If you still have some gifts to pick up for the holidays and you want to support local small businesses, the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce says it's got you covered! The Chamber's new gift guide is out for the 2024 holiday season, highlighting LGBTQIA+ owned businesses all over the Commonwealth. From snacks to sweaters and beyond, Executive Director Alexandria Eberhardt says shoppers can get all kinds of ideas. She's on the show this week with Nichole to talk about the guide.

Some new data from the Boston Public Health Commission's "Health of Boston Mental Health Report" shows a concerning trend with young people in the city: more than 40% of Boston Public Schools students say they experience persistent sadness or hopelessness. That number is higher in students from marginalized communities, such as young women, those who identify as LGBTQ, or those who are Black or Latino. In response, the City of Boston has launched a new program called "Heads Up Boston", where trusted adults help young people become more comfortable with opening up to their peers about what can be a very difficult subject. Samara Grossman, Director of the Boston Public Health Commission's Center for Behavioral health and Wellness, talks with Nichole about the program and its impact.

Here in New England, we haven't had a really bad cold snap yet this winter, but if we did, our power grid would be ready to handle it. That's the word from ISO New England, our regional power grid operator, which says it has more than enough juice to keep our lights and heaters going throughout the coldest winter months. Spokesman Randy Burlingame joins Nichole this week to talk about all the work going on behind the scenes to shore up the grid, forecast our demand, and keep the juice flowing.

With so many families already struggling to cover monthly expenses, it can be even more complicated to try and stretch the paycheck to ensure kids get some special presents for the holidays. Action Boston Community Development, a non-profit helping people in the Greater Boston area connect to resources to get them out of poverty, says it's received thousands of requests for help with toys, but they have been struggling to meet demand. They are also collecting donations for their Winter Fund to keep families warm with winter clothing, heating assistance, and home winterization. President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler talks with Nichole about their efforts and shares important information about how you can help, or access assistance if necessary.

While we often feel the urge during the holiday season to donate more to charity than we usually would, food insecurity doesn’t care what time of the year it is. It’s a major issue here in Massachusetts, and food banks around the Commonwealth are really feeling the stretch. Thousands of families in Western Massachusetts alone are struggling to put healthy food on the table each and every day, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Chicopee is a crucial part of the pipeline to make sure as many people as possible get access to nutritious meals. Executive Director Andrew Morehouse talks with Nichole about their efforts and shares details about how you can help them keep going.

For generations, audiences around the world have cherished “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens on the stage and screen. It’s a staple of holiday celebrations, and over at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, they’ve taken the classic story of the miserly, curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge and re-imagined it with a modern twist while preserving its core message of hope and redemption. Associate Director Annie Kerins joins the show to share details about this year’s performances, which run from December 15-22, 2024.

Boston is beautiful this time of year, celebrating the holidays with decorations and lights adorning our generations-old historic homes and businesses. Visitors and residents alike have a chance over the coming weeks to see the city’s historic sights through the lens of the past, and learn how holiday traditions here have evolved through the centuries. Jeremiah Poope, a tour guide with the Freedom Trail Foundation in Boston, chats with Nichole about their Historic Holiday Strolls that are running until the end of the year, and shares some fun facts you may not have known about our city’s past!

November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, and here in Massachusetts, thousands of young people find themselves struggling to find a safe space to lay their head each night, something that's becoming even more difficult as we make our way into the winter months. Bridge Over Troubled Waters in Boston is a non-profit working with young people experiencing homelessness in Greater Boston to ensure they have a safer, brighter future ahead. President and CEO Elisabeth Jackson returns to the show to talk with Nichole about the factors fueling this trend, and how you can help them assist these young people as they turn their lives around.

Most people have a cell phone and digital presence these days, and it's hard to avoid using banking, communication, and travel online platforms. For survivors of domestic violence, these phones and digital connections can also serve as critical lifelines, but they are often compromised and manipulated by abusers who are trying to force them to stay in dangerous relationships. A first-in-the-nation program in Rhode Island hopes to educate and promote digital safety for survivors. Nichole speaks with AT&T's Atlantic States President, John R. Emra, Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center VP Gina Scordino, and Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association Executive Director Sid Wordell about their efforts to keep people safe online.