The Philanthropic Podcast

In this episode of the Philanthropic Podcast, we sit down with a Somali refugee family who spent decades surviving war, enslavement, and extreme poverty before resettling in the United States. From childhood in Somalia during the civil war, to life in Kenya’s Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps, this conversation reveals the brutal realities of forced migration, refugee camps, water scarcity, food ins...

In this episode of The Philanthropic Podcast , Fred Sheehan shares a story unlike anything we've featured before. From a childhood in Hawaii to years of turmoil, loss, addiction, and eventually a calling he never expected, Fred opens up with honesty and heart. Today, he works directly with individuals experiencing homelessness and those in crisis—drawing from his own lived experience to lift other...

In this episode, we sit down with Brent Crane , Executive Director of the Food & Care Coalition in Provo, who has spent 36 years serving Utah’s homeless population. Brent shares raw, real stories that break common stereotypes — from mental health struggles to generational poverty, addiction, deinstitutionalization, and the everyday barriers most people never see. Together, we explore what home...

Kaylee’s story is one of the most powerful transformations you’ll ever hear. After growing up in a fourth-generation cycle of addiction, Kaylee became homeless in downtown Salt Lake — sleeping in bathrooms, stealing shoes to survive, and battling a dangerous addiction. Everything changed when she was arrested on Mother’s Day… and found out she was pregnant with twin girls while in jail . Today, sh...

For two decades, William “Bishop” Bell lived in chaos — cycling through prison, addiction, and homelessness. Sleeping in cars, chasing his next fix, and losing nearly everything, Bishop hit rock bottom again and again… until he found the courage to surrender. In this unfiltered conversation, Bishop opens up about growing up without his mother, finding his identity in gangs, and surviving six overd...

The Philanthropic Podcast: Episode 2 – Matt’s Story In this heart-opening episode, Talmage reconnects with Matt — a BYU fan he met while living on the streets of Provo — to talk about perspective, humility, and how one small act can change a life. Matt shares what it feels like to be seen again, why judgment doesn’t help, and what kind of support truly makes a difference. This conversation reminds...

Just weeks after going viral for being taken to a BYU football game, Matt joins The Philanthropic Podcast to share his full story. In Part 1 of 2 , Matt opens up about his life before homelessness — from a stable career in computer engineering to how mental illness, COVID, and loss completely changed everything. He shares what it’s like living in a storage unit, how mental health plays into homele...

After losing everything to addiction — his family, his home, and nearly his life — David Kendall spent 10 years homeless. Now, five years clean, he’s helping others find the same hope that saved him. In this raw and redemptive episode of The Philanthropic Podcast , David shares his fall, his fight to rebuild, and the moments that reminded him life was still worth living. A story of pain, faith, an...

Go behind the scenes with the creators of Philanthropic — the YouTube platform and global movement using media to fight poverty. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on what we're doing to build a mission-driven media brand from the ground up. From idea to impact, late-night edits to on-the-ground filming, this is the raw story of how a two-person crew with a big vision is using storytell...

Welcome to the first episode of The Philanthropic Podcast. Meet co founder Mark Comer and hear why we started our channel. Discover how viral media can change lives and why the fastest way to fight poverty is by sharing stories that inspire action. Everyone can help someone and every act makes a difference.