Rochester Speaks
Rochester Speaks is Rochester, NY’s go to podcast spotlighting the people, nonprofits, events, and local history shaping the Greater Rochester community.From Rochester NY community events and local nonprofits in Monroe County to inspiring stories, volunteer opportunities, and good causes across Western New York, we connect you with what’s happening right here at home. If you’re looking for ways to get involved, support Rochester charities, or stay informed about positive local impact, Rochester Speaks from Warm 101.3 brings you the heart of the community one conversation at a time.
This Is Where Rochester Has Been Reading & Writing Together for 45 Years
Michael Solis, Executive Director of Writers and Books, makes the case that reading and writing are not school assignments to survive but lifelong creative practices that build confidence, community and civic connection in a city that badly needs all three.
Discover how Writers and Books has served Rochester since 1981 through programming that spans every age group, from eight year olds writing their first stories at Summer Write camps to seniors capturing a lifetime of memories through the Legacy Writing program. Learn how summer camps built around topics like magic, Percy Jackson, Dungeons and Dragons and graphic novels...
20 Years of Paying Rent, Utilities and Car Loans for Women Fighting Breast Cancer: Embrace Your Sisters Tea At Two
Sueann Lipman, Second Vice President and Board Member at Embrace Your Sisters, shares the story of a fully volunteer nonprofit that has spent 20 years quietly paying the bills of women in our community who are fighting breast cancer.
Discover how Embrace Your Sisters provides emergency short term financial assistance covering mortgage and rent payments, utilities, car insurance and car loans for individuals actively in diagnosis and treatment, so they can focus on healing instead of financial survival. Learn how Sueann works personally with every applicant, hearing their stories one by one, and what it means to call...
7 Million Americans Have Alzheimer's: Here's What Every Rochester Family Needs to Know
Claire Corwin, Program Director of the Alzheimer's Association Rochester and Finger Lakes chapter, cuts through the confusion around one of the most misunderstood and far reaching diseases in the world, and explains exactly what families in our community can do right now.
Discover the critical difference between dementia and Alzheimer's disease, why an accurate diagnosis leads to a better care plan, and what the 10 warning signs actually look like in real life versus the normal forgetfulness we all experience. Learn why a shift from a loved one's baseline, in mood, memory or daily functioning, is the most...
What Happens When You Give Rochester Kids a Basketball and Someone Who Believes in Them: The 6'9" Volunteers Who Are Changing Lives
Chris Fox and Taurean Uthman, directors at Hope City Rocks Basketball, make a compelling case that Rochester is one of the most overlooked basketball cities in America and that the pipeline producing NBA players, Division One stars and college athletes runs straight through their program.
Discover how Hope, which stands for Having Only Positive Expectations, is developing student athletes from fourth grade through high school by pairing elite basketball training with STEM enrichment, financial literacy, social emotional learning and mentorship. Learn why getting out of Rochester and losing badly on the road is one of the most...
The Cancer That's Preventable With One Simple Test. So Why Are So Many Rochester Residents Skipping It?
Katlyn Newberry, Community Outreach Coordinator at the Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes, joins the show during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month with an urgent and potentially life saving message for anyone living in Monroe, Livingston, Seneca, Yates, Ontario or Wayne County.
Discover how the Cancer Services Program provides completely free breast, cervical and colon cancer screenings for any New York State resident without health insurance, covering everything from at home fit kits to full colonoscopies and all follow up care, with enrollment taking as little as five to ten minutes. Learn what a polyp actually is...
From Stage to Classroom: How RBTL is Rewriting Education Through the Arts
Rochester’s heart beats through its arts scene, and no show captures this more than Wicked at the West Herr Auditorium Theatre. Holly Valentine, Director of Education and Community Engagement at Rochester Broadway Theater League, shares the magic and energy filling the theater as hundreds of students join each weekend, transforming Wicked into a community-wide experience.
Discover how RBTL’s Arts Partners program brings curriculum to life by integrating arts education with school standards, sparking creativity and confidence that employers covet. Learn about Stars of Tomorrow, a celebration of high school musical theater that fosters vibrant community and...
From Trauma to Triumph: How One Center is Lighting the Path for Rochester’s Families
Jennie Noll, Executive Director and professor of psychology at Mt. Hope Family Center, and Simone Edwards, Vice President of Health Equity at Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, share how their partnership transforms lives in Rochester.
Discover how Mt. Hope delivers evidence-based trauma treatments and comprehensive programs for children, youth, and young families. Learn about innovative efforts to remove barriers like transportation and expand mental health services during critical early life stages.
Simone highlights Excellus’s commitment to health equity and community investment, supporting initiatives that address social determinants of health to improve outcomes.
He...
Battling Back from the Brink: How SEAC Is Rebuilding Rochester From the Ground Up
Mike Evans, Executive Director of the Southeast Area Coalition, shares how SEAC impacts 60 percent of Rochester through initiatives focused on anti-poverty, youth health, education, safety, small business advocacy, and community revitalization. Learn about their unique Tool Shed program that offers affordable access to over 1,500 tools for individuals and businesses across nine counties, along with free DIY classes ranging from home repair to mental health and wellness.
Discover SEAC’s collaboration on the Monroe Avenue Revitalization Coalition, efforts combating food insecurity with Foodlink, and partnerships promoting accessibility and neighborhood engagement. Mike highlights the balance of supporting vibrant local bu...
