Ending Poverty Together

From the shirts in our closets to the TVs in our living rooms, do you really know where these products came from? Trying to track the supply chain that produced your blender is enough to make your head spin, especially when each piece may have come from a different country. It’s no wonder we feel overwhelmed when trying to figure out if a product has been made under fair working conditions before...

It’s the time of year where charity Christmas gift catalogues find their way to your mailboxes and inboxes—but how do these practical, and hopefully meaningful, shopping options actually work? When you buy a pig for your mom, will a piglet wearing a red bow arrive on her doorstep Christmas morning? What happens to a community in Burundi if somebody suddenly donates 5,000 goats? In this episode of...

In this episode of Ending Poverty Together, host Shelaine sits down with Franz Meier, the Vice Chair of Food for the Hungry Canada’s Board. Fresh from a visit to FH partner communities in Cambodia, Franz shares powerful reflections on what it means to move from reports to reality. From savings groups to clean water projects, Franz saw firsthand how communities are building their own future. He als...

In this episode of Ending Poverty Together, Shelaine sits down with Sandra Gamboias, Senior Director of Philanthropy at Food for the Hungry Canada, to talk about the launch of Journey Partners — FH’s new monthly giving community. Sandra shares why Journey Partners is more than a donation program: it’s about walking alongside vulnerable communities like a trusted friend, showing up month after mont...

Have you talked to kids about poverty? Of all the things to teach children, this may be far down your list—too complicated, too jarring for their young minds, and too uncomfortable a topic. But poverty, in your neighbourhood or around the world, is simply unavoidable and we should not shirk helping our kids navigate what they see and hear and experience. Kenzie Watson, Pastor of Children’s Ministr...

What’s really happening on the streets of Metro Vancouver and Victoria? In this powerful episode of Ending Poverty Together, Shelaine sits down with Nick Wells, Media Relations Specialist at Union Gospel Mission (UGM), to pull back the curtain on what’s happening—and what’s being done to spark change. With over a decade in journalism, Nick shares gripping stories and raw insights from UGM’s frontl...

Talking about creation care and the state of the environment can feel heavy—we’re more often left with doom and gloom and no real way forward. But fear not! Jo Swinney, Director of Communications at A Rocha International, is here to inject hope into the discussion.  Jo grew up talking about the environment, gardening, and all things green around the dinner table; her parents were the founders...

What does real community transformation look like—beyond buildings and programs? In this episode, we go behind the scenes with three passionate FH Canada team members who share their personal stories from the frontlines of community development. From vibrant savings groups in Guatemala to graduation celebrations in Rwanda, their reflections offer a rare glimpse into the power of dignity, resilienc...

How many news articles have left you curious about the personal stories behind the headlines? In our hyper-connected world we have the tendency to rapidly move on from one news story to the next.  In this episode, award-winning journalist Molly Thomas shares her journey of covering stories often abandoned and neglected by mainstream media. From her work on the Afghan women denied education to...

Did you know poverty is much more than just an empty wallet? Relational poverty is often an invisible wound that disconnects us from God, ourselves and triggers many mental health challenges.  In this episode Nicola Bartel, Executive Director of Mercy Canada, shares her over 25 year long journey of working with vulnerable women and discusses how Mercy Canada provides free mental health servic...

You may have heard the buzz that bees play a crucial role when it comes to biodiversity in our interconnected world, but did you know that these tiny insects are having a life-changing impact on farmers in Bwira, Rwanda?  In celebration of International Bee Day, Leon Mugisha, Asset Creation Specialist at FH Rwanda, shares how beekeeping impacts farmers' livelihoods by providing economic oppor...

For many of us, a cup of coffee is part of a regular morning ritual. But how often do we think about the person or people behind that cup of coffee? For countless smallholder farmers around the world, coffee is their livelihood. Yet, with limited land, fluctuating market prices, and changing climates, these farmers often still live below the poverty line.  In this episode Mike Janz shares abo...

Would you be surprised to learn that fair trade involves much more than simply fair wages? That, at its core, it’s actually about relationships that foster dignity, sustainability, and economic empowerment?  Heidi Harms, Manager at Ten Thousand Villages, Abbotsford unpacks what fair trade really means, how it works, and who stands to benefit from it. Explore the power that your dollar has to...

What‘s your response to the term “harm reduction”? Do you realize that you participate in harm reduction daily? Things like, strapping on a seatbelt, using railings on staircases, or scrubbing your hands with hot, soapy water all attempt to minimize risk in some way. Yet, perhaps your reaction to harm reduction feels a little different when it comes to drugs. So, why? Dr. Meera Grover challenges u...

What if the opposite of addiction isn’t freedom or sobriety, but connection? Drug addiction is devastating, affecting communities worldwide. But is addiction the problem to be solved, or is there something deeper at play? Dr. Meera Grover, is a Christian and a physician. She started her work in international development and has most recently spent years working on the front lines of the opioid cri...

with guest Patty-Leigh Thielmann from Food for the Hungry Canada Turn on your faucet at home. Aren’t you astounded by how water is instantly at your fingertips? How that happens every time you go to the sink? How it’s fresh and clean? How that water doesn’t run dry or make your family sick? It’s actually incredible! Yet, for too many families around the world, access to safe water is still not a r...

with guest Lindsay Machona, Executive Director at Expand Hope Here, they ached to help in a meaningful way. There, they ached for better schools. So, when two communities—at first foreign to each other—came together with a common goal, who stood to benefit the most?  Lindsey Machona, the Executive Director of Expand Hope, shares how mutual transformation and lasting change is possible and hap...

with guest Melissa Giles of BC Rent Bank. Rental prices are a hot topic of conversation these days. With increased cost of living and housing shortages, everyone is feeling the pressure. For those living in a low to moderate income bracket, paying the rent can be challenging at the best of times—then when a crisis hits, it can become near impossible. This is where rent banks, an eviction preventio...

with guest Jonathan Papoulidis, VP of External Engagement at Food for the Hungry. Can communities in the world’s most fragile regions, despite constant challenges, not only survive but thrive? In this episode, we’re joined by Jonathan Papoulidis, Vice President of External Engagement at Food for the Hungry, to dive into the power of resilience.  Jonathan shares how resilience—through absorpti...

with guest Kenzie Watson, Pastor of Children’s Ministries at Lambrick Park Church Have you talked to your kids about poverty? Of all the things to teach children, this may be far down your list—too complicated, too jarring for their young minds, and too uncomfortable a topic. But poverty, in your neighbourhood or around the world, is simply unavoidable and we should not shirk helping our kids navi...

with guest Amie Gartner, a team member of Mission to Many. Do you think it’s better to focus on helping here at home or across borders? Maybe you know this as the “local versus global” debate. Amie Gartner believes we can do both!  Amie Gartner, a team member of Mission to Many, an interdenominational church collaboration from southern Alberta, has seen how one focus doesn’t mean ignoring the...

with guest Jo Swinney of A Rocha International, and author of "A Place at the Table: Faith, Hope and Hospitality". Talking about creation care and the state of the environment can feel heavy—we’re often left with doom and gloom and no real way forward. But fear not! Jo Swinney, Director of Communications at A Rocha International, is here to inject hope into the discussion.  Jo grew up talking...

with guest Veasna Pin, Program Operation Director from FH Cambodia. What do delicious barista-made drinks, sharp haircuts, and a finely tuned engine all have in common? By Grade 6 or 7, many Cambodian children from vulnerable families drop out of school. While kids in Canada are learning about the solar system, too many kids in Cambodia are working in the fields or on construction sites sacrificin...

with guest Andrey Sawchenko, International Justice Mission (IJM) From the shirts in our closets to the TVs in our living rooms, do you really know where these products came from? Trying to track the supply chain that produced your blender is enough to make your head spin, especially when each piece may have come from a different country. It’s no wonder we feel overwhelmed when trying to figure out...

with special guest, Raskey Samnang, a student and debate champion from FH partner communities in Cambodia. While on-site in Cambodia, host Shelaine sat down with Raskey Samnang, a remarkable young woman sparking positive change in her community. As the sole female member of a debate team that has gone on to compete at the Cambodian national level, Raskey is no stranger to hard work. She also knows...