Friends In Deed Podcast

Apr 15 2024
Friends In Deed Podcast artwork

Friends In Deed (FID) is an interfaith organization that provides supportive services to our homeless and at risk neighbors to help them rebuild their lives. Each week, FID Executive Director, Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater, talks about our programs, interviews clients, has conversations with staff, community leaders and commentators around issues of poverty, homelessness, religious values, morals and much more! Learn more at www.friendsindeedpas.org, follow us on Instagram @friendsindeedpas, or visit us at facebook.com/friendsindeedpas.

RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Living in Your Car at Age 70

Apr 15 2024 33 mins  
On this episode, Rabbi Joshua talks with Suzanne, a woman who has seen a great many challenges in her life, including cancer and the loss of her parents and siblings in just a few short years. Before getting sick, she was a successful paralegal with a solid career and a stable life. She tells her story of going from that place to living in her car for 2 years to finally getting bac

2024-3 My Dog is My Home: Emotional Support Animals Save Lives

Mar 06 2024 44 mins  
It is often said that "dogs are a person's best friend." This is certainly true, and perhaps more so, for our unsheltered neighbors experiencing homelessness. On this episode, Rabbi Joshua speaks with Christine Kim, founder of a non-profit called My Dog is My Home, which does advocacy work around the issues of emotional support animals specifically for the population

2024-2 Anthony and His 7 year-old Chess Champion Son Get Housed!

Feb 26 2024 44 mins  
In this special episode, Rabbi Joshua talks at length with Anthony, a man our Street Outreach team worked with and helped get permanently housed. He has a pretty inspiring story, albeit difficult, which includes his incredible son winning chess tournaments while sometimes living in a motel with his dad. This is one you won't want to miss--and will want to share!www.friendsinde

2024-1 Bad Weather Shelter Reopening!

Jan 12 2024 26 mins  
Welcome to 2024! In this first episode of the new year, Rabbi Joshua talks about the Bad Weather Shelter as this is the first time we will be operating in 3 years! There is a new location, Trinity Lutheran Church, and so Rabbi Joshua has a conversation with Pastor Sharon Richter, who shares her faith journey and why the church is so supportive and excited to be the new host. Learn

2023-16 FID 2023 Recap

Dec 14 2023 17 mins  
For this final episode of the year, Rabbi Joshua shares some of the numbers and highlights of how our services were provided this past year. It was a record year in all of our programs, both in number of people attending and in the new ways we have been able to serve. Our staff has grown, our budget has grown, our visibility has grown, our volunteers have grown, we have new board m

2023-15 It's Not Just a Job, it's a Spiritual Calling: Interview with TWR's Jane Armbruster

Nov 08 2023 41 mins  
We are back! After a bit of a hiatus, we are thrilled to post a brand new episode. After sharing some updates and highlights from the past few weeks, Rabbi Joshua has a wonderful interview and conversation with Jane Armbruster, The Women's Room Program Manager and Case Counselor. Jane shares deeply about her life story, which includes being a professional vocalist and stage pe

2023-14 A Conversation with Los Angeles Times Columnist Steve Lopez

Sep 18 2023 59 mins  
In this very special episode, Rabbi Joshua has a wide-ranging interview with Steve Lopez, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, who has been a columnist with the Los Angeles Times for nearly two decades. Mr. Lopez is the author of the book, The Soloist, which chronicles his journey with a man he met on the streets, Nathaniel Ayers, who was playing a 2-stringed violin

2023-13 "It's Like Heaven" A Personal Story of a Guest in The Women's Room in Her Own Words

Aug 23 2023 14 mins  
In this episode, Rabbi Joshua talks with Ondina, a guest in The Women's Room who worked with our staff first to find a domestic violence shelter for safety, and then locate permanent housing. Ondina is an inspiring and energetic woman who shares her story with passion, emotion and immense gratitude. You can't help but be moved listening to her share her journey in her own

2023-12 Renting in California? Either make $44/hr or work 3 minimum wage jobs!

Aug 18 2023 28 mins  
In part 2 of the conversation about the National Low Income Housing Coalition's report, 'Out of Reach," Rabbi Joshua dives into the wage rate needed to live in and around Pasadena, which is 3x the rate of the minimum wage! The statistics aren't pretty, but they are real.During the break, learn about FID's upcoming movie night fundraiser, Stories from the St

2023-11 Don't Make $24/hr? Good Luck Renting a 1-bedroom home in America

Aug 11 2023 21 mins  
In the first of a multi-part series, Rabbi Joshua begins to unpack a report called 'Out of Reach,' published annually by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which tracks the cost of rentals in every state, and compares them with the wage rate need to afford a modest one or two bedroom home. This episode focuses nationally, hence the title of 'Don't Make $