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Fostering Change
Messages About Diversity and Tolerance Through Cooking and Healthy Eating with Art Smith
Season 6, Ep. 8
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Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! This is our final episode of Fostering Change before we launch into 2025. And what a year it’s been. We’ve celebrated amazing guests on our show, learning so much about each other and our society.
Thank you to all of you who have written in with comments and guests suggestions about what you’ve listened to this year. We truly appreciate YOU ALL!
Our charity, Comfort Cases has touched so many people around the country this year, with Rob Scheer once again sharing our message of providing hope and dignity for youth in foster care. It’s not too late to make one last donation if this is possible for you. If this is something you would like to do, to help out our most important people, youth entering foster care, please click on this link or here: https://comfortcases.org/ to become a #Bagbuster to help us stop the evil practice of giving trash bags to our youth.
Thank you!
As for today’s Christmas Eve episode, we end the year with a Very Special Guest: Chef Art Smith. You may initially recognize him as Oprah’s personal Chef, a role he held for 10 years. He is also the founder of Common Threads, a non-profit organization teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals since 2003. He believes that through hands-on cooking and introducing children to fresh foods we can help prevent childhood obesity, reverse the trend of poor eating habits, and learn about diversity and tolerance through the celebration of our cultural differences and our commonalities.
Chef Art has appeared on numerous national television appearances including ABC’s Lady Gaga Thanksgiving Special, Top Chef, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Nightline, Fox News, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, BBQ Pitmasters, The Talk, The Dr. Oz Show and of course, The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Chef Art has appeared on the cover of Parade Magazine, and has been featured in Cooking Light magazine. He is a regular contributor to Standup magazine, whose proceeds benefit The Ben Foundation, which raises awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying.
To learn more about Chef Art Smith, please visit:
Website: https://www.chefartsmith.com/
Instagram: @thechefartsmith
Facebook: ChefArtSmith
X/Twitter: @chefartsmith
To learn more about Common Threads, please visit:
Website: https://www.commonthreads.org/
Instagram: @commonthreadsorg
Facebook: CommonThreadsOrg
X/Twitter: @commonthreadsUS
Thank you again for listening and watching Fostering Change. We hope you have a happy and safe holiday and look forward to bringing you more great discussions in 2025. Again, if you have any comments or guest suggestions, please feel free to reach out by emailing our producers at info@comfortcases.org.
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239. The Urgent Truth About Foster Care & LGBTQ+ Families | Fostering Change: Best Of!
24:53||Season 6, Ep. 239Welcome back to a special Best of Fostering Change episode!This week, we revisit a powerful conversation originally aired in March, featuring two changemakers in the world of child welfare and LGBTQ+ advocacy: Kate Trambitskaya, CEO of Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children, and Brian Rosenberg, founder of GWK Academy Family Building.Join host Rob Scheer for an honest and urgent discussion about how federal cutbacks are impacting foster youth, LGBTQ+ families, and other vulnerable communities—and how you can help make a difference.🔍 Why This Episode Matters:💡 Kate Trambitskaya is a returning guest who continues to lead efforts that support expectant mothers, children in institutional care overseas, and adoptees here in the U.S.🌈 Brian Rosenberg introduces the future of GWK Academy—expanding from supporting gay and queer men to serving all LGBTQ+ individuals in their family-building journeys starting March 2025.🛠️ How You Can Help:🔥 Don’t just listen—take action.💬 Leave a comment or question below.❤️ Like, share, and subscribe to spread the message.📩 Contact us at: fosteringchange@comfortcases.org🌐 Learn more at: https://www.comfortcases.org📲 Connect with Our Guests:Spence-Chapin Services to Families and ChildrenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/spencechapinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencechapinsvc/Twitter/X: https://x.com/spencechapinsvcLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/71342/GWK Academy / Gays With KidsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/GaysWithKidsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gays_with_kidsInstagram (GWK Academy): https://www.instagram.com/gwkacademyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GWKLinkedIn (Brian Rosenberg): https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrrosenberg/🎧 Subscribe for more powerful conversations that lead to real, lasting chang
238. The Croc King: Meet the Man with 3,000+ Pairs of Crocs with a Connection to Foster Care!
22:00||Season 6, Ep. 238Happy July and welcome back to a Best Of episode of Fostering Change! In this lively and heartwarming conversation, host Rob Scheer reconnects with fan-favorite Doogie Sandtiger, also known as The Croc King — a man with a passion for comfort and color who has collected over 3,000 pairs of Crocs.You may have seen Doogie on The Today Show or follow him on social media. But beyond the viral Croc fame, Doogie's story is deeply personal. Like Rob — and many youth in foster care — Doogie never learned how to tie his shoes as a child. That’s where Crocs became more than footwear — they became a symbol of independence and identity.This episode is not just fun (we promise it is!), but it also delves into the real-life challenges faced by youth in foster care and how individuals like Rob and Doogie are working to make a difference.👉 Know someone who should be a guest on Season 7 of Fostering Change?Email us at: info@comfortcases.org🔗 Follow Doogie “The Croc King” on Social Media:📘 Facebook: facebook.com/doogielicious📸 Instagram: instagram.com/doogielish🎵 TikTok: tiktok.com/@hardcroclife4me💙 Thank you for listening and supporting Fostering Change!
237. The Shocking True Story of Andrew Bridge with Rita Soronen
37:02||Season 6, Ep. 237BEST OF SEASON 6 — As we close out Season 6 and gear up for Season 7 of Fostering Change, we’re highlighting some of our most powerful conversations from the past year. With over 220 episodes behind us, we’re grateful to every guest and listener who has helped us grow this platform into what it is today.In this featured episode, Rob Scheer is joined by guest co-host Rita Soronen, CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, for an incredible conversation with Andrew Bridge — former foster youth, attorney, and author of The Child Catcher: A Fight for Justice & Truth.Andrew shares his story of surviving 11 years in Los Angeles County foster care, his rise to become a Harvard Law graduate and Fulbright Scholar, and his fight to protect children in broken systems. His new book, The Child Catcher, tells the true story of a legal battle to rescue youth trapped in a secretive and abusive institution in rural Alabama.💥 Proceeds from The Child Catcher support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) chapters nationwide. To support, visit AndrewBridgeAuthor.com and select your preferred chapter — 50% of pre-sale royalties will be donated directly.📩 Have questions, comments, or guest suggestions? Email us at info@comfortcases.org—📚 About Andrew BridgeSpent 11 years in foster careGraduated from Wesleyan University and Harvard Law SchoolLed efforts to shut down abusive institutionsFormer CEO of The Alliance for Children’s RightsCo-founder of National Adoption Day and New Village Girls AcademyNYT bestselling author of Hope’s BoyServes on the Arizona Foster Care Review Board📲 Follow Andrew:Facebook: facebook.com/andrew.bridge.9041Instagram: @andrewbridgejdTwitter/X: @AndrewBridgeJDThreads: @AndrewBridgeJD🔗 Learn More About The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption:Website: https://www.davethomasfoundation.org/Instagram: @dtfaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaveThomasFoundationforAdoption/
236. Dr. Kisha Davis Shares the Remarkable Story Behind "The Making of a Pearl"
22:03||Season 6, Ep. 236Welcome to the Season 6 FINALE of Fostering Change! 🎉What an incredible season it's been — filled with inspiring, motivating, and heartfelt stories. THANK YOU for being part of our journey, for tuning in each week, and for all your comments and reviews. We do this for YOU. 💙📅 Coming Soon:Starting June 17, join us for our "Best of" Summer Series — a special collection of our favorite episodes. Whether you’re re-listening or discovering them for the first time, we hope these powerful stories inspire you all over again.🔥 Mark your calendar:Season 7 premieres on September 2, and we’re returning to weekly episodes every Tuesday! More guests, more voices, and even more impact. Have a guest suggestion? Email us at: info@comfortcases.org🎙️ Today’s Season Finale Guest: Dr. Kisha DavisThere’s no better way to wrap this season than with the amazing Dr. Kisha Davis — family physician, public health leader, and a dear friend of Rob Scheer and the Comfort Cases family.Kisha shares the powerful legacy of her grandmother in her new biography:📖 “The Making of a Pearl” – Buy the book on AmazonIn this episode, you'll hear heartfelt stories of resilience, love, and history passed down over weekday breakfasts with her grandmother, Ida Pearl Green, who lived to be 106. Dr. Davis also discusses her work in the Quince Orchard community, her role as Montgomery County’s Chief Health Officer, and her involvement in the documentary Finding Fellowship — co-produced with her brother and previous Fostering Change guest, Jason Green.✨ Don’t miss this powerful conversation about family, legacy, and leadership.🔗 Connect with Dr. Kisha Davis:📘 Facebook: facebook.com/kisha.davis2📸 Instagram: @drkishadavis🐦 Twitter/X: @kishadavismd📱 Threads: @drkishadavis💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daviskisha#ComfortCases #FosteringChange #FosterCareAwareness
235. What Charell Star Learned in Foster Care Will Change How You See It!
25:43||Season 6, Ep. 235Welcome to Fostering Change! Today marks the final installment of our special episodes for National Foster Care Awareness Month. We hope you've enjoyed the series—and, more importantly, learned something meaningful from each conversation. As always, we encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments and pass these episodes along to others.In today’s episode, we welcome back one of Rob’s favorite guests: Charell Star, who first joined us in Season 5. Charell gained national attention when she was featured in Humans of New York (link below), and she returns to discuss her powerful new book, Trash Bag Tales and Other Stories from an Accidentally Happy Life. The book offers readers a raw, heartfelt, and often humorous look at what it means to claim the joyful life you deserve.Charell is also the featured subject in the award-winning documentary Feeling Wanted, which chronicles her time in foster care and is now used as a training resource by child welfare organizations around the world.We absolutely loved this episode—and we’ve already invited Charell back for Season 7!📚 Want to read Charell’s book?Find it at your favorite bookstore or purchase it on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Trash-Bag-Tales-Stories-Accidentally/dp/B0F24H8DXS📲 Connect with Charell:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charellstar/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charellstar/Read her “Humans of New York” story:https://www.instagram.com/p/CUK7yfSrFT3/?hl=en🎧 One more episode of Season 6 drops next week! After that, we’ll take a short break and share some “Best Of” episodes before returning with Season 7 this fall.💌 Got thoughts or guest suggestions? Email us at: info@comfortcases.orgThank you for being a GOOD HUMAN. 💙
234. Corporate Responsibility Shining Through: Supporting Youth in Foster Care
18:29||Season 6, Ep. 234On today’s episode of Fostering Change, we continue our special acknowledgment that May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. We hope you have taken some moments to reflect on what you can do to support those in the foster care system: donate, volunteer your time, mentor, or even consider taking steps to be a CASA or foster parent. Thank you for all you do!If you’d like a simple way to support Comfort Cases, here’s an idea: You can participate in the Hundred X program. Click on the following link, and you’ll be guided to complete surveys about brands and companies you are familiar with. Comfort Cases will receive $1.60 for every survey you fill out (and it only takes 2 minutes max for each!) https://programs.hundredx.com/givewithoutspendingNow, on to today’s episode: For 8 years, we have worked with the team at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Indiana, and have expanded that partnership throughout the country, literally giving away THOUSANDS of our Comfort Cases backpacks to social service agencies and youth experiencing foster care.Today, we speak with Aimee Christian, a Fostering Connections Case Manager with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. Aimee and Rob Scheer have a lively discussion that focuses on the positive changes that can be made to improve the foster care system.Some of the points they cover include changing our vocabulary so we’re not labeling these youth, changing the focus from just on the child to the entire family, and building and improving relationships with the birth family and the foster family.Aimee and Rob will certainly motivate you to—at minimum—give new thoughts to the foster care system and—at best—possibly motivate you to consider becoming a foster parent yourself!We know you’ll enjoy this interview. Thank you again to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield for being such a valuable and supportive partner to Comfort Cases all these years! The partnership between Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Comfort Cases has grown since 2018. Since the expansion, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s affiliated health plans have hosted dozens of packing parties across 16 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico, providing thousands of Comfort Cases and XL duffel bags to youth in foster care nationwide.For more information about the foster care system or how you can support Comfort Cases, please visit our website: www.comfortcases.org. If you have any questions, comments, or guest suggestions, please reach out to us at info@comfortcases.org.
223. From Foster Parent to Founder! How Amy Vale Is Bringing Comfort to Kids in Foster Care!
22:06||Season 6, Ep. 223In this week’s episode of the Comfort Cases Podcast, Rob Scheer sits down with Amy Vale, foster parent and founder of For the Cubs, a purpose-driven brand creating sensory tools to support emotional regulation in children and adults alike.Amy shares how her own foster care journey inspired a mission: to design products that provide real comfort, like Percy, a weighted plush bear that mimics the feeling of a hug. Their conversation explores:✅ The power of pairing entrepreneurship with advocacy✅ How sensory tools support those facing trauma, ADHD, anxiety, and more✅ The lack of comforting resources for children entering care✅ What empathetic corporate responsibility really looks likeThis powerful episode is part of our ongoing spotlight series for National Foster Care Awareness Month. Don’t miss this heartfelt discussion about healing, innovation, and how we can all do better for youth in care.🔗 Learn more about For the Cubs: www.forthecubs.com📅 New episodes every Tuesday in May💙 Learn more about Comfort Cases: www.comfortcases.org📧 Contact: info@comfortcases.org🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Google Podcasts—wherever you tune in.
232. From Addiction to Advocacy: Lara Love Hardin's Journey of Redemption
30:52||Season 6, Ep. 232May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, and we’re kicking it off with one of our most powerful episodes yet.This week on Fostering Change, host Rob Scheer is joined by special guest co-host Jennifer Perry, Executive Director of the Children’s Action Network and Co-Founder of FosterMore. Jennifer’s tireless advocacy has brought national attention to the urgent needs of the 108,000+ children in U.S. foster care currently waiting for adoptive families.Together, they sit down with Lara Love Hardin, author of The Many Lives of Mama Love—a 2024 Oprah Book Club selection and New York Times bestseller. In this profoundly moving conversation, Lara shares her remarkable journey through opioid addiction, incarceration, the devastating loss of her children, and how she fought her way back to rebuild her life.This episode is a raw and inspiring look at:The transformative power of storytellingThe realities of addiction, incarceration, and recoveryThe broken pieces of the foster care system—and how we can fix themThe power of second chances and redemption🎧 Listen, share, and comment on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts—or wherever you get your podcasts!📅 New episodes air every Tuesday throughout May in honor of National Foster Care Awareness Month. Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss a single story.🌐 Learn More & Support:Comfort Cases – https://www.comfortcases.org📧 Contact: info@comfortcases.org🔗 Featured Organizations:Children’s Action NetworkWebsite: https://www.childrensactionnetwork.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/childrensactionnetworkTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/childrensactionFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensActionNetworkFosterMoreWebsite: https://fostermore.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/foster_moreTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/fostermoreFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FosterMore📚 About Lara Love Hardin:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laralovehardinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/laralovehardin📖 Buy The Many Lives of Mama Love: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-many-lives-of-mama-love-a-memoir-of-lying-stealing-writing-and-healing-lara-love-hardin/19897569 or wherever you buy books
231. Why Older Kids in Foster Care Deserve a Forever Family with Randi Thompson of Kidsave
23:23||Season 6, Ep. 231When people think of fostering or adopting, the image that often comes to mind is a cute little baby. But what’s often forgotten are the older children—pre-teens and teens—who are just as in need of love, support, and a forever family.On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer welcomes Randi Thompson, co-founder of Kidsave—a remarkable nonprofit helping youth ages 9–17 in foster care and orphanages find meaningful, lasting connections and permanent homes. Randi is truly one of the “Good Humans” we’re honored to feature!Kidsave offers several incredible programs, including their flagship Weekend Miracles initiative, which connects older youth with families who are considering fostering or adoption. As Kidsave says:“When a child feels like they have someone in their corner, the world opens up to them, and they thrive.”🎉 Upcoming Kidsave Miracle Galas:📍 Washington, DC – May 29📍 Los Angeles – June 7📍 Houston – June 21💙 May is National Foster Care Awareness Month!Comfort Cases is celebrating with events, fundraisers, and new weekly episodes every Tuesday in May. The Season 6 finale airs June 3!💡 Have guest ideas for Season 7 (coming this Fall)? Reach out to our producer:📧 dthalberg@comfortcases.org | info@comfortcases.org🔗 Learn more about Kidsave and connect with them here:📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KidsaveInternational📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsave/🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@kidsave🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kidsave💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidsave/🌐 Website: https://www.kidsave.org