Neighbourly

CareImpact

Neighbourly is a warm, story-driven podcast hosted by Shannon Steeves. Every two weeks, Shannon sits down with a guest to share honest stories of ordinary people offering extraordinary care. Each episode also includes a short Neighbourly Headlines reflection, highlighting a Canadian story of neighbours showing up in meaningful ways. You’ll leave encouraged, grounded, and equipped with one simple step you can carry into your own life.

  1. Curious Instead of Furious | With Alicia Freeman

    May 27

    Curious Instead of Furious | With Alicia Freeman

    Partner with work of CareImpact and Neighbourly! https://careimpact.ca/donate Curious Instead of Furious: Creating Safety in Overwhelming MomentsWhat does it look like to care for someone well when their emotions feel bigger than the moment? In this episode of Neighbourly, Shannon sits down with Alicia Freeman, a CareImpact trainer whose journey through foster care, adoption, and trauma-informed learning has shaped the way she understands safety, presence, and compassion. Alicia shares why trauma care is not only for foster and adoptive families, but for everyone, everywhere, especially those who want to care well in their homes, churches, and communities. Together, Shannon and Alicia talk about what it means to stay curious instead of furious, how to respond when someone is overwhelmed, and why sometimes the most loving thing we can offer is not a solution, but our steady presence. In this conversation, Alicia reflects on a recent training at a pregnancy resource centre, where a moment of disagreement became a deeper opportunity for listening, humility, and shared learning. She also offers practical ways to help children, youth, and adults feel safer when they are dysregulated or overwhelmed. This episode is a gentle reminder that care does not have to be perfect to be powerful. It just has to be present. In This EpisodeWhy trauma-informed care matters beyond foster and adoptive familiesHow curiosity helps us move from defensiveness to empathyWhat it means to create emotional safety in a roomWhy the urge to fix can get in the way of true carePractical ways to support someone who is overwhelmedHow churches can care well without rushing people toward easy answersWhy presence, patience, and dignity matter in the messy middle A Small Step This WeekThink of one person in your life who may be carrying more than you can see. Before offering advice, try starting with curiosity. Ask a gentle question. Listen a little longer. Resist the urge to fix it too quickly. Sometimes the most neighbourly thing we can offer is simply to stay present. Time Stamps04:17 Starting foster care and adoption journey 07:41 Training at the Pregnancy Resource Center 10:57 Navigating overwhelming emotions workshop 14:25 Staying confident and calm during discussions 17:27 Helping people find their personal why 23:13 Importance of Curiosity and Empathy 27:16 The power of just being present 29:43 Role of Church in Trauma Care Guest Linkscareimpact.ca/alicia Other LinksJoin The CareImpact Podcast Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1PgzJWfkq9/ Reach out to us! https://neighbourlypodcast.ca Email: podcast@careimpact.ca About the CarePortal: careimpact.ca/careportal DONATE! Help connect and equip more churches across Canada to effectively journey well in community with the most vulnerable: careimpact.ca/donate

    34 min
  2. The Stories We Tell Ourselves

    May 13

    The Stories We Tell Ourselves

    Partner with work of CareImpact and Neighbourly! https://careimpact.ca/donate DescriptionWhat happens when the story we tell ourselves about someone keeps us from seeing the person in front of us? In this reflective episode of Neighbourly, Johan and Shannon step back from the regular guest interviews to talk about assumptions, the quick judgments we make, and the stories we build about people before we really know them. Together, they explore how easy it is to reduce someone to one moment, one behaviour, one request, or one struggle, and how neighbourly care invites us to slow down, stay curious, and protect dignity. From parenting moments in public, to CarePortal requests, homelessness, school experiences, and the story of Zacchaeus, this conversation gently reminds us that there is almost always more going on beneath the surface. This episode is not about ignoring harm or pretending everything is fine. It is about learning to ask better questions before our assumptions become labels. This week’s simple step: When you notice yourself forming an assumption about someone, pause and ask, “What might I not know?” Time Stamps01:35 CareCreatives Company 04:37 Struggling with small talk 09:23 Practicing self-awareness and empathy 12:50 Understanding community assumptions and needs 14:25 Understanding homelessness complexities 16:58 Discussing the damage of assumptions 21:05 Biblical examples of looking beyond labels 23:58 Reflecting on Zacchaeus story 28:46 Being a good neighbour Other LinksJoin The CareImpact Podcast Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1PgzJWfkq9/ Reach out to us! https://neighbourlypodcast.ca Email: podcast@careimpact.ca About the CarePortal: careimpact.ca/careportal DONATE! Help connect and equip more churches across Canada to effectively journey well in community with the most vulnerable: careimpact.ca/donate

    31 min
  3. Making Generosity Part of Everyday Life | Tammy Kyte

    Apr 29

    Making Generosity Part of Everyday Life | Tammy Kyte

    Partner with work of CareImpact and Neighbourly! https://careimpact.ca/donate DescriptionWhat if generosity wasn’t something you reacted to… but something you actually built into your life? In this episode, Shannon sits down with Tammy Kyte, one of the people behind GiveWise, a platform designed to make giving simpler and more consistent. But this conversation goes beyond tools and systems. Tammy shares how her journey from building homes to building a giving platform was shaped by a deeper question, how do we make generosity part of everyday life, especially when life feels busy, unpredictable, and full? Together, they explore the tension many of us feel, wanting to give, but struggling to do it consistently. From the realities of fluctuating income to the challenge of staying organized, this conversation offers a grounded and practical look at what it means to live generously. You’ll also hear how small, consistent acts of giving can shape not just communities, but our own hearts. Because generosity isn’t just about what we give, it’s about who we’re becoming. Time Stamps04:20 Balancing family life and business 07:01 Incorporating generosity into daily life 11:21 Setting aside money for charity 13:50 Managing a charitable fund 18:38 Learning generosity from family 20:30 Family account money transfers 23:33 Making intentional financial decisions Guest LinksGiveWise: https://www.givewise.ca/ Other LinksJoin The CareImpact Podcast Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1PgzJWfkq9/ Reach out to us! https://neighbourlypodcast.ca Email: podcast@careimpact.ca About the CarePortal: careimpact.ca/careportal DONATE! Help connect and equip more churches across Canada to effectively journey well in community with the most vulnerable: careimpact.ca/donate

    28 min
  4. She Didn’t Forget About Me | Ashley & Chantel

    Feb 18

    She Didn’t Forget About Me | Ashley & Chantel

    Partner with work of CareImpact and Neighbourly! https://careimpact.ca/donate DescriptionWhat happens when someone actually follows through? In this episode of Neighbourly, Shannon sits down with Ashley and Chantel to share a story that began with a simple CarePortal request for a wagon and children’s clothes. Chantel was navigating grief, recovery, and isolation. Ashley and her small group simply said yes. Months passed. Chantel assumed the connection had ended. But Ashley called. What followed was more than practical support. It became friendship, community, and a reminder that being a good neighbour often starts with something small, and consistent. This is a story about keeping your word, rebuilding trust, and discovering that you haven’t been forgotten. In This EpisodeThe power of simple follow-throughWhy consistency matters more than grand gesturesHow community support changes the trajectory for single mothersWhat it looks like when faith is lived out in everyday lifeHow saying “yes” to one small request can ripple outward A Simple Step This WeekThink of one person you told, “Let’s connect.” Follow through. Ordinary care has extraordinary impact. 🔗 Full Show Notes & TranscriptRead the full blog post, access the complete transcript, and find additional resources here: 👉 https://neighbourlypodcast.ca About NeighbourlyNeighbourly is a weekly podcast sharing real stories of ordinary people offering extraordinary care across Canada. Interview episodes alternate with Neighbourly Headlines, short reflections on neighbourly acts making a difference in our communities. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Guest LinksLiving Bible Explorers: https://www.livingbibleexplorers.com/ Other LinksJoin The CareImpact Podcast Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1PgzJWfkq9/ Reach out to us! https://neighbourlypodcast.ca Email: podcast@careimpact.ca About the CarePortal: careimpact.ca/careportal DONATE! Help connect and equip more churches across Canada to effectively journey well in community with the most vulnerable: careimpact.ca/donate

    28 min

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About

Neighbourly is a warm, story-driven podcast hosted by Shannon Steeves. Every two weeks, Shannon sits down with a guest to share honest stories of ordinary people offering extraordinary care. Each episode also includes a short Neighbourly Headlines reflection, highlighting a Canadian story of neighbours showing up in meaningful ways. You’ll leave encouraged, grounded, and equipped with one simple step you can carry into your own life.