So You Think You Can Give

This week's episode is part 2 of the Back on My Feet interviews - this time, with one of Back on My Feet's alumni members - and 2 time half marathoner - Bomani Perkins. In this episode we talk about what brought Bo to Back on My Feet, why he thinks the organization is so special, and what he's learned about life through running.

This episode is a special one featuring Back on My Feet, an organization using running to combat homelessness. (Yes, you read that right!). While not a natural pairing in most people's minds, the fact is running can be an incredible tool for confidence building, goal setting, and community - all necessary skills for those transitioning out homelessness and into better lives for themselves.

There are few topics as difficult to address as sex trafficking. From the scale of the crisis at a global level to the stigma faced by many survivors to the challenges of prosecuting perpetrators, the issue is as overwhelming as it is complex. NightLight is a non-profit working in both Thailand and the US to rescue and support victims of sex trafficking and exploitation in the sex industry. Working case-by-case, the NightLight team is providing holistic support to those in need - making an impact on a global crisis one individual at a time.

Think about this: most of the 520,000 elected offices nationwide are not significantly contested. There are no shortage of opportunities to get involved in politics in America - so why don't more people do it? And what would it take to get more people engaged? These are the challenges Empowered to Run's online courses are out to address, by breaking down the process so that everyone can have access to our democracy.

Season 1 is coming to an end! Don't worry - the party's just getting started, but before we officially move into the future we're taking one more look back at the past by chatting about the big lessons learned from Season 1 and how they apply to whatever you're up to these days!

Quite simply, its really hard to not get behind this week's featured organization, St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children. It's all too easy to take a healthy childhood for granted - until a child with special needs enters your life. For children with special needs, who require care which is often complicated as well as costly, an organization such as St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children is a game changer. One of only a handful of organizations around the country dedicated to providing intensive rehabilitation, specialized care, and education to children with special needs and life-limiting conditions, this organization aims to bring health care to every child who needs it, now and in the future.

When Sloane Davidson realized there was a refugee family from Syria living down the street from her Pittsburgh, PA home she did what was just in her nature to do: she reached out. And after realizing others around her wanted to do the same for refugees new to their community, Sloane launched Hello Neighbor , a mentorship program connecting refugees and immigrants with dedicated neighbors able to provide guidance, support, and friendship to families working to rebuild their lives in the U.S.

Looking to learn a little more about international development, social issues, or how to be a donor on a budget? Its 2017: access to information isn't the issue, but knowing where to begin can be. So with that in mind, today's solocast will give you some suggestions for jumping off points for you, dear listener, if you're looking to learn more, do more, or just want a few suggestions on some good ways to kill time during your commute.

Ready to get excited about giving back? Then this is the episode for you. Shared Nation is a new kind of philanthropy - one that is addressing global problems by gathering people together and allowing them to select exactly where and how their donations should be used. By blending philanthropic capital with a democratic voting system and a March Madness style "tournament of good", Shared Nation is bringing both excitement and empowerment back to everyday people looking to make a difference by creating a new way to address some of the world's most pressing problems.

Money. You can't escape it: no matter who you are money has an impact on your life, every single day. Whether you have more money than you need or not enough to get by, money is something we all interact with daily - and yet, so few of us ever get the proper financial education we need to really understand money, and to know how to use it as a tool to help propel ourselves forward. High Water Women aims to give everyone - regardless of their current economic status - the skills necessary for a healthy financial future.

Nancie Rothman didn't ask to be an advocate or a non-profit founder; the duties came to her as a means of paying it forward after her youngest daughter Emma went into sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 12 and received a life saving heart transplant 17 hours later. Overwhelmed and inspired by the community which rallied around her family during their ordeal, and awakened to the lack of information the typical person has regarding organ donation, the Rothman's founded Hearts for Emma, a dual-purposed organization focusing on caring for families dealing with a medical crisis, as well as organ and tissue donation awareness and advocacy.

Gail Anderson is a powerhouse of positivity who turned her love of volunteering and giving back into her life's work. In this episode we dive into Gail's motivation, mantras, and the movement she's building one small action at a time.

When Nadene Brunk traveled to Haiti in 2003 as a midwife working with a small medical team, she had no idea the trip would lead her into the work of her lifetime. For over a decade Midwives for Haiti has trained over 120 midwives, cared for over 94,000 safe pregnancies and births, and provided reproductive health education to women in some of the most challenging regions of the country.

When Deb Gottesman and her partners opened a small theatre coaching program for striving actors 25 years ago, she couldn't imagine what The Theatre Lab would eventually become: an inclusive theatre training community with services that reach far beyond the stage. With an emphasis on "access" to anyone with an interest in performance, The Theatre Lab is now the home to both a major scholarship program providing theatre training to low-income students, and a Life Stories program which provides an opportunity for marginalized people to finally get a chance to tell their stories.

When Ryan Weimer took his 3-year-old son out for Halloween in a pirate ship costume, he saw for the first time people treating his son not like a child in a wheelchair, but just like every other child out trick-or-treating that night. The moment was so meaningful that Ryan realized it was something that other families with special needs kids deserved to have as well - and Magic Wheelchair was born.

This first interview episode of the podcast features Megan Bahns, one of the co-founders of Consume with Love, an online marketplace for sustainable, fair trade, cruelty-free clothing and accessories. A great "Ethical Shopping 101" conversation, this episode explores ways to be a more conscious consumer - even on a budget.

This episode is a brief hello and introduction of the The Broke Girls Guide to Giving Podcast, a weekly conversation featuring the work of non-profits, social enterprises, and mission-driven individuals, bringing awareness to the work they do, the social issues they’re addressing, and practical ways that everyday people can get involved in giving back - even on a budget.