
Give a man a fish? Teach a man to fish? But what if he doesn’t want to fish? Joe Huston, The CFO of Give Directly, joins Kelsey and Jay to discuss giving money to the poor and the positive ripple effects it makes in a community.
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Show notes:
GiveDirectly.org
GiveWell’s report on Give Directly
How do cash transfers impact people who don’t receive them? (post and link to paper)
Review of evidence of direct cash transfers
Research Give Directly shares on site
Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America book by Linda Tirado…
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I first saw microlending in action while traveling with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh in 2007. Then it was being sold as a silver bullet solution to ending poverty. I wrote about the experience in WHERE AM I WEARING and dedicate a whole chapter to examining microlending champion Kiva.org in WHERE AM I GIVING.
I shared my experiences in a chat with Jay on the Good People podcast. Listen, rate, subscribe.
Key takeaway: Lending isn’t giving.
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Rozy Mbone, founder of The Legend of Kenya, is one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met and she’s featured on the latest episode of The Good People podcast.
Rozy and her friends were all former gang members. There were few opportunities to make a living in their community, so they lived a life of crime surrounded by death, violence, prostitution, and robbery.
A woman named Selline Korir visited Korogocho and talked about peace and encouraged Rozy to leave her old life behind. Rozy did and soon the others followed and now they promote peace and dialogue in a community where death and violence are everyday life.
We often think our lives have to be in perfect order before we can make an impact. That’s bullshit….
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Remember that time I sent my Eagle Scout badge back because of BSA’s exclusionary policies? Well, if you do, you might find the fact that I’m wearing my Scout uniform and Eagle badge two decades after earning the rank somewhat surprising.
In this episode of Good People, Jay and I chat about it and everyday activism….
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Kelsey Nielsen first traveled to Uganda to “love on babies” at an orphanage as a self-described “White Savior.” Then she started to ask questions about privilege and power and how best to help people. She is one of the founders of “No White Saviors” an Instagram account that has turned into a movement.
Our conversation on the Good People podcast went so long that I broke it into two parts. I could’ve asked her more questions. You can listen below or on Apple Podcasts or probably other places too. (I like doing the interviews, but not so much the administrivia a podcast or life requires.)
Part 1
Part 2
Show notes:
No…
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Plastic straws! Recycling! Composting! Wishcycling! Climate Change! Fast Fashion! Products tested on animals! Micro-plastics!
Ashlee Piper examines all of these topics and more in her book on sustainable living “Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet.”
Ashlee Piper is a political strategist turned vegan and eco-lifestyle expert, writer, and TV personality whose work has been featured in GLAMOUR, Refinery29, Apartment Therapy, Reader’s Digest, and on pretty much every network.
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Nick Gross is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He signed with a major recording label in his teens, was on a hit MTV show, and has worked with Ariana Grande. Nick chatted with me on the Good People podcast about helping students find their way, where drive comes from, and how social media inhibits self-discovery.
Learn more about Nick and his Find Your Grind initiative.
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As a teenager in the 90s, Liz Boltz Ranfeld, trekked up mountains in Nepal carrying a leather bound Bible, intent on planting a church and winning souls. She looks back on the experience with regret, shame, and anger. Liz joins Kelsey and Jay to discuss mission trips, responsible travel, racism, and even the controversial work of Mother Teresa.
Liz in Nepal in 1999:

The description of her trip:

If you’d like to exam mission trips more, I recommend reading Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, And How to Reverse It by…
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Heidi Ganahl has faced extraordinary adversity in her life. But her entrepreneurial spirit and leadership skills helped her focus on others allowing her to build a $100 million brand, found SheFactor to empower young women, help kids (Fight Back Foundation), run for office, and a whole lot more.
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Laura and Bill Grindle, co-founders of See Kids Dream, empower kids to give back to their own communities, and in the process, teach us all how to be better givers….
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