The NonProfit Podcast Network
The NonProfit Podcast network is a compilation of not for profit businesses, organizations and community entities that are invited to be interviewed on the podcast pro-bono, use the network to find like organizations doing great work in their communities and source a one-stop listening shop of exclusively non profit organizations. This outlet is meant to give each featured non profit an opportunity to tell their story in their words, giving listeners a better and more complete understanding of the mission, vision and values as well as clearly delineating who they serve and how they're funded. Our intent is for this network to become a useful tool in helping any non profit organization begin the journey to successfully telling their story though podcasting then using that podcast as a marketing tool to reinforce their current supporters, reach new potential donors and volunteers through an easily deployed podcast. Growing reach for awareness with the speed of digital, this is just one more opportunity to get their story told to more people faster. By doing so, we expect this process to further embed the organizations in their communities of service as a result of the simplicity of distribution, the nature of the content and the ease of access to learn more about them.
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The NonProfit Podcast Network
Escaping Exploitation: Connect2Change's Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship.
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January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and this conversation lands right where awareness must lead: action, support, and long-term pathways to stability.
In this episode, I speak with Emily Sanders, founder of Connect2Change—and a survivor herself—whose work is redefining what happens after someone escapes exploitation. Emily’s organization began with crisis support, but it has evolved into something rare and powerful: an empowerment-through-entrepreneurship model designed to help survivor-leaders build sustainable independence.
Emily recently won Sacramento Venture Philanthropy’s Fast Pitch 2025—a major community vote of confidence in a young organization with an innovative approach. We talk about what that moment meant, why mentorship and ecosystem partnerships matter, and how entrepreneurship can interrupt cycles of dependency by rebuilding confidence, capability, and financial stability—one micro-enterprise at a time.
This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, and what it really takes to build “what comes next.”
In this episode, we cover:
- Why Human Trafficking Awareness Month must include survivor-led solutions
- How Connect2Change evolved from crisis intervention to entrepreneurship
- The difference between “services” and sustainable empowerment
- Why strengths-based coaching and mindset work are central—not optional
- The 5-week cohort structure (AI training, assessments, business basics, money, ecosystem tours)
- The role of mentorship and community partnerships in long-term success
- What Emily would build if funding weren’t a limitation—and what she needs most right now
Learn more / Get involved
- Connect2Change: https://www.connect2change.org/
- Contact Emily: emily@connect2change.org
CHAPTER SUMMARIES
00:00 – Human Trafficking Awareness Month & Why “After” Matters
Why awareness must extend beyond rescue—and why long-term pathways to independence matter for survivors.
04:30 – Fast Pitch Victory & Community Validation
Emily reflects on winning SVP Fast Pitch, what it meant for a young organization, and how belief from others fuels momentum.
11:45 – From Survivor to Founder
Emily shares her personal story of survival and the moment she realized her own journey could become a roadmap for others.
17:30 – Rethinking Support: From Crisis Care to Empowerment
How Connect2Change evolved from emergency services into an entrepreneurship-based empowerment model.
26:00 – Inside the Program: Building Confidence, Skills, and Stability
A practical look at the cohort structure—mindset work, strengths assessments, financial healing, business basics, mentorship, and ecosystem connection.
41:30 – What Comes Next: Funding, Partnerships, and the Call to Action
Emily outlines what the org
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