• #98: There's a Kit Build for That!
    Dec 22 2025

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    Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation about United Way's Community Partnership Kit Offerings, packages loaded with essential items for King County residents based on needs identified by neighborhood-based organizations.

    Assembling and distributing those kits is part of a volunteer project known as kit builds. We’ve hosted kit builds for companies and organizations in our area for more than a year.

    For this week’s episode, we spoke with Alexis Silva, United Way Senior Community Volunteer and Engagement Manager, about several topics related to Community Partnership Kit Offerings, including the project’s origins, its impact, and what it means to the ever-changing volunteer landscape.

    We’ll also hear from United Way Chief Philanthropy Officer Anna Cronin about our Year-End Fundraising Campaign and discuss our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign.

    Thanks for tuning in.

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    22 mins
  • #97: The Parent in ParentChild+
    Dec 15 2025

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    Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation about how the SeaTac-based Congolese Integration Network utilizes the early learning program ParentChild+ to help immigrant children and their parents adapt to and thrive in their new country.

    We’ll hear from Eveline Bakulu, the early learning coordinator at Congolese Integration Network, and Whitney Nakamura, Community Impact Manager at United Way, about how many King County immigrant families, particularly those from Sub-Saharan Africa, turn to Congolese Integration Network for essential resources and community support.

    We’ll also hear from United Way Chief Philanthropy Officer Anna Cronin about our Year-End Fundraising Campaign and discuss our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign.

    Thanks for tuning in.

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    30 mins
  • #96: Project LEAD, Leadership for Tomorrow
    Dec 8 2025

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    Good news happens. This episode is a conversation about Leadership Tomorrow and Project LEAD. Leadership Tomorrow is a nonprofit organization co-founded by United Way that cultivates a network of leaders to address our region’s challenges. It is also the new home of Project LEAD, a nonprofit board training program for people of color, which was founded and previously housed by United Way.

    Project LEAD is now accepting applications for next year’s training cohort. For this episode, we’ll chat with Leadership Tomorrow executive director Bindiya Patel on topics such as the impact of Project LEAD and other Leadership Tomorrow programs, and we’ll hear from Nadia Gandara, United Way Senior Director of Racial Equity Strategies, about Project LEAD’s transition to a new home.

    We’ll also hear from United Way Chief Philanthropy Officer Anna Cronin about our Year-End Fundraising Campaign and discuss our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign.

    Thanks for tuning in.

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    25 mins
  • #95: "No One Lies About Being Hungry."
    Dec 1 2025

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    Good news happens. On the eve of United Way of King County's Year-End Fundraising Campaign launch, this week's episode features a conversation with Angel Swanson of Feeding Feasible Feasts, an Auburn-based food relief organization that addresses hunger in five Western Washington counties.

    United Way proudly supports Feeding Feasible Feasts, which provides essential resources to local families while ensuring that perfectly edible food is not wasted.

    We will also discuss our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign and a local volunteer opportunity.

    Thanks for tuning in!

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    26 mins
  • #94: Hope Doesn't Quit, Neither Do We: Our Year-End Giving Campaign
    Nov 24 2025

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    Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation about our Year-End Giving Campaign, "Hope Doesn’t Quit, Neither Do We."

    When you invest in United Way’s work through our annual year-end giving campaign, you help us strengthen our community and ensure that everyone has the support they need.

    For this episode, we’ll chat with United Way Chief Philanthropy Officer Anna Cronin about campaign topics, including the programs we hope to fund, our board of directors’ match, and the importance of giving at this time of year.

    We will also discuss our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign and a local volunteer opportunity.

    Thanks for tuning in!

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    14 mins
  • #93: Asset Building in Indigenous Communities
    Nov 17 2025

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    Good news happens. This week's episode features a conversation with Andrea Alexander, a Makah Tribal Elder, activist, and community development expert who leads the Northwest Native Asset Building Coalition, an Edmonds-based, United Way-supported nonprofit that empowers Indigenous communities through education and facilitation.

    On the eve of Seattle hosting the National Congress of American Indians’ 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace this week, we sat down with Andrea to chat about the Northwest Native Asset Building Coalition’s efforts to provide economic empowerment and asset building to Indigenous individuals, families, and communities.

    We will also discuss our efforts to help provide food access to residents amid the fallout from the federal government shutdown, as well as our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign.

    Thanks for tuning in!

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    34 mins
  • #92: Before You Write to Your Legislator: Here Are Some Dos and Don'ts
    Nov 10 2025

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    Good news happens. This episode features a conversation about contacting elected officials.

    Folks say write to your councilmembers, representatives, and your senators when you want issues addressed that you care about. Amid the current federal government shutdown and recent elections that have sent new leaders to the state and local offices, now seems like a good time to contact lawmakers.

    But how do you communicate your concerns to ensure they’re heard? For this episode of Hourglass, we sat down with Nick Federici, United Way’s anti-poverty policy advocate, to discuss the dos and don’ts of petitioning the people we elect to public office.

    We will also discuss our efforts to help provide food access to residents amid the fallout from the federal government shutdown, as well as our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign.

    Thanks for tuning in!

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    30 mins
  • #91: Safeguarding the Right for Indigenous People to Worship Behind Bars
    Nov 3 2025

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    Good news happens. This week’s episode is a conversation with Gabriel Galanda of Huy, a Seattle-based Indigenous organization that provides economic, rehabilitative, educational, and religious support for Indigenous inmates in Washington state and beyond. United Way of King County proudly supports Huy, which ensures that Indigenous people behind bars maintain the rights afforded to all people in our country and receive the cultural support and family connections while serving time.

    We will also discuss our efforts to help provide food access to residents amid the fallout from the federal government shutdown, as well as our upcoming Free Tax Preparation Campaign.

    Thanks for tuning in!

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    31 mins