How isolation and loneliness led to a ‘friendship recession’ in America
Executive Director Jay Height explains how each of us can help overcome the epidemic of loneliness and isolation plaguing our neighbors.
Apr 18, 2024•14 min•Ep. 51
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
“Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” explores why poverty remains such a persistent problem in the United States and how individuals and organizations can help people secure economic independence and a higher quality of life.
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Episodes
Shepherd partners with Purdue and USC for virtual reality treatment of trauma
Executive Director Jay Height discusses how Shepherd’s partnership with Purdue University Northwest and the University of Southern California is leading to development of a virtual reality-assisted treatment program for young people dealing with chronic trauma.
Mar 28, 2024•8 min•Ep. 50
Why Shepherd is partnering with Indianapolis Public Schools to improve education
Executive Director Jay Height explains how Shepherd is working with Indianapolis Public Schools to help families secure a good education for their children.
Mar 08, 2024•7 min•Ep. 49
How the surge in housing costs is hurting families living in poverty
Shepherd Executive Director Jay Height discusses how spikes in rent and mortgage rates, along with rapid gentrification of urban neighborhoods, are hurting families as they struggle to pay for housing.
Feb 22, 2024•10 min•Ep. 48
How building positive memories can help strengthen families
Executive Director Jay Height explains how Shepherd and its partners are helping families share positive experiences and build good memories together.
Feb 08, 2024•14 min•Ep. 47
Should I buy food or medicine? Why inflation is still hurting people in poverty
Shepherd Executive Director Jay Height discusses the continued challenges that many people in poverty face because of high food prices and increases in housing costs.
Jan 25, 2024•12 min•Ep. 46
Chronic absenteeism is the latest crisis in education. Here’s how to help.
Shepherd Community Center Assistant Executive Director Andrew Green explores why so many students are missing so much school and how the community can help.
Jan 11, 2024•13 min•Ep. 45
Together for the holidays: How Shepherd is helping people connect
Assistant Executive Director Andrew Green discusses the challenges that people living in isolation face during the holidays and how Shepherd Community Center is helping them connect with their neighbors.
Dec 29, 2023•12 min•Ep. 44
Why money is important but not all that is needed to break free from poverty
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Assistant Director Tim Streett discuss both the necessity and the limitations of money in ending generational poverty.
Dec 14, 2023•20 min•Ep. 43
Why strong relationships are essential for leaving behind poverty
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Assistant Director Tim Streett discuss how building strong relationships and adopting a future-oriented mindset help neighbors break the cycle of poverty.
Nov 30, 2023•17 min•Ep. 42
A gunman murdered his father. Then Tim Streett found the power to forgive.
Shepherd Community Center Assistant Director Tim Streett, at age 15, witnessed the murder of his father as they shoveled snow in their driveway. Years later, Tim not only forgave his father’s killers but built a lasting friendship with one of the men.
Nov 09, 2023•41 min•Ep. 41
Why personal faith is essential for escaping poverty
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Assistant Director Tim Streett discuss the essential role that faith in a personal God plays in helping people escape poverty.
Oct 26, 2023•19 min•Ep. 40
A new way to do policing: Why building relationships can prevent making arrests
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Indianapolis police officer Adam Perkins talk about how the Shalom Project team builds relationships with neighbors.
Sep 28, 2023•15 min•Ep. 39
How Shepherd’s Shalom Project helps neighbors through community policing
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Indianapolis police officer Adam Perkins discuss how the Shalom Project team uses community policing to assist neighbors on the near East side.
Sep 14, 2023•29 min•Ep. 38
Shot in the chest: How a member of Shepherd’s Shalom team saved a child’s life
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and paramedic Shane Hardwick talk about the lifesaving help the Shalom Project team provided a 13-year-old shooting victim.
Aug 31, 2023•18 min•Ep. 37
Shepherd’s groundbreaking Shalom Project meets neighbors’ needs where they live
Shepherd’s groundbreaking Shalom Project meets neighbors’ needs where they live Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Indianapolis paramedic Shane Hardwick discuss the innovative assistance the Shalom Project team provides to neighbors in need.
Aug 17, 2023•15 min•Ep. 36
Summertime, and the living isn’t easy. How families in poverty cope when schools is out
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height discusses the many challenges that families living in poverty face when schools aren’t in session for the summer.
Aug 03, 2023•13 min•Ep. 35
How are Indy’s children doing? From childcare to nutrition, the needs are great
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height discusses the health and well-being of children in Indianapolis in response to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s recent release of its annual Kids Count Data Book.
Jul 20, 2023•14 min•Ep. 34
Lost hope: Why more arrests won’t stop America’s plague of violent crime
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height discusses the root causes that lead to crime and what needs to happen to reduce the violence.
Jul 06, 2023•13 min•Ep. 33
‘Watering down their children’s milk’: How rising rent and higher food costs are hurting families
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height discusses how high inflation, including a spike in housing costs, continues to force families to make hard choices.
Jun 22, 2023•14 min•Ep. 32
What these Christian leaders have learned over a lifetime of ministry
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Assistant Director Tim Streett offer encouragement and advice for young leaders serving in urban ministry.
Jun 08, 2023•23 min•Ep. 31
Why breaking free of poverty is about far more than money
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height and Assistant Director Tim Streett discuss the complex factors that keep millions of Americans trapped in poverty. We learn that breaking free from poverty is much more than just money.
May 25, 2023•22 min•Ep. 30
What about my future?
Jay Height concludes the exploration of 10 essential assets for breaking free of poverty with a discussion of the importance of being future oriented and why acquiring enough money to meet basic needs is increasingly difficult but necessary for sustained self-sufficiency.
May 11, 2023•14 min•Ep. 29
Why learning to advocate for yourself is essential for breaking out of poverty
Jay Height continues the conversation about the 10 assets that Shepherd Community Center’s leadership has identified as essential for a person to leave poverty behind permanently. This episode focuses on the importance of being able to advocate for yourself as well as the need to understand and function in the mainstream culture.
Apr 27, 2023•12 min•Ep. 28
Why strong, healthy relationships are an essential asset in gaining self-sufficiency
Jay Height explores why strong relationships are a critical asset for people to rise out of poverty.
Mar 30, 2023•13 min•Ep. 27
How a puppet – yes, we said, puppet – is helping to inform and inspire kids at Shepherd
Steve Pennington, who provides a unique ministry and service in the community and at Shepherd Community Center, joins Executive Director Jay Height to discuss how he uses the art of puppetry to teach and inspire children.
Mar 16, 2023•10 min•Ep. 26
Why faith in God is essential for a life filled with hope
Jay Height explores why a personal faith in God is a critical asset for people to rise out of poverty.
Feb 16, 2023•14 min•Ep. 25
These 10 assets are essential for families to thrive
Executive Director Jay Height discusses the personal assets that the Shepherd Community Center team has identified as essential for people to possess to break out of poverty and gain a sustainable level of independence.
Feb 02, 2023•12 min•Ep. 24
Why is it so hard to break free from poverty?
Jay Height explores misconceptions and myths about poverty in the United States.
Jan 19, 2023•17 min•Ep. 23
How a bag of groceries made an eternal difference
Shepherd Community Center Executive Director Jay Height discusses how doing ministry with neighbors can break down barriers and foster life-changing relationships.
Jan 05, 2023•16 min•Ep. 22
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