A year ago, North Carolina experienced one of the worst storms in history when Hurricane Helene hit. As a result of the historic rainfall, several rivers in the region overflowed, causing major destruction and over a hundred deaths. Two council members in North Carolina have been at the forefront of helping rebuild their communities from the ground up. Councilwoman Maggie Ullman and Councilman Anthony Sutton join us to discuss their response both during the hurricane and its aftermath, including their efforts to secure more recovery funds from D.C. and ensure their towns can rebuild stronger, giving them a fighting chance during hurricane season.

This episode is presented by America Wins With Water. From the pipes, plants, and pools to the streams, lakes, and rivers that connect our 50 states, protecting and investing in water is all about protecting and investing in America. Learn more at americawinswithwater.org.

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America is experiencing a maternal health crisis. We are witnessing the worst maternal death rate for Black mothers amongst developed nations. Shawnee Gibson is ensuring we don't forget the women behind the numbers. She lost her daughter to a pulmonary embolism a few weeks after giving birth and has been fighting for reproductive justice with her organization, The ARIAH Foundation. She joins Danielle Atkinson, founder of Mothering Justice, to talk about the “In Her Honor Project,” a series of portraits featuring women who have died due to maternal health complications.

This episode is presented by Mothering Justice, a grassroots policy advocacy organization that provides mothers of color in America with the resources and tools to use their power to make equitable changes in policy. Learn more and get involved at motheringjustice.org. Thank you to The ARIAH Foundation, whose mission is to support individuals, families, and communities who experience the devastating aftershock associated with maternal/infant morbidity and mortality. For more information, visit theariahfoundation.org.

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After wildfires razed Los Angeles neighborhoods at the start of this year, the city was reeling. Repair the World, a Jewish service organization, mobilized hundreds of people to support wildfire relief efforts. They also launched a service corps specifically focused on assisting wildfire victims. In this episode, we’ll hear from Cindy Greenberg, CEO of Repair the World, and Michael Auerbach, who oversees their Los Angeles programs. You’ll also hear stories from volunteers on the ground, who show us that the power of service is in all of us.

This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Special thank you to Repair the World. Learn more about their work by visiting https://werepair.org/.

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Today we're sharing an episode of Giving Done Right, a podcast from the Center for Effective Philanthropy about how to make an impact with your charitable giving. Shifts in federal policy and funding have profoundly impacted the nonprofit sector, and it has never been more urgent that donors act decisively and wisely. You’ll hear from experts across the social sector who shed light on the rapidly shifting landscape of need and the crucial, but complex, role of charitable giving in filling critical gaps. In this episode, Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation discusses why the dismantling of USAID has created the most profound crisis in international development in decades, threatening to reverse years of progress in public health globally. And he offers advice to donors on making a difference in large-scale, global efforts. You can listen to more Giving Done Right at https://link.mgln.ai/goodthings

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For decades, the story of religion in America has been the story of decline. A steadily growing share of Americans have been identifying as “nones” – people with no religious affiliation. But a new report from the Pew Research Center shows something surprising. That number of “nones” has plateaued. What could be behind it – and is it a sign of bigger things to come? We’re joined by Greg Smith, senior researcher at Pew Research Center, and Ed Stetzer, theology dean at Biola University, to explore this trend.

Thank you to Pew Research Center for making today’s conversation possible.

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Welcome to Bright Spots - a new series from Lemonada that offers bite-sized stories of community impact that will leave you feeling inspired and hopeful about what is possible.

Today, we’re turning our attention to the foster care system. In Oklahoma, the Office of Family Representation ensures every parent dealing with a child welfare case has access to a strong legal defense. We talk to executive director Gwendolyn Clegg about how OFR got started and how their work supports families in Oklahoma.

This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Special thank you to Gwendolyn Clegg and the Oklahoma Office of Family Representation. Learn more at https://www.oklahomafamilyrepresentation.org/

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North Carolina has one of the biggest rural populations in the country, but for a long time, the needs of rural North Carolinians were largely ignored – until Down Home North Carolina came along in 2017. Since then, the grassroots nonprofit has changed the conversation to center the needs of rural people. Host Maya Rupert talks to Down Home Co-Directors Dreama Caldwell and Todd Zimmer about what it takes to build multiracial political power among the working class, and why it’s the only way to get their needs met and bring about lasting change.

This episode is presented by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. MCF supports leaders who work to shift the balance of power in their communities toward working people and families, and who have the vision and capacity for building a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org or visit on social media @caseygrants.

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As the federal government has been making unprecedented funding cuts, many communities are facing more uncertainty and less support. In response, the Marguerite Casey Foundation is making a bold move: they’re distributing $130 million this year to organizations working for racial and economic justice. In this episode, Carmen Rojas, the foundation’s president and CEO, gets into the reasons behind the move, which organizations will benefit and how this funding aims to fill critical gaps.

This episode is presented by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. MCF supports leaders who work to shift the balance of power in their communities toward working people and families, and who have the vision and capacity for building a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org or visit on social media @caseygrants.

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