Episode 3: Safety blankets and showing up for others with Joy Gruver

Shared Ground

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Today Allan and Sean talk with Joy Gruver about her response to the January fires in the LA region, and more broadly about responding when others are struggling.

We weave between personal stories of giving and professional insights into textile sustainability.

On the personal side, what started as delivering a basic care package with her daughter evolved into something far more profound for Sean's family.

Joy, who works in business development focusing on sustainability at Eastman Chemical in the fiber industry, brings a unique perspective to disaster response. She leveraged her professional connections with companies like Marmot (thank you, Kim!) to secure clothing donations for fire victims and shares insights into how these individual actions connected to larger community efforts.

The conversation takes a remarkable turn when discussing how teenagers organized a sophisticated clothing redistribution system, methodically matching donations to specific family needs with an efficiency that impressed even seasoned professionals.
Throughout the conversation, resilience emerges as more than just surviving hardship—it's about community connections, preparedness, and finding meaning in difficulty.

As Joy puts it, "Part of resilience is lifting yourself up from those dark days, being appreciative for what we actually have, and not being afraid to ask for what you need." Her story reminds us that in our most vulnerable moments, both giving and receiving support with grace can transform lives. How might you prepare yourself to be both a giver and receiver of support when your community faces challenges?

Shared Ground is produced by Sean Knierim and Allan Marks. Thanks to Cory Grabow, Kara Poltor, Corey Walles (from The Recording Studio) for your support in launching this effort.

For more stories of resilience & rebuilding, kindness & generosity: visit shared-ground.com and subscribe to Sean's substack. We invite you to share your own stories of resilience at the Shared Ground website - whether in response to the January fires in LA or other situations.

Follow us at seanknierim.substack.com, Instagram, or wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc).

Chapters

1. Meeting Joy Groover (00:00:00)

2. Memories of the January Fires (00:03:38)

3. Reaching Out in Crisis (00:08:15)

4. Youth-Led Clothing Exchange (00:14:26)

5. Sustainability in Fashion (00:19:46)

6. The Story of the Blanket (00:27:06)

7. Finding Hope in Difficult Times (00:34:54)