Lights, Camera, Community Action – The New York State Community Action Association’s (NYSCAA) Podcast

New York's Housing Challenges

In our second episode of Season, 2 we sit down with Mike Borges, Executive Director of the NYS Rural Housing Coalition, and Josiah Lamp, Director of Housing and Community Development at Chautauqua Opportunities and Board President for the NYS Rural Housing Coalition. In this conversation, they delve into the pressing issues surrounding the preservation and maintenance of affordable housing in New York State. Mike and Josiah share their experiences and discuss the challenges they face, as well as the significant strides they have made in securing funding to address these issues. Tune in to hear about their successes and ongoing efforts to ensure affordable housing for all New Yorkers.

Creating a Trauma-Informed Organization

In the first episode of Season 2, we sit down with Tina Zerbian, CEO at Connecting Communities in Action, and Wendy Robords, Director of Culture and Workforce Development at Pro Action of Steuben and Yates. Tina and Wendy discuss the steps they’ve taken to make their Community Action Agencies (CAA) more trauma-informed, and provide helpful tips and resources for CAAs looking to begin this process.
Resources:
Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The Science of Hope
The Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care
New York State Trauma-Informed Network & Resource Center
Click here for the full transcript. 

Affirming Fatherhood

In this episode, we sit down with Jacki Evans, Parent Engagement and Male Involvement Coordinator for Head Start/Early Head Start at PEACE, Inc.; Scott Leach, Director of Fatherhood Initiatives and Community Engagement at NYC Department of Youth & Community Development; and Al Meyers, Safe Harbor Coordinator at Connecting Communities in Action. Jacki, Scott, and Al discuss the importance of fatherhood initiatives, their agency's programs, the challenges associated with engaging with the fathers in their community, success stories, and more. Also, stick around until the end of the podcast to hear from one father who participates in Connecting Communities in Action’s fatherhood program.  

Addressing Food Insecurity

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Ehlers, Seneca Programs & Food Security Director, Community Action Programs Cayuga/Seneca, and Lisa Gardner-Goodrow, Community Outreach Program Director, JCEO of Clinton & Franklin Counties, to discuss addressing food insecurity in their communities. Hear from Chris and Lisa about their innovative programs and solutions to eliminate food insecurity.

NYSCAA’s Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI)

In this month's episode, we sit down with Andrea Bernard, Adult & Youth Services Manager at PEACE, Inc.; Melinda Daniels, Executive Assistant at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee; and Janelle Hartwell, Community Services Director at Delaware Opportunities, Inc. to discuss NYSCAA's Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI). Hear from Andrea, Melinda, and Janelle about their experience in ELI, the projects and programs they designed as part of their ELI 2.0 curriculum, and how these projects benefited their communities.
 
Click here to view the transcript.

Housing Programs and Solutions

In this month's episode, we sit down with Maureen Abbott, Executive Director of Tioga Opportunities, Inc.; Danielle Harrington, CEO of Tompkins Community Action; and Michele McKeon & Charlie Quinn, the Chief Operating Officer & Executive Director of RECAP. Listen to Maureen, Danielle, Michele & Charlie speak about the housing needs in their communities, finding innovative solutions to address these needs, building sustainable housing programs, and more!
Click here to download the transcript.

Getting to Know Community Action

In this inaugural episode, we sit down with Greg Richards, Executive Director of Cortland County Community Action Program, Inc. (CAPCO), Diane Hewitt-Johnson, CEO of Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc., and Renee Hungerford, Executive Director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee; all who are members of NYSCAA’s board of directors. Renee, Greg, and Diane talk about Community Action, the importance of Community Action in improving communities and changing lives, how the needs of their communities have changed over time, pivoting services to meet the needs, their relationship with the New York State Community Action Association (NYSCAA), the strength of New York’s CAA network and more!
Click here to download the transcript.