Lotus Village Voices - The Official Podcast of Lotus House Women's Shelter

As National Volunteer Month draws to a close, we're taking a moment to express our gratitude for the dedicated volunteers who tirelessly support the women, children, and staff at the shelter. Our volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization, and we couldn't do what we do without them. Joining us on the podcast are the incredible founders of Men in Pink, Daniel Ramos and Christoph Babka, who bring their strength and compassion to the shelter each month. From organizing and cleaning around the building to sorting donations, serving meals, and hosting fun activities with the kids, their impact is truly immeasurable. Tune in as they share their inspiring stories of why they volunteer and recount their favorite moments spent making a difference in the lives of others Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Elizabeth & Dani Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

Before the month ends, we're taking a moment to honor and celebrate the incredible legacy of Black history in America. Join us on the podcast as we shine a light on the often overlooked heroes and heroines who've made remarkable contributions to this country, and continue to inspire us all. Plus, our very own kid host, Aysha, is back! Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jatericka Lamons Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

Cheers to 2024! 🎉 Join us in recapping the incredible milestones we achieved in 2023. Our very own alumni, Aysha (a 7th grader!), takes the hosting reins for this special episode. Don't miss a moment – stay tuned to unveil exciting details about our upcoming Children's Village development project. 2023 Annual Report: https://lotushouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-Annual-Report-Final.pdf Become an official founder of the Children's Village: https://www.lotusendowment.org/childrensvillage/ Constance Collins: constance@lotusendowment.org Carly Grimm: carly@lotusendowment.org Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jatericka Lamons Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

Join us for a very heartwarming Thanksgiving special. In the spirit of gratitude, we sit down with the incredible women and children who call Lotus House home, as they generously share what they are thankful for this season. Help us make this holiday season a special one for our families: Holiday toy wishlist: https://lotushouse.org/2023holidaydrives/ Sponsor a child: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0ZuNK5Ue_dssHpqpPvZamII2NWwEvcn1PizWbXY5WovFHuw/viewform Holiday volunteer sign-up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWpxZHO1YdWwvn7VDh4TFi8DSZcKyM4Lfj5S0k2BSxZtc3lA/viewform DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jatericka Lamons Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

We're back with a very special episode honoring Pride Month, featuring special guest Jessica Lam, an advocate and ally for the LGBTQIA+ community. Jessica shares her story as a trans woman coming out in the 90s, LGBTQ awareness and how we can come together to understand one another. We hope you walk away from this episode just as touched as we are. HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jatericka Lamons Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

In honor of Women's History Month, we interviewed Isabella Dell'Oca, the newly appointed Executive Director of Lotus House. In this episode, we discuss her new role, her journey there, and her passion for the women and children at shelter. Listen to the end to hear a few women from the shelter talk about what makes them strong and resilient. We hope you enjoy this episode! Be sure to share with a family member or friend. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jatericka Lamons Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

We're back with another lived experience episode. This time we invited Elizabeth to share a heartfelt story on how she overcame living on the streets at the young age of 12 to her journey as Outreach Coordinator at Lotus Village. We hope this episode touches you as much as it did for us. Please remember to share with a family member or friend. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jatericka Lamons Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

We are so excited to introduce our new host Jatericka Lamons, a.k.a. Tay Tay, who currently serves as Programming Coordinator at Lotus Village. In this episode, Tay Tay recounts her personal experience with homelessness. Please help us give Tay Tay a warm welcome by sharing this episode with your family and friends. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries email: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jatericka Lamons Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

For our tenth episode, we welcomed a very special guest, Becca McCharen-Tran, who has hosted sewing workshops for the guests at Lotus House, and is also Founder and Creative Director of the Miami-based swim and activewear brand, Chromat. Listen in as we discuss Chromat's brand philosophy and how it intersects with our mission here at Lotus House along with the importance of community, creative activism and inclusivity. Help us make this holiday season a special one for our families: Holiday toy wishlist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pIbjKM3S0AmGCDAs4uJIEW4_PYnDEOXO/view?usp=share_link Holiday volunteer sign-up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecqUJ9NZEzUshRON-BSJYE_ZBR5EupdRyhxNUsR5y6WwT_wA/viewform If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a rating on Spotify and Apple. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, Twitter and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

We sat down with Shana Cox, Deputy Director of Children's Services, to discuss how she and her team provide individualized, trauma-informed, quality therapeutic services to 250+ children at the shelter. You can learn more about our services for children and other programs at https://lotushouse.org/ourprograms/. If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a rating. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries: email love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

For the third installment of our Lived Experience series, we interviewed Lotus House alumni Pat Morrell to discuss her experience living at the shelter and how it led to her current position as Youth Education and Programming Coordinator. This episode also serves as Part I of our conversation on youth (ages 18-24) homelessness and how we support this vulnerable population. You can learn more about how our youth programs at www.lotushouse.org/ouryouth/ If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a rating on Spotify and Apple. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteer/ All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

Introducing the newest development in Lotus House history - the National Women’s Shelter Network! This has been an aspiration of ours for many years and we are so excited to tell you all about it. Returning to the show is Lotus House Founder & Executive Director, Constance Collins, along with Director of the National Women’s Shelter Network (and producer of this podcast!), Grettel Jimenez-Singer. Learn more about the NWSN at www.nationalwomensshelternetwork.org or follow them on Instagram @nwsn_org. Check out footage of our Women’s Month celebration on Instagram at @lotushouseshelter. If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a rating on Spotify and Apple. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

For the second installment in our Lived Experience series, we welcomed Director of Guest Services and alum Runisha Johnson. We’ve been sitting on this interview for awhile and are so happy to share it with you! Check out footage of our Valentine’s Day and Black History Month celebrations on Instagram at @lotushouseshelter. If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a rating on Spotify and Apple. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, Twitter and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

Happy 2022! In this episode, we highlight our achievements from 2021 - our 15th anniversary as a shelter - as detailed in our annual report. Stay tuned throughout the episode for some interview tidbits from the kids and staff about their intentions for the new year. 2021 Annual Report: https://lotushouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-Annual-Report.pdf?mc_cid=684b1a7be1&mc_eid=f1c7f0cbdf TODAY Show feature: https://www.today.com/video/how-lotus-house-helps-homeless-women-and-children-129166405835 LVV Episode 4 with Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze22mIXij0I Eat'Cha Vegetables music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH5lMSWLXQI Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

We were so grateful to Madam Mayor Daniella Levine Cava for choosing Lotus House to celebrate her one-year anniversary in office! We discuss why she picked us for this special day, her decades of service to women and children throughout her career, and her vision for the County. Last but not least, she chats with Zaniyah, 12-year-old daughter of an alum staff member, to answer questions we solicited from our younger kids. We’ll be back with new episodes in the New Year! Until then, the warmest holiday wishes from our House to yours. Holiday toy wishlist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vGWEQBYQnRZvYDzJa0-jglShXUUCLxlm/view?usp=sharing Holiday volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteering/ Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

We sat down with Education & Employment Director, Cynthia Perez, to discuss the process of meeting guests' varied needs when it comes to finding a job and completing their education - as well as how we constructed a virtual school for our children during the pandemic, affectionately called the "Lotus Learning Pod." Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteering/ DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

In our first installment on the subject of Lived Experience, we sat down with alumni and Director of Operations, Sharonee Delevante, to discuss her time living and working at shelter, and her dreams for her and her son. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteering/ Eat'Cha Vegetables music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH5lMSWLXQI DONATE: https://lotushouse.kindful.com All other inquiries: email love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Follow us on Instagram: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman

Welcome to our first episode! This week we feature a conversation with founder and Executive Director, Constance Collins, and hear sound bites from moms and kids from our Mother’s Day event. Urgent needs wishlist: https://a.co/a9JvJ1e Volunteer sign-up: https://lotushouse.org/volunteering/ All other inquiries: email love@lotushouse.org Website: www.lotushouse.org Instagram: @lotushouseshelter Host: Jackie Roth Editor: Margo Hannah Producer: Grettel Jiménez-Singer Cover Art and Logo: Sam Billman