Looking for a new car? Get ready to pay up. We're seeing record high prices for new vehicles around the country, including here in New England. It's rare to find one that comes in under $30,000, with more luxury vehicles, SUV's, and pickup trucks on the lots than affordable sedans. Why the change, especially when so many Americans are struggling to get by? Nichole spoke with John Marthinsen, Professor of Economics and International Business at Babson College in Wellesley, to get insight and answers.

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Sometimes, for those living paycheck to paycheck, just a couple extra hundred dollars a month can make a major difference when it comes to quality of life and staying afloat. The city of Salem teamed up with UpTogether and Salem State University to run an experiment: what would happen if dozens of lower-income residents and families received an extra $500 each month for a year, no questions asked? Early analysis shows encouraging results. Mayor Domenic Pangallo and Professor Thomas Piñeros Shields from the North Shore Policy Lab join the show this week to share what they learned.

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Since 1920, when it opened up as a three-room settlement house on Wall Street in Worcester, Friendly House's mission has stayed the same: do everything they can, in any way they can, to ensure residents have the resources they need to not just get by, but thrive. In many ways, the need for Friendly House and its programs is more dire than ever, and the team is ready to help. Executive Director Trish Appert and Director of Social Services Josefina Velez join Nichole on the show this week to tell their century-old story of community service and detail the programs they have available for those in need.

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It takes just seconds for a dog to escape - an accidentally unlocked door, a slightly-too-loose harness - and it can be absolutely devastating when you realize your beloved pet is gone. Hundreds of volunteers at Missing Dogs Massachusetts are ready and waiting to help, with flyers for social media, trapping services, and much more, all at no cost. Kris Ericson, President of Missing Dogs Massachusetts, talks with Nichole about their work and why it's so important for these volunteers to ensure as many pups as possible return home to their family.

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High-speed internet is critical for work, school, shopping, and many other ways we engage in everyday life. While most Massachusetts residents utilize broadband internet connections each and every day, there are still thousands of people who don't have access, both in rural and urban areas. New federal funding is giving Massachusetts the boost it needs to lay the groundwork to get everyone connected. Michael Baldino, the Director of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech in Westborough, talks with Nichole about the state's efforts to get everyone online and how this new federal funding will help.

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Prices at the supermarket, gas pump, and on your energy bill are only going up by the day, and a lot of people around New England are starting to feel the pinch. Food insecurity in Massachusetts is reaching levels we haven't seen in a long time, if ever. To get a better idea of just how much assistance is needed, the Greater Boston Food Bank teamed up with Mass General Brigham to put together a comprehensive report, complete with suggestions on what needs to be done to turn this trend around. Catherine D'Amato, President and CEO of the Greater Boston Food Bank, returns to the show to break down the report's findings with Nichole.

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For decades, the METCO program has helped to connect students from Boston with their counterparts at schools around Greater Boston, working to bridge the gap of educational inequity. It's a program that grew out of the push to de-segregate Boston schools during the height of the civil rights movement, and all these years later, it's still breaking barriers by opening minds and opportunities in more than 30 communities. Dr. Kandice Sumner, President and CEO of METCO (who's also an alum!) joins Nichole this week to reflect on the program's successes over the past 60 years and share details about the upcoming Opportunity Ball on May 1.

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It's been months since Jamaica was devastated by Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms that's ever been recorded in the Atlantic basin. The cleanup and rebuild is expected to take years, if not decades, but as the storm made its way out of the headlines, the much-needed assistance started to dwindle, too. JAM'N 94.5's DJ Pup Dawg is celebrating 25 years in the industry by pulling together reggae icons at Big Night Live on May 7th, and it won't just be any party - he's rallying the community to send some big love and assistance down to Jamaica! Pup joins Nichole to talk about his big anniversary and share details about the upcoming event.

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