Richard Helppie's Common Bridge

Author: Richard Helppie

The problems we have in the country are solvable, but not solvable the way were approaching them today, because of partisan politics. Richard Helppie, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist seeks to find a place in the middle where common sense discussions can bridge the current great divide.
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Genres: News, News Commentary, Politics

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Episode 313- Feeding A County Hidden In Plain Sight. With Ruth Mageria
Episode 313
Wednesday, 8 April, 2026

Palm Beach County gets portrayed as sunshine and wealth, but that picture leaves out the families choosing between rent and groceries, seniors stretched by HOA hikes, and working parents who cannot keep up with prices. I sit down with Ruth Mageria, executive leader at Cros Ministries, to talk about the real mechanics of hunger and food insecurity and what it takes to keep neighbors fed with healthy food, not just something to fill a stomach.We dig into how a community food pantry actually works, why a food bank is different, and how USDA emergency food assistance and local donations move through a supply chain of trucks, warehouses, volunteers, and distribution sites. Ruth shares what Cros sees on the ground: rising demand that now tops the COVID era, first-time visitors during government shutdowns, and the quiet embarrassment people feel when they never imagined needing help. We also address tough questions about nonprofit accountability, audits, board oversight, and the common misconception that “a nice car” means someone is gaming the system.Then we widen the lens to Cros’s Caring Kitchen hot meal program, homebound meal delivery, and gleaning, recovering fresh Florida produce that would otherwise go to waste. If you care about hunger relief, community partnerships, healthy nutrition, and practical solutions that scale, this conversation will give you both clarity and a path to action. Subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review, and tell us what your community is doing to close the gap.Support the showEngage the conversation on Substack at The Common Bridge!