The Life Humbles. Give Hope. Podcast

On any given day, there are about 1,500 households waiting for housing in our community. On a good week, only a dozen are placed in housing. That’s less than 1%, or a 1/125 chance, of getting housed that week. “Unfortunately, we're rationing something that I really hate we have to ration as a society and that's housing because the demand always far outpaces the supply that we have available. So, w...

Hope is not simply wishful thinking—it’s about expectation. It believes the best about God, the best about people, and the best about our circumstances. In this podcast episode,  Choose Hope founder and businesswomen Britney Smith bravely shares her story about breaking generational cycles of addiction and instability. A former SVDP resident, Britney opens up about experiencing homelessness, losin...

Why access to affordable child care changes a community? Finding accessible, high‑quality child care can feel overwhelming for many families across Jefferson County. With annual costs exceeding $11,000 per child, child care can consume 10–20% of a household’s budget—placing pressure on parents with young children (according to the Kentucky Lantern) . In this episode, Reylene Robinson , Executive D...

Did you know that nearly half of Louisville's renters are cost burdened—spending more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities? In this podcast episode, Tony Curtis , the Executive Director of Metropolitan Housing Coalition , breaks down what happens when there’s a lack of affordable and accessible housing. Every day, families struggle to keep a roof over their heads while wages stagnate....

"You've got to get involved in something."  In this podcast episode, Tyler Ward , Vice President and Relationship Strategist at PNC Private Bank, underscores why business leaders should prioritize finding purpose outside of work and play an active role in their local community.  As St. Vincent de Paul Louisville's new Board Chair, Tyler reflects on how his upbringing shaped his faith and sense of...

“The elderly shouldn’t be forgotten; they are precious.” Did you know by 2030, one out of every five people will be over 65 ?  As our population ages, it underscores the importance of organizations like Little Sisters of the Poor , which provides not only shelter but a community for this vulnerable community. In this episode, Mother Mary Richard answers "How can the community care for the elderly?...

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we all experience some levels of stress. However, we often forget the holidays amplify the challenges that the unhoused may have.  In this episode, Amy Meredith , an author, keynote speaker, consultant, and cofounder and CEO of UP For Women and Children , answers "What is it like for the unhoused during the holidays?"  Watch Here Amy also offers insi...

Food insecurity was on the rise in our community before the government shutdown, and it isn't going away any time soon.  In this episode, Dare to Care President & CEO Vincent James talks about why that is, who an actual SNAP recipient is, their buying habits, navigating the latest government shutdown, and the community's response to feed those in need.  He gives an honest and helpful answer to...

This conversation dives into the intersection between tourism and homelessness in shaping our city.  In this episode, Louisville Tourism President & CEO Cleo Battle and Greater Louisville Inc. President & CEO Sarah Davasher-Wisdom talk about the "brand of Louisville" and the economic ripple effect of homelessness on attracting new businesses or visitor perception.  With Louisville Tourism...

In case you missed our special live-streamed podcast episode, it’s now available! Tune in to explore the homelessness landscape locally and nationally. At the 2025 SVDP National Assembly, Author/Keynote Speaker Gregg Colburn and SVDP USA National CEO Michael Acaldo joined us from the Galt House.  Watch The conversation centered on "Housing & Humanity" as they dove into this key question: “With...

This is a candid conversation about a tough topic. In this episode, Louisville Metro Police Department Lieutenant Colonel Nick Owen shares his view on "What should the public know about police interactions with people experiencing homelessness?"  As Assistant Chief of Police with nearly 20 years on the force, Nick Owen talks about the importance of policing crime—not communities—and highlights the...

FEED. CLOTHE. HOUSE. HEAL.  St. Vincent de Paul Phoenix's CEO Shannon Clancy shares how she and her team are transforming lives with compassion and innovation in the Valley of the Sun.  As the first female CEO of SVDP Phoenix's nearly 80-year history, Clancy has adapted to meet the ever-changing needs of those experiencing homelessness.  She shares about their ambitious housing goals for 2025, exp...

Can helping actually hurt?  Dr. Brian Fikkert talks about the difference between empowering and enabling those in need—and why poverty is about more than a lack of possessions.  Fikkert coauthored " When Helping Hurts " and " Becoming Whole ," books that have transformed how churches and organizations approach poverty. He is the Founder of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development and Professor...

In this podcast episode, Louisville Metro District 3 Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright opens up in this exclusive interview at City Hall . She goes in-depth on how she overcame generational poverty through stability and support at St. Vincent de Paul Louisville.  Shameka’s story is a powerful example of someone who, despite experiencing childhood trauma and homelessness, is now seeing generation...

Join us as we sit down with Archbishop Shelton Fabre of the Archdiocese of Louisville at the stunning Archdiocesan History Center .  Archbishop Fabre shares his story and transition from Louisiana to Louisville. He talks about driving in the snow, why priests don’t fall from the sky, the deeper meaning of Lent, how faith compels us to serve those in need, and prayer advice during spiritually dry s...

Communication Across Barriers President and Founder Dr. Donna Beegle shares her one of a kind story on how she broke free from the "warzone of poverty" after 26 years.  As a national expert on poverty, Donna invites us to fight poverty, not the people experiencing it. She talks about how you can be poverty-informed, the different types of poverty, and how to effectively communicate it with those a...

As a leading voice in food insecurity, Katie Martin wants to reinvent the way we help people who need help with food. And the answer isn't simply handing out more food.  In this episode, Katie challenges the traditional food pantry model to one that goes beyond charity—toward lasting solutions for ending hunger. She invites us into the connection between hunger and health.  Watch Here Katie is the...

AMPED Founder & President Dave Christopher opens up about overcoming personal struggles that shaped him into the leader he is today.  In this episode, Dave shares what it was like to have inconsistent access to food at an early age. He invites us into what drives him everyday and reflects on what it takes to lead a nonprofit through the highs and lows. Watch Here Dave takes us through the orig...

SVDP USA National President John Berry shares his unexpected journey into the organization and his deep passion for homeless prevention. In this episode, John invites us into the rich history of St. Vincent de Paul and investing in a mission that's bigger than ourselves.  Watch Here He talks about how he ended up at SVDP and the organization's growth, which is now ranked 59th on Forbes' list of la...

Metro United Way CEO Adria Johnson 's upbringing and adulthood hasn't been easy. But her faith has kept her standing stronger than ever.  In this episode, Adria opens up about her story. Though she experienced poverty and was a product of a divorced home, she believes God used her childhood to shape her life's purpose. Watch here Here's what we talked about in this episode:  The road Adria travele...

For many families, a fruit basket on the kitchen counter and a stocked refrigerator are the norm. We don’t even think twice about it. However, that’s not the case for everyone. In this episode, we take a deeper dive into food insecurity. We invited onto the show Kroger Corporate Affairs Manager Jessica Sharp and longtime Food Pantry volunteers John and Betsy Bowling , who are Holy Trinity Catholic...

JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio and Evolve502 CEO Marland Cole joined us as this month's podcast guests because our missions closely align. As our Family Success Center celebrates 10 years of providing year-round educational and social development opportunities to the next generation, we are grateful for our partnership with them.  Watch Here Here were some conversation topics... Marty talks...

Do you truly care about the homeless? CEO Jennifer Clark encourages us to build empathy for the unhoused population in this podcast episode. If you haven’t heard the news, Jennifer was promoted to St. Vincent de Paul Louisville’s Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director upon Dave Calzi's retirement in late July, who will continue to support SVDP in a newly created advocacy role. Jennifer serve...

If you hope to learn more about the state of homelessness in the U.S. and what we can do about it, Kevin Adler's new book, “ When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America ,” is a must-read guide. Watch: YouTube Kevin’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, on a billboard in Times Square, and in his...

Have you ever had one of those days? Well, Whitney Austin had herself a day on Sept. 6, 2018. In our 26th podcast episode, she opens up about her survival story during the mass shooting in the lobby at Fifth Third Bank Headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.  For Whitney to survive after being shot 12 times is a miracle in and of itself, but even more incredible is how she started the nonprofit Whitney/...