1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000
You know Sheletta makes you laugh, but did you know Sheletta
2
00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000
Brundidge can also make you think and boost your business.
3
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000
Media personality, activist and comedian Sheletta Brundidge
4
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:19,000
founded Sheletta Makes Me Laugh to celebrate and share the best of black culture.
5
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,000
It's a podcasting platform.
6
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:26,000
You can download 10 weekly podcasts hosted by African American subject
7
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:31,000
experts at ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
8
00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:38,000
ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com is also a production house creating broadcast quality commercial content.
9
00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:47,000
And Sheletta and her team of storytellers create powerful promotional campaigns to get businesses the brand awareness they're looking for.
10
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,000
Some of Minnesota's top businesses trust Sheletta and you can too.
11
00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:57,000
Get out the word about your events and products and get in front of communities of color.
12
00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:02,000
With ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com. She's got the power to help your business.
13
00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,000
There's that feeling in the air and you know that it's sweatshirt season.
14
00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,000
It's football season and it's also early voting season.
15
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:15,000
All across our state, Minnesotans are casting their ballots right now and you can too.
16
00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,000
The general election is November 3rd but you don't have to wait until then.
17
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,000
You can vote right now and here's how. You can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
18
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,000
Or you can vote in person at an early voting center. Every Minnesota County has one.
19
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,000
There's a one stop spot for your voting questions.
20
00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,000
Go online to mnvotes.gov. That's mnvotes.gov.
21
00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,000
At mnvotes.gov you can register to vote.
22
00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,000
Check your registration, request your absentee ballots, find out where to vote and more.
23
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:49,000
Our state often sets national records for our high percentage of citizens who vote.
24
00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:55,000
We can do it again and you can be part of making history. Make your plan to vote now.
25
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,000
Let's do this Minnesota.
26
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:03,000
Sheletta Brundidge is known as the Autism Mom.
27
00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:11,000
Not just because she's got three kids on the spectrum but because she's an advocate who works to educate and inspire other moms of kids with special needs.
28
00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:24,000
Welcome, everybody. Hey, how y'all doing? Another week, we made it, and I want to welcome you to Taking Authority Over Autism,
29
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:30,000
the podcast that is for, by and about parents, caregivers, Nanas, PawPaws and MeeMaws,
30
00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,000
or someone in their life who they love that is on the spectrum.
31
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:43,000
And one thing I know about our community is that we are always looking for ways to make life better.
32
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,000
Not just for our family, but for others.
33
00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:53,000
Once we find out about an opportunity, a grant, some resources, services, places we can volunteer,
34
00:02:53,000 --> 00:03:01,000
we come together on our Facebook groups and our Slack channels, in our DMs, on our group chats,
35
00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:06,000
And we make sure that everybody knows about it, right?
36
00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:14,000
And so, you know, people are always coming to me because, you know, during Operation Metro Surge, a lot of us found our purpose.
37
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,000
We were out there with whistles.
38
00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:25,000
We were volunteering. We were shuttling people to work. We were hiding folks in our homes.
39
00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,000
We were marching. We felt alive again.
40
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,000
We felt like we made a difference and we mattered.
41
00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:44,000
And when the federal agents left our city, our state, in large numbers, a lot of us were like, we miss that feeling.
42
00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,000
We miss helping. We miss being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
43
00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,000
We miss being there for our neighbors.
44
00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:56,000
And not just the people who live next door, but neighbors we may never know or meet.
45
00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:01,000
And a few of you have come to me and said, I want to get back out there.
46
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,000
I want to be a part of something. I want to volunteer somewhere.
47
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,000
Or can I make a donation? How can I help?
48
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,000
I'm glad you asked.
49
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,000
Okay. Because Second Harvest Heartland needs you.
50
00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:21,000
Y'all been seeing them on the billboards. Y'all have witnessed them in community.
51
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:26,000
You've seen them on TV and guess what now they are on the podcast. That's right.
52
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:35,000
I have Angelica Bravo [unclear]. She is the vice president of social impact and investment at Second Harvest Heartland.
53
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:48,000
And I just have to say, the work that you all did during Operation Metro Surge, when people could not go to work, people could not leave their homes,
54
00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:56,000
People lost their jobs and they were in dire need of food support.
55
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:08,000
Second Harvest Heartland was there. So before I ask you any questions, I need to say thank you for the work that you and your team did.
56
00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:15,000
You talk about social impact. That was some social impact. Talk to me about that.
57
00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:26,000
So thank you so much for inviting us to be part of your show. I am a big fan. We have mutual friends in common. I'm just really grateful for the opportunity to meet you and come and chat with your listeners.
58
00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:33,000
And thank you. Thank you for the work that happened with community. It wasn't something that we could do alone.
59
00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:41,000
We never distribute directly out to neighbors ourselves, but there's a network of nonprofits, of faith centers, of community centers,
60
00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:51,000
People just living in their house, you know, who suddenly started distributing food. There were businesses that have never been in the food industry that became repositories.
61
00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:58,000
And so, you know, our team certainly felt the impact of what was happening in Metro Surge. I am Latina and felt it very personally.
62
00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:13,000
And at the same time, we all had moments of gratitude that we could serve in this way in this time. It felt like a blessing to be able to show up for the community the way that we did and that our operation could pivot to the demand that we started to hear.
63
00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:27,000
We don't usually hand out emergency boxes. We usually hand out fresh produce and eggs and proteins and beautiful foods that we get. And this time the community said, no, that's not going to do us any good, because people aren't feeling like they can come out to the food shelf anymore.
64
00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:35,000
They are, like you said, a lot of folks went into hiding. And so we started to hear from a lot of these nonprofits that we work with that said, we need you to create emergency boxes,
65
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:45,000
and here's where we need to go in the furthest community, and here's where we need to go in the inner community. We were able to pivot our entire operation to put out 100,000 boxes of emergency food.
66
00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:59,000
So really my gratitude goes back to the community for showing up, for showing up for immigrants, for showing up for brown folks that aren't immigrants. I just put away my passport maybe two weeks ago. It took me that long to say I'm ready now to leave my house without the passport.
67
00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:14,000
What we went through was not normal. I mean, it's not even in the vicinity of normal. This is the most bizarre thing I could have imagined could happen. It hasn't happened anywhere else, and the response from the community has been unlike anywhere else as well.
68
00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:28,000
And speaking of community, you still need the community to show up. The need is still there. Hunger is still a problem. And you cannot do this work by yourself. Talk to me about that.
69
00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:41,000
That's right. The need is there. You know, and that's the thing about things like Metro Surge, or when the government shuts down: the need is already very high, and the system that is responding to that need is under a ton of strain.
70
00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:46,000
And so you throw in one of these crises and it really brings us to a breaking point.
71
00:07:46,000 --> 00:08:01,000
In my job, I get to travel around our 41 counties in Minnesota and just visit with our food shelf partners and see what's happening out there. And I always see lines, Sheletta, from Oakdale to Pipestone to Fairmont to St. Cloud. I always see lines.
72
00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:13,000
And when the government shut down in November, those lines multiplied. I can tell you, for example, that The Open Cupboard in Oakdale tends to serve something like 400 to 500 households per day.
73
00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:27,000
And when the government shut down in November, they started serving 800 households per day. So literally the need doubled. And so my team said, we're going to stop everything we're doing and we're just going to bring our bodies to these food shelves. I was stocking the fridges.
74
00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:40,000
I was stocking the fridges to help them keep up with the demand. So what we know is last year, there were nine million visits to food shelves. That's almost three times as many food shelf visits as we saw in 2021 at the height of the pandemic.
75
00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:54,000
And that number just continues to climb. We also know that one in five households can't afford the food they need. We know this because we have our own survey that we send out every year to 20,000 households across the entire state to get a sense of what the state of hunger actually is.
76
00:08:54,000 --> 00:09:03,000
So we know one in five households can't afford the food they need. And when it comes to households that have kids in them, that's one in three. That's a lot. That's a third of Minnesota households.
77
00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:17,000
So the demand is high. You know, gas is high, groceries are high. Everything is climbing but our paychecks. And so this is a time where we really need community to show up. If they can give, we will put it to good use.
78
00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:29,000
If they can volunteer, we can always use their help. Your local food shelf always needs your help. And especially, call those legislators, help advocate. Let them know what's happening with SNAP. Let them know what you're seeing in the food shelf world
79
00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:35,000
and give them some grounding so that they know how they should be voting, because we believe that hunger is a policy choice.
80
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:47,000
It is, and I am so grateful that you talked about being at the food shelf, because, man, you are the whole vice president. You're not supposed to be at the food shelf.
81
00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:54,000
You're supposed to be coming up with big ideas. You're supposed to be on the Zoom. You're supposed to be meeting with the people. You need us:
82
00:09:54,000 --> 00:10:08,000
mamas and daddies who, after their kids go to school during the day, can dedicate two or three hours here or there to go to the food shelf and stock, to do whatever it is that we need to support the work that you're doing so that you can be ready
83
00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:22,000
for the next one, because we're just in a lull right now. Something's going to happen. You know what I'm saying? It's life. Life happens, and life is hard, and life is even harder for people who are living on the margins.
84
00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:34,000
And so what I want to do is you know for those of us who have kids with special needs you know a lot of times we can't work outside the home. We can't go too far right.
85
00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:46,000
We have to stay near the school. I was just telling Zach, one of your folks over there at Second Harvest Heartland, that this week I couldn't go to lunch meetings or anything away from home.
86
00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:58,000
I had to stay close to the house because my son is at school, and the teachers may need me to come up and calm him down, or come up and bring him home, so that he doesn't disturb the learning process for the other students.
87
00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:07,000
But while I'm sitting here, I got my phone on me. I could go do two or three hours and volunteer. You know, Oakdale's right down the street.
88
00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:17,000
I mean, that's a 20 minute drive. While I'm sitting there, while I'm sitting there
89
00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:26,000
twiddling my thumbs, I could be making a difference. I could be doing my part like we all did, because, you know, we're all one paycheck away.
90
00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:46,000
You know, if God has blessed us to the point where we don't need it, we can make sure that the folks who do have the support, and the people who provide those services, like you and Zach and so many others at Second Harvest Heartland, have the bodies and the hands to continue to do the work. So you got to tell me where we can go.
91
00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:55,000
Where can I go to sign up to volunteer, to make sure that I'm making the difference and being the change in my community that I want to see?
92
00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:05,000
Absolutely. You can go right to our website at 2harvest.org. We have a really nice map there, whether you want to find what's closest to your house, what's closest to your kid's school or what's closest to your job.
93
00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:27,000
You can plug right in there, put in that zip code or that address, and it'll tell you all the food shelves that are around you. We work with about 1,100 distribution partners. Maybe 425 or so are food shelves; the rest of them are school programs, hospitals, clinics, those kinds of things. And so you'll find that beautiful list right there. It'll tell you their hours, their contact information and who to call if you want to do some volunteer work. And I can tell you
94
00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:39,000
that the closest one to you is probably going to be Basic Needs. Yeah, right. And they're a great partner of ours as well. You can also come to Second Harvest. We have our headquarters in Brooklyn Park.
95
00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:55,000
We have this really big beautiful distribution center we rely on volunteers as well and so it's a great team building opportunity I see teams from all sorts of businesses come through they bring 20 30 people we put on some music it's kind of fun to walk by the warehouse and see who they're listening to that day.
96
00:12:55,000 --> 00:13:02,000
We do it with my team, and actually my kids hate to see a school day off, because they know where they're going to go that day. I take them right there.
97
00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:16,000
They'll pack rice, they'll pack frozen fruit, they'll pack apples and potatoes. They've done it more than once. We do it as a family. It's two, three hour shifts. You don't even have to stay that long; we'll take whatever you can give. But there's lots of ways to plug in and volunteer.
98
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:35,000
And, you know, what y'all are able to do with a dollar is amazing, because one dollar donated to Second Harvest Heartland can provide six meals. That's amazing. You all are really taking those funds and putting it back into the community.
99
00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:59,000
We have an incredible sourcing team that is just scouring for those deals they're buying chicken they're buying eggs they're getting it from wherever they can they're keeping the cost as incredibly low as possible so that we're able to take that dollar like you said and just stretch it out I can tell you that a lot of our food shelf partners will give away 30 40 pounds of food in the box and that box is probably costing less than three bucks.
100
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:25,000
And that's going to keep the household fed for a solid week or two or three, depending on how big the household is. We also have a hot meals program. We recognize that something like 15% of people who are food insecure would not be able to use a box of groceries. They might have physical limitations, they might be in transition, they might be unhoused. And so we also have a prepared meals program where we partner with local restaurants that produce these wonderful meals that we get right back out into the community.
101
00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:51,000
That program's a little pricier to run. A box of groceries, like I said, is less than three bucks, and these meals are five to eight dollars. But it's important to us that people are able to be fed no matter what their condition is. Like you said, it could be any one of us. Research says that most people don't have $400 in savings to get them through an emergency, so it really can be any of us at any time. That's why we refer to folks who use these services as neighbors, because it really could be anyone among us at any time.
102
00:14:51,000 --> 00:15:19,000
Oh, I love that. I love that you call people neighbors, because, you know, what you say matters, and people need to feel a sense of dignity so that there's no shame or guilt if they come in. Nobody wants to be called needy; that is a horrible word. You are in need, and you are a neighbor, and that's what we do in Minnesota: we take care of our neighbors, and we saw that during Operation Metro Surge.
103
00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:48,000
Okay, so 2harvest.org is where you can go. And when you get on the website, it is so comprehensive. You go right down to the middle of the page, and that's where you can make a donation, so, you know, have that credit card handy. There's some stories on there so you can see the receipts of what they've been doing. And y'all are hiring? Y'all have forklift operators, truck drivers...
104
00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:53,000
I'm just gonna tell you something, baby: 900,000 Black women have lost their jobs
105
00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,000
since the Trump administration took office.
106
00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,000
Y'all go look around for this. Click on the careers button.
107
00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,000
Girl, why don't you look at it?
108
00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:13,000
Baby, look, look, because I've got, my sister is looking for work, two, three girlfriends are looking for work, and these are all good,
109
00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:19,000
degreed, hardworking Black women who need an opportunity to feed their family. Girl,
110
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:33,000
I did not know y'all had [unclear]: a competitive benefits package, paid time off and holidays. Baby, look, it's like the Ginsu knives commercial: but wait, there's more.
111
00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:38,000
So I'm going to send this link to all my folks.
112
00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:55,000
We're taking good care of our team members as well. When we started doing that survey, my team at the same time started to do a lot of research into the root causes of hunger, because we're looking at these statistics getting worse, we're looking at the strain that the food shelves are already under, and then, like you said, these crises that just keep coming.
113
00:16:55,000 --> 00:17:03,000
And so we were like, we got to figure out a way to get ahead of this. How do we disrupt the problem? How do we invest in the system so that it can withstand these hits?
114
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:32,000
But also, we're doing a lot of work to feed these lines. How can we get involved in reducing these lines as well? And so that's when we started doing that survey, to see how hungry people actually are, how close they are to these resources, who's using the food shelves, who's not using the food shelves, and also what kind of support we can be offering so that people don't need these services anymore. We want them to use them when they need them. We want to promote them, we want to destigmatize them, and we also want to think about what else we can be providing so that when folks land there,
115
00:17:32,000 --> 00:18:01,000
they have more help and they can get back on their feet. And so we started to do some research around that, and then we thought, wait a minute, what about our own staff? How's our staff doing? So we actually went ahead and surveyed our own staff, and we found that we had food insecure staff at the food bank, and we were just shocked. So we were like, all right, we're going to start right here at home. So we increased our starting wage, and this is why I'm telling you that, because these jobs are posted there. We have a really good starting wage, we improved our benefits, we even created a little emergency grant program,
116
00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:30,000
so that if any one of our staff has that $400 or $1,200 disruption that's enough to land you back at the food shelf, we've got a grant program for you. So we take really good care of our teams, and we want to start talking to other employers about how to start looking at food insecurity within their own staff. We want to get into root cause solutions, so we're learning from some of our food shelf partners on wraparound services. So if you come in, maybe you need to meet with a social worker and get a referral for some kind of a housing voucher. Maybe you need help with that.
117
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:51,000
Maybe you need help with your car. Maybe you need help navigating, you know, getting on SNAP, what little is left of SNAP these days. Whatever it is that you need, we have a call center that can help you with it. So we're getting into that business now of understanding more about what additional services can be provided, so that when folks come in looking for help at that trusted food shelf, they can find what else is there to help them get back on their feet.
118
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:59,000
Girl, I gotta talk to you. I see y'all got a digital social media manager [position]. I don't know.
119
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:09,000
Baby, we about to... okay, we done with the podcast. I gotta apply. Okay, okay, okay.
120
00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:13,000
Okay, y'all, thank you for the opportunity. Y'all know
121
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,000
to share the information about the jobs. Thank you for coming.
122
00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:30,000
Always funny and informative, Sheletta is a big draw at autism conferences across the country. Find out how you can book her as a featured speaker for your next event at ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com.
123
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:41,000
Owning a small business is no small feat. It takes heart, hustle and a hundred decisions a day to keep things running smoothly. Old National Bank sees your hard work.
124
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:53,000
That's why we've made choosing us an easy decision. When you open a small business checking account and complete qualifying activities, you can earn up to an $800 bonus. And that's just the start of what's in store.
125
00:19:53,000 --> 00:20:01,000
Business checking made for small business, only from Old National Bank. Just another reason to get old.
126
00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:10,000
Rebuilding Together Minnesota is a local nonprofit offering critical home repairs and mobility modifications at no cost to low-income homeowners.
127
00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:23,000
Do you or someone you know need support with necessary home repairs or modifications, but can't afford to get it done? If so, don't wait to apply for services. Applications open up October 1st and will be accepted through December 31st.
128
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:38,000
Get more info, find out if you qualify and learn how to apply online at rtmn.org/apply-for-help or give them a call at 651-776-4273. Rebuilding Together Minnesota,
129
00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:49,000
repairing homes, revitalizing communities and rebuilding lives. Washington County is accepting applications for community-based projects that will be funded by opioid settlement dollars.
130
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:56,000
Up to eight hundred thousand dollars of Washington County opioid settlement funding will be distributed through this round of applications.
131
00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:13,000
Eligible projects must serve Washington County community members and fall into one or more of the categories outlined in the application. Examples include medication for opioid use disorder and MOUD treatment, harm reduction services and evidence-based primary prevention programs.
132
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:20,000
This funding opportunity is open to all. Applicants range from organizations to individual community members.
133
00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:33,000
Learn more at WashingtonCountyMN.gov/opioid-settlement-funding. Applications are due by the extended deadline of October 16th at 4:30 p.m.
134
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:43,000
You know what Minnesota is really great at? Showing up. More than one million Minnesotans voted, not just because voting is secure and accessible, but because neighbors reminded neighbors to make their voices heard.
135
00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:54,000
Now let's carry that momentum into November. Check you're registered at your current voting address, find your polling place and bring a friend. Go to IWillVote.com to view your ballot status or request an absentee ballot.
136
00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:04,000
Let's show up together, Minnesota strong. Prepared and paid for by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, dfl.org. This communication not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
137
00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:19,000
Hi, I'm Steph, and I work at UnitedHealthcare. When I think about UnitedHealthcare's members, I think of my own family. My niece was diagnosed with an ultra rare genetic disorder. I know how hard it is for families. At UnitedHealthcare, we can make it easier.
138
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:30,000
I'm Brian I care because I know what it's like to not speak the language. It's not easy. Health insurance is complicated. I would say our job is to make everything easy for our UHC members.
139
00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,280
I work for UnitedHealthcare. I'm committed to care.
140
00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,280
[Music]
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000
You know Sheletta makes you laugh, but did you know Sheletta
2
00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000
Brundidge can also make you think and boost your business.
3
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000
Media personality, activist and comedian Sheletta Brundidge
4
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:19,000
founded Sheletta Makes Me Laugh to celebrate and share the best of black culture.
5
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,000
It's a podcasting platform.
6
00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:26,000
You can download 10 weekly podcasts hosted by African American subject
7
00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:31,000
experts at ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
8
00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:38,000
ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com is also a production house creating broadcast quality commercial content.
9
00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:47,000
And Sheletta and her team of storytellers create powerful promotional campaigns to get businesses the brand awareness they're looking for.
10
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,000
Some of Minnesota's top businesses trust Sheletta and you can too.
11
00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:57,000
Get out the word about your events and products and get in front of communities of color.
12
00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:02,000
With ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com. She's got the power to help your business.
13
00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,000
There's that feeling in the air and you know that it's sweatshirt season.
14
00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,000
It's football season and it's also early voting season.
15
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:15,000
All across our state, Minnesotans are casting their ballots right now and you can too.
16
00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,000
The general election is November 3rd but you don't have to wait until then.
17
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,000
You can vote right now and here's how. You can request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
18
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,000
Or you can vote in person at an early voting center. Every Minnesota County has one.
19
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,000
There's a one stop spot for your voting questions.
20
00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,000
Go online to mnvotes.gov. That's mnvotes.gov.
21
00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,000
At mnvotes.gov you can register to vote.
22
00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,000
Check your registration, request your absentee ballots, find out where to vote and more.
23
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:49,000
Our state often sets national records for our high percentage of citizens who vote.
24
00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:55,000
We can do it again and you can be part of making history. Make your plan to vote now.
25
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,000
Let's do this Minnesota.
26
00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:03,000
Sheletta Brundidge is known as the Autism Mom.
27
00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:11,000
Not just because she's got three kids on the spectrum but because she's an advocate who works to educate and inspire other moms of kids with special needs.
28
00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:24,000
Welcome, everybody. Hey, how y'all doing? Another week, we made it, and I want to welcome you to Taking Authority Over Autism,
29
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:30,000
the podcast that is for, by and about parents, caregivers, Nanas, PawPaws and MeeMaws,
30
00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,000
or someone in their life who they love that is on the spectrum.
31
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:43,000
And one thing I know about our community is that we are always looking for ways to make life better.
32
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,000
Not just for our family, but for others.
33
00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:53,000
Once we find out about an opportunity, a grant, some resources, services, places we can volunteer,
34
00:02:53,000 --> 00:03:01,000
we come together on our Facebook groups and our Slack channels, in our DMs, on our group chats,
35
00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:06,000
And we make sure that everybody knows about it, right?
36
00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:14,000
And so, you know, people are always coming to me because, you know, during Operation Metro Surge, a lot of us found our purpose.
37
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,000
We were out there with whistles.
38
00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:25,000
We were volunteering. We were shuttling people to work. We were hiding folks in our homes.
39
00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,000
We were marching. We felt alive again.
40
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,000
We felt like we made a difference and we mattered.
41
00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:44,000
And when the federal agents left our city, our state, in large numbers, a lot of us were like, we miss that feeling.
42
00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,000
We miss helping. We miss being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
43
00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,000
We miss being there for our neighbors.
44
00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:56,000
And not just the people who live next door, but neighbors we may never know or meet.
45
00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:01,000
And a few of you have come to me and said, I want to get back out there.
46
00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,000
I want to be a part of something. I want to volunteer somewhere.
47
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,000
Or can I make a donation? How can I help?
48
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,000
I'm glad you asked.
49
00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,000
Okay. Because Second Harvest Heartland needs you.
50
00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:21,000
Y'all been seeing them on the billboards. Y'all have witnessed them in community.
51
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:26,000
You've seen them on TV and guess what now they are on the podcast. That's right.
52
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:35,000
I have Angelica Bravo [unclear]. She is the vice president of social impact and investment at Second Harvest Heartland.
53
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:48,000
And I just have to say, the work that you all did during Operation Metro Surge, when people could not go to work, people could not leave their homes,
54
00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:56,000
People lost their jobs and they were in dire need of food support.
55
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:08,000
Second Harvest Heartland was there. So before I ask you any questions, I need to say thank you for the work that you and your team did.
56
00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:15,000
You talk about social impact. That was some social impact. Talk to me about that.
57
00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:26,000
So thank you so much for inviting us to be part of your show. I am a big fan. We have mutual friends in common. I'm just really grateful for the opportunity to meet you and come and chat with your listeners.
58
00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:33,000
And thank you. Thank you for the work that happened with community. It wasn't something that we could do alone.
59
00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:41,000
We never distribute directly out to neighbors ourselves, but there's a network of nonprofits, of faith centers, of community centers,
60
00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:51,000
People just living in their house, you know, who suddenly started distributing food. There were businesses that have never been in the food industry that became repositories.
61
00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:58,000
And so, you know, our team certainly felt the impact of what was happening in Metro Surge. I am Latina and felt it very personally.
62
00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:13,000
And at the same time, we all had moments of gratitude that we could serve in this way in this time. It felt like a blessing to be able to show up for the community the way that we did and that our operation could pivot to the demand that we started to hear.
63
00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:27,000
We don't usually hand out emergency boxes. We usually hand out fresh produce and eggs and proteins and beautiful foods that we get. And this time the community said, no, that's not going to do us any good, because people aren't feeling like they can come out to the food shelf anymore.
64
00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:35,000
They are, like you said, a lot of folks went into hiding. And so we started to hear from a lot of these nonprofits that we work with that said, we need you to create emergency boxes,
65
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:45,000
and here's where we need to go in the furthest community, and here's where we need to go in the inner community. We were able to pivot our entire operation to put out 100,000 boxes of emergency food.
66
00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:59,000
So really my gratitude goes back to the community for showing up, for showing up for immigrants, for showing up for brown folks that aren't immigrants. I just put away my passport maybe two weeks ago. It took me that long to say I'm ready now to leave my house without the passport.
67
00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:14,000
What we went through was not normal. I mean, it's not even in the vicinity of normal. This is the most bizarre thing I could have imagined could happen. It hasn't happened anywhere else, and the response from the community has been unlike anywhere else as well.
68
00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:28,000
And speaking of community, you still need the community to show up. The need is still there. Hunger is still a problem. And you cannot do this work by yourself. Talk to me about that.
69
00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:41,000
That's right. The need is there. You know, and that's the thing about things like Metro Surge, or when the government shuts down: the need is already very high, and the system that is responding to that need is under a ton of strain.
70
00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:46,000
And so you throw in one of these crises and it really brings us to a breaking point.
71
00:07:46,000 --> 00:08:01,000
In my job, I get to travel around our 41 counties in Minnesota and just visit with our food shelf partners and see what's happening out there. And I always see lines, Sheletta, from Oakdale to Pipestone to Fairmont to St. Cloud. I always see lines.
72
00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:13,000
And when the government shut down in November, those lines multiplied. I can tell you, for example, that The Open Cupboard in Oakdale tends to serve something like 400 to 500 households per day.
73
00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:27,000
And when the government shut down in November, they started serving 800 households per day. So literally the need doubled. And so my team said, we're going to stop everything we're doing and we're just going to bring our bodies to these food shelves. I was stocking the fridges.
74
00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:40,000
I was stocking the fridges to help them keep up with the demand. So what we know is last year, there were nine million visits to food shelves. That's almost three times as many food shelf visits as we saw in 2021 at the height of the pandemic.
75
00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:54,000
And that number just continues to climb. We also know that one in five households can't afford the food they need. We know this because we have our own survey that we send out every year to 20,000 households across the entire state to get a sense of what the state of hunger actually is.
76
00:08:54,000 --> 00:09:03,000
So we know one in five households can't afford the food they need. And when it comes to households that have kids in them, that's one in three. That's a lot. That's a third of Minnesota households.
77
00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:17,000
So the demand is high. You know, gas is high, groceries are high. Everything is climbing but our paychecks. And so this is a time where we really need community to show up. If they can give, we will put it to good use.
78
00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:29,000
If they can volunteer, we can always use their help. Your local food shelf always needs your help. And especially, call those legislators, help advocate. Let them know what's happening with SNAP. Let them know what you're seeing in the food shelf world
79
00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:35,000
and give them some grounding so that they know how they should be voting, because we believe that hunger is a policy choice.
80
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:47,000
It is, and I am so grateful that you talked about being at the food shelf, because, man, you are the whole vice president. You're not supposed to be at the food shelf.
81
00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:54,000
You're supposed to be coming up with big ideas. You're supposed to be on the Zoom. You're supposed to be meeting with the people. You need us:
82
00:09:54,000 --> 00:10:08,000
mamas and daddies who, after their kids go to school during the day, can dedicate two or three hours here or there to go to the food shelf and stock, to do whatever it is that we need to support the work that you're doing so that you can be ready
83
00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:22,000
for the next one, because we're just in a lull right now. Something's going to happen. You know what I'm saying? It's life. Life happens, and life is hard, and life is even harder for people who are living on the margins.
84
00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:34,000
And so what I want to do is you know for those of us who have kids with special needs you know a lot of times we can't work outside the home. We can't go too far right.
85
00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:46,000
We have to stay near the school. I was just telling Zach, one of your folks over there at Second Harvest Heartland, that this week I couldn't go to lunch meetings or anything away from home.
86
00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:58,000
I had to stay close to the house because my son is at school, and the teachers may need me to come up and calm him down, or come up and bring him home, so that he doesn't disturb the learning process for the other students.
87
00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:07,000
But while I'm sitting here, I got my phone on me. I could go do two or three hours and volunteer. You know, Oakdale's right down the street.
88
00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:17,000
I mean, that's a 20 minute drive. While I'm sitting there, while I'm sitting there
89
00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:26,000
twiddling my thumbs, I could be making a difference. I could be doing my part like we all did, because, you know, we're all one paycheck away.
90
00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:46,000
You know, if God has blessed us to the point where we don't need it, we can make sure that the folks who do have the support, and the people who provide those services, like you and Zach and so many others at Second Harvest Heartland, have the bodies and the hands to continue to do the work. So you got to tell me where we can go.
91
00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:55,000
Where can I go to sign up to volunteer, to make sure that I'm making the difference and being the change in my community that I want to see?
92
00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:05,000
Absolutely. You can go right to our website at 2harvest.org. We have a really nice map there, whether you want to find what's closest to your house, what's closest to your kid's school or what's closest to your job.
93
00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:27,000
You can plug right in there, put in that zip code or that address, and it'll tell you all the food shelves that are around you. We work with about 1,100 distribution partners. Maybe 425 or so are food shelves; the rest of them are school programs, hospitals, clinics, those kinds of things. And so you'll find that beautiful list right there. It'll tell you their hours, their contact information and who to call if you want to do some volunteer work. And I can tell you
94
00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:39,000
that the closest one to you is probably going to be Basic Needs. Yeah, right. And they're a great partner of ours as well. You can also come to Second Harvest. We have our headquarters in Brooklyn Park.
95
00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:55,000
We have this really big beautiful distribution center we rely on volunteers as well and so it's a great team building opportunity I see teams from all sorts of businesses come through they bring 20 30 people we put on some music it's kind of fun to walk by the warehouse and see who they're listening to that day.
96
00:12:55,000 --> 00:13:02,000
We do it with my team, and actually my kids hate to see a school day off, because they know where they're going to go that day. I take them right there.
97
00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:16,000
They'll pack rice, they'll pack frozen fruit, they'll pack apples and potatoes. They've done it more than once. We do it as a family. It's two, three hour shifts. You don't even have to stay that long; we'll take whatever you can give. But there's lots of ways to plug in and volunteer.
98
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:35,000
And, you know, what y'all are able to do with a dollar is amazing, because one dollar donated to Second Harvest Heartland can provide six meals. That's amazing. You all are really taking those funds and putting it back into the community.
99
00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:59,000
We have an incredible sourcing team that is just scouring for those deals they're buying chicken they're buying eggs they're getting it from wherever they can they're keeping the cost as incredibly low as possible so that we're able to take that dollar like you said and just stretch it out I can tell you that a lot of our food shelf partners will give away 30 40 pounds of food in the box and that box is probably costing less than three bucks.
100
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:25,000
And that's going to keep the household fed for a solid week or two or three, depending on how big the household is. We also have a hot meals program. We recognize that something like 15% of people who are food insecure would not be able to use a box of groceries. They might have physical limitations, they might be in transition, they might be unhoused. And so we also have a prepared meals program where we partner with local restaurants that produce these wonderful meals that we get right back out into the community.
101
00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:51,000
That program's a little pricier to run. A box of groceries, like I said, is less than three bucks, and these meals are five to eight dollars. But it's important to us that people are able to be fed no matter what their condition is. Like you said, it could be any one of us. Research says that most people don't have $400 in savings to get them through an emergency, so it really can be any of us at any time. That's why we refer to folks who use these services as neighbors, because it really could be anyone among us at any time.
102
00:14:51,000 --> 00:15:19,000
Oh, I love that. I love that you call people neighbors, because, you know, what you say matters, and people need to feel a sense of dignity so that there's no shame or guilt if they come in. Nobody wants to be called needy; that is a horrible word. You are in need, and you are a neighbor, and that's what we do in Minnesota: we take care of our neighbors, and we saw that during Operation Metro Surge.
103
00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:48,000
Okay, so 2harvest.org is where you can go. And when you get on the website, it is so comprehensive. You go right down to the middle of the page, and that's where you can make a donation, so, you know, have that credit card handy. There's some stories on there so you can see the receipts of what they've been doing. And y'all are hiring? Y'all have forklift operators, truck drivers...
104
00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:53,000
I'm just gonna tell you something, baby: 900,000 Black women have lost their jobs
105
00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,000
since the Trump administration took office.
106
00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,000
Y'all go look around for this. Click on the careers button.
107
00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,000
Girl, why don't you look at it?
108
00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:13,000
Baby, look, look, because I've got, my sister is looking for work, two, three girlfriends are looking for work, and these are all good,
109
00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:19,000
degreed, hardworking Black women who need an opportunity to feed their family. Girl,
110
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:33,000
I did not know y'all had [unclear]: a competitive benefits package, paid time off and holidays. Baby, look, it's like the Ginsu knives commercial: but wait, there's more.
111
00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:38,000
So I'm going to send this link to all my folks.
112
00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:55,000
We're taking good care of our team members as well. When we started doing that survey, my team at the same time started to do a lot of research into the root causes of hunger, because we're looking at these statistics getting worse, we're looking at the strain that the food shelves are already under, and then, like you said, these crises that just keep coming.
113
00:16:55,000 --> 00:17:03,000
And so we were like, we got to figure out a way to get ahead of this. How do we disrupt the problem? How do we invest in the system so that it can withstand these hits?
114
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:32,000
But also, we're doing a lot of work to feed these lines. How can we get involved in reducing these lines as well? And so that's when we started doing that survey, to see how hungry people actually are, how close they are to these resources, who's using the food shelves, who's not using the food shelves, and also what kind of support we can be offering so that people don't need these services anymore. We want them to use them when they need them. We want to promote them, we want to destigmatize them, and we also want to think about what else we can be providing so that when folks land there,
115
00:17:32,000 --> 00:18:01,000
they have more help and they can get back on their feet. And so we started to do some research around that, and then we thought, wait a minute, what about our own staff? How's our staff doing? So we actually went ahead and surveyed our own staff, and we found that we had food insecure staff at the food bank, and we were just shocked. So we were like, all right, we're going to start right here at home. So we increased our starting wage, and this is why I'm telling you that, because these jobs are posted there. We have a really good starting wage, we improved our benefits, we even created a little emergency grant program,
116
00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:30,000
so that if any one of our staff has that $400 or $1,200 disruption that's enough to land you back at the food shelf, we've got a grant program for you. So we take really good care of our teams, and we want to start talking to other employers about how to start looking at food insecurity within their own staff. We want to get into root cause solutions, so we're learning from some of our food shelf partners on wraparound services. So if you come in, maybe you need to meet with a social worker and get a referral for some kind of a housing voucher. Maybe you need help with that.
117
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:51,000
Maybe you need help with your car. Maybe you need help navigating, you know, getting on SNAP, what little is left of SNAP these days. Whatever it is that you need, we have a call center that can help you with it. So we're getting into that business now of understanding more about what additional services can be provided, so that when folks come in looking for help at that trusted food shelf, they can find what else is there to help them get back on their feet.
118
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:59,000
Girl, I gotta talk to you. I see y'all got a digital social media manager [position]. I don't know.
119
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:09,000
Baby, we about to... okay, we done with the podcast. I gotta apply. Okay, okay, okay.
120
00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:13,000
Okay, y'all, thank you for the opportunity. Y'all know
121
00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,000
to share the information about the jobs. Thank you for coming.
122
00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:30,000
Always funny and informative, Sheletta is a big draw at autism conferences across the country. Find out how you can book her as a featured speaker for your next event at ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com.
123
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:41,000
Owning a small business is no small feat. It takes heart, hustle and a hundred decisions a day to keep things running smoothly. Old National Bank sees your hard work.
124
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:53,000
That's why we've made choosing us an easy decision. When you open a small business checking account and complete qualifying activities, you can earn up to an $800 bonus. And that's just the start of what's in store.
125
00:19:53,000 --> 00:20:01,000
Business checking made for small business, only from Old National Bank. Just another reason to get old.
126
00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:10,000
Rebuilding Together Minnesota is a local nonprofit offering critical home repairs and mobility modifications at no cost to low-income homeowners.
127
00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:23,000
Do you or someone you know need support with necessary home repairs or modifications, but can't afford to get it done? If so, don't wait to apply for services. Applications open up October 1st and will be accepted through December 31st.
128
00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:38,000
Get more info, find out if you qualify and learn how to apply online at rtmn.org/apply-for-help or give them a call at 651-776-4273. Rebuilding Together Minnesota,
129
00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:49,000
repairing homes, revitalizing communities and rebuilding lives. Washington County is accepting applications for community-based projects that will be funded by opioid settlement dollars.
130
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:56,000
Up to eight hundred thousand dollars of Washington County opioid settlement funding will be distributed through this round of applications.
131
00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:13,000
Eligible projects must serve Washington County community members and fall into one or more of the categories outlined in the application. Examples include medication for opioid use disorder and MOUD treatment, harm reduction services and evidence-based primary prevention programs.
132
00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:20,000
This funding opportunity is open to all. Applicants range from organizations to individual community members.
133
00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:33,000
Learn more at WashingtonCountyMN.gov/opioid-settlement-funding. Applications are due by the extended deadline of October 16th at 4:30 p.m.
134
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:43,000
You know what Minnesota is really great at? Showing up. More than one million Minnesotans voted, not just because voting is secure and accessible, but because neighbors reminded neighbors to make their voices heard.
135
00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:54,000
Now let's carry that momentum into November. Check you're registered at your current voting address, find your polling place and bring a friend. Go to IWillVote.com to view your ballot status or request an absentee ballot.
136
00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:04,000
Let's show up together, Minnesota strong. Prepared and paid for by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, dfl.org. This communication not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
137
00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:19,000
Hi, I'm Steph, and I work at UnitedHealthcare. When I think about UnitedHealthcare's members, I think of my own family. My niece was diagnosed with an ultra rare genetic disorder. I know how hard it is for families. At UnitedHealthcare, we can make it easier.
138
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:30,000
I'm Brian I care because I know what it's like to not speak the language. It's not easy. Health insurance is complicated. I would say our job is to make everything easy for our UHC members.
139
00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,280
I work for UnitedHealthcare. I'm committed to care.
140
00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,280
[Music]
