The Good Around Us

Stephanie Keally
  • 5.0 (22)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

This podcast explores how people are changing the world through large and small acts in their communities. I share unique stories from individuals making an impact all around us.

  1. 02/10/2025

    Until Next Time...A Final Farewell

    Off and on for the past four years, I’ve rounded up and shared unique stories of people doing good for others. When you see the good, and you feel it, you in turn seek out ways to carve out your own bit of impact on the world. No matter how deep or wide you go, you have made a ripple in the water that we all live in. And the ripples continue, and they carry on to others. They inspire more people to do their own bit of good. That was the whole point of this project.  And I got so much from it in return. So thank you! I’m grateful to the guests, the listeners, the production partners, and the cheerleaders. It is my mission to educate and inspire people to do work that is meaningful for them and good for others. This podcast helped me solidify that mission, and it has been an arm of that work. But now it’s time for me to focus on other ways I can use my gifts. So this is my farewell to The Good Around Us. Until next time…

    5 min

  2. 10/23/2024

    A Bit of Good - You Are Enough

    Sometimes it's our kids who are the greatest truth-tellers. In this episode, I share a personal story that highlights how love and connection are not contingent on performance or accomplishments. Connect with The Good Around Us and Stephanie Keally at stephkeally.com and on Instagram @good.aroundus.

    4 min

  3. 07/31/2024

    Food Is Love - Ouita Michel

    Ouita Michel is an eight-time James Beard Foundation Award nominee, including nominations for Outstanding Restaurateur and Best Chef Southeast.  Ouita and her restaurants are regularly featured in local and national media, such as the New York Times, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Food Network, and the Cooking Channel. She was a guest judge on Bravo's Top Chef series.  She lives in Midway, Kentucky, where she oversees her latest venture, Holly Hill, a lifestyle brand that celebrates farmers and agriculture, culinary traditions old and new, chefs and local talent—and the bonds that unite them in cultivating a true sense of community. This includes her most recent venture, the Holly Hill Cooking Studio.  She’s also the host of the video series, Up Home with Ouita Michel, and was recently appointed to the U.S. State Department American Culinary Corps, where she’ll serve our country as a Culinary Ambassador.   This episode is about the importance of food and hospitality and how it brings people together. Ouita teaches us that food is more than just sustenance; it's a way to connect with others and learn about different cultures. It’s a great connector. Ouita’s quotes: "This too shall pass" and "Food is love"To learn more about Ouita Michel, her restaurants, and the work she does for community, click  here.

    34 min

  4. 06/10/2024

    The Opportunity We All Deserve with Jody Greenlee (2021)

    After retiring from a career in nursing, Jody Greenlee has spent 20 years traveling twice a year to provide medical and humanitarian services in the rural mountains of Guatemala.  In 2009, she founded Finding Freedom through Friendship to provide services to impoverished women and children in emerging countries. The FFF board is focused on reversing the yoke of poverty in Guatemala and Egypt through community programs such as skills training, healthcare screenings, microfinancing, scholarships and tutoring.  To learn more or donate to Finding Freedom through Friendship, click here. *100% of donations go directly to the benefit of people in need as FFF is completely volunteer run.

    42 min

  5. 05/13/2024

    A Bit of Good - Returning the Yarn

    It's the smallest acts of kindness among strangers that can sometimes mean the most. Have you witnessed the joy it brings to help someone out, even in the most ordinary way? Connect with The Good Around Us and Stephanie Keally: thegoodaround.us On instagram: @good.aroundus @stephkeally

    4 min

  6. 04/25/2023

    6.6 Plant a Seed - Nikki Byrne-Hoffman

    Growing up poor on a farmette homestead in Braxton County, West Virginia, Dr. Nikki Byrne-Hoffman, comes from a long line of Appalachian farmers.  She spent most of her childhood in the family’s orchards, vegetable gardens, and rabbit hutches, and her family’s food security depended on their garden’s harvest. After moving to Morgantown to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a doctorate in Pharmacology, Nikki began teaching Biology at West Virginia University.  In 2020, she and colleague, Katrina Steward, created and now Co-Direct the WVU Campus Food Garden, which serves multiple purposes: to educate the next generation of gardeners and small farmers, and to advocate for food security in the community.  The Campus Food Garden has donated over 7,000 pounds to local food pantries to date.

    39 min

  7. 04/11/2023

    6.5 Called to Serve - Therese Wright (2021)

    Therese Wright has an energy that is warm and a spirit larger than life. Originally from Belize, she lives in Lexington, Kentucky, where she has devoted her life to the service of those around her. She founded Sisters Road to Freedom, a non-profit organization designed to meet the needs of vulnerable individuals and families through workshops, personal connection and assistance, as well as a food and clothing bank, which serves over 100 families each year and is run completely by volunteers. Episode 1.1 Called to Serve was originally published on May 7, 2021. I caught up with Therese this winter to get an update on Sisters Road to Freedom, the volunteer-run non-profit she founded for meeting the needs of vulnerable families in Lexington, KY. You will be thrilled to know that the thing Therese waved her magic wand about, getting a storefront to distribute resources to those in need, well it happened! She gets pantry and fresh food donations from Whole Foods, Panera, Glean KY, Elkwood Farms, and she provides a distribution resource to government organizations serving the community.  To help Therese serve the community and pay rent on her storefront, go to her website sistersroadtofreedom.org.

    31 min
  8. 6.4 Coming Together for a Cure - Blake Benton

    03/28/2023

    6.4 Coming Together for a Cure - Blake Benton

    Walking side by side with a loved one who has been given the diagnosis of an incurable disease. This is a journey many families have experienced before or face today. Amidst the darkness of this reality, our guest today shares about the light that always finds a way to come through the cracks. Blake Benton founded Coming Together for a Cure, a non-profit organization that works relentlessly to raise awareness, fund research, and help families around the world access stem cell therapy and resources to support their fight against rare diseases.  This work is personal for Blake as his brother, Ryan, has Dechenne’s Muscular Dystrophy. Together, they are helping others experience cutting edge treatment and resources to maintain a hopeful quality of life. Links: Website: https://ctfac.org CTFAC Facebook CTFAC Instagram Sign up for The Good Around Us newsletter!

    39 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

This podcast explores how people are changing the world through large and small acts in their communities. I share unique stories from individuals making an impact all around us.

Information

  • Creator
    Stephanie Keally
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Stephanie Keally
  • Show Website
    The Good Around Us