Episode 53: Kara with Good Work Austin

In this episode Amanda and Bret talk with Vincent Rosche, Community Engagement Coordinator at the Oley Foundation, about what daily life looks like for people who receive nutrition through feeding tubes at home. Vince shares his lived experience, explains different access types, and describes how nutrition regimens are tailored to individual goals. They also discuss Oley’s mission, which is peer-to-peer connection, practical resources for patients, families and clinicians, advocacy and outreach. They cover how the foundation helps people live full, active lives while navigating medical, social and logistical challenges. Learn more at Oley.org.

In this episode Amanda and Bret speak with Jess Wiederholt, founder of Crazy Love Africa, about how adopting children from East Africa inspired her to empower single mothers in Western Uganda through micro-business grants, sisterhood support circles, fair-trade artisan work, and child sponsorships. Hear how a community-centered, dignity-first approach transforms lives, builds local leadership, and offers practical ways listeners can help through shopping fair-trade, sponsoring a student, volunteering, or donating.

In this episode, Kara Hanaoka, Executive Director of Good Work Austin, discusses how her organization supports Austin's 65,000 food workers through workforce training, healthy workplace practices, community partnerships, and advocacy for fair wages and healthcare. Hear concrete examples of impact — from keeping restaurants running during COVID to a pilot providing zero-deductible health coverage — and learn how businesses and residents can support a more equitable local food economy.

Host Amanda Brummitt and co-host Tracy Daniels sit down with Jacob Johnson, Founder and CEO of Calyan Wax Company, to discuss how his candle brand blends product, profit, and purpose to fight human trafficking in the U.S. Jacob shares his personal journey, the company’s giveback model, partnerships with vetted nonprofits, and how Calyan balances mission with business growth. The episode also covers Calyan’s clean product choices, plans to scale through retail and online channels, and practical ways listeners can help—buying product, supporting partner nonprofits, and safeguarding their own communities.

In this episode of Generous Impact, hosts Bret and Amanda Brummitt speak with Dr. Mari Galle, founder of the Moving Beyond Cancer Collaborative, about building community-centered, evidence-based support for people affected by cancer. Mari discusses their services including acupuncture, massage, skincare, exercise, meditation, and infusion support.  She shares Moving Beyond Cancer Collaborative's sliding-scale “Robin Hood” model to increase access, caregiver inclusion, and plans to expand the model to other cities.

Amanda Brummitt interviews Jess Palmer, Program Director at Keep Austin Fed, about how the nonprofit rescues surplus food and delivers it to people facing food insecurity while reducing waste. The episode explains the logistics of food rescue, the organization’s impact in Austin, ways volunteers and businesses can help, and why treating people with dignity matters. Learn more at KeepAustinFed.org. Together we can help more of our neighbors eat well and waste less.

Dr. Sarah Matt shares how she balances a high-impact career in health tech with teaching, charity medicine, volunteer firefighting, and family life. She discusses career pivots from surgery to tech, the importance of staying connected to patients, and lessons on building access into healthcare solutions. Through personal stories and practical advice, Sarah shows how small commitments to service create lasting community impact and why leaders should make access a priority. Learn about her new book, The Borderless Healthcare Revolution, and how to make meaningful contributions no matter how busy you are.

Our guest today is Tim Siegel, Co-Founder of Team Luke Hope for Minds.  Tim shares the powerful ways Team Luke Hope for Minds supports children with brain injuries and their families. From providing essential services to creating a community of hope, their work is nothing short of inspiring. You can find them online at TeamLukeHopeForMinds.org. You can also listen to Tim’s podcast, Tuesdays with Tim, or watch their documentary on YouTube.

Amanda Brummitt interviews Dr. Mary Faria about her decades-long career in healthcare and her leadership role with the Austin Mayor's Health and Well‑Being Council. They explore the council's business, school, and faith-based partnership programs, policy wins like citywide smoke-free spaces, and efforts to reduce health disparities across Austin. Dr. Faria also discusses her transition from clinical care to administration and teaching, her volunteer work, upcoming collaborative projects, and how listeners can get involved or support the council.

In this episode of Generous Impact, host Amanda Brummitt talks with Lauren Hust, Community Engagement Specialist at Austin Resource Recovery, about how the city is shifting from traditional waste management to sustainable resource recovery. Lauren explains key programs—curbside recycling and composting, the Recycle & Reuse Drop‑Off Center, Fix‑It Clinics, the Zero Waste Block Leader program, and the Austin Recycles app—and how they support Austin’s goal to divert 90% of landfill waste by 2040. Listeners learn practical tips for reducing, reusing, and recycling correctly, discover tools and volunteer opportunities to get involved, and hear measurable impacts like annual composting and recycling tonnages and community outreach efforts that help build lasting behavior change.