Listen Now

Gaming can be a very beneficial tool when it comes to learning life skills. Guild Chronicles, based in Lexington, have created a special roleplaying game and educational program to help autistic and neurodivergent kids learn social-emotional skills. Andrew Harris, CEO and Founder of Guild Chronicles, joins Nichole this week to talk about the game and how Guild Chronicles works with schools and therapists to support young people and their development.

The Boston Planning and Development Agency recently approved a plan for the Comfort Inn on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester to be transformed into permanent supportive housing for seniors. The project got some blowback from neighborhood groups and lawmakers, but Pine Street Inn says it's a critical step to help unhoused seniors make their way off the streets and rebuild their lives. Lyndia Downie, Executive Director of Pine Street Inn, talks with Nichole about the project, the fight over the Long Island Bridge, and their upcoming workforce development graduation.

School's almost out for summer, and the City of Boston says it has more jobs available for young people than ever before! Their SuccessLink program connects young people with opportunities all over the city, including non-profits and at City Hall. Rashad Cope, Deputy Chief of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet and the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity, joins Nichole this week to talk about the program, and we also hear from a local teen about his experience. ALSO: Some big plans are in the works south of Boston to help kids who learn differently. South Shore Stars in Weymouth is opening up its own school for children who have dyslexia and other language-based learning differences! Executive Director Jen Curtis returns to the show with all the details.

With the cost of utilities so high, it seems like it would be a dream come true for someone to reach out at random and tell you they can help you lower your utility bills. The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office says many of these "competitive energy suppliers" are anything but a dream, and, in fact, over time, they can turn your budget into a nightmare. Nathan Forster and Elizabeth Anderson from the AG's office join Nichole on the show with information on how you can protect your wallet. PLUS: The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts is connecting small business owners around the Commonwealth while offering resources to help them give back to their communities. One of those small business owners, Aelen Unan of Ninawa Zero Waste Clothes, talks about what sustainability means to her and how it's influenced her business.

While pregnancy and childbirth can be a joyous time full of excitement and exhiliration, that's not the case for every parent. Post-partum depression isn't just "baby blues", and it can turn very serious very quickly. The MassPPD Fund's mission is to provide resources and support for parents finding themselves in this scary place, and they're holding their annual "Flourishing" event May 13th. Former Boston morning show host Loren Raye is emceeing the event, and she joins Nichole with all the details. PLUS: Roxbury Community College is about to celebrate a major milestone birthday - 50 years serving the neighborhood, and the city of Boston at large, by promoting educational opportunities, diversity and equity. Jennie McDonald-Brown, the school's Executive Director of Development, has all the details about their three-day-long "Homecoming" celebration for alumni, and everyone from the neighborhood's invited to come celebrate!

Naloxone (aka Narcan) has proven to be a powerful tool in fighting the opioid epidemic. State officials in New Hampshire are launching a new program to make sure it's publicly available for anyone who needs it in a time of crisis. Jennifer Sabin, New Hampshire's Opioid Response Director, joins the show with details on the NaloxBoxes that are going up all over the Granite State. PLUS: The nation's oldest continuing all-volunteer orchestra is about to wrap up an incredible 105th season with their May Pops concert! Conductor and Music Director Yoichi Udagawa returns to the show to talk about the Melrose Symphony Orchestra's upcoming show. ALSO: Boston-based "Master Trainer" Jonathan Kroll is out with his first guidebook, "Preparing Leadership Educators". WBZ's Laurie Kirby spoke with him about his special leadership development program and how people can improve their techniques.

Community is everything, especially when you're living far from home. Drawing from the love they have for their Irish backgrounds, the founders of Mná Mheiriceá are working to create a new women's networking group in Boston not just for the Irish diaspora, but for all women. Megan Greeley joins the show with all the details. PLUS: Spring is here, and that means baby animals are coming into the world! Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield is holding their annual Baby Animals Festival. Nathaniel Silver, Executive Director and CEO of Hancock Shaker Village, has more on how you can get up close and personal with adorable piglets, chicks, lambs, and other cuties. ALSO: Forecasters at the National Weather Service are gearing up for stormy weather this summer, and they need your help on the ground! Bryce Williams, Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Norton, joins Nichole with all the info you need to know about their upcoming round of SKYWARN classes.

Young people often feel left out of the conversations around recovery from substance abuse, even though more and more are finding themselves caught up in the grips of addiction. They need support and validation from people who "get it" and understand what they are going through. Enter Massachusetts Young People in Recovery, who's working hard to show people recovery is possible. Haley Barbieri, Program Director of MYPiR, joins the show this week to tell us about their efforts. PLUS: The wool's going to be flying in Waltham, with lambs, rams, ewes, and other animals on the grounds of Gore House. It's almost time for the annual Sheepshearing Festival, but it's about so much more than chasing around sheep. Emily Robertson, Marketing Manager at Gore Place, has all you need to know about this fun event!

Imagine calling 911 for a serious emergency, only to be told it could be 30, 45... even 60 minutes before help could get to you. There's a significant ambulance workforce shortage here in New England, and around the country, too - but it didn't develop right away. Rich Raymond, CEO of Armstrong Ambulance in Arlington, joins Nichole on the show this week to talk about how it's impacted not just his company, but the industry as a whole, and what needs to be done to turn this trend around. PLUS: Did you know doing your taxes here in Massachusetts could help stop animals around the Bay State from becoming homeless? It's true. The Massachusetts Animal Fund has been working hard for more than a decade to help spay and neuter efforts, and find furry friends a happy and healthy home. Sheri Gustafson from the Fund is on the show to talk about how you can help by simply filling out a line on your tax forms.

Now that spring's here, we're starting to make our way outdoors and travel around the region again, trying fun new foods and enjoying new experiences... but the regional restaurant scene looks very different now than it did before the pandemic. Marc Hurwitz of Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants returns to the show to talk with Nichole about outdoor dining, ghost kitchens, staffing struggles, and much more - including his personal recommendations around the region. PLUS: Allergy season isn't messing around this year. It seems we're struggling with symptoms earlier than ever! Dr. John Foster, Chief Medical Officer at NEW Health in Boston, explains why this is happening and offers up some helpful tips to try and keep allergies from taking over your life this year.

A new public art project in Boston's Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods is showing off some special works of art by nine Black photographers. It's a collaboration between Greater Grove Hall Main Streets and WHERE ARE ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE AT, a grassroots organization dedicated to boosting representation of Black and Brown artists in art museums' permanent collections. Photographer and activist Archy LaSalle joins Nichole this week to talk about the bus stop art project and the work he's doing to promote diversity in New England's art scene. PLUS: With a variety of potential threats facing the region at any given time, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency recently teamed up with leaders around New England to launch a brand new training center for first responders and municipal employees. Dawn Brantley, Acting Director of MEMA, talks with Nichole about what this new center will do to help emergency managers respond more effectively to climate change, cyber attacks, storms, and much more.

After delays connected to COVID-19, a first-of-its-kind program is finally up and running for women incarcerated at the New Hampshire Correctional Facility for Women in Concord, NH. This "Prison Outreach Program" connects woodworkers with inmates to teach them important skills that can translate into a career, or hobby, once they leave custody and start over. Leah Woods and Lynn Szymanski join Nichole to talk about how the program is making a difference and how they're doing it with limited resources. PLUS: Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston say they have discovered a potential new weapon to be used against the COVID-19 virus: a "decoy drug"! Dr. Gordon Freeman, Professor of Medicine at DFCI, and Clinical Fellow Dr. James Torchia talk with Nichole about the science behind this, and what the decoy could mean for treatment moving forward, especially for immunocompromised people.

Since the late 1990's, National Consumer Protection Week has been a time for Americans to learn about how we can make more educated decisions when it comes to how, where, and why we spend our money. Bill O'Hearn, Chief of the Consumer Advocacy and Response Division at the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, joins Nichole this week to offer some insight into your rights as a consumer, and how you can avoid scams. PLUS: Spring is on the way, and this spring will be special for Project Bread. The anti-hunger non-profit is hosting its "Walk For Hunger" back in-person for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic! Noa Rosen, Events Manager for Project Bread, has details on this year's event and how you can get involved.

This week's episode is the second in a two-part series on human trafficking. For this portion of the series, we are focusing on the impacts of sexual and labor exploitation right here in New England. Julie Dahlstrom, Director of the Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking program at the Boston University School of Law, talks with Nichole about what's being done from Beacon Hill to local police departments to stop this devastating criminal enterprise. PLUS: Transitioning from the battlefield to the home front can be difficult for veterans, many of whom find the support they were promised when they were discharged simply doesn't materialize. Bill Moore, the founder of "Project New Hope", returns to the show to talk about the resources they have for New England veterans, and their no-cost veterans' retreats to help service members heal. ++ CONTENT WARNING: human trafficking, sexual abuse, child abuse ++

Human trafficking affects millions of people not just around the world, but also right here in New England. So many cases go unreported each and every year, and it's incredibly easy for trafficking to take place right under our noses without most of us even realizing it. This week's episode is the first in a two part series on human trafficking. Victor Boutros, the CEO and co-founder of Human Trafficking Institute, talks with Nichole about the broader scale of the problem, and what HTI is doing to try and put a stop to it, one step at a time, in conjunction with law enforcement. PLUS: For more than 40 years, Food for Free has been working hard in the Boston area to help save perfectly edible food from ending up in the dumpster, and getting it into the hands of people who lack access to healthy meals. Ben Engle, the COO at Food for Free, explains their process and how you can help make it happen. ++ CONTENT WARNING: human trafficking, sexual abuse, child abuse ++

When he was young, Jesse Setaro of North End Fitness spent many years in the foster care system. With the help of a very special mentor, he was able to rise above poverty, homelessness, and instability to build a happy and successful life. Now, Jesse wants to give back to foster kids in Boston through "Project F", a special gym and mentoring program that would give orphans and foster children a safe place to thrive and grow. Jesse joins Nichole to talk about his plans for the gym and how you can help him get the doors open. PLUS: Several lawmakers on Beacon Hill have filed a bill that, if passed, would allow a process called "natural organic reduction" in Massachusetts, otherwise known as "human composting". Rep. Natalie Higgins (D-Leominster), a main sponsor of the bill, explains the process and why she feels it's important to make it available for Massachusetts residents.

Sitting on Route 2 or the Mass Pike in traffic is no one's idea of a good time. There's a new study underway to take a closer look at how Massachusetts could be connected by rail along the Northern Tier, between North Adams and Boston. State Senator Paul Mark joins Nichole to talk about why it's critical to beef up infrastructure in western Massachusetts, what constituents have to say about it, and what the rail system would have to offer those who want a different way to explore. PLUS: After two years of plunging virtually, it's time to get chilly in person to support Special Olympics NH! The Winni Dip and Penguin Plunge are back in-person this year on the shores of Hampton Beach and Lake Winnipesaukee. Mark Ericson has all the details if you want to take part to help a great cause.

Each year, the "Winter Walk" brings members of the Boston community together to end the stigma surrounding homelessness, amplify the stories of the unhoused, and find solutions to work toward substantive change. Executive Director Ari Barbanell joins Nichole this week to talk about the event, their expansion to western Massachusetts, and how you can get involved. PLUS: Volunteering can be a bit daunting if you've never done it before. Sometimes, you don't even know where to begin! That's where Boston Cares comes in, with connections to hundreds of schools and non-profits that could use your help. Sara Hamilton, Executive Director, talks about the path to volunteering, and we'll also hear from Cecilia Falcao, a long-time volunteer, about her experience.

NEADS, based in Princeton, helps all kinds of good dogs live to their fullest potential by training them to be service and therapy dogs. Before they can go through that training, they need a solid upbringing. Heather Romanoff, the Manager of Raiser Operations at NEADS, talks with Nichole about their search for puppy raisers in Worcester County, and what volunteers can do to set these puppies up for success. PLUS: As we exit the height of the COVID pandemic, our region's kids need mentoring, guidance, and support, now more than ever. Mark O'Donnell, President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts, has details on the need for mentorship, and how you don't have to be perfect to boost a child who needs a friend. ALSO: Many people are choosing a different career path post-COVID, with the trades becoming more and more popular. Nancy Houle at Minuteman Technical Institute in Lexington has details on their upcoming workforce development courses, which many can attend for free thanks to some new state funding.

Happy New Year! As we kick off 2023, many of us are taking the first few weeks of the year to take a closer look at our personal finances. Ryan Davies, Chair of the Finance Department at Babson College, joins Nichole on this week's show to offer some insight and advice on budgeting, savings, and much more as we all try to navigate this volatile economy. PLUS: Making a New Year's resolution is one thing. Keeping it is another. Usually, the latter doesn't happen. Deborah Carr, Professor of Sociology at Boston University, explains why we tend to fall off the wagon when it comes to our resolutions, and shares some tips to help keep us on track.