Friends In Deed Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

On this episode, Rabbi Joshua discusses Safe Parking programs and talks with FID's new Director of Street Outreach and Housing, Giulianna LoMaglio, who has expertise in how successful safe parking can be for moving people from homelessness to housing. This is timely as Pasadena is in the midst of a debate about opening up a new safe parking location. 

Apply for FID's safe parking program:

https://friendsindeedpas.org/programs/street-outreach/

Learn more about the program in LA:

https://safeparkingla.org/

Closing music: Eric Clapton

https://friendsindeedpas.org

Grateful to move forward from the government shutdown, Rabbi Joshua speaks today with Opie, a woman in her 20s, who has a more unusual story than most guests who come to The Women's Room. She opens up about her early life in Tennessee, attending college, how personal challenges led her to California, where she found herself living in her car. You will have to listen to the episode to hear the rest of her story!

Closing music: Eric Clapton 

https://friendsindeedpas.org

On this special episode, Rabbi Joshua welcomes Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28) to the Food Pantry, after her office reached out about coming to talk about potential federal funding cuts to SNAP and Medicaid. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is funded via the USDA, and provides low-income families food benefits to supplement their grocery budget. 

Rabbi Joshua and Rep. Chu discuss the dangers these cuts pose to so many Americans, including those coming to FID. 

Learn more about SNAP:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program

https://friendsindeedpas.org

Welcome to 2025! Sadly, it didn't start well for folks in Southern California, including Altadena/Pasadena, where Friends In Deed is located. In this first episode of the year, Rabbi Joshua returns with an update on programs and operations post-Eaton fire. Listen to learn how FID is continuing to serve the most vulnerable in our community, and what they have been doing in response to the fires. 

https://friendsindeedpas.org

Today, Rabbi Joshua spends a few minutes talking with some members of the Street Outreach and Housing team to find out the latest goings on. We hear about increasing numbers of families without homes, people starting to suffer from the cold, and, in some positive news, how there are new permanent supporting housing units becoming available.

Support the work of FID:
https://friendsindeedpas.org/donate-to-friends-in-deed/

https://friendsindeedpas.org

Today, Rabbi Joshua sits down with Tunisia Offray, Co-Director of Shepherd's Door, a domestic violence resource center in Pasadena. In a wide-ranging conversation, they discuss not only how domestic violence affects homelessness, but Tunisia shares her own story, and how it led to the creation of the organization, by her mother, 25 years ago.

Learn more about FID:
https://friendsindeedpas.org/


Learn more about Shepherd's Door:
https://www.shepherddoor.org/

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out either to Shepherd's Door or to the national hotline, 800.799.SAFE (7233).

https://friendsindeedpas.org

This week, Rabbi Joshua shares the full recording of the State of FID, which was a live event recorded on 11/20/24. You will hear from each of the program directors and leadership of Friends In Deed about all of the goings on for the past year, and how things have been going for the past few months. It also includes some initial insights into the new strategic plan.

Since this is only audio, we are sharing the slide deck that the speakers are referring to, which Rabbi Joshua mentions at the beginning of the show. Enjoy!

https://friendsindeedpas.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FID-Slide-Deck-State-of-FID-2024.pptx.pdf

https://friendsindeedpas.org

On this episode, Rabbi Joshua checks in with FID's Senior Director of Programs, Ryan Greer, to hear about the latest in each program and to discuss the Measure A initiative that will be on the ballot in LA County this November.

Learn more about Friends In Deed

Learn more about Measure A

Closing music: Eric Clapton

https://friendsindeedpas.org

In this special episode, Rabbi Joshua speaks with Tim McDonald, the Library Director for Pasadena. They discuss not only the value and importance of libraries in our communities and society, but also talk about the film The Public, and how libraries are central to the lives of people experiencing homelessness. FID is showing this film at their fall fundraiser in a few weeks. Learn more about the event, and the film, on the FID website.

https://friendsindeedpas.org/stories-from-the-street/

Watch trailer for The Public:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlBJv9C9yYc

Closing music: Eric Clapton

https://friendsindeedpas.org

In this episode, Rabbi Joshua shares an update on what transpired at the recent city council meeting around the Grants Pass decision and how it might affect those experiencing homelessness in Pasadena. If you want to learn more about the whole issue, visit the previous episode.

And, we also share some highlights from our brand new FY24 Annual Report, which shows the impact FID has been to have in the past year.

View the whole report here:
https://friendsindeedpas.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/FID-Annual-Impact-Report-FY24-DIGITAL.pdf

Closing music: Eric Clapton

https://friendsindeedpas.org