Sharing Goodwill
Welcome to Sharing Goodwill. Join us as we seek the good: stories of hope, positivity, and inspiration. Each episode, we'll speak candidly with amazing individuals who are committed to doing good for their communities. Our hope is that this podcast will give people an opportunity to take a step back from the negative news that surrounds us and instead find and strive for the good in their everyday lives. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the good. My hope is that this podcast will give people an opportunity to take a step back from the negative news that surrounds us and instead, hear from people, many of whom you may not initially recognize, about how they find and strive for the good in their everyday lives. #OCGoodwill #SharingGoodwill
Episodes
December 1, 2022 • 27 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Eric Smissen connects with Shukry (SHOE-CREE) Cattan, Director of Operations for the Tiyya (TEE-YA) Foundation. Tiyya is a nonprofit organization based in LA and OC that provides economic and educational opportunities for families of refugees, immigrants, and indigenous communities. Shukry and Eric chat about Tiyya’s social enterprise restaurant called Flavors from Afar and how the concept of ro...
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October 31, 2022 • 25 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Eric Smissen connects with Nithin Jilla, Founder and Executive Director of Dreams for Schools, a nonprofit created to inspire, create and educate students to be STEAM literate with hard and soft skills needed to become the critical thinkers, creative leaders, and technologists of tomorrow. I had a great time chatting with Nithin about his own journey finding a path in technologies and computer s...
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September 12, 2022 • 23 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Eric connects with Bryan Ware, Founder and President of the Crayon Initiative. Bryan asked a simple question about what happens to broken crayons when they are no longer usable at schools and restaurants, and turned that into an impactful nonprofit. Bryan and Eric chat about his love for the arts, and how he found a way to merge his manufacturing expertise with giving back to children in need. P...
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August 12, 2022 • 21 mins
In this episode of Sharing Goodwill, I chat with Rawan Ita-Diaz, co-founder of The Art Spread, a nonprofit dedicated to leading artists with adversity to success and spreading empathy through art. Rawan’s life changed dramatically after she was hit by a car on her way to work one morning, and she shares openly about the physical and emotional trauma she endured, and how that ultimately led her to find her purpose in art and helping...
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July 21, 2022 • 16 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Eric Smissen sits down with John Vargas, Farms Director of Renewable Farms. Renewable Farms is a nonprofit with a mission to enhance communities through events, agriculture and education. John shares about the local Anaheim farm’s onsite programs for individuals with disabilities and veterans, and how the farm has become a safe and comfortable place for individuals to open up and embrace the bea...
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June 30, 2022 • 28 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, we hear from Janice Munemitsu about her first book “The Kindness of Color.” Janice is an Orange County native and a third-generation Japanese American Sansei. She brought her family’s moving story to life in her new book, detailing the discrimination and racism felt by immigrant families here in Southern California during World War II. She talks about her hope for the book and its readers, and e...
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June 2, 2022 • 23 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Eric connects with Cassidy Feder, creator of The Giving Gifts. Cassidy describes The Giving Gifts as a very imperfect organization committed to learning, failing, connection, diversity, transformation, creating & sustaining honest change. The organization creates possibilities for a young person to identify their gift, discover possibilities to use their gift, and share their story.
Eric and ...
Eric and ...
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May 12, 2022 • 16 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Goodwill of Orange County’s CEO Nicole Suydam connects over conversation with Antoinette Balta, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Veterans Legal Institute. Serving as an Officer with the California State Guard herself, Antoinette noticed that many of the issues that contributed to chronic homelessness for veterans were legal in nature and required the assistance of an attorney – and thus,...
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April 28, 2022 • 20 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Eric connects over conversation with Jeanette Knutti. Jeanette is the Founder & CEO of Moxie Marketing Agency, an Orange County-based company that prides itself on doing ‘marketing with heart.’ She is on a mission to ‘build an empire of love’ by providing marketing services to purpose-driven clients and creating digital & physical products that bring more love into the world. In 2019, sh...
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March 2, 2022 • 16 mins
In this episode of Sharing Goodwill, Nicole Suydam, President and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County, connects over conversation with Claudia Keller, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. Nicole and Claudia discuss what food insecurity looks like today in Orange County and how the pandemic has elevated the need for access to quality foods. Claudia also dishes on Second Harvest’s big move to diversify and take more control...
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December 14, 2021 • 17 mins
This month’s episode of Sharing Goodwill is very special because we speak with one of Goodwill of Orange County’s own employees, Oscar Torres. Oscar works in our e-Books department and is a true representation of Goodwill’s mission and core values.
After a tragic accident paralyzed his lower body, Oscar was determined to find a job and help provide for his mom and little sister. He found a perfect job fit here at Goodwill of Orange...
After a tragic accident paralyzed his lower body, Oscar was determined to find a job and help provide for his mom and little sister. He found a perfect job fit here at Goodwill of Orange...
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September 7, 2021 • 37 mins
In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Sandra Morgan, the Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University. Dr. Morgan is a passionate advocate for victims and survivors of human trafficking. Together, we discuss what human trafficking is and how we can all work together to protect those most vulnerable of being labor or sexually trafficked. Dr. Morgan shines a light on some incredibl...
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April 9, 2021 • 20 mins
On this episode of Sharing Goodwill, I’m honored to connect with Jim Martin, CEO of Donate Life California, a leading advocate for organ, eye, and tissue donor registration. We talk about organ donation’s inspiring impact and ability to quite literally save lives, and the great need for more organ donors here in California. We also discuss the possible hesitations and barriers to donor registration that may resonate with your own.
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March 24, 2021 • 28 mins
On this week’s episode of Sharing Goodwill, Bill Bracken introduces us to the amazing way he helps others through food. As a nationally-respected chef and CEO of his own nonprofit, Bracken’s Kitchen, Bill has become a powerful force in both industries, using his culinary gifts to feed people in need. Bill talks about his personal journey and how every path in his life has led him back to cooking for others. What started with Betsy ...
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March 5, 2021 • 18 mins
On this week’s episode of Sharing Goodwill, we focus again on a veteran’s personal journey from the service to civilian life. Our Tierney Center Director Denton Knapp connects with Marine Corps veteran Michael Sion about his six years in the service, his career pathway in mortgage and finance, and what brought him to the Tierney Center. Michael also talks openly about the highs and lows of his transition and shares advice for other...
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February 4, 2021 • 18 mins
In this episode of Sharing Goodwill, I connect with Jeanne and Gideon Bernstein, parents of Blaze Bernstein and founders of the Blaze It Forward movement. After the tragic murder of their son, they created this movement to honor his legacy and spread kindness throughout our community, and really the world. Their commitment to turning heartbreak into goodness is truly extraordinary. They are endlessly inspiring, and it was an honor ...
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December 16, 2020 • 37 mins
This week's episode is all about the wonderful world of thrifting. Our Marketing & Communications Director Eric Smissen chats with local influencer, interior designer and thrift expert Kate Keesee. Kate talks about how Goodwill has been a part of her life since she was very young and how, after a life-altering health diagnosis, she found her passion and new career through thrifting. She also shares her top thrifting tips, g...
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November 25, 2020 • 41 mins
In this follow up veterans episode of Sharing Goodwill, you’ll hear from Shawn Mela, a Marine Corps veteran. Interviewed by Denton Knapp, Director of the Tierney Center for Veteran Services and a 30 year Army veteran himself, Shawn opens up about his incredible journey from Kashmir to the U.S. and into the service, including the fight he had to put up to even enlist. Shawn also talks about his training and time as a pilot, what he ...
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November 11, 2020 • 13 mins
On this special Veterans Day episode of Sharing Goodwill, you'll hear from five team members of Goodwill's Tierney Center for Veteran Services who are veterans themselves. Denton Knapp, Patrick Thompson, Bryant Powell, Robert Rodriguez and Manny De Anda talk about their history in the service, their transition back to civilian life, and what lead them to working and advocating for other former servicemen and women. To all t...
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October 12, 2020 • 25 mins
In Episode 5, Nicole Suydam connects virtually with Shawna Smith, Executive Director of Hope Builders, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Orange County’s young adults with mentorship, life skills and job skills training to positively impact their futures. Shawna and Nicole discuss the many changes in the world of nonprofits, and how important it is through all the new challenges to stay true to your core mission. Shawna also speak...
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