Amanda Miller, licensed mental health counselor and Director of Programs and Support Services at Cancer Support Community at Gilda's Club Rochester, joins the show during Mental Health Awareness Month to talk about what it really looks like to support someone through one of the most isolating experiences a person can face.

Amanda shares what CSC Rochester offers its members, why the mental health challenges of cancer do not end when treatment does, and what she tells people who resist seeking help because they do not have an official diagnosis. She also talks about food insecurity among cancer patients, the Mapping My Journey personalized approach and what the people around a cancer patient can do to actually help.

The hardest part, she says, is just getting through the door.

Visit cscrochester.org, call 585.423.9700 or stop by 255 Alexander Street in Rochester to learn more or become a member.

On Memorial Day weekend, Barry Howard, President and CEO of the Webster Chamber of Commerce, and Cheri Wood, local coordinator for Wreaths Across America in Webster, join the show to talk about honoring those who served, what that looks like in our community and how you can be part of it.

Cheri shares the heart behind Wreaths Across America, what the December 19th wreath laying ceremony at Webster Union Cemetery means to Gold Star families and veterans alike, and how the Webster Garlic Festival on September 12th and 13th helps make it all possible. Barry explains why Wreaths Across America was named the Webster Chamber's May Business of the Month and what that recognition means in a community built around connection and service.

Cheri also offers a simple but powerful suggestion for how anyone can honor a veteran this Memorial Day weekend, one that goes beyond a simple thank you.

Sponsor a wreath, share a veteran story or learn more at websterwreaths.com. Find Garlic Festival details at webstergarlicfest.com and explore Webster Chamber membership at websterchamber.com.

Laurie Valentine, CEO of the Society for the Protection and Care of Children, returns for part two of our conversation about SPCC's work in Rochester, this time focusing on what drives the mission forward, how the community can get involved and what the next chapter looks like for the country's oldest nonprofit agency.

Laurie shares what she believes is the true catalyst for change in the families SPCC serves, a caring adult who believes in the potential of both the child and the parent, and explains why nurturing parents so they can nurture their children is at the heart of nearly every program the organization runs. She also shares the story of a young mom who at 22, after years of hardship, finished school, landed a full time job and is buying her first home.

Many of SPCC's programs currently have long waiting lists, and donations play a critical role in filling the gaps that grant funding cannot cover, from back to school supplies and beds to security deposits for mothers leaving abusive situations and pots and pans for young parents starting their first home. Monthly giving, legacy gifts, one time donations and event sponsorships are all ways the community can help.

The 39th Children's Classic Golf Tournament takes place June 29th at Irondequoit Country Club. Foursomes, sponsorships and auction prize donations are all still available.

Register for the golf tournament at spccgolf2026.org, make a donation or learn more at spcc-roch.org, or reach the team directly at [email protected].

Laurie Valentine, CEO of the Society for the Protection and Care of Children, joins the show to share the remarkable 150 year history of one of Rochester's most important nonprofits and to walk through the eight programs SPCC currently runs to support children and families across our region.

Discover how SPCC was founded in 1875 following the case of a young girl named Mary Ellen, whose story sparked a national movement and led to the creation of the country's first and then second Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, with Rochester's chapter becoming the second in the nation. Learn how the organization evolved through the Great Depression, World War II and the opioid crisis, how Carl Rogers began his career at SPCC in the early 1900s and how Rochester helped develop the nation's first family court system.

Laurie walks through all eight of SPCC's current programs including Family Trauma Intervention, Healthy Families Monroe, Teenage Parent Support Services, adolescent pregnancy prevention, therapeutic and supervised visitation and the WIC program serving 5,000 women, infants and children every month across five counties. She also shares the context behind the work, including Rochester's ranking among the top 10 poorest cities in the country, domestic violence rates 2.5 times higher than the rest of New York State and approximately 200 babies born to mothers 19 and younger each year, twice the national average.

SPCC is now planning for its next 150 years with a vision where hope is not a privilege and every child's future is determined by potential rather than circumstance.

Learn more and get involved at spcc-roch.org.

Joan Margaret, artist, art teacher at the Memorial Art Gallery and founder of Billboard Art ROCs, joins the show to talk about what happens when you combine a love of color, a commitment to community and a drive down a gray stretch of 490 after COVID.

Discover how Billboard Art ROCs got its start when Joan noticed how dismal the messaging around her felt on her daily commute and decided to do something about it, eventually placing her vibrant floral paintings on digital billboards around Rochester and receiving emails from strangers whose days were turned around by what they saw. Learn about her ongoing Have a Heart Hidden Heart Daily Painting Challenge for Charity, a project where hidden hearts are embedded in every painting and proceeds go to local organizations including the Center for Youth and Mount Hope Family Center.

The initiative has grown to include students from the Memorial Art Gallery winter camp, Rochester City schools and charter schools, with the goal of getting community created artwork up on billboards in the neighborhoods where those students actually live. Joan also shares how the vinyl from completed billboard installations is being recycled into billboard art bags by a local artisan, keeping the materials out of landfills and generating revenue to fund more programming.

Joan also teaches creative workshops for all ages at the Memorial Art Gallery, from five year olds to an 84 year old current student, with scholarships available for those with financial need. All class listings are available through the Memorial Art Gallery website under creative workshops.

To learn more about Billboard Art ROCs, get involved or inquire about sponsorship visit joanmargaret.com or email [email protected].

Maria Sommerville, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach, and Bethany Creager, Sales and Marketing Assistant, join the show to share what life looks like at the Highlands at Pittsford, an affiliate of the University of Rochester set on 52 beautiful acres just outside the village with a short walk to the Erie Canal.

Discover how the Highlands serves residents from age 62 to 104 across cottage homes, independent living apartments, assisted living and a brand new memory care wing, offering a true continuum of care so residents can age in place without uprooting their lives. With over 300 activities available every month, an indoor pool, a personal trainer, University of Rochester professor lectures and regular Eastman School performances, the community feels less like a facility and more like resort style living centered on the whole person.

The Highlands has a full summer of free community events open to everyone. The Summer Gazebo Concert Series runs every Thursday in July except July 2nd from 6:30 to 7:30pm, featuring the RPO Brass Quintet on July 9th, Indigo Breeze on July 16th, Elton John tribute Croc Rock on July 23rd and Uptown Groove with Mo Dancing on July 30th. The beloved annual Classic Car Show returns August 6th from 6 to 7:30pm with over 50 vehicles expected, music by Beck and the Bobcats and free food for all. Classic car owners interested in displaying their vehicles are encouraged to reach out. The Highlands Holiday Market is also coming November 19th from 10am to 2pm with local vendors and free admission.

Wait list spots for cottage homes and apartments are available now and the team encourages families to get on early given growing demand.

Call 585.641.6380 or visit thehighlandsatpittsford.org to schedule a tour or learn more.

Dr. Sara Calus, Director of Educational and Clinical Services at Rochester Hearing and Speech Center, joins the show to talk about the work happening every day with Rochester's youngest and most vulnerable children, and why the first five years of life are the most important window to pay attention to.

Discover what early intervention really means, a state funded play based program that sends physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and special educators into homes to coach parents and support children ages zero to five with developmental delays, communication challenges, sensory processing differences and motor development. Rochester Hearing and Speech Center is the only nonprofit with a footprint in Monroe County still providing these services, doing so despite state reimbursement rates that have barely budged since the program launched in 1993. As of this morning 743 children in Monroe County are on the waiting list for services they qualify for but cannot yet access.

Dr. Calus explains how the whole child approach at Rochester Hearing and Speech Center means therapists are not just working on one skill in isolation but collaborating across disciplines to address gross motor, sensory processing, communication and cognitive development all at once. Parents are coached at every visit so that progress continues throughout the week, not just during the hour a therapist is present.

Parents with questions about their child's development can call 753-KIDS to request an evaluation, speak with their pediatrician or attend the free guided play dates held the first Saturday of every month at the facility. All families of young children are welcome.

The Superhero 5K and Family Fun Run is Sunday June 7th at Seneca Park. Walk, run, roll or stroll, come dressed as your favorite superhero and celebrate the kids who face every challenge with extraordinary determination.

Register and learn more at rhsc.org.

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Just in time for Earth Day, Chris Widmaier, Executive Director of Rochester Ecology Partners, joins the show to talk about what it means to help all people find nature where they live, work and play across the nine county greater Rochester region, and why that mission has never felt more urgent.

Discover the Nature Rx movement, a growing practice where doctors and mental health practitioners prescribe time in nature as a medical intervention, with 70% of participants completing their prescriptions and reporting measurable improvements in wellbeing. Chris shares how Rochester Ecology Partners partnered with the Harley School and the Brown CRT Pediatric Research Foundation for a week long exploration of the health benefits of nature, including a trip to Cornell, a public lecture on mental health and outdoor research, and a family Vitamin N Day at the park complete with kite flying, creek critters and nature scavenger hunts.

Chris also shares three Rochester nature gems worth visiting right now, Braddock Bay for the spring raptor migration and owl woods, Genesee Gateway Park downtown where 72 bird species have been documented throughout the year, and Black Creek Park on the southwest side, a hidden gem that feels far away even though it is not.

Registration for the Growing Good summer youth program in collaboration with Food Link opens today at 5pm. A Finding Nature Friday drop in event takes place next Friday at the Rochester Ecology Partners office on Mount Hope, with book, plant and seed swaps and Earth Day activities. A free community fundraiser picnic is also coming in early June.

Sign up for the newsletter and explore all summer programming at rochesterecologypartners.org.

When Julianne Groff was asked to apply for the Executive Director role at Webster Comfort Care Home in 2021, her first reaction was that she was a social worker, not a business person. Today she is the Webster Chamber of Commerce 2026 Business Person of the Year, and her story is a reminder that leading with your heart is its own kind of business strategy.

Discover how Julianne went from making referrals to Webster Comfort Care as a hospice social worker to running the organization, and why she believes that if your heart is truly in the work, the rest falls into place. Learn about the depth of her community involvement across church groups, the Webster Health and Education Network, Soul Sisters, Free Mom Hugs, the Greater Rochester Area Partnership for the Elderly, the women's club, the food pantry and her recent advocacy work for people living with long haul COVID.

Julianne also shares a deeply personal story about how the Webster Museum became a monthly refuge for her and her father during his battle with dementia, a place where his long term memories came alive and connected them in ways nothing else could. That experience deepened her love for Webster and for the kind of community that makes those moments possible.

Barry Howard, President and CEO of the Webster Chamber of Commerce, explains the criteria behind the Business Person of the Year award and why Julianne embodies everything the honor is meant to recognize. In keeping with chamber tradition a donation has been made in Julianne's name to a charity of her choice, the Webster Museum.

Learn more about the Webster Chamber and upcoming volunteer and membership opportunities at websterchamber.com.

Most people picture addiction as something that happens to someone else. Jennifer Faringer, Director at DePaul's National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Rochester Area, joins the show to explain why prescription medications have made that assumption more dangerous than ever, and what every Rochester family can do right now to reduce the risk.

Discover how the opioid crisis was fueled not by street drugs but by overprescribed pain medications, and how a legitimate post-surgery prescription can quietly become a pathway to dependence for everyday people with no history of substance use. Learn the critical difference between acute pain and chronic pain when it comes to medication risk, and why the conversation with your medical team about duration and alternatives matters more than most patients realize.

Jennifer also addresses what to do when someone you love is ready for help, why the answer is right now and not tomorrow, and how Monroe County's Open Access program at Delphi Rise provides 24 hour assessment and referral for anyone who needs it. Recovery community resources including ROC Recovery and the CORE Center downtown are also available for those who are not yet ready for formal treatment.

Unused medications sitting in your medicine cabinet are a risk not just to you but to everyone who enters your home, including children and visitors. Jennifer walks through two safe disposal options available locally including the Detour pouch for small quantities and Eco Park on Paul Road, which accepts any amount at no cost and no questions asked.

Free harm reduction resources including safe medication lock boxes, disposal kits and Narcan are available through NCADD-RA at community health fairs throughout the region or by request at ncadd-ra.org.