Ep. 22 - Jenny Maattala

Episode 22 of "These are Your Neighbors" features Jenny Maatala. Jenny is a change maker in our community due to seeing a need for services and filling that need by starting her own non-profit, Soul 57. Soul 57 provides grief support at no cost to children who have lost a parent, caregiver or sibling. Jenny has a background in English, Marketing, and Communications, working with both publishing houses and nonprofits in their marketing departments. Her love of writing and editing has provided a steady source of freelance opportunities over the last eight years as a stay-at-home mom, taking on clients for proofreading and copyediting services to keep her professional skills from getting too rusty. Jenny earned an MFA in Writing from Queens University of Charlotte, her specialty being writing therapy, and in September 2023 she opened the doors to Soul 57, a nonprofit that provides group therapy to youth who've lost a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver, as well as workshops providing ongoing tools using art, music, writing, and recreation. When she isn't reading, writing, or spending time with the fam, Jenny is teaching cycle class at the Bismarck YMCA or Mandan Family Wellness Facility.