On this episode, Rabbi Joshua is joined by Tim Nistler for a conversation about the impending cuts to SNAP benefits and how it is affecting our food pantry community. Tim shares the staggering new record of households in one week, and speaks about how you can help us serve those most in need. https://friendsindeedpas.org

Rabbi Joshua checks in on Day 22 of the government shutdown. On November 1st, without an agreement to reopen, millions of people, mostly children, will lose their SNAP benefits, which are commonly known as food stamps or EBT cards. Yet, there is apparently money for other things... CBS News article referenced in the episode https://friendsindeedpas.org

In this episode, Rabbi Joshua checks in on day 9 of the government shutdown to highlight how this will potentially begin to affect the most vulnerable in our country, and how the current budget proposal includes sweeping cuts to the Continuum of Care funding for housing. In addition, he shares some thoughts from recent books on homelessness and poverty, including a clip from scholar Matthew Desmond. Listen and share! National Alliance to End Homelessness Matthew Desmond on The Jon Stewart Sho...

Today Rabbi Joshua is joined by Pasadena Housing Department's Homelessness Coordinator, Jenni O-Reilly Jones, as they discuss the results from both the 2024 Annual Homeless Count and the 2025 Point in Time Count. There are some positives to report, and of course, many challenges to overcome. Read the full presentations here: https://www.pasadenahomelesscount.org/ Pasadena City Services Line (for resources) 626-744-7311 https://friendsindeedpas.org

Jennifer is a single mom of two children who all fled for their lives on January 7th. Along with her parents, sister and their families, who all lived together in Altadena, they lost home. Jennifer talks with Rabbi Joshua about her life pre-fire and what has happened since that harrowing night. Jennifer and her kids, after 7 months of moving around from motels to airbnbs, are now settled in a new apartment in Pasadena, the first people in Friends In Deed's new time limited subsidy progr...

Today, Rabbi Joshua speaks with the Director of Street Outreach and Housing, Tish Inong, LCSW, to hear about the ways her team has been supporting those impacted by the Eaton fire, as well as a few exciting partnerships that are offering new aspects to the program, including Kaiser School of Medicine and Grandview Foundation a local organization providing addiction recovery programs and sober living. Grandview Foundation Kaiser School of Medicine https://friendsindeedpas.org

On this episode, Rabbi Joshua shares in depth about the new strategic plan that is guiding the work of Friends In Deed for the next three years. And, as a special addition, he is playing some music in between segments of the show, so look forward to that new feature! Read the FID Strategic Plan: https://friendsindeedpas.org/strategic-plan/ https://friendsindeedpas.org

Rabbi Joshua welcomes the new CEO of Union Station, Katie Hill, to the podcast to discuss her background, career and initial thoughts on the state of homelessness in Pasadena. They also discuss the recent turmoil taking place with LAHSA and the Board of Supervisors, and what that could mean for service providers in our sector. Rabbi Joshua also shares an update on Eaton Fire funding and how FID has been helping the community in the aftermath. Outro music: Eric Clapton https://frie...

On this special episode, Rabbi Joshua welcomes Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28) to the Food Pantry, after her office reached out about coming to talk about potential federal funding cuts to SNAP and Medicaid. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is funded via the USDA, and provides low-income families food benefits to supplement their grocery budget. Rabbi Joshua and Rep. Chu discuss the dangers these cuts pose to so many Americans, including those coming to FID.&n...

Welcome to 2025! Sadly, it didn't start well for folks in Southern California, including Altadena/Pasadena, where Friends In Deed is located. In this first episode of the year, Rabbi Joshua returns with an update on programs and operations post-Eaton fire. Listen to learn how FID is continuing to serve the most vulnerable in our community, and what they have been doing in response to the fires. https://friendsindeedpas.org

Today, Rabbi Joshua spends a few minutes talking with some members of the Street Outreach and Housing team to find out the latest goings on. We hear about increasing numbers of families without homes, people starting to suffer from the cold, and, in some positive news, how there are new permanent supporting housing units becoming available. Support the work of FID: https://friendsindeedpas.org/donate-to-friends-in-deed/ https://friendsindeedpas.org

Today, Rabbi Joshua sits down with Tunisia Offray, Co-Director of Shepherd's Door, a domestic violence resource center in Pasadena. In a wide-ranging conversation, they discuss not only how domestic violence affects homelessness, but Tunisia shares her own story, and how it led to the creation of the organization, by her mother, 25 years ago. Learn more about FID: https://friendsindeedpas.org/ Learn more about Shepherd's Door: https://www.shepherddoor.org/ If you or someone you know is e...

This week, Rabbi Joshua shares the full recording of the State of FID, which was a live event recorded on 11/20/24. You will hear from each of the program directors and leadership of Friends In Deed about all of the goings on for the past year, and how things have been going for the past few months. It also includes some initial insights into the new strategic plan. Since this is only audio, we are sharing the slide deck that the speakers are referring to, which Rabbi Joshua mentions at the ...

On this episode, Rabbi Joshua checks in with FID's Senior Director of Programs, Ryan Greer, to hear about the latest in each program and to discuss the Measure A initiative that will be on the ballot in LA County this November. Learn more about Friends In Deed Learn more about Measure A Closing music: Eric Clapton https://friendsindeedpas.org

In this special episode, Rabbi Joshua speaks with Tim McDonald, the Library Director for Pasadena. They discuss not only the value and importance of libraries in our communities and society, but also talk about the film The Public, and how libraries are central to the lives of people experiencing homelessness. FID is showing this film at their fall fundraiser in a few weeks. Learn more about the event, and the film, on the FID website. https://friendsindeedpas.org/stories-from-the-street/ W...

In this episode, Rabbi Joshua shares an update on what transpired at the recent city council meeting around the Grants Pass decision and how it might affect those experiencing homelessness in Pasadena. If you want to learn more about the whole issue, visit the previous episode. And, we also share some highlights from our brand new FY24 Annual Report, which shows the impact FID has been to have in the past year. View the whole report here: https://friendsindeedpas.org/wp-content/uploads/2024...

In this short episode, Rabbi Joshua shares Friends In Deed's 'keynotes and solutions' study sheet that was submitted to city council in advance of the meeting on 9/9/24. Unfortunately, after requesting to be included in the official presentation to the council, and hearing an initial positive reception to the idea, in the end none of the local service providers were invited to participate. As such, the ideas in this podcast are the ones outlined on the sheet sent to the council. Immediate sol...

In this episode, Rabbi Joshua continues the conversation about the Grants Pass decision, and specifically how this might start directly affecting our city of Pasadena. He welcomes Friends In Deed's Director of Street Outreach and Housing, Tish Inong, MPA, MSW, LCSW. https://friendsindeedpas.org https://friendsindeedpas.org

In this episode, Rabbi Joshua discusses the recent ruling by the Supreme Court, which overruled the 9th circuit in saying that 'camping' on the streets if you are homeless, even if you don't have anywhere else to go, does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, and can be punished with citations or arrest. This first discussion is with one of Friends In Deed's MSW interns, Joel Moss, who has been doing research on this case and following it closely. https://friendsindeedpas.org/ https...

In this episode, Rabbi Joshua shares the highlights and findings from the recently released Pasadena 2024 Homeless Count report. In the next episode, he will bring on other folks to discuss the report and talk about what it means for the state of homelessness in our city. A link to the full report is included below. More about Friends In Deed: https://www.friendsindeedpas.org Full report: https://www.pasadenahomelesscount.org/ https://friendsindeedpas.org