Plymouth County is connecting communities with the great outdoors and making nature accessible to all!

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami Koenigs and Jake Heller head to Hillview Recreation Area near Hinton, Iowa, to talk with naturalists Victoria DeVos and Morgan Sauer about conservation, community programs and the unique ways you can experience the local landscape.

In this episode:

• Hillview's Hidden Playground: Everything the 300-plus-acre recreation area offers, from miles of hiking, horse and mountain biking trails to a 9-hole loop disc golf course, a fishing pond and winter tubing hills!
• Expanding Outreach: How Plymouth County Conservation uses everything from Ice Age artifact presentations and cabin escape rooms to school field trips and night hikes to get people of all ages outdoors.
• Wild Edibles & More: Creative community classes to turn nature into your pantry, featuring dandelion jelly, stinging nettle preparation, garlic mustard pesto and elderberry syrup.

To learn more about upcoming public events, camping reservations or volunteer days at Hillview, check out the Plymouth County Conservation website or visit their official Facebook page.

To learn more about the job training, placement and recycling programs offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains, please visit https://www.goodwillgreatplains.org.

The Sustainable Steps Podcast is brought to us each week thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Foundation.

RMHC doesn't just stand for Ronald McDonald House Charities – for thousands of families in Siouxland beyond, it stands for a place that keeps families together through medical journeys!

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami Koenigs and Jacob Heller are on location at the Ronald McDonald House Siouxland in Sioux City, Iowa, where they sit down with Director Christy Clark to learn how a simple thought inspired a global movement.

In this episode, we'll learn:

• Heart of the House: How the Ronald McDonald House provides essentials, removes barriers and creates a "home away from home" so families can stay close to their children during medical treatment.
• Food for Thought (and Care!): The scope of the hospital kitchen and lunch programs, delivering thousands of hearty meals, snacks and home-cooked frozen options to local emergency rooms and hospital units each year.
• Community Connection & Pop Tabs, Too: Easy ways to get involved, from decorating artistic, encouraging lunch bags and donating in-kind goods to saving pop tabs for recycling to help fund family lodging.

To learn more about staying at the house, volunteering or attending upcoming events like the Bubble Walk and the Red Shoe Shindig, check out the Ronald McDonald House Siouxland website or find the group on Facebook and Instagram.

To find out more about the programs and services offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains, please visit goodwillgreatplains.org.

The Sustainable Steps podcast is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Foundation.

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami and Jake talk with Samantha Roth, Treasurer of the Junior League of Sioux City, to hear how the group's projects, ranging from a free 'School Period Pantry' to a boutique-style thrift shop, empower women and build connections.

In this episode, we'll learn:

• Discover the Discovery Shop: How the Junior League's W. 7th Street thrift shop helps pay for projects and grants that make a big difference in the Sioux City area.
• Prom Purpose: The story behind the group's spring prom fundraiser, bringing local businesses together for a night of high school nostalgia to help pay for local community projects.
• Flexible Membership: How a one-year commitment, 12 hours of annual shop volunteering and monthly meetings make it easy for local women to dive in, network and give back.

If you'd like to visit the Junior League's Discovery Shop, it's open Wednesday - Saturday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm at 316 W. 7th St. in Sioux City.

If you'd like to learn more about joining the Junior League, visit its website or visit the Junior League of Sioux City Facebook page.

To find out more about the programs and services offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains, please visit goodwillgreatplains.org.

The Sustainable Steps podcast is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Foundation.

Keeping medical equipment out of the landfill and in the hands of families who need it!

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami & Jake head to Sioux Falls to talk with Mike Turner, founder of Owen's Outfitters, to hear how a free medical equipment library is turning a personal family journey into a community lifeline.

In this episode, we'll learn:

• Owen's Legacy: How the memory of Mike's son, Owen, and his favorite color inspired a bright, welcoming mission to give away free medical equipment and keep over 130 tons of usable gear out of local landfills.

• Always Free, Never Sold: How families can access everything from daily care items to hospital beds, wheelchairs and walkers without insurance company red tape or out-of-pocket costs.

• Global Impact: How local supplies, like crutches and oxygen tubing, find a second home through international partnerships, stretching from Sioux Falls to places like Africa.

To learn more about donating or borrowing medical equipment, check out Owens Outfitters or the Legacy Foundation online or in person in Sioux Falls.

If you'd like to find out more about the programs and services offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains, please visit goodwillgreatplains.org.

The Sustainable Steps podcast is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Fou ndation.

You want to downsize and donate, but that heavy furniture or big box won't fit in your car, or you can't haul it down three flights of stairs – ReSupply can help!

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami & Jake talk with Paul Tocci, CEO and Founder of ReSupply, to hear how a tech-driven logistics solution is revolutionizing charitable giving and keeping usable goods out of landfills.

In this episode, we'll learn:

• Military Origins: Witnessing military families abandon brand-new household goods on curbs during base relocations inspired a decade-long mission to bridge the technology gap to help donations get to charitable causes.
• National Reach: How ReSupply partners with 114 Goodwill regions across 48 states and 25,000 zip codes, moving the equivalent of 80 football stadiums worth of donations every month.
• Giving Made Simple: How donors can schedule home pickups for anything from a single bag of clothes to an entire house of furniture in as little as 60 minutes.

To learn more about Goodwill of the Great Plains or schedule ReSupply to pick up your donation, please visit goodwillgreatplains.org.

The Sustainable Steps podcast is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Foundation.

How can a five-cent soda can help feed a family or launch someone's career?

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami and Jake sit down with Monic Marquez-Burkett, Manager of Sioux City's Hope Redemption Center, to hear how recycling isn't just about keeping trash out of landfills - it also provides life-changing work experience for local people trying to find a new career path.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• 96-Meal Math: How filling just one standard bag with 240 cans brings in enough money to provide nearly 96 meals for people facing food insecurity.

• Recycling Right: The ins and outs of redeeming cans, plastic bottles and glass - from looking for the signature "IA" 5¢ stamp to drop-off tips and bag options.

• Community Connections: Where to find drop-off sites (including Morningside University and other area churches) and how to join the fun at "Sort & Serve Saturdays!"

To learn more about dropping off recyclables, volunteering or donating to the food pantry, follow the Hope Redemption Center on Facebook or visit the Missions tab at Sunnybrook Church's website .

Find out more about the programs and services offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains by visiting goodwillgreatplains.org .

The Sustainable Steps podcast is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Foundation.

If you've ever stared down a plastic container with a tiny number "3" on it and experienced a full-blown existential crisis - you are not alone!

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami and Jake sit down with Sandy Brown from the City of Wayne Green Team in Nebraska.

Since 2009, this city-backed volunteer group has been helping this rural community divert nearly one-million pounds of waste from the landfill - proving that you don't need a massive metropolitan budget to make a massive environmental impact.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The "Twin the Bin" Principle: Why pairing your trash can with a recycling bin eliminates the "wishful recycling" temptation.

• Gamifying the Garbage: How Wayne got high school seniors and local residents obsessed with recycling by turning it into a $20-rewarding game of "Recycle Right Bingo."

• The Toxicity of Trash: Why difficult-to-move items like glass, batteries and even old markers shouldn't just be tossed.

Ready to up your green game or invite Sandy to speak to your town?

Check out the Green Team's resources at cityofwayne.org/greenteam or shoot Sandy an email at greenteam@cityofwayne.org.

Find out more about the programs and services offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains by visiting goodwillgreatplains.org.

The Sustainable Steps podcast is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Foundation.

A new kid just arrived on your doorstep with nothing but a diaper, or a teenager is demanding fairy lights to properly decorate their new room - where do foster families turn?

In this episode of Sustainable Steps, Tami and Jake sit down with Rochelle Pfeiffer, Founder and Director of the Siouxland Foster Closet. Rochelle explains how the organization's retail-style boutique lets foster kids shop for clothes, toys and essentials completely free of charge, so they leave feeling like VIPs.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The "Beeline" Effect: Why the Foster Closet's back-corner toy section is the ultimate distraction while caregivers shop.

• The Secret to Teen Fashion: How teenage volunteers prevent the closet from accidentally stocking "uncool" clothes.

• Beyond the Hangers: Why mini cribs, brand-new car seats and birthday cake kits are just as crucial as a good pair of jeans.

To learn more about shopping, donating or volunteering (the Siouxland Foster Closet needs your help this summer!), email info@siouxlandfostercloset.com or call (712) 253-3943. You can also find the group on Facebook or at this website.

Find out more about the programs and services offered by Goodwill of the Great Plains by visiting goodwillgreatplains.org.

The Sustainable Steps podcast is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Gilchrist Foundation.