Anne Hillman, Alaska Public Media

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Anne Hillman is the healthy communities editor at Alaska Public Media and a host of Hometown, Alaska. Reach her at ahillman@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Anne here.
Two teen girls and an adult man sit at a radio studio table.

Talking with teens about underage drinking | Hometown, Alaska

Many people and experiences shape if and when we decide to drink, and talking about those influences can be hard.
Four people sit around a radio table smiling and eating food.

This month is a great time to try eating vegan in Anchorage | Hometown, Alaska

February is the Anchorage Vegan Chef Challenge where restaurants around the city highlight vegan options on their menus.
A building with a bike rack and a large pile of snow. A sign on the building says "Partners Reentry Center"

Community supports for people leaving incarceration | Talk of Alaska

On this Talk of Alaska, we discuss how organizations and individuals can best support people as they reenter the community.
a sign on a tree near tents

Hometown, Alaska: What is Anchorage’s winter shelter plan?

Temperatures are dropping quickly and hundreds of Anchorage residents are currently living unsheltered in camps and on the street across the city. What’s the plan to keep them safe this winter and beyond? Join host Anne Hillman as she speaks with three city leaders who are working on this problem.

Hometown, Alaska: Exploring community, culture and food with the podcast ‘A Piece of Kake’

Kake, Alaska is currently populated by about 500 people but it’s the hometown of many more. This week on Hometown, Alaska we take a trip on a seal hunting vessel and into a kitchen as we explore the community through interviews about its past and present with the hosts of the podcast "A Piece of Kake."

Hometown Alaska: Comedian Paula Poundstone hates promoting herself

Known for her witty observations on NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and her really large family of pets, Paula Poundstone will be performing in Anchorage later this month.The author, podcaster and expert dog-waste-remover joins host Anne Hillman to discuss her comedy, her home life, and more.

Hometown Alaska: Pets, vets and picking up poop

Nearly 61 thousand households in Anchorage have pets. That works out to about 105 thousand dogs and 88 thousand cats. That’s a lot of animals — and a lot of animal waste. And pet ownership doesn’t just impact the people who live with the creatures. Caring for pets is both challenging and rewarding for veterinarians and their staff, too. This week on Hometown, Alaska, we’re talking to veterinarians about their mental health and pet care basics as well as taking a trip to the dog park to see how your actions affect everyone downstream.
Island town visible from the water

Talk of Alaska: Building healthy communities

Think about your community. Do you feel safe there? Do you have access to clean water or to adequate housing? How connected are you to your neighbors? To the land? All these things are elements of a healthy community. On this Talk of Alaska we discuss what’s happening around the state to build healthy communities where everyone thrives.

Talk of Alaska: Cultivating Healthy Relationships

So much of our human experience is shaped by the people around us, especially by the people we love, or that we think we love, or that maybe love us? Relationships of all kinds can be complicated, even if they are healthy. During this Talk of Alaska, we’re exploring what it looks like to have a healthy relationship with someone, romantic or otherwise, and how it can improve our lives.
A panel of people wearing business clothes.

Hometown Alaska: Discussing the Anchorage School District Budget

The Anchorage School Board needs to pass a balanced budget by March 1. With nearly flat funding from the state, the district is facing a $48 million dollar shortfall. That could mean cutting jobs, increasing the student to teacher ratio, and closing an elementary school. But the budget process isn’t over yet. On this episode of Hometown, Alaska we’re talking about the school district budget, how it’s determined, how the school board works and more.

Hometown Alaska: Discussing death and dying

Death is inevitable, yet it can still be very hard to talk about and to plan for. Facing death can be both emotionally and logistically challenging. On this episode of Hometown, Alaska we’re exploring death with a group of practitioners who have made it a centerpiece of their lives. The discussion includes preparing for death, grief, and end-of-life rituals.

Preventing homelessness and why it matters

Thousands of Alaskans have been homeless, but the number would be much higher if organizations and individuals didn't work to prevent it. On the next Talk of Alaska we're discussing solutions for preventing homelessness, and why it affects everyone in the state, not just the families who experience it. LISTEN HERE

Dion isn’t homeless. This is why it matters.

Dion Wynne was hospitalized and couldn't work, but received enough help to keep his housing. His success isn't just important for his family -- it helps everyone. Now advocates are working to make the homeless prevention system less cumbersome.

In some cases, houses of worship step in to help people keep their homes

Thousands of Alaskans seek rental assistance every year. Sometimes, preventing homelessness requires an act of faith.

If rental assistance is a lifeline for preventing homelessness, why is it so hard to get?

Resources exist to help people on the verge of eviction, but how do you find them?

When homelessness is around the corner, even the helpers can become helpless

Dion Wynne was working full-time and preparing to open a therapeutic foster home. Then he fell ill and was hospitalized for over a month. Join him as he tries to save his home -- and his dreams.

Modifying houses so seniors can stay in their homes

The Clements raised their grandchildren in their cozy Alaska home, but Shirley's health problems were making it difficult to keep living there. Until now.

Preventing problems with exercise for elders

Many parts of Alaska lack enough accessible care for older people. It's a problem without a solution. But there are ways to prevent the problem in the first place. Exercise for elders.

Community in Unity: Youth Perspectives

What’s it like to be a young person today? What challenges do they face? What are their visions for the future? Join us for an open conversation led by and featuring Alaska youth, and hear their perspectives on building strong, trusting, supportive communities. LISTEN HERE

Joys and challenges of aging in Alaska

Aging in Alaska is both challenging and wonderful. The state's rapidly growing population of people who are 65 and older are strengthening their communities by contributing time and wisdom, and building the economy. On the next Talk of Alaska we'll hear from elders about what it's like to grow older here and what needs to happen to make that more feasible and fun. Listen Here