Claim OwnershipThe Riverside Project Podcast
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Welcome to the Riverside Project podcast! We are mobilizing Houston to empower families and transform generations. We hope these conversations give you a greater understanding of the issues facing our community and inspire you to find your place along the River. Learn more about our work by visiting riversideproject.org or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
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May is National Foster Care Awareness Month! During this month, we’re not only raising awareness about foster care, but we are also celebrating the beautiful work of collaboration in this space. (Watch our new “As One” documentary series here for some incredible stories about the work happening in our city.) With this focus, we are revisiting the very first episode we shared on The Riverside Project Podcast. In this conversation, Jason Johnson joined us to break down the parable of ...
For young adults who faced significant challenges growing up, it can be very hard to successfully transition into the workforce. They may not have the resources or self-confidence to strive for a fulfilling career. As a result, they may end up unemployed or stuck in a cycle of jobs that don’t offer upward mobility. Today’s guest, Brian Meza, is tackling this problem with his Petra Cares program. We are so excited to spread the word about this inspiring resource, as we believe it’s...
Adopting children who are of a different race than your own can be a beautiful thing. But many parents who do so make one crucial mistake—they try to disregard the topic of race altogether. They may feel uncomfortable addressing this subject or think that it’s better just to ignore it. But the truth is, in order to set children up for success, you need to understand the unique challenges they face and communicate with them about those challenges. Otherwise, they may feel alone, unsure of the...
Life as a foster parent is a constant learning process. You complete extensive training, but quickly realize that there's always more to learn. As you figure out the best ways to meet the needs of the children in your care, one thing continues to become clear—every child comes with their own unique needs. The best way to grow in how you're supporting the children in your care is to gain experience, and that’s why I’m so grateful to have sat down with Chelsea Floro. Chelsea is an adoptive, fos...
The foster care system’s primary goal is to serve the best interests of the families within it. Whenever possible, that means reuniting biological parents with their children. To help a family heal, birth parents need intentional support. But all too often, they aren’t given the resources they need to overcome their challenging life circumstances and set their family on a positive trajectory. In this episode, I am joined by two incredible women from Decatur, Texas: Catherine Vannatta and Tiff...
It’s a joy to have Travis Hand, a Licensed Master Social Worker who currently serves as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital, on our latest episode of the podcast. Once a teen struggling to navigate the challenges of growing up in the foster care system, Travis gained a strong passion for social work in college. This conversation is full of perspective and encouragement for each of us as we find our place along the River! Find the show notes and links to anything we di...
We are delighted to have the Deputy Regional Director at the Texas Department of Family Protective Services, Shaundricka Easley, on the podcast. She has been with the department for over 15 years and had various roles during that time as well as served all 13 counties across the Houston area. Shaundricka gives us unique insight from her vast experience, including some of the challenges she faces on a daily basis, how to support the children within the system, what can happen when we work toge...
“Who is with them long term?” This is the question that Jenni Lord started asking after her organization helped fund hundreds of adoptions. What she realized is that the breakdown of these adoptive families often stemmed from the parents not being equipped to handle the behaviors and challenges that came along with trauma. Today, Jenni Lord is a resolute advocate for fostering family healing through the power of genuine connection. Her journey blends personal experiences with a visionary comm...
DePelchin Children’s Center has existed for over 130 years and has continued to evolve to meet the needs of the community. Their mission is to strengthen the lives of children by enhancing their mental health and physical well-being in Houston and central Texas. Jesse Booher is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of DePelchin Children’s Center, which provides foster care and adoption services in Texas communities. As COO, Jesse oversees a diverse array of programs ranging f...
It all started with a simple napkin exercise. Chandler James was asked to write his dream on a napkin. Initially, it seemed like a silly exercise but when he was finished his napkin read: creating safe spaces for the next generation. Chandler James is our Director of Church Mobilization here at The Riverside Project. He has worked in a number of local churches both as a Student Pastor and as a Next Gen Pastor. Chandler and his wife, Caitlin, are licensed foster parents of a few teenagers. He ...
Foster youth face many challenges, and education can be one of them. In fact, studies show that just 4% of children who have experienced foster care will go on to obtain a four-year college degree. Children who are involved within the foster care system also experience a higher number of school transitions, lower academic achievement, heightened experiences of exclusionary school discipline, higher drop out rates, and decreased access to postsecondary education. Accessible resources and healt...
Anytime there is news related to the border or a refugee crisis, we frequently hear this question: “How does our city serve unaccompanied minors and refugees that come to our country without their parents? Does this affect the foster care community?” You may never have heard the term “international foster care” before, but this is a unique and important topic. You may be curious how the federal programs are run, how people can get involved, and how it’s different from domestic foster car...
This is not working. What do we do next? After several infertility treatments, Jennifer Clifford and her husband, Ryan, asked themselves this question. After a discussion and an informational meeting about foster care, they came to the conclusion that God was closing the door to biological children and opening the door to foster care, specifically for sibling groups. Foster care came with its own ups and downs as they learned how to navigate the licensing process and the reality of emotions t...
There's a place for everyone in supporting children and families here in Houston. That's something we believe firmly here at The Riverside Project. Today, we have the opportunity to share our conversation with Luevenia Chapman, co-founder and Program Director for Hearts with Hope Foundation, a local general residential operation (GRO) that provides treatment services for girls ages 7-23. She not only has a passion to provide high-quality, trauma-informed care for the girls in their care, but ...
Healing happens in the context of relationship. As Dr. Bruce Perry says, “Relationships matter: the currency for systemic change is trust, and trust comes through forming healthy, working relationships. People, not programs, change people.” Programs and services for children in foster care are helpful, but when it comes to producing long term healing, the programs that help youth and families access healthy and stable relationships will be far more effective than those that do not. In this ep...
Extended relatives, such as grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, and even close friends (referred to as “fictive kin”) have always been a stabilizing force in the family system. These relationships have historically been, and are still today, a vital source of safety and permanency for children. In this episode, Dr. Valerie Jackson shares how Monarch Family Services got started as a child placing agency providing specialized support for biological families and kinship (relative) caregivers. W...
We know from ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) research that child abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction are linked to increased risk for poor social, emotional, and physical health outcomes. The Division of Public Health Pediatrics at Texas Children's Hospital was established in 2015 to prevent and mitigate childhood adversities and to provide care for our community’s most vulnerable children. Dr. Christopher Greeley and Diane Kaulen join us to discuss the medical and mental/behaviora...
"Hope is found near the ground, in close proximity to the struggle." In this episode, Nanette Lynch and Clint Wylie with Kingwood Methodist Church tell the story of how their church began serving kids and families involved with the foster care system, and how their ministry has evolved over time. We also discuss the joy of saying "yes" to hard things, and what motivates them to keep showing up for kids in their community. Guests: Nanette Lynch, Oasis Ministry Leader, Kingwood Methodist C...
What could it look like to raise the standard of care from "better to nothing" to "excellence" for vulnerable children and families who are involved with the child welfare system? In this episode, Tara Grigg Green (founder and Executive Director of the Foster Care Advocacy Center) shares how FCAC is providing high-quality, multidisciplinary legal representation for youth and families across the city of Houston. We also discuss some of the gaps we see in our current system and what our commun...
The Church is called to be in the place where the world is in pain. We often hear from church leaders that they recognize the need and deeply desire to support vulnerable families within their congregations and in their communities, but they just don't know where to start. In this episode, Toni Steere, Director of Legacy 68:5 at Houston's First Baptist Church, shares how their ministry is standing in the gap for families across Houston. We also discuss how other churches can get equipped to ...
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