In this episode of the Philanthropic Podcast, we sit down with a Somali refugee family who spent decades surviving war, enslavement, and extreme poverty before resettling in the United States.

From childhood in Somalia during the civil war, to life in Kenya’s Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps, this conversation reveals the brutal realities of forced migration, refugee camps, water scarcity, food insecurity, and waiting 10+ years for resettlement. The family shares firsthand experiences of violence, survival, UNHCR processes, and what it truly means to live as a refugee — including growing up without education access, healthcare, or employment. We also explore the challenges of resettlement in Utah, culture shock, learning English, rebuilding dignity through work, and the long road from refugee camp to American life. This episode offers an unfiltered look into Somali refugee experiences, illegal vs legal migration misconceptions, refugee resettlement, and the human cost of displacement — told directly by those who lived it.Key Moments:00:00:00 – “Putting Life on Hold for 10 Years as a Refugee”00:04:56 – “Growing Up Enslaved”00:07:47 – “A Tomato Was Worth More Than a Human Life”00:09:32 – “Hiding While His Father Was Executed"”00:10:41 – “Escaping Somalia on Foot at Just 20 Years Old”00:12:19 – “Arriving Alone at a Refugee Camp With Nothing”00:21:24 – “Learning a Trade So His Children Wouldn’t Starve”00:26:43 – “Walking Miles Daily as a Child to Find Water”00:35:39 – “Waiting Over a Decade to Be Allowed a New Life”00:40:09 – “Seeing Snow for the First Time”00:42:11 – “Spending Two Years in School Without Speaking”00:56:25 – “Trying to Raise Eight Children on $12 an Hour”somali refugee family, refugee story, refugee camp life, kakuma refugee camp, dadaab refugee camp, kenya refugees, somalia refugees, refugee resettlement, life as a refugee, forced migration, humanitarian stories, immigration stories, resettled to utah, refugee experience, african refugee stories, global displacement, human rights stories, life after resettlement, philanthropic podcast, migration and refugees

In this episode of The Philanthropic Podcast, Fred Sheehan shares a story unlike anything we've featured before. From a childhood in Hawaii to years of turmoil, loss, addiction, and eventually a calling he never expected, Fred opens up with honesty and heart.

Today, he works directly with individuals experiencing homelessness and those in crisis—drawing from his own lived experience to lift others. His journey raises powerful questions about redemption, purpose, faith, and what it truly means to serve.

This is an episode you’ll feel. An episode that challenges assumptions. And an episode that might just shift how you see the people around you.

Tune in to hear Fred’s remarkable path, the moments that changed him, and what drives him to help those who feel unseen.

⏱️ Key Moments

00:00 – Intro
01:23 – Meet Fred
02:00 – Growing Up in Hawaii
03:00 – Early Trauma
05:15 – The Cycle of Power and Addiction
07:45 – A Miracle During Homelessness
09:00 – Joining Life Changers Outreach
15:02 – Learning to Tell the Truth
17:47 – Losing His Son
22:59 – Returning Home
30:00 – From Client to Colleague
31:00 – Utah County’s Winter Response Effort
36:00 – Fred’s Three Principles for Recovery

In this episode, we sit down with Brent Crane, Executive Director of the Food & Care Coalition in Provo, who has spent 36 years serving Utah’s homeless population. Brent shares raw, real stories that break common stereotypes — from mental health struggles to generational poverty, addiction, deinstitutionalization, and the everyday barriers most people never see.

Together, we explore what homelessness actually looks like, why so many fall through the cracks, and how community connection—not judgment—creates real change. Brent opens up about heartbreaking failures, inspiring recovery stories, and the moments that shaped him personally, including lessons learned the hard way.

If you care about poverty, service, or simply want to understand people better, this conversation will shift the way you see homelessness forever.

⏱️ Key Moments

0:00 — The Early Days
1:20 — Brent’s Origin Story
4:49 — The Deinstitutionalization Fallout
6:30 — Why Connection Changes Lives
11:32 — When Dialogue Stops, We Lose
14:13 — The Misunderstood Realities
15:39 — Hidden Disabilities & Schizophrenia
17:23 — Cycling In and Out of Homelessness
19:14 — Who Actually Becomes Homeless
20:16 — Eric’s Story & System Reform
24:26 — Common Gateways Into Homelessness
29:00 — Lessons in Humanity

Kaylee’s story is one of the most powerful transformations you’ll ever hear.

After growing up in a fourth-generation cycle of addiction, Kaylee became homeless in downtown Salt Lake — sleeping in bathrooms, stealing shoes to survive, and battling a dangerous addiction.
Everything changed when she was arrested on Mother’s Day… and found out she was pregnant with twin girls while in jail.

Today, she’s a certified peer support specialist helping others overcome addiction, homelessness, and hopelessness.

In this episode of The Philanthropic Podcast, we talk about:
• What homelessness really looks like in Utah
• How she survived 18 months on the streets
• The moment everything changed
• Why a simple smile can save a life
• How YOU can make a difference — today

⏱️ Key Moments:
01:02 – Kaylee introduces herself - certified peer support specialist
01:41 – Generational addiction & leaving home at 16
02:20 – Homeless in Salt Lake for 18 months
03:59 – Arrest & addiction breaking point
04:45 – Finding out she’s pregnant with twins
05:24 – Relapse, tragedy, & the fight for recovery
06:53 – “Addicts Fighting Back” outreach - giving back through service
011:05 – How to help people experiencing homelessness
19:00 – A message of hope for this holiday season

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations about poverty, recovery, and real-world solutions.

👇 OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT 👇
• Volunteer locally
• Donate coats, socks, and hygiene items
• Treat homeless individuals with human respect — even a smile helps

#Homelessness #AddictionRecovery #Utah #GetPhilanthropic #Humanitarian #TransformationStory #Podcast #Nonprofit #Faith #HomelessInAmerica #Hope

For two decades, William “Bishop” Bell lived in chaos — cycling through prison, addiction, and homelessness. Sleeping in cars, chasing his next fix, and losing nearly everything, Bishop hit rock bottom again and again… until he found the courage to surrender.

In this unfiltered conversation, Bishop opens up about growing up without his mother, finding his identity in gangs, and surviving six overdoses before turning his life around through The Other Side Academy. Now, he’s a barber, mentor, and advocate — helping the very people he once stood beside on the streets.

This is a story of redemption, accountability, and faith.

“At the end of the day, if you’re willing to do whatever it takes, have faith, and trust the process — nothing should get in your way.” — William “Bishop” Bell

⏱️ Key Moments
00:00 — Opening line: “If you’re willing to do whatever it takes…”
00:56 — Host intro: Welcoming Bishop to The Philanthropic Podcast
01:40 — Childhood: growing up without knowing his real mother
04:55 — Discovering the truth — and losing trust in family
06:06 — Becoming a father at 14 and catching his first charge
07:00 — Joining a gang and entering prison at 18
09:20 — The Other Side Academy: a new way to live
12:54 — Leaving, relapsing, and returning stronger
13:30 — The DUI that changed everything — “Teach me.”
14:50 — Spiritual awakening: watching The Chosen and finding God
15:16 — The power of opportunity and rebuilding life
16:59 — Life on the streets: surviving by crime and addiction
19:02 — The night Bishop almost ended his life
20:42 — Realizing the comfort of chaos — and finally letting go
21:47 — Why tough love and closed doors saved his life
23:10 — To families: stop enabling, start educating
25:30 — What real accountability looks like inside The Other Side Academy
27:07 — Learning to communicate, grow, and take criticism
29:00 — “If we survived the streets, we can survive recovery.”
31:27 — Cutting hair for the homeless — meeting people where they are
33:59 — Why most people aren’t ready to change — and how to tell
34:33 — The meaning of surrender
35:15 — Faith, family, and keeping the fire alive
38:22 — Service as healing — “If you want to be a beast, do what beasts do.”
39:39 — Bishop’s message: be bold, share your story, hold each other accountable
41:07 — Closing remarks and thanks to Five Star Legacy Foundation

The Philanthropic Podcast: Episode 2 – Matt’s Story

In this heart-opening episode, Talmage reconnects with Matt — a BYU fan he met while living on the streets of Provo — to talk about perspective, humility, and how one small act can change a life.

Matt shares what it feels like to be seen again, why judgment doesn’t help, and what kind of support truly makes a difference. This conversation reminds us that philanthropy and helping others isn’t about money — it’s about showing up.

They discuss:
◼️ What people get wrong about homelessness
◼️ Why listening matters more than assumptions
◼️ How small gestures create hope
◼️ The difference between awareness and action
◼️ Why everyone can be a philanthropist

Timestamps:
00:00 - Everyone has a story
02:10 - What people misunderstand about homelessness
05:15 - Meeting Matt in Provo, Utah
08:40 - Matt’s first reaction to being approached
11:25 - Why simple kindness makes the biggest difference
14:00 - Finding purpose through connection
17:30 - What real help looks like
20:10 - “Everyone’s a philanthropist”
22:30 - Closing thoughts and gratitude

🎥 Filmed & Edited by Brennik Eltagonde — @hybridshootz
💙 Sponsored by 5 Star Legacy Foundation

📲 Follow our other channels for more real stories and impact:
Instagram: @thephilanthropicpodcast
YouTube: @philanthropic.studios
Instagram: @philanthropic.studios
TikTok: @philanthropic.studios

Just weeks after going viral for being taken to a BYU football game, Matt joins The Philanthropic Podcast to share his full story.

In Part 1 of 2, Matt opens up about his life before homelessness — from a stable career in computer engineering to how mental illness, COVID, and loss completely changed everything. He shares what it’s like living in a storage unit, how mental health plays into homelessness, and why so many people fall through the cracks of the system.

This conversation is raw and honest — a real look at how fast life can change, what addiction and recovery actually look like, and why empathy matters now more than ever.

🎧 You’ve seen the viral video — now hear the full story.

🕒 Timestamps

0:00 — Welcome to The Philanthropic Podcast
2:01 — Matt’s early life and career in tech
3:04 — How schizophrenia and COVID changed everything
4:32 — Moving to Washington to care for someone in need
5:50 — Eviction during lockdown and the collapse that followed
7:47 — Grieving loss and mental health spiraling
9:14 — Returning to Utah and family struggles
11:21 — Living in a storage unit to survive
14:26 — Addiction, medication, and the truth about mental illness
16:03 — Why most homelessness starts with untreated mental health
20:09 — The system’s failure for single men in Utah
21:31 — What daily life as a homeless person really looks like
26:03 — Matt’s message on how to actually help

After losing everything to addiction — his family, his home, and nearly his life — David Kendall spent 10 years homeless.
Now, five years clean, he’s helping others find the same hope that saved him.

In this raw and redemptive episode of The Philanthropic Podcast, David shares his fall, his fight to rebuild, and the moments that reminded him life was still worth living.
A story of pain, faith, and second chances — and a reminder that everyone can help someone.

(0:00) – Intro: Meet David Kendall
(1:16) – Growing up in Provo, Utah
(2:15) – Early success and the secret addiction
(4:00) – Losing family and falling into homelessness
(6:18) – Ten years on the streets
(8:18) – The Christmas moment that changed everything
(10:14) – Finding faith and hope through his sons
(12:54) – Jail, relapse, and the turning point
(17:45) – The miracle of drug court
(19:55) – Rebuilding: work, recovery, and purpose
(21:00) – Reuniting with family and finding peace
(22:18) – Giving back through recovery work
(25:14) – His message to the world
(29:00) – Closing reflections: small acts that change lives