No matter where you live, the price of buying a home is out of reach for growing numbers of people. Young adults and people living on low and unstable incomes in particular find that they’re priced out of the market. The high price of home owne

Small Change Story: Michael Laverdure

Jan 3rd, 2022 34m 27s

Michael Laverdure is from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. He’s a partner with the local architectural firm DSGW and the founder of the First American Design Studio. We met with at his office in Lake Elmo, Minnesota–a small town some 14 mi

Small Change Story: Arielle Grant

Dec 20th, 2021 34m 2s

Arielle Grant is the founder and executive director of Render Free. The company is a work space and wellness club for self-identified black and brown women. Render Free disrupts racial trauma by promoting self care and healing through events an

Small Change Story - Predatory Lending

Nov 29th, 2021 24m 9s

Joyce James is the founder of the Middleburg Institute in Saint Gabriel, Louisiana. The Institute’s mission is to raise the economic, educational and social level of families in low to moderate income communities. We met Joyce while researching

Small Change Story: Invisible Disabilities

Nov 9th, 2021 30m 37s

Katye Barton, age 47, describes herself as a high-functioning autistic adult with mild cerebral palsy. Katye is focused on improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, with a special emphasis on advocating for better mental hea

Caregiving In Texas - Susie

Oct 25th, 2021 31m 40s

Susie Rivera lives in a mobile home with her wife in New Braunfels, Texas, which lies between San Antonio and Austin. She has been a professional caregiver since 1986. She now earns $15 an hour and puts in 72 hours a week. Rivera works through

Small Change Story - Spurs Bar and Grill

Oct 11th, 2021 35m 5s

Small Change Story - Spurs Bar and Grill: Esperanza Lopez and Stephanie Lopez—mother and daughter—are the founders of Spurs Bar & Grill in Willmar, an agriculture-dominated city in West Central Minnesota. We met with them at their restaurant ho

Small Change Story – Harvest Nation

Sep 27th, 2021 24m 6s

Denise Pieratos, along with her sister Tracey and her two daughters Dani and Nikki are creating Harvest Nation, an innovative company with ambitions to transform agriculture in Minnesota. Members of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, we met with

Money & Lending Circles

Nov 30th, 2020 21m 43s

Systemic racism and stereotypes about lower income individuals denies them access to mainstream financial institutions. Yet they need money to buy a home, start a business and live. A time-honored way to provide loans is with lending circles. A

Money & Dignity

Nov 16th, 2020 17m 4s

Too much financial commentary assumes people earning low wages aren’t smart with money. Wrong, deeply wrong. Necessity forces many to be savvy money managers. There are also societal, financial and government institutions that have erected barr

Money & Tradition

Nov 9th, 2020 16m 2s

In every conversation we asked, “What did you learn from your parents about money?” Everyone’s initial response? Nothing. Yet as our conversation continued, something wonderful happened. Each person started sharing stories about what they learn

Money Needs & Wants

Oct 26th, 2020 16m 21s

A classic personal finance question: Is that a want or a need? The framing of the question suggests needs are necessities and wants are luxuries. Yet no one we interviewed for the podcast talked about luxuries. They said they wanted opportuniti

Money & Personal Assets

Oct 19th, 2020 21m 32s

Personal assets include your talents and the skills of people you trust. Making use of personal assets is a creative way to solve many money problems.For resource links visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/10/19/money-personal-

Money and Disability

Oct 12th, 2020 18m 53s

People with disabilities must navigate a complex system of government benefits and support. Many work, although many more would like to be employed. The disabled also confront limitations created by misperceptions about what people living with

Money and COVID-19

Oct 5th, 2020 21m 44s

The pandemic has affected everyone. But some individuals and families have been hit much harder than others, especially minorities and low-wage workers. Everyone we interviewed for the podcast had a story about how the pandemic impacted them.Fo

Money and Entrepreneurship

Sep 25th, 2020 24m 52s

Many people with low and unstable incomes start a business. Their entrepreneurial drive is rooted in community and the need to put food on the table.Of course, you need money to start a business. Money is a tool--a powerful tool. But money is f

Introducing small change: Money Stories from the Neighborhood

Sep 23rd, 2020 15s

small change: Money Stories from the Neighborhood is a podcast and learning platform highlighting smart, practical and collaborative money skills developed by people living with lower and unstable incomes. Hosts Chris Farrell and Twila Dang tal