By TruStory FM
4.7
2121 ratings
The podcast currently has 196 episodes available.
Every day mentorship transforms lives by opening doors for young people to reach their full potential. Yet, many overlook the profound impact that just one positive adult connection can have in empowering youth and strengthening communities. This is where Big Brothers Big Sisters of America steps in—bringing mentorship to the forefront of social change.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America connects youth nationwide with caring adult mentors who guide and inspire them. Through intentional matching and strong partnerships, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America supports mentorship programs in over 5,000 communities across the U.S., creating real opportunities for youth to thrive.
We invited Artis Stevens, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, to share his journey, from leading the organization to how he leverages partnerships to expand mentorship’s impact. Through collaborations with organizations like Macy's and the NFL, Artis is bringing national attention to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s mission and creating new avenues for people to get involved in mentorship.
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Changemakers from One Young World Series
Host Carol Cone talks with Katie Hodgetts and Dr. Adewumi Babatunde Enoch, two impactful leaders from the One Young World Summit, to discuss how personal purpose drives meaningful environmental and social change. Katie, founder of The Resilience Project, shares her journey in climate activism, emphasizing the need to support young leaders in addressing climate anxiety and burnout. Adewumi, a public health advocate from Nigeria, discusses his work with Quinta Healthcare, focusing on women’s health equity through cancer screenings and education. Together, they explore how personal motivations fuel resilience and how cultivating purpose can address pressing global challenges in both health and climate action.
This episode is part of our multi-episode series featuring some of the world’s most influential changemakers who attended the 2024 One Young World Summit, a global forum that brings together young leaders from 190+ countries to accelerate social impact.
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Changemakers from One Young World Series
Host Carol Cone interviews Per Heggenes, former CEO of the IKEA Foundation, on his commitment to empowering refugees and addressing the global issues causing an increase in refugees, such as climate change and poverty. Per shares insights from his tenure, highlighting successful organizational and governmental programs and policies. Per also encourages young leaders to push for impactful change, asserting that businesses can be both profitable and purpose-driven, aligning with the values of today’s conscious consumers.
This episode is part of our multi-episode series featuring some of the world’s most influential changemakers who attended the 2024 One Young World Summit, a global forum that brings together young leaders from 190+ countries to accelerate social impact.
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Changemakers from One Young World Series
Host Carol Cone speaks with two inspiring changemakers: Annie Lu, co-founder of H2Ok Innovations, and Rebecca Daniel, founder of The Marine Diaries. Annie discusses how her company uses AI and sensor technology to make manufacturing more sustainable by optimizing processes and reducing waste, water, and energy consumption. Rebecca highlights critical issues like climate change and overfishing and discusses how The Marine Diaries connects people with ocean science through storytelling and immersive experiences. Together, they offer valuable insights into the intersection of technology, environmental sustainability, and youth-driven solutions.
This episode is part of our multi-episode series featuring some of the world’s most influential changemakers who attended the 2024 One Young World Summit, a global forum that brings together young leaders from 190+ countries to accelerate social impact.
Resources + Links:
Changemakers from One Young World Series
Host Carol Cone speaks with three inspiring young leaders—Abideen Olasupo, Lillian Olivia Orero, and Gitanjali Rao—about their impactful work in harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence for social innovation. Abideen, co-founder of FactCheckAfrica, talks about combating misinformation in Nigeria through community engagement and fact-checking. Lillian, a gender and technology lawyer and founder, discusses her work with SafeOnline Women Kenya addressing online safety for women and girls. Gitanjali, an MIT student and innovator, shares her efforts in empowering students globally through innovation workshops. The conversation highlights the role of AI in advancing their missions and the importance of collaboration and empathy in driving positive social change.
This episode is part of our multi-episode series featuring some of the world’s most influential changemakers who attended the 2024 One Young World Summit, a global forum that brings together young leaders from 190+ countries to accelerate social impact.
Resources + Links:
Changemakers from One Young World Series
In this debut episode, the first in an exclusive series from the One Young World Summit, Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever and co-author of Net Positive, joins host Carol Cone to discuss the urgent need for courageous leadership in today’s world. Paul shares insights on how businesses must adopt regenerative, restorative practices to address climate change and inequality, and how young leaders are key to driving this transformation. He also explores how companies can move beyond corporate social responsibility to embrace a "net positive" approach, where they give back more than they take.
This episode is part of our multi-episode series featuring some of the world’s most influential changemakers who attended the 2024 One Young World Summit, a global forum that brings together young leaders from 190+ countries to accelerate social impact.
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In 2004, the PNC Foundation was faced with a challenge: it had focused grantmaking on meeting the unique needs of the communities in the company’s 12 markets. While this enabled custom solutions to local challenges, the PNC Foundation struggled to clearly articulate the impact its philanthropy was driving.
Recognizing the need to align grantmaking with one cause, the PNC Foundation first turned to employees for input. Overwhelmingly, employees expressed a passion for early childhood education. This led to the launch of PNC Grow Up Great, a $500 million, multi-year, bilingual initiative aimed at preparing children from birth to age five for success in school and life. Fast forward to today, Grow Up Great is celebrating its 20th anniversary, having positively impacted more than 10 million children through grants and educational programs across the U.S.
We invited Sally McCrady, Chair and President of the PNC Foundation, to share how Grow Up Great has sustained lasting impact over two decades. She highlighted the program’s strategic direction, driven by strong leadership engagement, active employee volunteerism, and a commitment to asking, “Is this going to help children?” By staying true to this mission and fostering a culture of service, Grow Up Great has become a powerful force for early childhood education, inspiring long-term success both within PNC and in the communities it serves.
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Aflac is proving that a well-crafted philanthropic initiative can thrive by continuously adapting to the evolving needs of those it serves. Launched in 2018 as part of Aflac’s Childhood Cancer Campaign, My Special Aflac Duck® is a soft and cuddly companion that was designed to support children undergoing cancer treatment by helping them prepare for medical procedures, express their emotions, and engage in distraction therapy. Created with input from child life specialists and psychologists, My Special Aflac Duck® offers a range of interactive features—from medical play accessories to calming Soundscapes—all aimed at making a child’s journey through treatment more manageable.
Aflac’s commitment to My Special Aflac Duck® has not waned since the initiative’s launch. Instead, Aflac has continued to distribute the medical companion to pediatric cancer patients (at no cost to them) and has evolved it to support children with sickle cell disease, another population facing long, difficult treatments.
We invited two Aflac executives who worked on the duck’s development to speak to the program’s success and evolution: Jon Sullivan, Director of Corporate Communications, and Buffy Swinehart, Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility. They share insights on how companies can sustain and grow their social impact efforts and remain true to their mission while making a real difference.
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Sixty percent of the global population handwashes their clothing in rivers, streams, and buckets. While living and volunteering in a remote village in India, Nav Sawhney witnessed firsthand the immense burden this chore placed on women like his neighbor Divya. Determined to find a solution, Nav returned to the UK, founded The Washing Machine Project (TWMP), and created the manual "Divya" washing machine. However, TWMP faced challenges scaling its impact to reach more people who desperately needed it.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Whirlpool Foundation had developed a similar off-grid manual washing machine, recognizing that this same laborious task deepens social inequities and stunts personal advancement. With the vast resources of Whirlpool engineers, the Foundation was well-equipped to produce these machines yet struggled to find an effective distribution method.
The subsequent, serendipitous collaboration between TWMP and the Whirlpool Foundation is yielding incredible impact at scale. We invited Nav Sawhney, Founder of TWMP, and Deb O'Connor, Managing Director of the Whirlpool Foundation, to speak about the origin of their "one plus one equals three" relationship, their human-centric approach to Whirlpool employee engagement, and the significant “unlock” their work together will have on women and girls worldwide, including Nav’s friend Divya and her family.
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Every day, we make small decisions to lead more sustainable lives. These choices reflect a growing awareness of the impact humans have on the planet. Yet when it comes to banking, many overlook the influence our choice of financial institution can have on the environment and in our communities. Where we choose to save and invest our money can align with—or work against—our personal values. This is where Walden Mutual Bank comes in, offering an opportunity to make a more conscious and positive impact through everyday financial choices.
Walden Mutual Bank is driven by a mission to support the sustainable growth of local communities. The bank offers consumer savings accounts, grow local accounts, and CDs which fund loans for local sustainable food, farm, and community businesses across New England and New York, enabling customers to contribute to a healthier, more resilient regional economy.
We invited Charley Cummings, Founder and CEO of Walden Mutual Bank, to share his insights on building a reputable banking institution in a mutual structure and how it has successfully funded underrepresented borrowers—all while supporting a sustainable regional economy.
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