Rescuers radio show

Haircuts, hope & connection – Darryl Brandt

Darryl Brandt is no stranger to hardship. In the span of a single, devastating month, he lost his father, his family, his business … and his sense of peace. Known as The Dreaded Barber—a nod to both his hairstyle and his craft—Darryl faced deep depression in the aftermath. When he began to find his footing again, he made a deliberate choice: to turn his pain into purpose. As he puts it, “We all do things to put a roof over our heads; but we also need to do something that helps us sleep at night.” A master barber, he knew he wanted to offer free haircuts to the marginalized, but he was determined to do more than that. Darryl trained to be a Certified Peer Support Specialist, drawing directly from his own experience with depression to be able to help others. He also became a Narcan educator and an ACEs trainer, equipping himself to offer a confidential, non-judgmental, trauma-informed space. Each day, he asks himself, “What can I do in the 25 minutes someone is in my chair that can change their life?” From that space, he opens conversations about mental health, suicide prevention, and the opioid epidemic. He helps people connect to mental health support and care for challenges ranging from depression and suicide prevention to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and substance use. Today, Darryl operates a mobile barber shop out of a repurposed city bus, finding new ways to serve those who need it most—starting with the scissors in his hand, and the words, “What can I do to make life easier for you?” He's already given 1,000 free haircuts in 2025. In the comfort of the barber chair, people share, and lives are touched. As Darryl says, “if all you see is a free haircut, you’re missing the point.” Click here to learn more about The Dreaded Barber: https://thedreadedbarber.org/ Original air date: December 18, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesus and justice – Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr.

More than 20 years ago, he was honored as a “Living Legend.” In the following 23 years, Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr. has continued to change this world for the better. Congenial and warm as always, Pastor Stewart looks back at his time in ministry, as a respected civic rights leader, proponent of immigration reform, social justice, equality, and at his 48 years serving as pastor at the historic First Institutional Baptist Church. More recently, he’s embracing his role as grandpa. Pastor Stewart’s name is synonymous with the six-year battle to pass the Martin Luther King holiday in Arizona. He has a reputation for dealing with conflict with honor – but he’s not above challenging the status quo. He has impacted lives, and he has impacted history. His philosophy is to see the Christ in every person he meets. Pastor Stewart continues working to fulfill the last line of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance: liberty and justice for all. Click here to learn more about Pastor Stewart and First Institutional Baptist, click here: https://www.fibcaz.org/pastor-emeritus Original air date: December 11, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Delivering dreams for kids – Aimee Runyon

When she took the reins of the Assistance League of Phoenix in 2012, Aimee Runyon was the first executive director in the history of the organization that had served the community – totally run by volunteers – since 1960. She was recruited by another organization briefly but returned to the Assistance League in time to escort the nonprofit into another new era as they disaffiliated from the national Assistance League and became the all-local Delivering Dreams of Arizona. One of the milestones where she has left her greatest footprint during that time is through starting three Delivering Dreams buses – vehicles retrofitted to be mobile clothing stores, including dressing rooms. These travel to schools around the Valley to help students each choose an entire wardrobe worth $300. Delivering Dreams helps children in many other ways, including: Wee Help program – providing basic items such as diapers, wipes, infant clothing, and blankets to new mothers being helped by partner nonprofits. Books Gifts program – providing books to low-income children in kindergarten through eighth grades, and to social service agencies who in turn put those books in the hands of needy kids. They distribute more than 25,000 books per year. HUGS Program – partnering with first responders by donating cuddly teddy bears for children experiencing crisis. The Thrift Boutique – a resale store that carries gently-used clothing, furniture. She leads a mammoth army of dedicated volunteers, working together to improve the lives of children through fulfilling basic needs, fostering self-esteem, and enhancing their quality of life. Click here to learn more about Delivering Dreams of Arizona: https://deliveringdreamsaz.org/ Original air date: December 4, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Healing bodies, minds, & souls – Jacque Salomon

Jacque Salomon was lost. Her 11-year-old son had just died following a severe allergic reaction to a prescribed pharmaceutical. She and her other children were reeling, fighting their own health issues. But she found an answer. Through a whole plant foods lifestyle, meditation, yoga, and psycho-spiritual remediation, she and her boys rediscovered health, and in the process, rediscovered themselves. Today, Jacque is a trauma-informed health and wellness coach with a focus on plant powered nutrition and stress management. She adopted a whole plant-based lifestyle, which resulted in her losing 164 pounds and reversing her Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. She now dedicates her life to helping others do the same, and educating people through her nonprofit Seeds to Inspire. As an indigenous woman from the island of Boriken (Puerto Rico) born and raised in New York City, Jacque’s heart is to support underrepresented, underserved, under-financed, and marginalized communities in the Phoenix metro area and surrounding reservations. She addresses health inequity and disparity through the lens of cultural colonization and plant-based health. Through Seeds to Inspire, she leads programs rooted in community wellness through food for health, health & wellness coaching, teaching kitchens, and healing gardens, advancing health and well-being for all. Click here to learn more about Seeds to Inspire: https://www.seedstoinspire.org/ Original air date: November 20, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheltering homeless families - Ted Taylor

Ted Taylor is a small-town kid. He grew up in Globe, AZ, raising animals in 4-H and passionate about the debate team. As an adult he’s worn many hats, working in the cotton business, for an aerospace company, a law firm, construction business, and in healthcare technology. But 15 years ago, he found his true calling – as CEO of Family Promise-Greater Phoenix, a shelter for unhoused families. Family Promise has five locations in the metropolitan area. They vow to help families move toward independent housing and self-sufficiency. They also promise to keep children, parents — and even their pets — together while providing meals, clothing, childcare assistance, computer access, bus passes, housing, education, and financial assistance. More than 7,500 volunteers from 34 area faith congregations shelter families in their worship facilities each night. They provide family-style meals, activities, and private bedrooms for each family. Families may then progress to shared housing, and ultimately permanent housing. Even then, Family Promise continues working with them for up to 24 months, providing case management, emergency assistance, employment, parenting, and financial coaching. This success is repeated at Family Promise locations throughout the country and together, 63,000 families were helped last year. Join us and learn more about the array of services that Family Promise provides to those in need. Click here to learn more about Family Promise of Greater Phoenix: https://familypromiseaz.org/ Original air date: November 13, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.