Fostering Change

Latest Episodes:

Best of “Fostering Change” Season 3 | Rosie Wainwright Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

A Regional Manager at a Social Mobility Charity, Ambassador for Comfort Cases UK, Panel Advisor, Coach & Mentor with lived experience of going through the foster care system. Rosie has experience in both the private and non-profit sectors, and she is an advocate for positive change in society. She has a bachelor's degree in Law, a Postgraduate Certificate in International Business Law. She has recently completed a Level 5 Coaching Qualification to help individuals and businesses to achieve their goals.

🖐️My journey into & through foster care/ overcoming perceived barriers/ importance of

🖐️Education Why I’m involved/ an ambassador for comfort cases/ our mission/ what we’ve achieved so far

🖐️How other people can get involved and support our mission

You can find out more about Laura by visiting:

Facebook Rosie Wainwright

Instagram @queenrozza

Other Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosiewainwright1/

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

and for information regarding Comfort Cases UK, please visit: https://comfortcasesuk.org

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best of “Fostering Change” Season 3 | Mindy Henderson - The Truth About Things That Suck Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

In this week’s episode of Fostering Change Rob Scheer talks with Mindy Henderson, author, editor, speaker, advocate. Henderson is the author of THE TRUTH ABOUT THINGS THAT SUCK, A Motivational Speaker, Writer, Coach, Host of The Truth About Things That Suck podcast, guest contributor of “Morning Motivations” on CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” lifestyle morning show and was recently named an “Austin Woman to Watch” by Austin Woman Magazine. After a 20-year career in high-tech, Mindy shifted her focus toward helping others realize their potential and normalizing disability. Driven to build a world that welcomes and includes EVERYONE, Mindy advocates for universal design in air travel, architecture, and fashion.

Despite living life from a wheelchair, Mindy’s achievements include:

● Bachelor and Master’s degrees

● Multiple singing appearances on national television (plus a CD recording with George Strait’s guitar and bass players accompanying her!)

● Public speaking addressing thousands of volunteers of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and addressing corporate executives for companies such as 7-11, VMware, NXP Semiconductors, 7-Up and Cisco

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ Mindy’s secrets to making things that suck, suck less including her companion podcast The Truth About Things That Suck

🖐️ Mindy’s philosophy, “we can make the impossible possible”

🖐️ Mindy’s journey from Texas to China to adopt her daughter (China is one of the least wheelchair accessible countries in the world)

🖐️ Disability Pride Month

🖐️ News from MDA.org including her high-profile guests on the Quest podcast such Judith Heumann, a legend of the disability rights movement.

You can find out more about Mindy by visiting:

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MindyHendersonPage

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/mindyhendersonspeaks/

The Truth About Things That Suck Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-things-that-suck/id1533438979

MDA Quest podcast: https://www.mda.org/podcast

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best of “Fostering Change” Season 3 | Anthony Trucks Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

Originally aired March 22, this is our first “Best of” episode, as we conclude Season 3.

Rob Scheer talks with Anthony Trucks,Coach, Speaker, Author, Former NFL, CEO at Identity Shift.Anthony is an experienced president with a demonstrated history of working in the health wellness and fitness industry. Strong business development professional skilled in Athlete Development, Coaching, Sales, Football, and Event Management.

Key Story Notes:

🖐️The Six Types of Failure: Learn how to stop placing importance on fear of failing and learn instead to reframe failures as you learn when you fail forward.

🖐️The Difference Between Healthy Guilt and Unhealthy Guilt: It has the power to push you to become the version of yourself.

🖐️Identity Shift: How to make a life change to find your true identity

You can find out more about Anthony by visiting:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnthonyTrucks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnthonyTrucks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonytrucks/

Author Website: https://anthonytrucks.com/

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How a blanket can bring a SMILE to a child in Foster Care Jessica Rudolph Oct 04, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer talks with Jessica Rudolph, CEO & Founder of My Very Own Blanket.My Very Own Blanket is a non-profit organization started in December of 1999, dedicated to comforting children in foster care with a blanket they can call “their very own”, bringing them love, comfort and most of all a SMILE. Her aspirations are to help spread more love, comfort and hope to children in foster care across the nation and around the world!

Named as one of the Sunny 95 Inaugural Event “20 Outstanding Women You Should Know” February 2008, she has also been named “Hometown Hero” by the City of Westerville and the Westerville Fire Division February 2010, She had the privilege of presenting a TED talk in 2016 at the TEDx Women’s Conference in Columbus, Ohio as well as receiving a Certificate of Commendation on behalf of the State of Ohio, from Ohio Secretary of State, Jon Husted, December 2017. She most recently received the Kindness Award from Westerville Mayor Kathy Cocuzzi, December 2021.

Jessica is also passionate about being involved in another global service club called Rotary where she holds the honor of “Past President” of the Short North Rotary Club in Columbus, Ohio and has hosted 12 exchange students from 12 different countries while raising her children.

She is actively involved in her church, St. Mary Magdalene on the west side where she serves as a lector and Eucharistic minister and leads the Social Committee cooking meals for the congregation and community!

Jessica lives in Dublin with her husband and many animals, both domestic and wild, and has 3 adult children who were the catalyst to how My Very Own Blanket came to be!

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ My Very Own Blanket

🖐️ Jessica Rudolph’s Background

🖐️ “20 Outstanding Women You Should Know”

🖐️ “Hometown Hero”

You can find out more about Jessica by visiting:

Website: www.myveryownblanket.org

Instagram: myveryownblanket1999

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myveryownblanket

Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/company/9405826/admin/

Twitter: @MyVryOwnBlanket

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justin & Alexis Black: How to Foster Kids Beat the Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness and Love Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer talks with Justin and Alexis Black. They are authors, speakers, business owners and part of the Forbes Next 1000 class of 2021. Together, they’ve published an award-winning, bestselling book titled Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness and Love that has impacted over 15,000 individuals and families. With ROSE (Rising Over Societal Expectations) Empowerment Group and Redefining Normal, they hope to continue the conversation on healthy relationships, mental health, and healing through speaking engagements, trainings and book clubs.

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ We can go with the flow of what you think would be best for the podcast!

🖐️ We have a youth workbook, upcoming faith workbook in July and children’s book in September

🖐️”We’re pregnant!” (and since the date of this taping… have given birth!)

You can find out more about Justin and Alexis by visiting:

Website: re-definingnormal.com

Instagram: @re.definingnormal

Facebook: redefiningnormalmovement

Tiktok: @re.definingnormal

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giovanna Ventola Discusses How Kids See Books as a Mirror in their Own Lives Sep 20, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer talks with Giovanna Ventola, an entrepreneur and self published children’s book author who lives in Chicago. She wrote the story of her rescue pup, “Waylon’s World” about Waylon’s journey to his forever home with her in the big city. It’s the first children’s book she’s written but she already has plans to add more to the series. Walyon has been the cutest little mascot for kids and he’s a big hit when they do live readings in Chicago.

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ Background on How Giovanna Wrote the Story and a Summary About What It Is.

🖐️ Kids reading books and trying to relate to characters

🖐️ The Book as a Tool to Comfort and Empower Children Going Through Any Type of Change

Purchase “Waylon’s World” here: https://www.readwaylonsworld.com/shop

You can find out more about Giovanna by visiting:

Website: www.readwaylonsworld.com

Instagram: @readwaylonsworld and @giovanna.ventola

TikTok: @readwaylonsworld

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Empowering children to be caring, confident and resilient: Slumberkins Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer talks with Callie Christensen and Kelly Oriard. Callie and Kelly are Co-CEOs and Co-Founders of Slumberkins, a direct-to-consumer, e-commerce children's brand on a mission to promote emotional wellness and provide tools to help raise caring, confident and resilient children.

Callie and Kelly started their business with a culmination of more than 20 years of friendship and a shared life passion for promoting early emotional learning. As mothers with backgrounds in family therapy and early education, they identified a need for intentional children's products while on maternity leave together in 2016. Now, they have the privilege of spreading the Slumberkins mission and preparing children to thrive in the modern world. Slumberkins is refreshing the plush toy industry and resonating with parents that find community on social media platforms and seek out modern, new, and intentional products to bring into their homes. The company is at the forefront of brand building online as they expand into children's entertainment by bringing the characters to life in a preschool television series produced by the Jim Henson Company.

Callie has a masters in teaching with endorsements in elementary education and special education and worked as a special education teacher in a therapeutic day treatment school as well as in an elementary school in the Pacific Northwest.

Kelly has a dual master's in marriage and family therapy and school counseling and has worked as a school counselor and family therapist at a K-8 school in Portland, Oregon.

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ Emotional Wellness and Social Emotional Learning

🖐️Callie’s Parents Fostered Children When She Was a Child and Impacted Her and Her Family Greatly

🖐️Callie & Kelly Are Dedicated to Giving Back to the Foster Care Community and Have Been Donating Regularly to Comfort Cases.

You can find out more about Callie and Kelly by visiting:

Website: www.Slumberkins.com

Instagram: instagram.com/slumberkins/

Facebook: facebook.com/slumberkins

YouTube: Slumberkins

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rick Ornelas - Creating Purpose: Fostering Change Episode 144 Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

In this week’s episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer talks with Rick Ornelas, Bestselling author & Founder of I Spark Change. Rick Ornelas is a bestselling author, Ultimate Success Coach™, and founder of I Spark Change. He helps individuals gain clarity and guidance by eliminating the roadblocks preventing their personal and professional success so they can elevate their social impact and spread positive change.

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ How Rick Changed His Whole Life in 2020 to Go Down this Path

🖐️ Creating Purpose in One’s life

🖐️ Global Impact

You can find out more about Rick by visiting:

Website: https://www.isparkchange.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_spark_change/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rick.ornelas/ & https://www.facebook.com/isparkchange

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/isparkchange

Twitter: https://twitter.com/isparkchange

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVxszC0wtIG4XxUOiFrHUqQ?

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@i_spark_change

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Hynes, Center for Adoption Support (CASE) / Fostering Change Episode 143 Aug 30, 2022

Show notes

In this week’s episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer talks with Tony Hynes. Tony is an adoptee, former foster youth, author of “The Son with Two Moms:, Training Specialist at the Center for Adoption Support and Education, and PH.D. Candidate studying the well-being of adult interracial adoptees. Rob and Tony discuss The importance of discussing Intersectionality in adoptive/foster care communities, and how to empower adoptees/foster communities through the life-course.

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ The Son With Two Moms

🖐️ The Importance of Discussing Intersectionality in Adoptive/Fostered Care Communities

🖐️ How to Empower Adoptees/Foster Communities Through the Life-Course

🖐️ Why It's Important Not to Understand That Every Adoptee/Foster Story Is Unique

🖐️ Why Its Important to Talk About Race in Adoptive/Fostered Households

🖐️How My Experiences and Research Impact My Views on the Child Welfare System as a Whole, and on Our Nation’s History

You can find out more about Tony by visiting:

Website: Anthony Hynes - C.A.S.E. - Nurture, Inspire, Empower (adoptionsupport.org)

Instagram: @Tony_hy (Tony Hynes)

Facebook: Tony Hynes

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From an Abusive Home to Advocate for Foster Care Reform Aug 23, 2022

Show notes

In this week’s episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer talks with Keri Richmond,Executive Director at Unbelievably Resilient and Manager of Child Welfare Policy at American Academy of Pediatrics. Keri Richmond is a passionate advocate for children and families in both her personal and professional life. After being in Ohio’s foster care system off and on for four years, and being adopted into an abusive home, as an adult, Keri has become an active leader for foster care reform as an international speaker, podcast host, policy wonk, and advocate.

Keri is particularly impassioned about healing from intergenerational trauma, helping others to understand the impact of unhealed trauma, and exploring ways for those of us who have intergenerational trauma to be the cycle breakers our families have been waiting for.

Keri is the Executive Director of Unbelievably Resilient, a nonprofit comprised of former foster youth on a mission to change the foster care narrative through sharing their journey’s moving from trauma to triumph. In addition to her work with UR, in 2020, Keri joined the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to serve as the organization’s first-ever, Manager of Child Welfare Policy in Washington, D.C.

Keri’s advocacy has led her to Washington, D.C., where she spent time with the United States Senate and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute sharing recommendations for systems change with Congress and the White House.

Keri has also given a TEDx talk entitled, “What can you learn from a trashbag?”

Story Key Notes:

🖐️ Unbelievably Resilient

🖐️ American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

🖐️ “What Can You Learn from a Trashbag?”

You can find out more about Keri by visiting:

Website: ur-resilient.org

Instagram: @kerihoperichmond and @ur.Resilient

TikTok: @ur_resilient :

Learn more at https://www.comfortcases.org/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation: