The Well Endowed Podcast

For 25 years, the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Awards (BBMA) have helped Métis Albertans pursue post-secondary education and build new possibilities for themselves, their families and their communities. But what happens when that investment continues from one generation to the next? In this episode, Andrew Paul speaks with Theresa Majeran, who has worked with the BBMAs for more than two decades and has supported hundreds of students as they begin their post-secondary journeys. Theresa shares what she has witnessed over the years, from students finding new connections to Métis community and culture to former recipients returning as mentors, leaders and contributors. Andrew and Theresa also explore the vision of BBMA founders Orval Belcourt, Dr. Herb Belcourt and Georges Brosseau, KC, the role of the BBMA endowment at Edmonton Community Foundation, and what it means to create a permanent source of opportunity for future generations. As the BBMAs celebrate their 25th anniversary, this conversation offers a look at the legacy the founders created — and the possibilities still ahead. Show Notes: Our guest was Theresa Majeran Read the accompanying article “More than an Award” by Cailynn Klingbeil, which appeared in the Fall issue of the Thrive magazine, produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. Explore the magazine Get tickets to The Belcourt Brosseau Métis Award’s 25th Anniversary: Creating Possibilities Support the Belcourt Brosseau Métis Awards Fund at ECF Sign up for updates on all things ECF   ECF happenings Explore all student award deadlines here Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Want to explore different ways of giving? Check out amazing endowments by our donors for inspiration. The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 214: Intergenerational Success appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

What happens when the odds of survival depend on something as simple — and as complex — as who’s in the system? In this episode of The Well Endowed Podcast, we explore the story of Ezra Marfo — and how one family’s search for a stem cell match has grown into a national movement to increase diversity in donor registries. Jacob Marfo, Ezra’s father and founder of the Ezra Marfo Cancer Foundation, shares the journey of navigating his son’s leukemia diagnosis, the urgent search for a donor, and the reality that for many patients, a match may never come. We also hear from filmmaker Sandro Silva, whose documentary The Perfect Match brings this story to life and is helping raise awareness about the need for more diverse donors. Together, their work is creating change to encourage more people to register, break down barriers, and build a future where more lives can be saved. Show Notes: Our guests today were Jacob Marfo, founder of the Ezra Marfo Cancer Foundation, and filmmaker Sandro Silva, in conversation with Renato Pagnani from Odvod Media. Learn more about blood and stem cell donation Watch The Perfect Match, premiering at Northwest Fest on April 11 Learn more about the Ezra Marfo Cancer Foundation ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Hilltop Awards & Bursaries Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 204: Improving the Odds appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

What does it mean to carry a refugee story across generations, and how do we keep those memories alive? In this special Lunar New Year episode of The Well Endowed Podcast, guest hosts Jessica Truong and Linda Hoang, co-founders of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau (“We Are Together”), lead a heartfelt conversation about identity, belonging, and the Vietnamese Canadian experience in Edmonton. Marking the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon in 2025, this episode reflects on the journeys of Vietnamese boat people and their descendants who rebuilt their lives in Edmonton. Linh Vu shares her memories of escaping Vietnam by boat at six years old and being rescued at sea. David Nguyen speaks about interviewing his parents and uncle to document their family’s refugee story for the next generation. Together, they explore cultural traditions, intergenerational expectations, gratitude, and the importance of preserving family history before it’s too late. Show Notes: Our guest hosts today were Jessica Truong and Linda Hoang, co-founders of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau. Learn more about their work and upcoming gatherings Our guests were: Linh Vu, owner of Mai Mai Vietnamese Street Kitchen, who shared her family’s journey to freedom as a Vietnamese boat refugee. David Nguyen, co-founder of Agnt, who shared reflections from documenting his family’s story. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarships Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! CreditsPhoto credit: David Thao Nguyen At ECF, building meaningful relationships with communities across Edmonton is central to our work. Our connection with the Vietnamese community is one we’re proud of. Through our grants, we’ve supported local organizations, including the Edmonton Viets Association, and have had the privilege of joining the community at a Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau event in November and at the Tết New Year celebrations on February 7. These connections help us better understand the hopes and aspirations of diverse communities so we can support what matters most to them. If you’re part of a community you’d like us to connect with, or want to explore how ECF can support your work, please reach out to Sherilyn Trompetter, our Manager of Equity Advancement. We’d love to hear from you. The post EPISODE 202 – Where We Came From (and where we go from here) appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

What happens when survivors of intimate partner violence can access coordinated, trauma-informed support at the moment they need it most? The Integrated Domestic Violence Response Team (IDVRT) is a pilot initiative in Edmonton designed to close critical gaps in how high-risk domestic violence cases are supported. By bringing frontline partners together into a single, integrated response, the IDVRT helps survivors navigate the justice system, access mental health supports, and connect with community resources without having to retell their story at every step. In this episode, Renato Pagnani from Odvod Media speaks with Ashley Lim of YWCA Edmonton, Kayla Hendra of enCompass Community Safety Agency, and Jeffery Kaun from the Edmonton Police Service. Together, they discuss how collaboration, trust, and real-time information sharing are reshaping outcomes for survivors — and what a future Family Justice Centre could mean for Edmonton. Show Notes: Our guests today were Ashley Lim (YWCA Edmonton), Kayla Hendra (enCompass Community Safety Agency), and EPS Staff Sergeant Jeffery Kaun. Read Renato Pagnani’s companion story in the Winter 2025 edition of Thrive Magazine. ECF Happenings: Apply to join our Free to Play Committee Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Youth Grants Upcoming Student Awards: Ranald & Vera Shean Memorial Scholarships Winspear Fund Scholarships for Advanced Classical Music Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Renato Pagnani’s interview with Ashley Lim, Kayla Hendra and Staff Sergeant Jeffery Kaun was produced by Odvod Media. The post EPISODE 200 – Tearing Down Barriers appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

What happens when the audience steps into the story? Theatre is often something we watch from a seat. But for Edmonton playwright Louise Casemore, it can also be something we experience from the inside. Her immersive theatre project, Other Duties as Required, explores the modern workplace and the job interview process through audience participation. Instead of observing from a distance, audiences enter an imagined office setting and experience the hiring process as it unfolds. The project is being developed through the Write Here Immersive Theatre Creation Program, run by Thou Art Here Theatre and supported by a Community Grant from ECF. Selected from 25 applicants, Casemore will spend the next two years refining the project, working with the theatre company, actors, and a dramaturge to bring the concept to life. In this episode, Justin Bell from Odvod Media sits down with Andrew Ritchie, Artistic Director of Thou Art Here Theatre, and playwright Louise Casemore to talk about immersive theatre, Edmonton storytelling, and what it takes to move a project from idea to live performance. Show Notes: Our guests today were Andrew Ritchie, Artistic Director of Thou Art Here Theatre, and Louise Casemore, playwright and creator of Other Duties as Required. Read Justin Bell’s companion story in the Winter 2025 edition of Thrive Magazine. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: The deadline for Youth Grants has been extended to October 31st! Upcoming Student Awards: Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Justin Bell’s interview with Andrew Ritchie and Louise Casemore was produced by Odvod Media. The Well-Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 198 – Immerse Yourself appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

How can a student group create lasting impact in their community? Members of Delta Upsilon at the University of Alberta are taking a new approach to fraternity life by centering service, transparency, and community involvement. Their chapter has launched the Building Better Futures Fund, an endowment through Edmonton Community Foundation that will support Edmonton’s Food Bank for years to come. In this episode, Samuel Stratton and Tyler Chiponski share how they got involved with Delta Upsilon, why giving back has become a core part of their chapter culture, and how a simple fundraising idea grew into a long term commitment to their community. Show Notes: Our guests today were Samuel Stratton and Tyler Chiponski, members of Delta Upsilon. Read Tom Ndekezi’s companion article, “In Perpetuity” in Thrive Magazine. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: The deadline for Youth Grants has been extended to October 31st! Upcoming Student Awards: Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Tom Ndekezi’s interview with Samuel Stratton and Tyler Chiponski was produced by Odvod Media. The Well Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 196 – In Perpetuity appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

How do you find hope after loss? When Carisa and Neville Britton lost their daughter Jessica, their world was forever changed. Through their grief, they found strength in each other — and a way to honour Jessica’s life by giving back to their community. With support from Edmonton Community Foundation, the Brittons established the Jessica Carisa Britton Fund — an endowment that will provide comfort, support, and opportunity for families and children for generations to come. In this episode, Lisa Ostrowski from Odvod Media sits down with Carisa and Neville to share their story — a story about love, resilience, and how the act of giving can help transform loss into legacy. Show Notes Our guests today were Carisa and Neville Britton, founders of the Jessica Carisa Britton Fund. Read Lisa Ostrowski’s companion article, “Transforming Grief: Turning Loss into a Legacy of Hope,” in the latest issue of Thrive Magazine. ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: The deadline for Youth Grants has been extended to October 31st! Upcoming Student Awards: Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Lisa Ostrowski’s interview with Carisa and Neville Britton was produced by Odvod Media. The Well Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 194 – Transforming Grief appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.

What if divorce didn’t have to be a battle? For many families, separation is one of the hardest experiences they’ll face. The traditional legal process can often add more stress than support, setting people up as adversaries. That’s why Edmonton lawyer Melissa Bourgeois founded One Family Law. After practicing in the traditional way for more than a decade, Melissa discovered a cooperative model in the UK that allows separating couples to work with a single neutral lawyer. With support from Edmonton Community Foundation’s Social Enterprise Fund, she became the first lawyer in Canada to be granted special permission to practice this way. In this episode, Caitlin Hart from Odvod Media sits down with Melissa to learn how One Family Law is helping families navigate separation with clarity, dignity, and kindness. Show Notes Our guest today was Melissa Bourgeois, founder of One Family Law. Learn more about One Family Law. Read Caitlin Hart’s companion article in the latest issue of Thrive Magazine. Learn more about Wills Week (October 6–10, 2025). ECF Happenings: Find out how to create an Endowment Fund of your own. Read the latest issue of Thrive. Read the latest on our blog. Check out some of the amazing funds our donors have created. ECF Youth Grants: Click here to learn more about our youth grants! Upcoming Student Awards: Click here to find details for all of our student awards! Caitlin Hart’s interview with Melissa Bourgeois was produced by Odvod Media. The Well Endowed Podcast is produced by Edmonton Community Foundation. The post EPISODE 192 – You’re Still One Family appeared first on Edmonton Community Foundation.