Hometown Heroes

On this edition of "Hometown Heroes," we speak with Heather Manges from "The Nehemiah Project" - a multi-faceted Altoona, Pennsylvania ministry dedicated to fostering faith through community development in underprivileged and blighted neighborhoods.

Helping church leaders help members who've been victimized by sexual abuse or domestic violence. That's the focus of a conference at 'Speaking Truth in Love Ministries' in Woodhull, NY, June 15-19. In this edition of Hometown Heroes, Dale Ingraham talks about the ministry and the upcoming conference. You can learn more at speakingtruthinlove.org . You can learn more about featured conference speak...

Annette Davie is Executive Director of New Hope Family Services in Syracuse, New York.... in the news of late as part of a legal right against New York Attorney General Letitia James over abortion pill reversal...but focused for years on preserving life through adoption and pregnancy counseling.

On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we speak with Jacob Witter of Wellsville, New York...one of an estimated 20 milion people worldwide living with schizophrenia.  He's also become an advocate for others dealing with the illness...And credits his faith with a significant role in helping him to manage it. Jacob also leads a group called " The Battling Mind Striders ," formed to improve mebers'...

April is National Card and Letterwriting Month, and Tammy Dunmire at Victory Highway Wesleyan Church in Painted Post, New York could write you a long letter about the impact of their card and letterwriting ministry. She tells us about it on this edition of Hometown Heroes.

Love I.N.C. (In the Name of Christ) of Southern Chautauqua County is part of a nationwide ministry that partners with area churches to  transform lives and communities in the name of Christ by helping those churches to better help people. On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we learn more about it from executive director Susan Justham.

The joy and meaning of Easter springs from understanding Christ's sacrifice on Good Friday. That's the intent of an annual walk-through experience presented by an area church. On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we speak with Carolyn Doster from First Trinity Lutheran Church in Tonawanda, New York, about their annual "Journey Through Good Friday experience.

On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we talk lwith Scot Stuzman, primcipal of CHautaqua Christian Academy - providing a faith-based education alternative to Western New York for the past 50 years.

Helping boys become godly young men. That's the mission of the Royal Rangers - a long-time ministry of the Assemblies of God church. On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we learn more about it from Richard Merrill, a leader with Royal Rangers Outpost 42 in Batavia, NY.

Saving lives in the sky! On this edition of Hometown Heroes. our guest is Hector Camacho - a Hornell, New York-based flight medic for LifeNet who recently hit a remarkable milestone of 1,000 patient transports.

On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we  hear the amazing story of Tom Cillo, who finally realized his dream of playing college football this past season at Williamsport's Lycoming College - at 58 years old. His story made news around the nation - and beyond - and inspired a lot of late bloomers.. 

Ministering to pregnant women in Pennsylvania's "Coal Country" region. On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we speak with Michele Moyer with the Shine Women's Center ...a ministry offering compassionate pregnancy services and solutions in the Hazleton area.  

On this edition of Hometown Heroes, we visited Bayview Chapel on the campus of Revive Wesleyan Church in Hamburg, NY to talk with Pastor Jon Horton - one of a growing number of pastors who will be offering what have come to be known as 'Blue Christmas' services...intended to comfort those whose Christmas season coincides with a personal season of grief.

This week's guest is Dan Miller - a Southern Tier pastor who, along with his wife, Elaine, has been volunteering for many years with "Wreaths Across America" - a program that honors America's war dead by placing wreaths on the graves of service personnel in national cemeteries, including those in Bath and Elmira, New York.   

Helping men young and old through the power of the Gospel. This is part 2 of our "Hometown Heroes" interview with Ray Rossler and Pat Fahey of the Buffalo Adult and Teen Challenge ministry...providing hope and healing to those struggling with life control issues. Learn more about the ministry here . 

On this edition of "Hometown Heroes," we hear from Nate and Alex Johns - sons of Pastor Eric Johns from the Buffalo Dream Center, who raised awareness of - and support for - Buffalo's homeless population by spending a week on the street with them each Thanksgiving Week for 25 years. Now his sons Nate and Alex carry on that tradition.

Helping men young and old through the power of the Gospel. On this edition of "Hometown Heroes," we hear from Ray Rossler and Pat Fahey of the Buffalo Adult and Teen Challenge ministry...providing hope and healing to those struggling with life control issues. The ministry is holding its fall banquet fundraiser on Friday, Nov, 21st, 2025 at 6:30 pm at The Chapel - Apex Building, 2435 Hopkins Road,...

On Veteran's Day, 2025, we hear from Matt Souter, a retired United States Marine Corps veteran who now counsels fellow veterans in New York's Southern Tier. 

Raising awareness about domestic violence. That's one of the missions of Catholic Charities of Chemung and Schuyler counties in upstate New York. In this edition of "Hometown Heroes," Katie Rhodes discusses the current state of the issue, as well as ways her organization assists victims and promotes prevention.

On this edition of "Hometown Heroes," we continue our interview with Pennsylvania missionary Todd Gallagher, who recently returned from his most recent stint serving in Ukraine, as well as aiding Ukrainian refugees in neighboring Romania - something he's been doing ever since the Russian invasion began. Gallagher is the founder of "A18 Missions" - named for Acts 1:8.  This is part two of a sp...

On this edition of "Hometown Heroes," we check back with a Pennsylvania missionary for an update on the situation in Ukraine. Todd Gallagher recently returned from his most recent stint serving in Ukraine, as well as aiding Ukrainian refugees in neighboring Romania - something he's been doing ever since the Russian invasion began. Gallagher is the founder of "A18 Missions" - named for Acts 1:8.&nb...

Putting the pro-life message front and center. On this edition of Hometown Heroes, our guest is Angelique Clark - founder of Life Dress - promoting the pro-life cause with clothing art that makes that message hard to miss. She's the guest speaker at a fall banquet supporting the Southern Tier's Pregnancy Resource Center of the Valleys. Learn more about her work at lifedress.org

Meeting women in need like Christ met the "Woman at the Well in John 4. On this edition of Hometown Heroes, our guest is Kara Kennemuth - Executive Director of Women at the Well Ministries of Pennsylvania - providing multi-faceted assistance to women struggling with addiction, life after incarceration and other challenging issues.

Bringing the warmth of a quilt, and the warmth of Christ. That's the goal of "Cozy Quilt Ministries" - which has provided over 9,000 quilts to cancer patients, along with the encouragement of the Gospel message. In this edition of "Hometown Heroes," founder Kelley Carson tells the story of this amazing ministry, which began with a single quilt for a friend over 20 years ago. Contact them at: cozyq...

The faith behind the newfound fame. On this edition of Hometown Heroes, the amazing story of Chris Lomax. Many have seen the Hornell, New York man in a feature by CBS News, but that piece had a big missing piece: The central role Chris's faith has played in his success story as a legally blind baker. You can follow Chris here .