What's Good In The Neighborhood – Details, episodes & analysis

Richard and Tumani work with kids in urban environments in Fresno that have every odd stacked against them - the foster care system, homelessness, abuse, and trafficking to name a few. But these two have dedicated their lives to not only provide safe environments, but also to offer kids in crisis the opportunity to plan, dream, and execute the life they want. Join us today on What's Good to talk about what it takes to engage kids who need support, how you can get involved, and what it means to be a person who provides access and hope. To learn more about LiveAgain Fresno and Richard's story - https://liveagainfresno.org/ To learn more about ProjectAccess and Tumani's team - https://www.fresnounified.org/departments/dpi/project-access

On this episode, we talk with two people operating from 2 different ends of the homelessness crisis but have chosen to partner together; McKenna Gilman of KuppaCares, who provides a hot cup of coffee and a kind conversation to the homeless of Fresno, and Zack Darrah, CEO of Poverello House, a full service homelessness center providing temporary shelter, addiction and recovery services, a church, and a "free" restaurant. The two discuss interacting with the homeless, the issues they're seeing on the street, having faith centered conversations, and why both of their roles are a call to serve the least of these. To learn more about KuppaCares, Kuppa Joy's newest non-profit - https://kuppajoy.com/kuppa-cares/ To learn more about Poverello House - https://poverellohouse.org/ To get involved and volunteer at Papa Mikes - https://poverellohouse.org/papa-mikes-cafe

God longs for shalom, and He's asking us to work towards shalom in our spaces. Every Neighborhood Partnership has adopted the language and frameworks of Christian Community Development to pursue God's shalom! CCD ideas act as the tide beneath the waves of our work here at Every Neighborhood Partnership. Andrew and Grace sit down with Dina Gonzalez-Pina, who has been a member of the board of the Christian Community Development Association and is currently the director of the Mennonite Central Committee on the West Coast. Dina helps us unpack the eight pillars of CCD philosophy and Andrew and Grace tie it back contextually to our work here at ENP. To learn more about Christian Community Development: https://ccda.org/about/philosophy/ To learn more about John Perkins and his work: https://www.johnmperkins.com/ To hear more from Dina and MCC: https://mcc.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/us/west-coast Episode and Show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media. You can find Josh here. Art and Logo was designed by Nick Leuvano. You can find Nick here.

In our very first episode of our very first series, we sit down with Daniel Dominguez, Every Neighborhood Partnership's Neighborhood Development Director. Daniel has been on staff with ENP for over 6 years, and is a culture carrier for us here at the organization. We talk about God's heart and vision for not only a city but for a people, and what that means for us as we engage with our neighbors and the poor. You'll hear us reference the Bible a handful of times as we unpack what it means for us to come into alignment with what God would desire when we say, In Fresno as it is in Heaven. Read the podcast blog and transcript here: https://everyneighborhood.org/podcast Support this podcast and ENP's work here: https://app.aplos.com/aws/give/EveryNeighborhoodPartnership Episode and Show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media. You can find Josh here. Art and Logo was designed by Nick Leuvano. You can find Nick here.

It's easy to look around and notice everything wrong in your city. In this podcast by Every Neighborhood Partnership, join Grace and Andrew as they invite friends, activists, pastors, leaders, and city workers to discover What's Good in the Neighborhood. Join us for insightful conversations that will encourage you to see your city and its people in a new way. Every Neighborhood Partnership is a Fresno, CA based non-profit that exists to Activate. Equip. Mobilize and Transform so that our students excel, community members are healthy and whole, and our neighborhoods thrive.  Learn more about us by visiting https://everyneighborhood.org  or @enpfresno on socials. Produced by Josh Gilbert Media joshgilbertmedia.com

In our new series, For the Long Run, we're tackling big issues that won't be fixed overnight. Today, we talk with Esther Carver and Dan Zack to discuss the obstacles facing affordable housing, the creativity needed to offer different options to people, and the exciting solutions that folks are working on to bring change to the space. This episode is Fresno heavy, and discusses in detail the specific issues we face here in the valley. To learn more about Esther and her work with Lowell CDC - HERE To learn more about Dan Zack and Zack Urban Solutions - HERE

Is the church the asset in the neighborhood or is it one of many? Jason Spencer tackles this question head-on as local pastor who has committed to not just being a church in a neighborhood, but a church with the neighborhood, there to empower people in their God-given dignity and the work they've been called to do! The trio talk about the difference between outreach and place based focus, leadership development, and the power of being a real partner in the neighborhood and not just a location to attend. Jason Spencer is the lead pastor of an Image Church in Southwest Fresno. Image Church started their community development organization called Generation Changers for kids in their local schools, and also has opened up their property for job skill development. You can learn more about Jason and Image Church HERE And you can support and learn more about Generation Changers HERE To learn about how Fresno is entering into the service of homeless students HERE

If you went on our Drive Tour, you heard Chris De Leon talking about the Yo-ville Community Garden in Southwest Fresno. Chris joins the pod to chat more in depth about the current state of food insecurity in the agricultural capital of America, what kind of dignity we instill in each other and ourselves when we grow our own food, and why the existence of community gardens mean we all thrive. To learn more about Chris and his community garden work, you can find him here - https://www.fresnometmin.org/Farm-and-gardens To learn more about Life Labs, click here - https://www.lifelab.org/ To learn about the educational gardens ENP is installing on elementary school campuses, click here - https://everyneighborhood.org/blog/schoolgardens/ To learn how you can get involved and grow food in your community, email Chris at chris@fresnometmin.org

Andrew and Grace are joined today on the podcast by Carlos Huerta. Carlos is the Executive Director of the Center for Community Transformation at Fresno Pacific University. The three talk about the economic realities of the Central Valley, the roadblocks that exist for people to get jobs that meet their needs, and the creative options that exist for our community, our churches, and our organizations. Carlos asks the question, what is the faith community's responsibility to spark innovation in the business sector? To learn more about the Center for Community Transformation, click HERE To learn more about redlining, and rare Fresno maps, read this article from KVPR

On this episode in our Drive Tour Series, Andrew and Grace sit down with Marcel Woodruff. On Marcel's part of the Drive Tour, he gives us amazing stories of community members that are dreaming for healthier thriving in Southwest Fresno. Marcel talks on this episode about the why behind that, what drives him as a community organizer and mentor, and how everyone can start thinking about the neighborhoods that your city has left behind. Learn more about The Community Justice Network HERE Learn more about Advance Peace HERE To learn more about Kieshaun White and his Fresno Clean Air Project HERE Every Neighborhood Partnership is a Fresno, CA based non-profit that exists to Activate. Equip. Mobilize and Transform so that our students excel, community members are healthy and whole, and our neighborhoods thrive. Learn more about us by visiting https://everyneighborhood.org or @enpfresno on socials. Episode Produced by Josh Gilbert Media