, or listen in from anywhere with our live stream, app, or web player:  

ways to listen to Family Life

other Family Life News features

more about Family Life News

photo credit: facebook/brittany eisenman

#hometownheroes

#familylifenews

Kingdom Builders of Central New York

The Hometown Heroes podcast from Family Life News

Today’s guest on “Hometown Heroes” is Bill Sears with Kingdom Builders of Central New York – a ministry that provides free home repairs for those who can’t afford them … and shares the Christian Gospel along the way. Their mission statement is "Serving God by Serving People".

Sears tells the story of how Kingdom Builders' executive director Andy Deforest has done faith-based mission work in New Zealand, Cambodia, Honduras and Papua Guinea, and has found a way to carry out parallel kinds of mission in the Susquehanna Valley.

Professional electrical engineer Bill Sears has been on the KBCNY board since the ministry was founded.

Discover more about this community-minded ministry at KingdomBuildersCNY.org.

You can go to the Kingdom Builders CNY website to read or subscribe to their online newsletters.

Hometown Heroes: Victory Sports

Part 2 of our interview with Doug Rifenburg

Victory Sports founder Doug Rifenburg takes us inside this ministry which distributes sports equipment to children and teens to give them positive activities as an alternative to other troublesome options. There is a Gospel emphasis too.

Included in this segment of Mark Webster's interview, Rifenburg tells about a partnership which Victory Sports and its donors have with the police department in Buffalo, giving officers another community-policing tool to connect with young people in their neighborhoods.

Part 1 of this "Hometown Heroes" feature aired on February 4. You can listen to that segment as well, download it or share it from this link at www.FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts:  Heroes 2/04/25

Victory Sports is headquartered in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence, New York. Their distribution center is open selected hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The website is www.VictorySports.org. Doug Rifenburg and his family have a long history in the Buffalo sports world.  Find out more about him and his work here.

Hometown Heroes

The Family Life News Tuesday Podcast

Victory Sports in western New York spreads the Christian gospel by distributing sports gear to young people in need.

Founder Doug Rifenburg takes us inside this ministry -- and out to the neighborhoods they influence -- with this "Hometown Heroes" interview with Family Life's Mark Webster.

This Family Life "Hometown Heroes" interview continues in with Part 2 which first aired in the Noon Report on February 11.  You can listen, download that segment, or share it from the link at www.FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts:  Heroes 2/11/25

Victory Sports is headquartered in the Buffalo suburb of Clarence, New York. Their distribution center is open selected hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The website is www.VictorySports.org. Doug Rifenburg's biography is here.

The Hope Center in Western New York

Family Life's Hometown Heroes podcast

The Hope Center of Leroy, New York, is a community focused organization which provides a variety of services to the people of Genesee County.

Diane Sia is the director there, and she gives Family Life News Anchor Mark Webster an overview of their many community ministries, including:

Sia says the most beneficial byproduct of the Hope Center of Leroy is the personalized connections that happen with the young people, parents and others they see. Those people get an attentive listening ear, experiences of care and encouragement, and tangible evidence of Christian faith.

You can also find out more about their tutoring, senior moments luncheons, GriefShare workshops and other programs at www.HopeCenterofLeroy.org.

Catch up with all the individuals and organizations who are transforming their local communities with our Hometown Heroes podcast archives anytime. We encourage you to listen, share, subscribe or download all your favorite Family Life features from www.FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts or from many popular podcast platforms.