Episode 140: Kindness Is Elevating Access—Ensuring folks have access to life-saving healthcare, even if it comes at self-risk.

Published on October 29, 2025 by anitharobinsonLeave a comment

Kindness Is Elevating Access—Ensuring folks have access to life-saving healthcare, even if it comes at self-risk.

Launched in 2022, Elevated Access is a non-profit that provides pilots and planes at no cost to those seeking access to life-saving healthcare.

Kira from Elevated Access joins Anitha to talk about the devastating healthcare bans in many States throughout the USA which affects those seeking gender affirming and abortion care. Elevated Access was created with the sole purpose of helping folks receive the healthcare they need.

Elevate Access saves lives! But providing this service comes at a risk for those who want to help, yet folks like Kira do it anyway.

Kira and Anitha then pivot their conversation to the many cats and dogs in Kira’s life. It should come as no surprise that someone as kind as Kira, extends this kindness to all beings. She has fostered over 130 cats and dogs, and currently has many fur-babies of her own.

An episode overflowing with kindness and compassion for others.

To learn more about Elevated Access, check out the following links:

Website- Elevated Access

Instagram – Elevated Access

As a thank you to Kira for sharing his story, Anitha donated to Elevated Access.

You can hear the full episode here:

Episode 137:Kindness Is Coffees For Gaza—How donating the cost of a coffee can make a positive impact.

Published on October 8, 2025 by anitharobinsonLeave a comment

Dr. Inda Ahmad Zahri is a surgeon, a story creator, and one of the founders of Coffees For Gaza, a grassroots initiative to help families in Gaza.

Since Anitha is a children’s author, the two begin the conversation talking about books and how Dr. Zahri combines what seems like polar opposites—the science of medicine and the art of writing.

The conversation then moves to Palestine and how the genocide spurred the creation of Coffees For Gaza. Dr. Zahri shares the reason for the name and the initiative itself. Dr. Zahri also shares stories of some of the 25 families who have been helped with the funds raised through Coffees for Gaza.

The situation in Palestine is horrific but Dr. Zahri believes there is still hope that together we can and will demand for this genocide to end.

To learn more about Dr. Zahri and Coffees For Gaza, check out these links:

Inda Binda on Instagram

Inda’s Website

Coffees For Gaza on Instagram #peacetober2025 coming up!

Donate to Coffees For Gaza here

Links to other things Dr. Zahri mentioned:

Story Sunbirds Summit

The Tide Pool

Preorder Tabkha

As a thank you to Dr. Zahri fro sharing her story, Anitha donated to The Ghassan Abu Sittah Children’s Fund. This fund is dedicated to providing medical attention to the children of Gaza. To learn more about this fund, click here:

Children’s Fund

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 136:Kindness Is Helping Primates Together—How a group of sanctuaries work together to help primates.

Published on October 1, 2025 by anitharobinsonLeave a comment

Amanda (Andy) Gray joins Anitha to talk about NAPSA (North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance) an incredible organization dedicated to uniting the primate sanctuary community.

Of course, Andy and Anitha talk about the wonderful work NAPSA sanctuaries are doing to provide enrichment and professional lifetime care to primates. But they also talk about the reasons primates, who are not native to North America, end up in sanctuaries in this part of the world. From bio-medical research to entertainment to the exotic pet trade, all of these industries use and cause primates immense harm and suffering.

Fortunately, sanctuaries such as those who are part of NAPSA work tirelessly to end the exploitation of primates.

A compelling conversation about caring for our closest relatives and how we can all advocate on their behalf.

To learn more about NAPSA, their member sanctuaries and how you can support their work, check out the following links:

NAPSA’s website

NAPSA on Facebook

NAPSA on Instagram

As a thank you to Andy for sharing her story, Anitha donated to GIVING DAY FOR APES. In its 12th year, Giving Day for Apes is a worldwide event bringing together thousands of donors to rescue and protect apes across Africa, Asia, and North America. The live event takes place on Tuesday, October 7th, but you don’t have to wait – Early Giving is open now!

To learn more about GIVING DAY FOR APES, click here:

Giving Day For Apes

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 132: Kindness Is Being Annick Press—How a Canadian publisher is standing up for diversity & representation in their books, their authors, and their publishing team.

Published on September 3, 2025September 3, 2025 by anitharobinsonLeave a comment

Rick Wilks, the co-founder of Annick Press joins Anitha to talk about publishing children’s books. He shares his journey, memories and even his list of favourite books.

The two also talk about book banning—what it is, the harm it causes creators, publishers and children. Rick talks about how important it is for books to showcase all voices, especially those that have been underrepresented in the past, (LGBTQ+, black, indigenous, and people of colour).

Annick press is determined to advocate for books from underrepresented communities. One way is through their Mentorship Program, launched in 2021. This yearly program supports works in progress of emerging, underrepresented writers whose access to children’s publishing may have been limited. The application window is for the month of September 2025! Check out Annick’s website for all the details.

Of course, Anitha asked Rick what he is looking for in submissions—always a key question for writers. Here is link to their submission guidelines: Submission Guideline

A great conversation about books, diversity and how important it is for folks in positions of power and privilege to use their position to help others.

To learn more about Annick Press as they celebrate 50 years in publishing, check out their website. It’s full of information about books, sources for educators and for the month of September, the Mentorship Program!

Here’s Rick’s list of recommended books, which can be found on Annick’s website.

Nonfiction:

*More Than Money: How Economic inequality affects EVERYTHING

*Fatty Legs

Comics and graphic novels

*The Wolf Suit

Picture Books

*The Man with the Violin

*Abuelita and Me

*The Paper Bag Princess

As a thank you to Rick for sharing his story, Anitha donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). NCC is a non-profit organization that partners with individuals, corporations, foundations, Indigenous communities and other non-profit organizations and governments at all levels to protect Canada’s plants and wildlife. Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 15 million hectares, coast to coast.

To learn more about the Nature Conservancy of Canada, check out their website.

Nature Conservancy of Canada

To hear the full episode, click hear:

Episode 131:Kindness Is Oscar’s Place—A sanctuary for donkeys.

Published on August 27, 2025 by anitharobinsonLeave a comment

For the inaugural audio and video episode of the podcast, Ron King joins Anitha to talk about Oscar’s Place, a sanctuary for donkeys to heal and live happy donkey lives.

Ron talks about the many individuals at the sanctuary and how people don’t realize that donkeys are incredibly affectionate, smart and love to hug!

Ron also shares his journey of healing and how the sanctuary and the donkeys helped him.

An incredible conversation about the power of love.

To learn more about Oscar’s Place check out their website. It’s full of information about donkeys, how to sponsor or adopt a donkey, and of course photos of adorable donkeys to fall in love with.

Oscar’s Place Website

As a thank you to Ron for sharing his story, Anitha donated to Jarjeer Mules. Anitha and Ron have both visited this donkey and mule rescue located in Marrakech, Morocco. Anitha also had the pleasure of chatting with the founder of Jarjeer Mules on episode 119.

To learn more about Jarjeer Mules and listen to their podcast episode, click the following links:

Jarjeer Mules Website

Kindness Is Jarjeer Mules

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 130: Kindness Is Fauna Foundation—Canada’s only chimpanzee sanctuary offers refuge for those who suffered from medical research.

Published on August 20, 2025 by anitharobinsonLeave a comment

Mary Lee Jensvold joins Anitha to talk about Fauna Foundation, a place of healing for chimpanzees used and abused in the medical research industry.

Mary Lee shares stories of the many primates rescued by Fauna Foundation. She speaks about the incredible capacity of these individuals to heal from years of painful and invasive experiments. And most remarkable of all—their willingness to forgive the very species who caused them so much harm.

Though these chimpanzees can never return to their rightful home in Africa, Mary Lee talks about the ways Fauna provides residents with as much comfort and enrichment as possible.

Mary Lee and Anitha also talk about the many cruelty-free alternatives to animal testing and hope listeners will support companies who opt for these kinder alternatives.

To learn more about Fauna Foundation and fall in love with the chimpanzees, check out their website and YouTube channel.

Fauna Foundation Website

Fauna Foundation YouTube Channel

As a thank you to Mary Lee for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Fauna Foundation.

To hear the full episode, click here: