March 31 (Day 31) Handmade Love for Abused Women

Are you a crafty person?  Can you knit or crochet?
Would you like to learn how?   This opportunity is for you!

HANDMADE ESPECIALLY FOR YOU

Is a non-profit organization that makes and distributes comfort scarves to shelters for abused women.We tie each scarf with a ribbon and include a note signed by the comfort scarf maker. Often our hand knitted or crocheted scarf is the first personal gift ever received by the recipient.

In 2009, Handmade Especially for You made over 6,500 comfort scarves and delivered them to 22 family crisis centers and shelters for abused women. Most were in Southern California.


By the end of 2009, Handmade Especially For you went national and international, forming chapters in U.S. and Canada, and receiving comfort scarf donations from Germany and Scotland.  In 2010, our goal is to deliver comfort scarves at a pace 50% higher than 2009. Even so, we have barely scratched the surface of the need.

WE NEED KNITTERS AND CROCHETERS -  WE PROVIDE FREE YARN!

Check out the website to see how they are helping shelters and abused women. Click here for contact information for this opportunity.

Source:  Handmade with Love

March 30 (Day 30) Colorectal Cancer Awareness

March is designated as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Facts About Colorectal Cancer:
Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon or rectum. It is equally common in men and women. An estimated 146,970 people will be diagnosed in 2009, and an estimated 49,920 people will die from the disease. With recommended screening, this cancer can be prevented (by removing polyps before they become cancerous) or detected early, when it can be more easily and successfully treated.


At Risk

•Men and women age 50 and older
•People who use tobacco, are obese or are sedentary
•People with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or benign (not cancerous) colorectal polyps
•People with a personal or family history of inflammatory bowel disease, such as long standing ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
•People with a family history of inherited colorectal cancer

Risk Reduction

•Be physically active and exercise regularly.
•Maintain a healthy weight.
•Eat a high-fiber diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains.
•Consume calcium-rich foods like low-fat or skim milk.
•Limit red meat consumption and avoid processed meats.
•Don’t smoke.
•Don’t drink alcohol excessively.

Early Detection

If you are at average risk for colorectal cancer, start having regular screening at age 50. If you are at greater risk, you may need to begin regular screening at an earlier age. The best time to get screened is before any symptoms appear.

How can I help? Click here to find out!
This is my favorite way to participate... Undy 500 5k Run...... Find one in your area. Sponsor a runner!  If there is not a run in your area, participate in a virtual Undy 500. 


Sources:  Colon Cancer Alliance
               American Cancer Society

March 29 (Day 29) - Taking Steps to Help Others

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month and since March is just about to come to a close, I wanted to include another charity working to end MS.  We have a beloved family member who is battling with this disease, so we are aware of how devastating this disease can be.  Margaret continues to fight this disease with unbelievable grace and dignity and it is in her honor we hope to educate and inspire others to take part in helping to bring an end to this disease.

MS is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with a risk in the general population of approximately 1/750. Two hundred people are diagnosed with MS every week and more than 2.5 million people are living with this disease worldwide. Like other autoimmune diseases, MS is more common in women than men. The most common symptoms associated with MS include visual disturbances, balance and walking difficulties, debilitating fatigue, weakness, numbness, and bladder dysfunction.


The effects of MS vary widely from one individual to another. Symptoms for some may come and go, while others may experience a steady worsening of their disease. Each person's specific symptoms vary greatly too. For example, one may have visual problems, numbness, and fatigue, while another may experience impaired mobility, weakness, and depression.

With so many variables, the needs of the MS population are diverse. For this reason, MSAA offers five categories of programs and services aimed at providing individualized assistance to people with MS, their families, and their care partners. MSAA is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to enrich the quality of life for everyone affected by multiple sclerosis(MS). Visit the MSAA website to see a listing of programs and services MSAA offers to assist those living with Multiple Scleroris.

While you are there click on the volunteer button and check out the volunteer and fundraising opportunities avaialable.. Here's a fun idea....host a Teddy Bear Picnic!  Become a Resource Detective..... you can do this from your computer at home!  Check out the site for more great opportunities.



 
 
 
Source: Medical News Today
            Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
Links:  http://msassociation.org/

March 28 (Day 28) - All Aboard the Smile Train

One Charity. One Problem. One Goal.

Unlike many charities that do many different things, The Smile Train is focused on solving a single problem: cleft lip and palate.

Clefts are a major problem in developing countries where there are millions of children who are suffering with unrepaired clefts. Most cannot eat or speak properly. Aren’t allowed to attend school or hold a job. And face very difficult lives filled with shame and isolation, pain and heartache.

The good news is every single child with a cleft can be helped with surgery that costs as little as $250 and takes as little as 45 minutes.

This is our mission:

-To provide free cleft surgery for millions of poor children in developing countries.

-To provide free cleft-related training for doctors and medical professionals.

Until there are no more children who need help and we have completely eradicated the problem of clefts.


Check out their website to view videos and see the stories of children who have been helped by Smile Train. 
Click here for ways you can help in their effort.  This is a wonderful charity doing wonderful things... Can you help them? 

“If you see a friend without a smile; give him one of yours.”

Source:  Smile Train

March 27 (Day 27) Give Blood & Give Life!

March is AMERICAN RED CROSS month, and before the month ends I wanted to highlight a great opportunity to save lives at no cost! The only cost to you is a little bit of your time.

WHY GIVE BLOOD?

You don’t need a special reason to give blood. You just need your own reason... 

• 
  
  Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend. 
• 
  
  Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day. 
• 
  
  Some believe it is the right thing we do.

Whatever your reason, the need is constant and your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. And you’ll feel good knowing you've helped change a life. 

Benefits of Donating Blood:

• It feels great to donate.
• There are certain health benefits that come from donating blood.
• It is something you can spare - most people have blood to spare...yet, there is still not enough to go around.
• You will help ensure blood is on the shelf when needed - most people don't thing they'll ever need blood, but many do.
• You will be someone's hero - in fact, you may help as many as three people with just one donation.

Click here to find a blood drive near you. There are also opportunities to volunteer with red cross.  Click here to find volunteer opportunities in your area.  I entered my zip code and there were several opportunities in my area.

"Be a blood and organ donor. All it costs is a little love." ~Author Unknown

Source: Red Cross

March 26 (Day 26) Help Stock the Shelves of Food Pantrys

Living in Michigan, where unemployment is the highest in the nation at 14%, times are tough right now for so many people. Many food pantrys are experiencing demands that are overwhelming them. Food pantry needs are rising, up 40% from last year.  Hunger is a problem in America, but you can do something to help.

Meijer Stores are helping to stock the shelves of area food pantrys.  Your donation will help replenish food pantry staples like tomato sauce, pancake mix, peanut butter, applesauce, syrup, green beans, jelly, quick oats, and more. Your nontaxable $10 donation will be converted into a Meijer Gift Card and given to food pantries in communities Meijer serves. In addition, Meijer will donate a total of $100,000 to participating food pantries to help restock their shelves.

If there is a Meijer Store in your area you can purchase the gift card in the store or online.  If you do not live near a Meijer, you can purchase the card online and purchase the gift card by clicking here.  Please consider helping in this area.  It is a very easy and low cost way to make a difference.

March 25 (Day 25) Be A Spirit Jumper

In February 2007 Meaghan Edelstein, a law student at Shepard Broad Law Center in South Florida , was diagnosed with stage 3B cervical cancer. After being misdiagnosed for over two months the tumor was finally discovered by her doctors. She was told she had little chance of survival but Meaghan decided to fight. She was immediately flown to Boston where she received treatment at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. After receiving internal/external radiation, chemotherapy and numerous surgeries Meaghan was on her way to recovery. While in the hospital many people visited Meaghan, she also received many cards and gifts along the way. Meaghan credits these small touches of love with giving her the extra strength to keep fighting for her life.

Looking for a way to reach out to others Meaghan started a blog http://cancerlost.blogspot.com/ where she wrote openly and honestly about her experience. Many began to find her on her blog and were able to receive answers as well as comfort. Realizing she was helping others began a healing process of her own. Wanting to make more of a difference she thought hard about what else she could do. Finally the answer came. Remembering the cards and gifts she received and how they lifted her spirits during a desperate time, Meaghan decided to match those who wished to give with those who needed support. Thus began SPIRIT JUMP.
Spirit Jump is a grassroots non-profit organization with a mission to provide hope and comfort to the many men, women and children battling cancer. Spirit Jump accomplishes this by providing uplifting cards and inspirational gifts during this most difficult time.

Visit the website and you can sign up to be a spirit jumper.. or if you know someone who needs encouragement, you can sign them up as a jumpee! It's easy and once you join, you will have access to the names and addresses of individuals who have signed up asking for someone to send encouragement their way. A very simple way to help someone who is battling a big disease! Also, check out the companion site http://www.cards4cancer.org/ and see how you can be a part of Cards for Cancer Day.

On April 10th 2010 Spirit Jump along with Bloggers Unite and its sponsors are pleased to bring you our First Annual Cards 4 Cancer Day. Battling cancer can be one of the most difficult and loneliest experiences a person can go through. With cancer touching so many lives around the world it’s time to let them know they are not alone. Our mission is to provide hope and comfort to the many men, women and children who are involved in this battle. With your help Spirit Jump hopes to collectively deliver over 100,000 cards.

Is this something you can help with?

Source: Spirit Jump

March 24 (Day 24) It's Butt Kickin' Time

                                                   

Today is KICK BUTTS DAY!   On March 24, thousands of youth in every state and around the world will STAND OUT … SPEAK UP … and SEIZE CONTROL AGAINST BIG TOBACCO.  Kick Butts Day is a day of activism that empowers youth to take action against tobacco use at more than 2,000 events from coast to coast.  Click here to find events in your area.

TOBACCO 101:

•The tobacco industry addicts more than 1,000 youth every day
•Worldwide, tobacco use kills one person every 6.4 seconds
•Big Tobacco spends more than 13.3 billion an year on deceptive advertising and marketing. •Adult male smokers lose an average of 13 years of life.

•Almost 90 percent of adults who have ever been regular smokers began smoking by the time they were 18.
•Tobacco companies spend over $23 million a year on lobbying in the U.S. Congress and contributions to federal candidates and political parties
•People who consume 8-10 dips or chews per day of spit tobacco receive the same amount of nicotine as a smoker who smokes 30-40 cigarettes a day.

Claim:

Smokers have a right to smoke if they want to. It's their choice. Smoke-free laws and tobacco tax increases take away their freedom.

The Facts: There is no right to smoke. No court has ever recognized smoking as a protected right. Plus, decreasing tobacco use is in the interest of public health.  Additionally, many smokers would like to quit smoking but cannot because they are addicted. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "research suggests that nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol" and 70% of current U.S. adult smokers would like to quit smoking.

Also, smoking does not just harm the smoker. According to the CDC, nearly 50,000 Americans die each year from lung cancer and heart disease because of secondhand smoke exposure.

Claim: Cigarette tax increases do not reduce youth smoking (or any smoking).

The Facts: Cigarette tax increases do reduce smoking rates. In fact, every 10 percent increase in the retail price of cigarettes reduces overall cigarette consumption by approximately three to five percent. Among youth, it reduces smoking by six or seven percent.  Actually, the cigarette companies have stated, both publicly and in internal company documents, that raising cigarette prices reduces smoking, especially among kids. The fact is well proven by scientific research and by the actual experiences of states that have raised their tax rates.

If you, or someone you love, is trying to stop smoking and looking for smoking cessation information, check out this website for resources to help you or your loved one.  Need additional reasons to quit smoking?  Check out the health benefits below...

When Smokers Quit—The Health Benefits Over Time

20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.

(Effect of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure Amplification, Mahmud, A, Feely, J. 2003. Hypertension:41:183.)

12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1988, p. 202)

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp.193, 194,196, 285, 323)

1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304)

1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. vi, 131, 148, 152, 155, 164,166)

15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker's.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

Last Medical Review: 10/22/2008

Last Revised: 10/22/2008




Resources: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

                  American Cancer Society

Related Links:  http://kickbutts.org

                  www.cancer.org

March 23 (Day 23) The Gift of Water is the Gift of Life

March 22-26 is World Water Week...

Though we use it constantly, we think very little about water and its place in our lives. Here are some water facts to ponder:

• More than half of Africa's people lack access to safe drinking water (UN)
• Of all the renewable water available in Africa each year, only 4% is used -- because most Africans lack the wells, canals, pumps, reservoirs and other irrigation systems. (Africare)
• In developing countries, one person uses an average of ten liters of water per day. In the United States, one person uses an average of 75-80 gallons in the same time period (www.epa.gov)
• Each flush of the toilet uses the same amount of water that one person in the Third World uses all day for washing, cleaning, cooking and drinking. (http://www.whrnet.org/).  
• In the past ten years, diarrhea has killed more children worldwide than all the people lost to armed conflict since World War II. (Water Aid)
• Twelve million people die each year from lack of safe drinking water, including more than 3 million who die from waterborne diseases. (WHO)
• Over 80% of the disease in developing countries is related to poor drinking water and sanitation. (WHO)
• 1.5 billion people in the world are suffering from parasite infections, which can cause malnutrition, anemia and delayed growth, due to the presence of solid human waste in the environment. Many of these infections could be controlled with improved hygiene, clean water and sanitation. (http://www.whrnet.org/)
• The average distance a woman in Africa and Asia walks to collect water is 6 km (3.75 miles)(www.whrnet.org)
• The weight of water that women in Asia and Africa carry on their heads is equivalent to the maximum baggage weight allowed by airlines 20 kg, or 44lbs (www.whrnet.org)
• Women are the primary caretakers for those who fall ill from water-related diseases, reducing their time available for education and productive economic efforts. (www.unfpa.org)
• One-third of women in Egypt walk more than an hour a day for water; in other parts of Africa, the task can consume as much as eight hours. (www.unfpa.org)
• Medical research has documented cases of permanent damage to women's health as a result of carrying water, such as chronic fatigue, spinal and pelvic deformities, and effects on reproductive health including spontaneous abortion. (www.unhabitat.org)
• In some parts of Africa, women expend as much as 85% of their daily energy intake on getting water, increasing incidences of anemia and other health problems. (http://www.unhabitat.org/)

 

Drop in the Bucket is a non-profit organization that was formed in 2006 by a group of ordinary, everyday people. After learning about the deadly water crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, we set out to learn as much as possible about the situation and join in to help find solutions. In the three years since we formed, we have aligned ourselves with the best and brightest engineers, innovators and experts on African culture and economics, in an effort to better understand the unique challenges associated with the developing world’s water crisis.

Currently, we have constructed close to 60 wells and a number of sanitation systems at locations in Tanzania, Mozambique, South Sudan, Chad and Uganda. We hand pick our local African contractors and work directly with them on the projects. DITB is involved in everything from targeting locations and mobilizing communities, to approving budgets, monitoring schedules, and tracking success rates. We are also dedicated to contracting labor and purchasing materials from within the communities we are working. We feel that, along with our efforts to dispense humanitarian aid, it is also our responsibility help stimulate the local economy, whenever possible.  In most cases the water is literally under the feet of the villagers who so desperately need it. They just have no means of accessing it. DITB provides everything from hand-dug shallow wells, drilled borehole wells and rain water harvesting tanks, to an advanced sanitation system that includes the most environmentally sustainable, permanent septic system available in rural sub-Saharan Africa.

Currently no one in the organization takes an annual salary and we operate as an all-volunteer group. A cornerstone of our approach is low overhead and minimal operating costs. We are dedicated to guaranteeing our donors that as much of their hard-earned money goes into the program as possible. Much of the funding for DITB projects comes from regular people (schools, families, individuals). If someone sponsors a water-well or funds a complete water and sanitation system, DITB will place a tile with the inscription of their choice on the project. This gives donors tangible proof of their humanitarian impact.

Visit their website to read their stories and see how you can help out this very worthwhile charity! 

Source: Drop in the Bucket.org

March 22 (Day 22) I Love Me a Good Bake Sale!!

Hunger is a Reality for Children in America

THIS YEAR, NEARLY 1 IN 4 CHILDREN IN AMERICA STRUGGLE WITH HUNGER.

THAT'S ALMONST 17 MILLION KIDS.

Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale is a national campaign that mobilizes volunteers to host bake sales in their communities in an effort to help end childhood hunger in America.  Nearly 17 million children struggle with hunger. That’s almost one in four. But there is hope, it starts with a bake sale. Join us today! Your efforts will help to surround kids with the nutritious food they need where they live, learn and play. Once you register you will have access to lots of helpful materials that will help make your bake sale a success!

Great American Bake Sale National Challenge -  April 16th-18th
How many bake sales can our volunteers hold in one weekend? 300, 500 or maybe 1,000! Can we have a bake sale in every state? We’re answering these questions April 16th-18th with the first annual Great American Bake Sale National Challenge! Let’s come together this weekend in April and bake to end childhood hunger in America. Select a day, choose a location and be counted. If you can't participate this weekend, Bake sales can be held anytime that your schedule permits.

This is a fun, easy and very tasty way to help!!  Everyone loves a good bake sale!  Make sure you visit Bakesale 101 for resources to help you hold a successful bake sale. If you can't hold a bake sale, check out the site and see if there is a bake sale in your area that you can support.  I'm getting hungry already! 


Source:  Share Our Strength / Great American Bake Sale

March 21 (Day 21) Connecting Military Parents & Kids

The Dog Tags for Kids Project is dedicated to helping United States Service men and women most in harm's way connect with their children at home. Specially engraved Dog Tags in the appropriate service color are provided FREE to the service members for their children.


The dog tags must come from the parents so all dog tags are sent to Iraq, Kuwait, or Afghanistan at the request of the service members to send back to their children; from their hearts to their children’s hearts. We are a grassroots project depending entirely on volunteers and donations to continue this mission. All donations go through the Kids Charities of the Antelope Valley, a 501(c)3 charity. Our goal is to see that every parent soldier who wants a dog tag for his/her children receives one at no charge to the service member or their families.
 
100% of Your Donation Delivers Smiles

Help send dog tags to troops in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan so they can send them to their kids back home! This is a grassroots effort to show support for the troops and their families.

Your donation will help send a tag in the appropriate service color to an appreciative service member. There is NO charge to the service member or their family for these tags. As of December 1st, 2009, they have sent 500,580 tags to the troops overseas to send home to their children. Check out the website to see how you can help.  Please help make a difference and thank our troops by putting a smile on their kid's faces!


Source: Dog Tag for Kids
Related Link:  www.dogtagforkids.com

March 20 (Day 20) Reach Out and Read

Reach Out and Read (ROR) is an evidence-based nonprofit organization that promotes early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud. ROR builds on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children, beginning at 6 months of age. The 3.8 million families served annually by ROR read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten better prepared to succeed, with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills.

There are currently Reach Out and Read Programs located in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. military bases overseas, and we continue to grow! Reach Out and Read Programs are housed at hospitals, health centers, clinics, and private pediatric practices. To find a program near you click here.

There are dozens of ways that you can support Reach Out and Read's mission today and help ensure that every child arrives at kindergarten ready to read, ready to learn, and ready to succeed. The single most important thing that you can do is to read to your child every day. It's the most effective strategy for developing critical early reading skills in children and promoting school readiness. 

There are many ways you can help... You can become a volunteer reader and read to children, you can donate funds, you can advocate...click here to discover the many opportunities available to help. 


"Children are made readers on the laps of their parents."  — Emilie Buchwald

Source:  Reach Out and Read

March 19 (Day 19) Saving lives...One box at a time!

ShelterBox is doing a wonderful work in helping in areas devastated by natural disaster.

Please watch the YouTube video below and visit the website for additional information.

ShelterBox is the only national aid organization that provides shelter and life-saving equipment. We instantly respond to earthquake, volcano, flood, hurricane, cyclone, tsunami or conflict and have helped over 100 disasters in more than 60 countries. Each box supplies an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and lifesaving equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless. The contents are tailored depending on the nature and location of the disaster, with great care taken sourcing every item to ensure it is robust enough to be of lasting value. The cost of a box is $1,000 including delivery direct to those who need it. Each box bears its own unique number so as a donor you can track your box all the way to its recipient country via the website. Highly trained ShelterBox Response Teams distribute boxes on the ground, working closely with local organizations, international aid agencies and Rotary clubs worldwide. Since its inception in 2000, ShelterBox has firmly established itself at the forefront of international disaster relief, providing emergency shelter for the people who need it most on every continent.

Through the support of extraordinary people around the world ShelterBox has been able to save thousands of lives. To give is to not only make a difference but to be the difference. People the world over have taken it upon themselves to be the difference and to help people who lose everything in a disaster when they need it the most. Through sponsorships, planned giving and strategic goals there are ways of giving to suit everyone.

Check out their website for ways you can become involved.

Together we are saving lives…one box at a time!


Source: Shelter Box USA
related link:  http://www.shelterboxusa.org/

March 18 (Day 18) Making Prom Memories

Prom is around the corner...

Clean out your closet and help a young person in need experience their Prom.

DonateMyDress is the first national campaign designed to encourage girls around the country to donate their prom and special occasion dresses to those who cannot afford them for prom, sweet 16, quinceañera or formals. The site features a directory of local dress drive organizations across the U.S. that will enable girls to easily find out where in their local markets they can donate or receive a dress. In addition, DonateMyDress.org contains information on upcoming events and special promotions, a photo gallery of real girls donating and receiving dresses, as well as links to content on prom and quinceañera planning, hair and makeup tips, and other worthy causes.

Rather than me telling you about the great work of the charities listed on this site, I thought I would include a couple letters from the site:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Cinderella's Trunk,
I am a senior in high school and homeless. I live with my mom in our station wagon. I'm lucky that I get two free meals at school every day. Some days my mom doesn't get to eat. It's been like this ever since my dad left. I already knew there was no way I was going to any dances this year. Then, when I had my visit with my school counselor, she told me about you. And did I find the perfect dress! It was a lot of fun to come in and have a person dedicated to helping me. I must have tried on 30 dresses and she didn't care that I was taking a long time, she was so friendly and fun - and she knew all about fashion and what dresses look good on my body type, and what colors look good on me. I felt like Cinderella when she helped me find shoes to match!

She helped me with jewelry and makeup, and even gave me the undergarments I needed for my dress. And a gift certificate for dinner at the Keg! I'm coming back for prom - and I already know which dress I want! Thank you for making my dream come true.


Kelsey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Seventeen.com,

The year of my high school prom, I was homeless and living in a car or sleeping outside on the street. I had nothing other than my (very few) school supplies and the clothes on my back, but I knew if I kept going to work and school, I would be OK. I just wanted a real prom and when I picked up the flier for the Princess Project at school, it made all the difference. Because of them I was able to have a real prom with a dress, accessories, and makeup! There's no way I would have been able to do that before and I can' t thank them enough for making my year a little more enjoyable.



Rachel
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you would like to donate a dress or your services to your local organization, click on the site  http://www.donatemydress.org/donate.html and search for your state.  There are listings of organizations by state.  Contact information is given for each state listing.  If there is not an organization in your area, there are national listings or consider starting an organization to service your area.   Can you help out any of these great organizations?

Source: Donate my Dress
Related link: http://www.donatemydress.org/

March 17 (Day 17) A Close Shave !

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY !!

On March 17, 2000, reinsurance executives Tim Kenny, John Bender and Enda McDonnell turned their industry's St. Patrick's Day party into a benefit for kids with cancer. The three planned to raise "$17,000 on the 17th," recruiting 17 colleagues to raise $1,000 each to be shorn. Instead, the first St. Baldrick's event raised over $104,000!


The event had a life of its own and quickly grew into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer research! The Foundation now funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. Since 2000, events have taken place in 24 countries and 50 US states, raising over $74 million. More than 130,000 volunteers-- including over 10,000 women-- have shaved their heads in solidarity of children with cancer, while requesting donations of support from friends and family – each one becoming a walking billboard for the cause!



At a St. Baldrick's event, something amazing happens. People who normally shy away from the very thought of childhood cancer find themselves compelled to support this cause after looking into the face of these brave children who are beaming as their friends and family members proudly display their newly shorn heads. Volunteers and donors see it can be fun to support a serious cause. Young cancer patients and survivors see how many people care. And researchers see St. Baldrick's funds helping to find cures!


Get Involved:


Go ahead – throw vanity out the window. We dare you to experience the brilliance of being bald while raising funds for life-saving research. Your fundraising efforts will raise much-needed research support and your bald head will be a display of solidarity with kids who have cancer – most of whom don't get to choose how to style their hair today. Give them the best chance for a cure!


How does it work? First, register online, upload a photo of yourself with hair and share why you've chosen to brave a shave. Next, email family and friends, asking for financial support and while you're at it, invite them to see you go bald when you go to your local St. Baldrick's event and face the clippers. It's easy!


Check out their website for the other ways you can help & read the stories of the children who are battling cancer.  It is very inspirational! 


Source:  St. Baldricks
Related Link:  www.stbaldricks.org

March 16 (Day 16) California Wildfire ReLeaf Campaign

Today I am highlighting a great "green" charity and one of it's ReLeaf  (Relief) Campaigns! 
American Forests is a world leader in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry, and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests. American Forests http://www.americanforests.org/ is the nation’s oldest nonprofit citizens’ conservation organization. Citizens concerned about the waste and abuse of the nation’s forests founded American Forests in 1875.

 
California Wildfire ReLeaf  Campaign:
AMERICAN FORESTS’ Wildfire ReLeaf program is a large-scale tree planting initiative started in 1999 to plant millions of trees in areas scorched by catastrophic wildfires. The dramatic wildfires in southern California in the fall of 2007 have created tremendous additional need for reforestation. With the increase in size and intensity of wildfires comes a more urgent need to rehabilitate damaged areas to prevent further degradation of forest ecosystems.

Drought conditions in many states, including California, and the effects of decades of fire suppression have given rise to hundreds of fires in the United States. AMERICAN FORESTS designated a fund specifically to restore California forests after receiving an outpouring of questions and requests from California residents and people across the United States.

AMERICAN FORESTS has set a goal of planting a million trees in the state.


Every dollar you donate plants one tree!!  Let's help them meet their goal of one million trees!

Also, check out the site www.americanforests.org/planttrees/howto.php for a great "how to" guide to planting trees at your home.


Source: American Forests Website
Related Link: http://www.americanforests.org/

March 15 (Day 15) PB & J Time

Today's opportunity, PBJ (Peanut Butter and Jelly) Outreach  http://www.pbjoutreach.org   is a diverse group of people volunteering their time and services to provide food, clothing, and basic social services to homeless people as well as those who are below the poverty level, living in the depressed and impoverished areas of the Metropolitan Detroit area, including the Cass Corridor section of inner city Detroit. The services are provided to all, regardless of race, religion (or lack thereof), gender or national origin.

PBJ Outreach in began with an idea when Deacon Tim Sullivan from Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, Michigan and his wife, Gail, visited Boston in July 2002.  While they were walking in the historic district of Boston, they saw a woman leaning against the Old State House building and holding a sign that read, "Help Me I'm Homeless."

While Deacon Tim had always been attentive to the poor, he couldn't help but think as he looked at this woman that she's part of the "faceless homeless." After giving the lady a few dollars, he walked past her. He stopped a few feet away and thought of the money he was spending during his stay in Boston. Deacon Tim and Gail returned to give the homeless lady a few more dollars. As they turned to leave, Gail asked the lady for her name so they could pray for her by name. The homeless woman said, "Pam." As they started to leave, Pam called after them, "What are your names so I can pray for you?" At that moment, the homeless had a name and face for Deacon Tim . Pam.


The next day while walking around lunch time, in a park called Boston Commons, Deacon Tim saw a young woman standing behind a card table who was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless. The next day he took Gail back to Boston Commons to see the woman making sandwiches. On the way back to Detroit Deacon Tim told his wife "I'm going to do that." Deacon Tim's experiences in Boston planted the seeds for him to start PBJ Outreach in Detroit.


PBJ Outreach was launched on October 5, 2002. On that day, a few volunteers, working behind one card table, prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and gave them to between 30 and 40 homeless people who had gathered at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in the Cass Corridor.  This was the start of a program that today feeds 250-350 homeless people every Saturday morning in inner city Detroit. It all began when a woman in Boston named Pam held up a sign that said: "Help Me I'm Homeless." Today, the PBJ Outreach operates at MLK and Third every Saturday.


Since PBJ Outreach provides food and clothing for approximately 250-350 homeless people every Saturday morning, our needs are great. We can use almost anything that can be easily carried by a homeless person in a plastic grocery bag.


Their Wish List can be found here:  http://www.pbjoutreach.org/list.htm.
Pick up a flat rate priority mail box at the post office and send them some of the requested items from their wish list.  You can also make monetary donations.  Addresses are on the website.




Source:  PBJ Outreach
Related Link:  http://www.pbjoutreach.org

March 14 (Day 14) Change the life of an AIDS-affected child.

For about $1.00 per day, you can transform the life of a child who is affected by AIDS. 

Sponser a HopeChild through World Vision.  A HopeChild is a child living in a community affected by AIDS. As a HopeChild sponsor, you are connected with one special child who will know your name, write to you, and feel your tender love and prayers. Your monthly sponsorship gift can help turn the tide of the HIV and AIDS pandemic! You can provide things such as:  
                 Clean water
                 Nutritious food                                                      
                 Health care,
                 Educational opportunities
                 Spiritual nurture
                 Care for sick or dying parent
                 HIV and AIDS counseling


About mother-to-child transmission of HIV:

-Every 90 seconds, another child becomes infected with HIV.
-Most children living with HIV acquire the virus during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding.
-Without the right care, HIV-positive moms have a 1 in 3 chance of passing the virus on to their children.
-Every day, 740 children die because of AIDS — one child every two minutes.
-Without treatment, nearly half of all children living with HIV will die before their second birthday.
-Only 1 in 3 HIV-positive pregnant women can access treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
-One study in Mozambique found that providing ARV therapy to new moms reduced their risk of   transmitting HIV to their children to less than 2 percent.


Visit the World Vision site  and find out how you can make a difference in the life of a child affected by AIDS.  Visit the World Vision Experience and walk in the steps of a child affected by the AIDS crisis. View the trailers of children, hear their stories... I promise you will not be the same.  You will not be untouched by these children.   There are also other ways you can help, so check it out.   World Vision provides hope and assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries. In communities around the world, we join with local people to find lasting ways to improve the lives of poor children and families.








Sources: UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF, WORLD VISION

March 13 (Day 13) Make a promise...Donate a meal FREE!

Promise to make a big difference.

What's the Lunch Note Promise campaign, brought to you by Lunchables, about? Giving kids what they need to help them do their best. All we need from you is a promise to give a lunch note to your kids. It can be about anything-like some encouragement for the big soccer game or an important test. You can even use our fancy designs if you want. Or the not so fancy ones, we're easy. Do that and we'll give a free meal to a child in need so they can do THEIR best.

Here's how the donation works: For every parent who makes the lunch note promise, the Lunchables team will donate a meal to a child and their family in need through Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, which serves an estimated nine million children annually. The goal is to turn up to 100,000 promises from moms like you into up to 100,000 meals from Lunchables Lunch Combinations for kids in need.

As of today, approx. 86,000 promises have been made... go to the site http://kraft.promotions.com/lunchnotespromise/front.do and make your promise and let's reach the goal of helping Kraft providing 100,000 meals to children and families in need.

Source:  Kraft Promotions

March 12 (Day 12) Cell Phones for Soldiers

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, age 12 and 13, respectively, at the time. To date, they have provided more than 62 million minutes of free calling cards thanks to a national network of individual and corporate supporters donating phones and money. "The Helping Heroes Home" campaign relies on the donations of used phones. Qualifying phones are refurbished and given to requesting soldiers along with a month of calling time. Other donated phones will either be recycled or used to fund the charity’s free calling-card program for troops overseas. 

In addition to providing a valuable benefit to out troops, Cell Phones for Soldiers is also providing a service to the environment. There are more than 130 million used phones retired every year in the United States. Though each phone on its own may not pose much of an environmental risk, the cumulative impact is significant. Those 130 million phones contain more than 16 million pounds of hazardous waste and only a small percentage are currently recycled

Ways to Help:

Cell Phones for Soldiers has partnered with Little Caesars Pizza.  Stop in a participating Little Caesars location during the months of March and April and receive a Little Caesars/Cell Phones for Soldiers postage-paid mailing envelope with your order. Customers who provide their e-mail address in the space provided on the mailing envelope will receive a special coupon offer for Little Caesars via e-mail.   If there are no Little Caesars locations near you, you can print a prepaid shipping label from their website.  http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

Don't have a cell phone to donate?  You can also make a cash donation on the website. 

You can find a drop off location for your cell phone or you can register to make your business an official drop off location. 

You will also find instructions on how to erase your personal information before you donate your old cell phones.

March 11 (Day 11) Helping the unemployed

Unemployment is a huge problem, affecting millions of individuals and families.  Nationally, 1 in 10 Americans is out of work.  In Michigan, our unemployment rate is 14.3% and is currently the highest of all 50 states.  If you are one of those affected by unemployment, the situation can seem very bleak.  I fall into the catagory of the long term unemployed... I have been out of work for 8 months.  That is one reason I decided to start this blog.  The need around us is so great!  Unemployment can bring about feelings of a loss of sense of purpose and dignity. Investing in the lives of others, even in small ways, brings about a sense of purpose and personal joy!  Charities and programs are feeling the crunch because people do not have the money to donate and they (charities) are being stretched to their capacity because the need is so great and many more people need assistance.

Today's project is to highlight ways to help the unemployed. All of us know someone who is without a job. A friend, neighbor or family member who could use a little help.  Even if you do not have a lot of money to spare, there are some low cost/ no cost ways you can help unemployed individuals and families:

One thing I did was to buy two $10 gas cards and I took them with me to my local unemployment office.  I struck up a conversation with 2 individuals at the office and found out they were long term unemployed also.  One was a single mom and the other a married father.  I gave them the gas cards and they were so grateful. My small act of kindness gave them a small boost but gave me a huge lift.  It felt wonderful!  If this is something you might want to do, you can find out where your nearest Unemployment Office is located by searching Google - Unemploment Offices & (Your State).

Check out this article http://momadvice.com/blog/2009/10/how-you-can-help-the-unemployed-today for many other simple ways you can help the unemployed. 

Is this something you can help with? 

March 10 (Day 10) "By the touch of a finger behold the world."

Seedlings Braille Books for Children

"By the touch of a finger behold the world."

In 1984 when Debra Bonde founded Seedlings, braille materials were scarce and expensive. Her goals were to increase the availability and lower the cost of braille books for children in order to promote their literacy skills and the love of reading. In 1985, the first year of book production, Debra made 221 books in her basement office. By 1990, Seedlings was producing 5,000 books per year, which precipitated its move out of Debra's basement and into the Bentley Center in Livonia, Michigan, and eventually to our present location on Farmington Road in Livonia. In 2008, with a small staff, and a group of loyal volunteers, Seedlings produced over 22,000 braille books and articles, with a grand total of 277,000 since 1984, equaling over 13 million pages of braille!

In 1994, Seedlings added The Rose Project, which provides encyclopedia articles in braille for student's projects and reports. The Rose Project has become a very popular resource for students eager to work independently. We anticipate requests for approximately 800 articles per year. Thanks to generous donations from our supporters, this service is entirely free to visually impaired students in grades 1-12.

Seedlings' Books
Seedlings braille materials have opened up new worlds for thousands of children. Seedlings Braille Books for Children is keeping visually impaired children in the mainstream of popular literature and is reaching braille readers in all 50 states and several foreign countries. Seedlings contributes to literacy by providing visually impaired children equal opportunity to develop the love of reading. At this time, less than 20% of the 50,000 blind children in the United States are proficient in braille. All too often, the written word has been inaccessible to them, and this is what we are hoping to change.


Braille books are provided at each level of development, from toddler board books to classic literature for older children. Just as sighted children learn to "read" as they are exposed to the printed word, so do visually impaired children who are exposed to the tactile page at an early age. New titles are added every year as highly skilled volunteer braille transcribers spend countless donated hours translating print books into braille and preparing them for computer disk to await production. Once the original translation is complete, additional books can be printed as needed. Exposure to popular, high quality braille literature throughout childhood increases the likelihood of children developing into able braille readers.



Seedlings' Funding
As a non-profit organization, Seedlings sells its books for considerably less than it costs to make them. Support is very broad based and comes from individuals, philanthropic groups, corporations and private foundations. Seedlings receives no government or United Way funds. Thanks to hundreds of generous donors and dedicated, hard working volunteers, the price of Seedlings' books remains far below actual production costs, averaging only $10 per book.

Click on their website http://www.seedlings.org/donate.php to see the many ways you can help! 




















Source:  Seedlings Website
Related Links:  http://www.seedlings.org/

March 9 (Day 9) - Skip A Lunch & Save A Life

TODAY'S OPPORTUNITY PUTS THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE!

FOR THE COST OF THE AVERAGE LUNCH OUT, YOU CAN SAVE THE LIFE OF A CHILD.

From their website:

Although $10 for a bed net may not sound like much, the cost makes them out of reach for most people at risk of malaria, many of whom survive on less than $1 a day. Nets are a simple life-saving solution.

- Each year, malaria afflicts approximately a half-billion people (roughly the population of the United States,
   Canada, and Mexico combined).
- Malaria kills more than a million people per year; 90 percent of those who die are African children.
- Every 30 seconds in Africa a child dies of malaria.
 
Visit the website http://www.nothingbutnets.net/its-easy-to-help/ and see the different ways in which you can help.  You can donate to purchase nets, you can become part of a fundraising team or you can start your own fundraising team or choose one of the other ways to help.  Take a look at their toolkit and see which opportunity best suits you.   Is this the opportunity for you?  Are you able to help? 
 
 
Don't forget, you can e-mail any opportunity listed to a friend by clicking on the envelope icon.

March 8 (Day 8) Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week

MOVE IT!   Join the Movement to End Multiple Sclerosis

MS Awareness Week   
March 8-14

MS Awareness Week is the time for the nation to go orange and move it to end multiple sclerosis, a disease where someone is newly diagnosed every hour of every day.  Move it to create a world free of MS!   Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.1 million worldwide.


National opportunities to join the movement include:

eBay Giving Works:
The Society has been chosen to be one of two "featured nonprofits" on the eBay Giving Works homepage during the week. Anyone that buys or sells items on eBay will have the opportunity to donate to the Society during the checkout process. Phil Keoghan, host of CBS' The Amazing Race and Society ambassador has donated several jackets that he has worn on his show, which will be available for auction.

We Keep Moving "Reality Road Show":
We Keep Moving is a "reality road show" that will take online viewers into the homes of people living with MS across the country. A road crew of artists living with MS will kick-off their journey during MS Awareness Week and each week will visit someone impacted by MS. The twist? Viewers vote each week to determine where the team goes next! Visit www.wekeepmoving.org and vote today. This initiative is supported in part by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. A satellite media tour featuring the show's host and video producer will launch the odyssey on March 9th.

Christopher & Banks MS Jewelry Collection 2010: 
50% of net profits from The MS Collection will benefit the National MS Society. The campaign runs March 2010 - February 2011. Last year, Christopher & Banks donated $10,820 to the Society from sales of The MS Collection.


SOURCE National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Related Links:  http://www.nmss.org/