Send us a text

In this bonus to our conversation with Maria Paparella, Maria shares a personal story of one of the young adults she deeply connected with through her organization Chair-ity. This young adult faced several challenges as she aged out of the foster care system and started life on her own. But with her perseverance, strength, intelligence, and support from Maria, she has become one of the many Chair-ity success stories. This organization truly makes a difference, one person at a time.

Follow us:
https://www.facebook.com/ecospeakscle
https://www.instagram.com/ecospeakscle

Contact us:
hello@ecospeakscle.com

Send us a text

"Adulting' is hard, but it's exponentially harder if you are 18 years old and aging out of foster care, alone and without a support system. Here in Cleveland, there's an organization helping to ease the transition by providing donated furniture and household goods to young people who have graduated from foster care and moved into a place of their own. That organization is called Chair-ity, and in this episode, we speak with its founder and executive director, Maria Paparella. Chair-ity is a non-profit based in Cleveland that works to address the unmet needs of young adults aging out of the foster care system. Maria was inspired to start Chair-ity when she was just 16 years old. Ten years later, her organization has been a much-needed friend to 662 young adults by providing essential household goods and furniture and making their first place into a home. Join us to hear Maria's story and how she is creating a community of support for young adults exiting the foster care system. Hear the many ways you can help by donating your time, talent, and treasure. The benefits go both ways. One of Maria's favorite quotes is from Ruth Bader Ginsberg: "Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." Maria is living this quote, and she hopes you will join her.

Guest:
Maria Paparella, Executive Director of Chair-ity

Resources:
Follow Chair-ity on Instagram
About Chair-ity
How to Donate
Chair-ity Success Stories
Connect with Chair-ity
Upcoming Events
Community of Hope (mentor opportunities)
Cleveland Angels (mentor opportunities)

Follow us:
https://www.facebook.com/ecospeakscle
https://www.instagram.com/ecospeakscle

Contact us:
hello@ecospeakscle.com

Send us a text

Meet our fellow Cleveland podcaster, Maci Nelson. Maci is a landscape architect, the creator of The Land+Scape Nerd podcast, and a project manager for LAND Studio, a non-profit that connects communities through art and public spaces. In this episode, Maci shares what it's like to design for urban outdoor spaces and the importance of relying on residents' voices to drive the creation of vibrant, inclusive outdoor environments. Through her work at LAND Studio, Maci shares how public art and other enhancements create community-centric environments that reflect who we are as Clevelanders and how nature-based solutions help mitigate climate impacts in our inner cities. Also, hear Maci speak about her podcast, The Land+Scape Nerd, where she shares stories about people and landscapes and provides resources for anyone interested in the outdoor world. In our Tip Time, Maci gives her favorite native plant recommendations to help transform your outdoor space.

Guest:
Maci Nelson, Project Manager at LAND Studio and creator of The Land+Scape Nerd podcast

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Maci's podcast - The Land+Scape Nerd
Follow Maci on Instagram@thelandscapenerd
LAND Studio projects - Small Giants sculptures at Wendy Park and The City is Our Museum
Cleveland Seed Bank workshops
Wild Ones Greater Cleveland
The Pollinator Partnership

Follow us:
https://www.facebook.com/ecospeakscle
https://www.instagram.com/ecospeakscle

Contact us:
hello@ecospeakscle.com