After seeing a group assembling comfort kits for unhoused women, Sarah Sherman realized the same kind of support could have helped after her own sexual assault forensic exam. In this episode, Sarah shares how that moment sparked We’re Here For You Canada, a volunteer-run charity that partners with hospitals to provide curated comfort kits to survivors of sexual violence. She explains what’s inside the kits, and why dignity, hope, and choice matter in post-assault care. Sarah also discusses hospital and community partnerships, expansion across Atlantic Canada and beyond, and how storytelling and language can reduce victim-blaming and drive systemic change.

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:44 We’re Here For You Canada’s Origin Story
• 03:56 What the Comfort Kits Include
• 06:31 Dignity In Care
• 07:47 Hospital Partnerships
• 11:06 Growing Nationwide
• 13:36 Adapting Stories and Messages for Diverse Audiences
• 15:32 Survivor Feedback
• 17:37 Care Without Reporting
• 21:02 Storytelling as a Strategy to Drive Deeper Understanding
• 22:22 Why Words Matter
• 25:26 How To Support We’re Here For You Canada
• 27:04 Final Reflections and Closing Credits

Find out more about We’re Here For You Canada

• Website: werehereforyoucanada.ca
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/werehereforyoucanada
• Instagram: instagram.com/werehereforyoucanada
• Facebook: facebook.com/werehereforyoucanada

About the Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits podcast

Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits is a podcast for nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and community-minded professionals who want to use storytelling more intentionally. Each episode features conversations about how story builds connection, strengthens fundraising, and supports long-term growth. Grounded in the realities of nonprofit work, the podcast explores practical ideas, lived experience, and real-world approaches to communication, community, and impact.

If your organization could use help turning its stories into stronger fundraising, visit collaborativecause.ca.

New episodes are released monthly. Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to be notified when they’re published. The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

Atlantic Impact is now Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits. We’re expanding beyond Atlantic Canada and speaking with organizations across the country about how they're using storytelling in their work.

In this episode, we venture to Ontario to speak with Marvin Karon, Director of Shakespearience Performing Arts, which uses interactive Shakespeare-based programs to challenge young people (and adults) and build soft skills like confidence, communication, and resilience. Throughout the conversation, he tells powerful stories of how some of his students were transformed, while weaving in practical advice for nonprofits like how Shakespearience built an inventory of over a thousand testimonials, why video is the next frontier, and the importance of making sure your storytelling is “a living, breathing thing.”

• 00:00 Season Relaunch and Guest Intro
• 01:47 Mission, Programs, and How Shakespeare Transforms Students
• 08:53 The Power of Shakespearean Language
• 09:56 The Challenge of Awareness
• 13:25 Collecting Testimonials and Video Proof
• 16:38 How Shakespearience Gathered 1,000 Testimonials
• 19:12 Consent and Media Release Basics
• 20:09 Student Story: From Inferiority to Empowerment
• 24:04 Storytelling Advice for Other Nonprofits
• 25:32 How Listeners Can Help and Why It Matters
• 31:08 Final Reflections and Closing Credits

Find out more about Shakespearience Performing Arts

• Website: shakespearience.ca
• Facebook: facebook.com/ShakespeariencePerformingArts
• YouTube: youtube.com/@shakespearienceperforminga5667
• “Sizzle Reel”: youtu.be/JS3O5bZhby0?si=_R9FaFFYsYEYf0il

About the Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits podcast

Raising Impact: Storytelling for Nonprofits, is a podcast where we explore how storytelling helps nonprofits strengthen fundraising and move their missions forward. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

If your organization could use help turning its stories into stronger fundraising, visit collaborativecause.ca.

New episodes are released monthly. Follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to be notified when they’re published. The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.

Can small in-person storytelling circles drive big change in the nonprofit world? After her own experience with burnout, Jennifer DeCoste founded FireLoch as a place where her fellow burnt out peers in the nonprofit sector could rest and reconnect with their work. In this episode, Jennifer shares how untold stories catalyzed the creation of FireLoch, what kinds of storytelling feel most authentic to her, and why she’s prioritizing intimacy over scale.

• 00:30 Jennifer DeCoste's Journey and FireLoch's Mission
• 05:27 The Power of Speaking Up
• 06:53 Jennifer’s Burnout and Recovery Journey
• 10:18 FireLoch’s Funding Model - Who Supports Helping the Helpers
• 14:33 Adapting the Narrative for Government Grant Programs vs Philanthropists
• 16:01 Collecting Outcome Stories in an Authentic Trust-Forward Way
• 19:23 Collaboration and Partnership in Atlantic Canada
• 21:15 Small Group In-Person Storytelling: Prioritizing People Over Promotion
• 27:22 Evolving Language of Burnout, Wellness, and Success

Find out more about FireLoch

• Website: fireloch.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/fireloch
• Instagram: instagram.com/fireloch
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/fireloch

About the Atlantic IMPACT podcast

Atlantic IMPACT is a podcast that helps nonprofits across Atlantic Canada use storytelling to drive fundraising and awareness. Each episode features conversations with people working in community, sharing how story supports connection, impact, and long-term growth. Whether you're part of a nonprofit or simply care about your community, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and engage.

 Is your organization ready to tell its story? Take the free Storytelling Readiness Quiz at collaborativecause.ca/stories.

The podcast is hosted by Tanya Wall and Michelle Samson, and is produced by Storied Places Media.