The Well Endowed Podcast

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Episodes

220

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-CA

About the show

The Well-Endowed Podcast is a production of Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF). If you live in Edmonton, chances are you’ve been touched by the work facilitated by the support ECF provides to the city’s shakers, movers and doers. As a bridge between donors and charitable causes, ECF helps donors create endowment funds that will continue giving for generations. With that kind of support, those movers and doers can do a lot! On the Well Endowed Podcast, you will hear stories about donors, and what inspires their generosity. And you will hear about the people who use our support to build and sustain social initiatives, empower youth, strengthen arts and culture, and so much more. Edmonton is full of passionate people dedicated to building a vibrant community. The Well Endowed Podcast explores the impact that these municipal champions are having on our city.

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June 15, 202626 min

EPISODE 209: Built to Give

How do you turn a successful business into a generous one? Bill Knight started out selling vacuum cleaners door to door, knowing, in his own words, nothing about business. Decades later, he and his family run Mosaic Home Services, a home-services company that now spans the country, with giving built into the way it operates. In this episode, Trudy Callaghan from Odvod Media sits down with Bill and his son and business partner, Steven, to talk about Mosaic’s monthly Charity Day, the funds they’ve created with ECF, and why generosity has been part of the family business from the start. It’s a conversation about what it really takes to build a company that gives back, and how everyday business decisions can grow into lasting community impact. Show Notes: Our guests were Bill Knight and Steven Knight of the Mosaic Home Services. Read Caitlin Hart’s companion article, “Built to Give,” in the Spring 2026 edition of Thrive Magazine. See the Knights’ story featured in ECF’s 2025 Impact Report. Learn about EPL’s Children’s Enrichment Fund. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Al Maurer Awards Click here to find details for all of our student awards! ECF Community Champions:   Trudy Callaghan’s interview with Bill Knight and Steven Knight was produced by Odvod Media. The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 209: Built to Give appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

June 1, 202637 min

EPISODE 208: Forging Ahead

What does it take to build a career in a field that wasn’t built with you in mind? Women Building Futures has been helping women enter the trades and transportation since 1998 — not just with job training, but with the wraparound supports that make it possible to actually get there: childcare plans, housing support, fitness training, and a food pantry. Since the beginning, more than 3,000 women have come through their programs. Their work is supported in part by the JudyLynn Archer Fund, an endowment held at Edmonton Community Foundation. In this episode, we hear from WBF CEO Carla Madra and Red Seal welder Natalie Bak — a graduate who went from a nineteen-year-old with no experience to a welder who’s worked across Western Canada and up into the Northwest Territories. Show Notes: Our guests today were Carla Madra, CEO of Women Building Futures, and Natalie Bak, WBF graduate and Red Seal welder. Read the companion article, “Forging Ahead,” in the Spring 2026 edition of Thrive Magazine. Learn more about Women Building Futures Learn more about the JudyLynn Archer Fund ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Al Maurer Awards Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Alyssa Noel’s interview with Carla Madra and Natalie Bak was produced by Odvod Media. The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 208: Forging Ahead appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

May 15, 202617 min

EPISODE 207: Independence Through Cooking

What does it mean to truly live independently? For AiLA — the Autism Independent Living Association — independence isn’t just about having a place to live. It’s about having the skills, confidence, and support to navigate daily life on your own terms. In this episode, we hear about AiLA’s new cooking program: a series of hands-on workshops teaching autistic adults to prepare nutritious meals, manage a grocery budget, and build real kitchen confidence. The program runs out of The Kitchen at the Stanley A. Milner Library, and was made possible through a $15,000 Community Grant from Edmonton Community Foundation. Show Notes: Our guest is Leanne Carr, President of AiLA. Read Justin Bell’s companion article, “Independence Through Cooking” in the Spring 2026 edition of Thrive Magazine. Learn more about AiLA. Read ECF’s full $20 million affordable housing announcement. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Hilltop Awards & Bursaries Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Justin Bell’s interview with Leanne Carr was produced by Odvod Media. The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 207: Independence Through Cooking appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

May 4, 202637 min

EPISODE 206: A Space to Grow

What happens to the artists who fall through the gap between school and a professional career? In this episode of The Well-Endowed Podcast, we catch up with alumni of Pro Coro Canada‘s Emerging Artist Program — a free, professional-level training program for singers, conductors, and composers that’s been quietly building something in Edmonton for over a decade. This episode features Michael Zaugg, Artistic Director & Principal Conductor of Pro Coro Canada, Maddy Douglas and Taylor McDonough of Sóley Singers, and Noel Fanaeian, also known as hundredmillionthousand. Together, they explore what it looks like to come up through a program like this — and where it can take you. From launching a youth-led nonprofit choir to collaborating on a live performance that fuses choral sound, electronics, and audio-visuals, this conversation is a window into the ecosystem Pro Coro has been building for the next generation of choral artists in Edmonton. Show Notes: Our guests today were Michael Zaugg, Artistic Director of Pro Coro Canada, Maddy Douglas and Taylor McDonough of Sóley Singers, and Noel Fanaeian (hundredmillionthousand). Learn more about Pro Coro Canada’s Emerging Artist Program. Explore Sóley Singers’ upcoming season. Follow Noelle / hundredmillionthousand for updates on upcoming performances. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Hilltop Awards & Bursaries Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 206: A Space to Grow appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

April 22, 202632 min

EPISODE 205: Protecting Life on Land

What does it really take to protect the land beneath our feet — and the wildlife that depends on it — as our city continues to grow? In this episode of The Well Endowed Podcast, we explore how volunteers are shaping a more sustainable future right here in Edmonton, in recognition of the United Nations’ International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. Ramy Abdel-Keriem and co-host Scott Lundell from ECVO are joined by Sheila Campbell from Edmonton and Area Land Trust and Dale Gino from Wild North. Together, they unpack what environmental volunteerism really looks like — beyond the stereotypes — and how meaningful, long-term contributions are helping protect ecosystems, care for injured wildlife, and strengthen our connection to the natural world. From stewarding conservation lands to rehabilitating thousands of animals each year, this conversation highlights the critical role volunteers play in balancing growth with sustainability — and why that work is more urgent than ever. Show Notes: Our guests today were Sheila Campbell, Executive Director of Edmonton and Area Land Trust, and Dale Gino, Executive Director of Wild North, in conversation with Ramy Abdel-Keriem and Scott Lundell from Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO). Learn more about volunteering with Edmonton and Area Land Trust. Explore volunteer opportunities with Wild North. Find your next volunteer opportunity at ECVO’s Edmonton Volunteer Fair 2026 on April, 25th. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Hilltop Awards & Bursaries Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 205: Protecting Life on Land appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

April 1, 202640 min

EPISODE 204: Improving the Odds

What happens when the odds of survival depend on something as simple — and as complex — as who’s in the system? In this episode of The Well Endowed Podcast, we explore the story of Ezra Marfo — and how one family’s search for a stem cell match has grown into a national movement to increase diversity in donor registries. Jacob Marfo, Ezra’s father and founder of the Ezra Marfo Cancer Foundation, shares the journey of navigating his son’s leukemia diagnosis, the urgent search for a donor, and the reality that for many patients, a match may never come. We also hear from filmmaker Sandro Silva, whose documentary The Perfect Match brings this story to life and is helping raise awareness about the need for more diverse donors. Together, their work is creating change to encourage more people to register, break down barriers, and build a future where more lives can be saved. Show Notes: Our guests today were Jacob Marfo, founder of the Ezra Marfo Cancer Foundation, and filmmaker Sandro Silva, in conversation with Renato Pagnani from Odvod Media. Learn more about blood and stem cell donation Watch The Perfect Match, premiering at Northwest Fest on April 11 Learn more about the Ezra Marfo Cancer Foundation ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Hilltop Awards & Bursaries Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 204: Improving the Odds appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

March 3, 202629 min

EPISODE 203 – Rooted in Water, Guided by Community

How do we protect the waters that sustain our communities — and what does it take to turn a personal passion into a lifelong career? In this episode of The Well Ended Podcast, we head to the banks of the North Saskatchewan River for a conversation with Kirsten Letendre, a proud Métis scientist whose journey from Lac Ste. Anne to a career in lake management has been shaped by culture, community, and support. Kirsten shares how her connection to land and water began early in life, and how receiving a Belcourt Brosseau Métis Award (BBMA) through Edmonton Community Foundation helped her pursue post-secondary education and build a path in environmental science. Now working with the Alberta Lake Management Society, she helps protect Alberta’s lakes through monitoring, research, and public education. Her story is a powerful reminder that when students are supported, communities benefit — and the impact can ripple far beyond the classroom. Show Notes: Our guest today was Kirsten Letendre, who shared her journey as a Métis scientist and water steward, and how support from the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Awards helped shape her path. Read Kirsten Letendre’s story, From Lures to Legislation, in the Fall 2025 edition of Thrive Magazine. Learn more about the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Awards Learn more about the Alberta Lake Management Society ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarships Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 203 – Rooted in Water, Guided by Community appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

February 18, 202640 min

EPISODE 202 – Where We Came From (and where we go from here)

What does it mean to carry a refugee story across generations, and how do we keep those memories alive? In this special Lunar New Year episode of The Well Endowed Podcast, guest hosts Jessica Truong and Linda Hoang, co-founders of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau (“We Are Together”), lead a heartfelt conversation about identity, belonging, and the Vietnamese Canadian experience in Edmonton. Marking the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon in 2025, this episode reflects on the journeys of Vietnamese boat people and their descendants who rebuilt their lives in Edmonton. Linh Vu shares her memories of escaping Vietnam by boat at six years old and being rescued at sea. David Nguyen speaks about interviewing his parents and uncle to document their family’s refugee story for the next generation. Together, they explore cultural traditions, intergenerational expectations, gratitude, and the importance of preserving family history before it’s too late. Show Notes: Our guest hosts today were Jessica Truong and Linda Hoang, co-founders of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau. Learn more about their work and upcoming gatherings Our guests were: Linh Vu, owner of Mai Mai Vietnamese Street Kitchen, who shared her family’s journey to freedom as a Vietnamese boat refugee. David Nguyen, co-founder of Agnt, who shared reflections from documenting his family’s story. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarships Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! CreditsPhoto credit: David Thao Nguyen At ECF, building meaningful relationships with communities across Edmonton is central to our work. Our connection with the Vietnamese community is one we’re proud of. Through our grants, we’ve supported local organizations, including the Edmonton Viets Association, and have had the privilege of joining the community at a Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau event in November and at the Tết New Year celebrations on February 7. These connections help us better understand the hopes and aspirations of diverse communities so we can support what matters most to them. If you’re part of a community you’d like us to connect with, or want to explore how ECF can support your work, please reach out to Sherilyn Trompetter, our Manager of Equity Advancement. We’d love to hear from you. The post EPISODE 202 – Where We Came From (and where we go from here) appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

February 1, 202641 min

EPISODE 201 – Clearing a Path

What does meaningful support look like when hoarding disorder is approached as a mental health issue, not a personal failure? Hoarding disorder affects thousands of people in Edmonton, yet it is often misunderstood and deeply stigmatized. Rooted in anxiety, trauma, and strong emotional attachment, the disorder can impact health, safety, relationships, and overall wellbeing when left unsupported. In this episode of The Well Endowed Podcast, Tom Ndekezi from Odvod Media speaks with Terri Bailey, counselling therapist and co-founder of the Hoarding Disorder Foundation of Alberta, and Trina, who shares her lived experience. Together, they explore why quick fixes can cause harm, how trauma-informed, peer-based support helps people move toward safer, more functional living spaces, and how collaboration across community organizations is shaping a more compassionate response in Edmonton. Show Notes: Our guests today were Terri Bailey of the Hoarding Disorder Foundation of Alberta and Trina, who shared her lived experience with hoarding disorder. Read Tom Ndekezi’s companion story in the Winter 2025 edition of Thrive Magazine. ECF Happenings: Apply to join our Free to Play Committee Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on  our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarships Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Tom Ndekezi’s interview with Terri Bailey and Trina was produced by Odvod Media. The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 201 – Clearing a Path appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

January 15, 202644 min

EPISODE 200 – Tearing Down Barriers

What happens when survivors of intimate partner violence can access coordinated, trauma-informed support at the moment they need it most? The Integrated Domestic Violence Response Team (IDVRT) is a pilot initiative in Edmonton designed to close critical gaps in how high-risk domestic violence cases are supported. By bringing frontline partners together into a single, integrated response, the IDVRT helps survivors navigate the justice system, access mental health supports, and connect with community resources without having to retell their story at every step. In this episode, Renato Pagnani from Odvod Media speaks with Ashley Lim of YWCA Edmonton, Kayla Hendra of enCompass Community Safety Agency, and Jeffery Kaun from the Edmonton Police Service. Together, they discuss how collaboration, trust, and real-time information sharing are reshaping outcomes for survivors — and what a future Family Justice Centre could mean for Edmonton. Show Notes: Our guests today were Ashley Lim (YWCA Edmonton), Kayla Hendra (enCompass Community Safety Agency), and EPS Staff Sergeant Jeffery Kaun. Read Renato Pagnani’s companion story in the Winter 2025 edition of Thrive Magazine. ECF Happenings: Apply to join our Free to Play Committee Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarships Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Renato Pagnani’s interview with Ashley Lim, Kayla Hendra and Staff Sergeant Jeffery Kaun was produced by Odvod Media. The post EPISODE 200 – Tearing Down Barriers appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.