February 28 - Kid Flicks

More amazing young people  making a difference!



Kid Flicks was founded by sisters Lexi, Romi, Marni, and Berni Barta in the Spring of 2002. While doing some “Spring cleaning” the Barta sisters realized they had a number of DVDs they had either outgrown or no longer watched. Knowing how watching movies helped a friend who had battled Leukemia inspired the girls to take action. They packed up their movies and delivered them to the Pediatric Oncology Department of the Los Angeles hospital where their friend had been treated. When they dropped off the donations, the Child Life Specialist told them that “movies are the first things kids ask for when they are in the hospital.”


That afternoon the sisters decided to collect as many DVDs as possible to donate to as many hospitals as possible. They wrote solicitation letters to family and friends, and within the first week,  had collected over 100 movies. Donations continued to pour in. They decided that each hospital would receive a “movie library” of 100 assorted films that appeal to boys and girls, toddlers through teenagers. Whenever they had another 100 movies, they found another hospital to donate them to.


Initially, they delivered the “movie libraries” to hospitals in Southern California. When Kid Flicks had covered every hospital within a five-hour round-trip driving radius, they began applying for grants and awards to help cover the costs of shipping the “libraries” to other cities and states. As of February 11, 2011 Kid Flicks has donated 57,000 movies to 570 different hospitals throughout the United States and South Africa.


Our goal is to provide every Children’s Hospital and Pediatric Department in the country with a Kid Flicks “movie library.”   So, why not start your spring cleaning and see if you have any CD's you can donate, or maybe you can help with other costs by making a donation to Kid Flicks


Click here to see all of the Children's Hospitals who have received a video library courtesy of Kid Flicks.  Barta sisters...YOU ARE AMAZING!  


Get Involved:

Donate to Kid Flicks.

How to Donate DVDs
DVD donations may be shipped to:
Kid Flicks/Barta
11755 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025 #1450

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!






Source:  http://www.kidflicks.org

February 27 - Teaching Kids about Giving Back

Today I want to share with you an email that I received from Lisa, a reader from Columbus, Ohio.  Lisa has a unique and fun way that she and her family give back.  I was inspired by this wonderful idea and I wanted to pass it on.  This may be a way that you and your family are able to make a difference too! 


Hi Folks at One Way Every Day,

I have been checking in and reading your blog regularly for many months now.  Thank you for sharing the work of so many awesome organizations out there who are trying to make the world a better place.  I have been teaching my 3 young children about "giving back" and I wanted to share my idea with you and your readers and hopefully inspire others to do the same. 

Inspired by some of the new reality shows about "couponing," I decided to give it a try, but with a twist! I am couponing for charity! 

Here's how we work it -  We do our grocery shopping on Saturday morning, so each Sunday we begin the process of gathering  our coupons.  The Sunday Newspaper and Internet coupon sites are great sources for coupons.  This is one of the parts the kids are really involved in -  they now love to find me coupons to use. Our local store doubles coupons so that really makes a difference!  We generally save between $18.-$25. weekly so it adds up to a nice monthly donation.  Whatever money I save through the use of coupons is banked in a jar in the kitchen.  We call it our M.A.D. (Making a Difference) Money jar. 

At the end of every month, we meet as a family and we discuss which charities we would like to donate to.  Each family member nominates a charity and shares why they think this charity should receive the money.  This accomplishes a couple things, the family learns about many great causes and it teaches the kids to articulate an idea or concept in which they believe.

We vote as a family and whichever cause is selected is the recipient of our M.A.D. Money for that month.  We have been couponing for 3 months now and it has been a huge success.  So far we have been able to donate to a local animal rescue, Ronald McDonald House and Make a Wish Foundation.

I have been able to take this idea and turn it into a meaningful opportunity to teach my children about giving.  The children think it is fun and have really taken to finding coupons to use.  My family and I are very fortunate.  In this tough economy, my husband and I are both working and financially we are doing well.  I realize that for many families using coupons helps to stretch the family food dollar and is a necessary part of making ends meet.  I would like to encourage those who are able to do something like this to consider trying this with your family.  It has been an AWESOME experience for our family! 

-Lisa J.



What a great idea Lisa, thanks for sharing it with us !  We love to hear how others are 'making a difference.' We also invite anyone who has an idea to share to send it to us through our contact page.  Who knows, your ideas may show up on our site to inspire others! 

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!

February 26 - Get Drenched!

I try to post the easy opportunities to make a difference on Saturday... probably because if you are like me, Saturday is your busy day.  Running errands and trying to get things done.  Many of us spend the weekend  with family and friends. 

Todays post offers a way to make a difference that is SO SIMPLE!  Now through March 31, YOU can make a difference in the lives of hungry children and families by becoming a Sun Shower fan. For every new Facebook fan, Sun Shower is donating one bottle of juice to Second Harvest-supported food banks across the country. Do it now. Do it for a kid.


You can double your impact and become a fan of Drenchers too!  So go ahead and "LIKE" Sunshower and Drenchers and for each page you LIKE NBI Juiceworks will donate a bottle of juice.

NBI Juiceworks produces an array of healthy, delicious juices to fit your personal tastes and nutritional interests. The  Drenchers and Sun Shower brands offer nectarine-based juices that are rich in proteins, vitamins and nutrients necessary for a balanced diet. 

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!





Source:  NBI Juiceworks

February 25 - Baby's Bounty

Baby’s Bounty is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization devoted to providing essential clothing and gear to babies born into families at risk. Recipients include teen mothers, the homeless and those living in poverty. Each newborn will receive a collection of new and gently used baby clothing, receiving blankets, bottles and any vital equipment, such as strollers, portacribs and car seats as needed to ensure that they thrive.


Volunteers collect, sort and clean the items and prepare giveaways for the families in need.   Through collaboration with social service agencies, hospitals, homeless shelters, safe havens, schools and family court, new mothers at risk are identified. Those agencies request the essential items and, upon receipt, distribute to their clients.


Founder, Kim Amato, started Baby's Bounty in July of 2008 to address the rise in homelessness among families with young children.  After learning about the increase in homeless families, Kim began investigating how often newborn children were being released from the hospital without the proper clothing and supplies to ensure that they thrived.  Hospital and Clark County officials confirmed that many families were leaving the hospital without any supplies whatsoever for their newborn children.  The infants had no safe place to sleep and no clothing or diapers.


Once Kim started collecting clothing and gear by reaching out to family, friends, churches, schools and anyone else who was able to help, Baby's Bounty was "born."  Now, each baby in need receives a diaper bag filled with new and gently used infant clothing, receiving blankets, bottles, toiletries and any vital equipment, such as a stroller, pack 'n' play (portable crib), car seat and bathtub.  Every baby needs a safe place to sleep.  The "Good Night, Sleep Tight" program is devoted to providing each new baby in need with a portable crib to call their own.  Click on the "Donation Suggestions" to find out more about purchasing a safe sleep environment for a baby in need.



Get Involved:

Donate to Baby's Bounty.

Donate items from the Baby's Bounty Wish List.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!





Source:  http://babysbounty.org/

February 24 - The Detroit Area Diaper Bank

Today's post highlights another inspiring individual who has taken it upon themselves to change the world...at least her little corner of it!  I've said it over and over again.  FIND A NEED...AND FILL IT!   I want to spark a little change, to inspire others to make a difference by highlighting ordinary (extraordinary) people and how they have taken a need and created a solution. 

Marybeth Levine had a goal - TO CHANGE THE WORLD!  She became disillusioned while working as a Congressional assistant and lobbyist and she left Washington D.C., she now calls Canton, MI home.  Marybeth Levine is still out TO CHANGE THE WORLD -  one diaper at a time!  Marybeth is the unpaid executive director of the Detroit Area Diaper Bank- a charity she started out of her home. 

The mission of the Detroit Area Diaper Bank is to help meet the unmet need for diapers in the community's most vulnerable populations -- babies from low-income households, the elderly and people with disabilities. There is no assistance for diapers, they're not paid for or provided by WIC, Food Stamps or Medicare. Diapers are a huge hole in the "safety net."

People and families who need diapers most likely need other social services as well. Instead of creating a separate social service delivery system, the Diaper Bank partners with other nonprofits who are already qualifying people for need and working with them toward "whole" solutions. We partner with family services agencies, homeless shelters, crisis nurseries, domestic abuse shelters, food pantries, senior agencies, faith-based organizations, disability networks and state human services agencies -- we become their diaper resource, increasing their capacity to more fully support individuals and families in need.

Since April 2009, the Detroit Area Diaper Bank has donated over 375,000 diapers to 45 organizations that help jobless, single mothers, struggling families and disabled and elderly people, who have become incontinent.  Please consider what you are able to do to assist DADB and Marybeth in their mission to CHANGE THE WORLD, one diaper at a time.

Facts about Diaper Need:

Babies-

• A healthy change of diapers for the average infant is up to 12 per day, a toddler up to 8 per day. But in low-income households,a baby may be in a single diaper all day or longer risking health problems ranging from severe diaper rash to staph infection.
• Uncomfortable babies cry and don't sleep well at night -- this leads to poorly-rested and higher-stressed parents and siblings and can contribute to illnesses, absences and reduced performance levels at work and school. A baby crying non-stop from being in a soiled diaper for a prolonged period of time or suffering from a severe diaper rash is more susceptible to abuse, especially in an already-stressed household.
• In low-income families without insurance, health issues like severe diaper rashes often go untreated until they require a trip to the ER, creating added pressure on community hospitals that provide free emergency care.

The Elderly -

• 15-20% of all adults over age 65 suffer some degree of incontinence.
• Elder abuse is more likely in a multi-generational household facing the added stress of incontinence.
• Healthy but incontinent seniors often become homebound if they can't afford supplies.  This can lead to isolation, depression and increased need for assistance programs like Meals on Wheels.
• Incontinence is among the most common reasons for seniors to be put in nursing homes

Get Involved:

Donate to the Detroit Area Diaper Bank.

Host a Diaper Drive to benefit the Detroit Area Diaper Bank.

Other ways you can help DADB.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!





Source:  http://www.detroitareadiaperbank.org/

February 23 - Creating Beauty...Inspiring Change.

Seven days of silence. Can you imagine? She was small for her age, a mere 16 years old but pregnant. For years, her brother and “caring” uncle had repeatedly sexually abused her. One day, she became pregnant.

Medani was sent by court order to Ma-Sevana, a home for mothers aged 10—18 who are the survivors of rape or incest in Sri Lanka. While this place would protect her, she had been taken from her home, friends, education... her childhood. The result was seven days of silence and longing stares that could not be overcome by counseling. However, there was a glimmer of hope, and it came in the form of small glass beads. Medani took an interest in stringing together colorful beads supplied by Emerge Global. After one day of beadwork, she spoke. Three weeks later, she had become a leader in the home, helping other girls create beautiful beadwork.


The Backstory:
During the summer of 2005, MIT student Alia Whitney-Johnson arrived in Sri Lanka as a tsunami-relief volunteer, sponsored by a fellowship from the MIT Public Service Center. During this trip, she encountered a heartbreaking reality: Girls as young as 11 and pregnant from rape or incest had been cast out of their own families, denied the right to formal education, and imprisoned for their own protection.


A jewelry-maker since age seven, Alia decided to host a beading workshop to better acquaint herself with the girls. The act of creating jewelry soon became a tool for transformation, uplifting the girls' spirits and ultimately helping them to overcome the emotional, social, and economic obstacles they faced. The Emerge Bead Program was born as a way to sustain the girls' work, connecting the young women to supplies and training, a global market, and a global community of support.


After incubating her programs through the nonprofit Universal Awakening, Alia founded Emerge Global in 2008 with the goal of empowering girls all over the world who have survived sexual abuse to rediscover a sense of hope and celebrate their personal beauty,build a strong community, and fulfill their own visions of the future.



Emerge Global is a non-profit organization registered in the United States that enables Sri Lankan girls who have survived abuse and sexual violence to become jewelry designers through a curriculum that emphasizes self-esteem, leadership, and business knowledge, while generating savings for their futures. Design and entrepreneurship are combined to develop confidence, teach life skills, and strengthen the community’s capacity to affect change.

Get Involved:

Donate to Emerge Global.

Purchase Emerge Global Products:

Beautiful, handmade jewelry- each piece is 100% unique, just like the girl who made it. Check out their online jewelry boutique: http://emergeglobal.etsy.com/

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://emergeglobal.org/

February 22 - Games for Heroes

Games For Heroes is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that sends handheld video games to our United States troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. In March 2008, Games for Heroes founders Peter Gallagher and Jack Wilson organized a community service project called Cheer up the Troops. For one week, Peter and Mark, then 15, helped elementary school children write 1000 letters and drawings to send to US troops stationed overseas. This project inspired them to put video game collection boxes in their school, fire stations, and churches in their Westchester County, New York neighborhood.  In addition to video game systems, the organization also actively collects games for systems and batteries. As of mid-2010, the organization has distributed more than $100,000 in goods.


Most soldiers currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan are under the age of twenty and one of the most requested items from these soldiers are handheld game devices.  The goal of Games For Heroes is to collect handheld game machines, batteries and games for every soldier who wants one. We need your help. They can be new or used, as long as they are still working. 

Between September, 2010 and December, 2010 drives and donations allowed troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to receive over $7000 in handhelds. Please keep the donations coming.  Games for Heroes have so many more requests from soldiers.


Get Involved:

Donate to Games For Heroes.

Donate your handheld video games (used or new as long as they work) and batteries to:

Games For Heroes, Inc.

97 Secor Rd.

Scarsdale, NY 10583

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.gamesforheroes.com/

February 21 - 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8

    
     1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8


     1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8


     1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8




EVERY 8 SECONDS A COMPANION ANIMAL IS PUT TO DEATH IN A U.S. SHELTER. 
More than four million pets are put to death in the United States shelters each year.  How can we solve the pet overpopulation problem? By focusing on adoption programs and spay/neuter programs.


All About Animals Rescue was formed in 2005 and is dedicated to having No More Homeless Pets in Michigan.  AAAR adopts out cats and dogs to their forever homes and offers spay/neuter clinics and vaccine clinics.


Why spay/neuter your pets?  It's simple really...to adopt out every dog and cat, every person would have to own 21 cats and 7 dogs. That simply isn't feasible so aggressive spay/neuter programs are the answer. In the Detroit area, approximately 62% of pets entering shelters are put to sleep. On average 50% of the dogs and 90% of cats don't make it. For the most part, It's not because the shelters don't want to find them homes, it's that there are too many pets.


Humane societies and animal shelters do everything possible to find homes for each and every animal in their care; however, there just simply are not enough homes to go around. All over the United States, healthy, loving companion animals are euthanized by the millions each year simply due to lack of homes. And countless others are neglected, abused, or abandoned, all victims of a tremendous overpopulation problem.
As tremendous as the problem of pet overpopulation is, it can be solved if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our animals to breed. Please have your pet spayed or neutered.



Get Involved: 

Donate to All About Animals Rescue.

All About Animals Rescue Wish List.

Find an adoptable animal in your area.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.allaboutanimalsrescue.org/

February 20 - It's Time to Talk About It!

It's Time to Talk About It!  That is the slogan of NEDA Awareness Week.   Eating disorders are too often misunderstood and under-reported.  NEDA is one of the organizations out to change that. 


The aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ulimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment.  Eating disorders are serious, life threatening illnesses - not choices- and it is important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.


The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. NEDA campaigns for prevention, improved access to quality treatment, and increased research funding to better understand and treat eating disorders. NEDA works with partners and volunteers to develop programs and tools to help everyone who seeks assistance.


Nearly 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. are battling eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, while millions more suffer from binge eating disorder.  The peak onset of eating disorders occurs during puberty and the late teen/early adult years, but symptoms can occur as young as kindergarten. More than one in three normal dieters progresses to pathological dieting.


Help is available!  If you or anyone you know is struggling with an eating disorder or needs information or resources regarding eating disorders NEDA is here to help. Call the toll free, confidential Helpline Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Pacific Standard Time.

Helpline:   1-800-931-2237


Get Involved:

Donate to NEDA.

Other ways to get involved.

Shop the NEDA online store.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

February 19 - Ball For All

Ball for All was started in 2004, by former Peace Corps volunteers Brad and Jenny Kremer. As volunteers in small villages, they saw the power soccer had in bringing joy to the children. They also saw a lot of development money being wasted and as a result, they wanted to create an organization that would help children more directly.  Ball For All is a 501(c)3 non-profit that believes in the power of sport to transform lives. Ball for All empowers Peace Corps volunteers living in African communities to start sport teams for girls to build Africa's next generation of female leaders.


Brad Kremer wrote this about his Peace Corps experience:
"When I lived in southeastern Senegal, these boys came to my family’s compound every single day to play soccer after they had finished their daily chores. Usually they played with a “ball” made of tattered plastic bags wrapped with knotted strips of fabric, grass, and reeds. One day I bought them a cheap rubber ball for about $2 in the local market. That one ball – such a small gift – gave dozens of children many hours of joy. Kids played with that ball for over 2 years, until it literally split in half from overuse. This has served as the inspiration to start Ball for All."


In 2005, Brad went to Senegal looking to set up programs for Ball for All and by chance, met Jeff Chatellier at the Peace Corps office where Jeff told him about a girls’ soccer team he started in his village. Brad asked if Jeff could accompany him to the village. Despite Jeff not wanting to ride 10 hours in a cramped and hot car on poor roads, he agreed as he felt connecting his girls’ soccer team with Ball for All would keep his efforts going. 


Through contacts from the village where Jeff lived and worked in as a volunteer, Brad and Jenny Kremer expanded the sports program in the Toubacouta school district. The following year, Jeff took over the reigns of Ball for All and continues to run the organization on a volunteer basis.  Girls playing sports in Africa is not a common sight. Ball for All wants to change this. Ball For All connects African communities to donors across the world who believe all girls deserve the right to play.



Get Involved:

Donate to Ball For All.

Other ways to help Ball For All.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.ballforall.org/

February 18 - Bras for a Cause!

Okay Ladies... this one is for you!  I know there are many items that you can recycle, but I never really considered recycling a Bra!  If you are like my wife, you probably have a couple of gently used or never used with the tags still on Bras in your lingerie drawer.  It's a win, win.... if you donate your Bras, then you will have a reason to go out and shop for new. 

Elaine Birks-Mitchell founded The Bra Recyclers in October 2008. "I had about a dozen bras in my drawer with tags on them still," Birks-Mitchell said. She wondered if there mighy be a need in her community. Birks-Mitchell began calling local shelters to see if residents needed bras. Bra Recyclers was born. 


The Bra Recyclers currently have drop-off locations in 11 states and Puerto Rico where women can take their unwanted bras, according to their website. Many drop-off locations are small businesses who support the initiative



The mission of The Bra Recyclers,  is to build an international bra recovery and recycling program that:

1. Raises community awareness on the importance of recovering and recycling bras
2. Become an advocate for deserving women of all ages who struggle with obtaining the basic needs to live, such as something as simple as a bra.
3. Provide an easy way for women to support other deserving women by recycling their used and unused bras.

What Type of Bras Are Needed?

-Bras in good condition; Clasps and straps need to be functional
-All sizes and styles of bras
-Special needs bras, post breast surgery and maternity bras
Note: If bras are new please keep the tags on the bras. Recipients of the bras appreciate knowing the bras they are receiving are new.


Click here to find out which charities The Bra Recyclers partners with.


Get Involved:

How you can help -It is easy for you to recover and recycle all of the old or new bras sitting in your lingerie drawers waiting to be worn by a deserving woman in your community.

Just follow 4 easy steps:
Wash It. All bras should be washed.
Bag It. Fill out Bra Recycling Form.
Box It. Place your bras in a box or large envelope.
Drop It Off or Mail It to:

3317 S. Higley Rd,
Ste 114-441
Gilbert, AZ 85297

Find a Drop Off location

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.brarecycling.com/

February 17 - LIFT

LIFT’s mission is to combat poverty and expand opportunity for all people in the United States.


Kirsten Lodal and Brian Kreiter founded LIFT in the fall of 1998 while students at Yale University.  Having been very involved as volunteers in various child services programs, they were struck by the absence of services for the parents of the children in those programs—parents who were often working multiple low-wage jobs, paying their taxes, and sending their kids to school, yet still unable to afford sustained shelter, food, and clothing for their children.  They developed the idea of establishing a single center within a neighborhood where families could receive assistance from trained volunteers across a spectrum of social services, including finding jobs, securing housing, obtaining public benefits, and making connections with other social service agencies.

LIFT envisions a day when all people in our country will have the opportunity to achieve economic independence and pursue their aspirations. LIFT currently runs centers staffed by trained volunteers in Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, to serve low-income individuals and families.


LIFT clients and volunteers work one-on-one to find jobs, secure safe and stable housing, make ends meet through public benefits and tax credits, and obtain quality referrals for services like childcare and healthcare. Since LIFT’s founding, over 6,000 volunteers have served more than 40,000 individuals and families. By 2014, our goal is that 10,000 LIFT volunteers will have advanced 100,000 clients on their path toward economic security and personal success.

More than 43 million Americans—one in seven individuals—live below the poverty line.  According to the federal poverty measure, a family of four is considered below the poverty line if it earns less than $22,050 a year. This translates into an average of $15 per person per day to cover all needs, from food and bus fare to doctor’s appointments and utility bills.  The implausibility of living on this amount of money in America today is alarming, but even more concerning is the reality that the number of Americans living in poverty have and will significantly—and precipitously—grow in the coming months and years as the economic downturn is fully realized.


Poverty is a complex and multi-faceted problem and all of its associated issues—unemployment, homelessness, hunger, illiteracy, health care costs, and more—are interlinked.  Yet our social services system does not reflect this reality.  In order to secure needed resources, poor families must navigate highly complex and confusing bureaucracies, making access to basic services and benefits challenging.



Get Involved:

Make a donation to LIFT.

Volunteer at a LIFT local office.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.liftcommunities.org/

February 16 - Welcome Aboard the Beauty Bus

Welcome aboard the Beauty Bus!


Have a beautiful day!






The Beauty Bus Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for chronically or terminally ill persons who are unable to access a salon or spa. The Beauty Bus provides complimentary in-home beauty and grooming treatments to empower their clients, helping them to maintain dignity and offering respite during life's most difficult times.


Feeling beautiful and pampered gives a lift. Being touched by someone other than a physician or medical practitioner is rare for people who are suffering from diseases and impairments. By offering clients a chance to be touched and cared for in a nurturing way that is not about their disease, Beauty Bus inspires uplifted spirit and well-being. A beauty or grooming treatment gives them an activity to look forward to, an hour out of their disease.


The Beauty Bus Foundation strives to make our clients feel beautiful inside and out, to raise self esteem, to help maintain dignity and to enhance quality of life. By serving both the client and the caregiver, we strive to provide respite, a sense of dignity and an enjoyable activity that can be shared.


Many caregivers are family members; wives, children, parents, siblings who do not have the time, energy or funds to take care of themselves. They too need a lift and need to be reminded that they matter. By serving primary caregivers and the people for whom they care, Beauty Bus hopes to offer respite and support to caregivers who are rarely rewarded for the vital services they provide to our most vulnerable citizens.


Get Involved:

Donate to Beauty Bus Foundation.

Volunteer your time and talents. (Currently serving L.A. area)

Donate Product to Beauty Bus.

Shop for a Cause benefitting Beauty Bus.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.beautybus.org/

February 15 - Feed My Starving Children

Over this last weekend, my niece and Sister-in-law took part in a Feed My Starving Children MobilePack event. When we saw them on Sunday, they had just completed their second shift packing life giving meals- they were so excited about the small part they played in making a difference to hungry children.  

Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit organization committed to feeding God’s starving children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals formulated specially for starving children, and Feed My Starving Children ships the meals to nearly 70 countries around the world.  In 2010, FMSC produced over 126 million meals thanks to the work of more than 520,000 volunteers.


Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) was founded in 1987 through the efforts of a Minnesota businessman who felt called by God to help feed the starving children of the world during a humanitarian visit to Honduras. He returned to the Twin Cities to develop a method of large-scale relief.   In 1989, FMSC connected with food scientists from Cargill and General Mills to develop a nutritional product especially for FMSC to feed starving children. This food product included rice, soy, vegetables, a vegetarian-based chicken flavoring, and a vitamin and mineral mix. Food scientists continue to update the formula.


In addition to creating this formula, FMSC sought to develop a cost-effective means of producing the meals in quantities that would make a real difference in alleviating world hunger. Initially, FMSC tested packaging machines, but this method proved to be expensive and cumbersome. In 1993, a church group stopped by the FMSC facility to pursue volunteer opportunities with FMSC. That providential meeting gave birth to FMSC’s volunteer-packing approach.


To distribute the packed meals, the FMSC team began establishing partnerships with major global distribution nonprofits and imbedded missionaries such as Salesian Missions, Love A Child, Cross International, Samaritans International, and World in Need. These partnerships allow FMSC to reach desperately needy children in remote parts of the world by leveraging the partner's in-country expertise.  This expertise allows the partner to help ensure that the orphanages, schools and facilities for disabled children are provided hot, nutritious meals—and a ray of hope for the future.


Feed My Starving Children MobilePack^TM events allow people across the United States to pack life-giving meals.  In 2009, more than 120,000 MobilePack volunteers produced more than 26 million meals during events in New York, Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, and dozens of other states.


Get Involved:

Donate to Feed My Starving Children.

Volunteer or donate to a Mobile Pack event in your area. 

Shop the online gift catalog.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.fmsc.org/

February 14 - Our Ticket to a Kinder World!

Happy Valentine's Day... and Welcome to Random Acts of Kindness Week!   Join the movement to make the world a kinder place.  It's not hard..it's not expensive and everyone can participate. 

Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 14-20, 2011, and the second full week of February each year.  Random Acts of Kindness Week is designed to give those who are either not currently aware of Random Acts of Kindness or those who wish to call attention to the value of kind actions a chance to experience the joy of passing along kindness. The purpose of Random Acts of Kindness Week is to raise awareness about kindness and to invite people to give and receive kindness daily.


The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation inspires people to practice kindness and to pass it on to others.   The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is the heart of the kindness movement whose aim is to help everyone create a better world by spreading awareness and increasing engagement in kind actions.
Randomactsofkindness.org is a platform where media, education, community, social networking and entertainment connect people with inspiration, tools, resources, organizations and a larger support network to help them take action, get involved, harvest and share the benefits of kind actions in their daily lives and society. Randomactsofkindness.org is dedicated to providing users with dynamic means to teach, learn, collaborate, grow and communicate the kindness they care about in their unique ways.  All who join Randomactsofkindness.org can participate in and contribute to a thriving movement where members engaged in thinking, doing and sharing kindness are changing the world.


The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is funded by a private donor who wishes to remain anonymous. This person’s sole purpose in supporting our foundation is to bring more kindness into the world.  The Foundation does not accept donations, grants or membership dues of any kind. If you have money you would like to contribute, they encourage you to share it in your community as an act of kindness.



Get Involved:

Take the Extreme Kindness Challenge. 
For seven days during RAK Week we invite you to take the Extreme Kindness Challenges.  We will suggest a new Act of Kindness each day. Choose a time when it works for you to do the Act of Kindness, but be sure to do it at least once each day for seven days. If you don't want to do our idea but instead decide to do a challenge of your own, that counts too!  Our mission is to inspire you to act and share. We know that act of Kindness is our Ticket to a Kinder World!

Browse the Random Acts of Kindness Ideas Page.

Check out this great list of Kindness Ideas from HelpOthers.org

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/
               http://www.helpothers.org/

February 13 - VISIO Give

Here's another Quick and Easy ... AND FREE way to 'make a difference' by watching video's online.



VISO Give is  the first non profit online video destination showcasing videos from non-profits and documentary film makers from around the globe,  giving them much needed funding and access to new audiences.  For every video you watch, VISO Give donates 60% of the resulting Ad revenue directly to that cause - there is also a direct donation link allowing viewers to donate directly to a cause if they so desire.





Currently VISO Give has  four categories for nonprofit videos: Health; Animal Welfare; Humanitarian; and Children.  The revenue to the non-profit is pennies per view, but  pennies from multiple sources can add up quickly.  Remember...the small acts of many have a HUGE impact! 


So start watching and help make a difference with your online actions!

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.youtube.com/give

February 12 - Bald is Beautiful!

St. Patrick's Day is just over a month away so I wanted to give a little advance notice to those of you who would like to get involved and make a difference in the fight against childhood cancer.  Are you brave enough?!


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!




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!


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!

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! 


Click here to find a St. Baldrick's event near you.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.stbaldricks.org/

February 11 - Birthday Wishes

The Mission of Birthday Wishes is a simple one:   To bring birthday parties to homeless children.  Birthday Wishes recognizes the importance of a birthday in a child's life and believes that the gift of a birthday celebration provides normalcy, joy and hope in these children's otherwise unsettled lives.



Birthday Wishes was founded in November 2002 by Lisa Vasiloff, Karen Yahara, and Carol Zwanger – three friends and colleagues who wanted to help homeless children build self-esteem. Having volunteered in several homeless shelters, it occurred to the trio - as they attended one of their own children’s birthday parties - that at the shelters, children’s birthdays often came and went uncelebrated. Their subsequent research indicated that no organizations existed exclusively to provide birthday parties to children living in homeless shelters. After speaking with local shelters and state advocacy groups, they found that most homeless shelters do not have the personnel or resources necessary to hold birthday parties for the children who stay there. Furthermore, the parent (usually a mom) is often unable, both economically and emotionally, to organize a party for her child. Some parents, embarrassed that they don’t have money for cakes and presents, don’t even tell their children that they have a birthday. For homeless children, birthday parties are a luxury that neither the parent nor the shelter can afford.

Yet a birthday is an important event in the life of a child, and Birthday Wishes was founded on the belief that every child, regardless of their living situation, should have their birthday recognized and celebrated. Birthday Wishes has found that something as simple and ‘normal’ as a birthday party has the power to make these children feel both special, and, perhaps more important, like a “regular kid”.


The first parties were held at the Second Step shelter in Newton, MA. Within a few months, 8 more shelters were added, and within three years growth had doubled. Today Birthday Wishes serves over 1000 children in more than 65 shelters in Eastern Massachusetts and Worcester. Birthday Wishes hopes to reach all children living in homeless shelters in the state of Massachusetts within the next 5 years and serve as a model for Birthday Wishes branches in cities throughout the U.S.


WHAT A GREAT WAY TO MAkE A DIFFERENCE! 



Get Involved:

Donate to Birthday Wishes.

Birthday Wishes Wish List.

Volunteer opportunities with Birthday Wishes.

Share

Find One Way Every Day on Facebook.
Help me spread the word about One Way Every Day. LIKE me on Facebook!



Source:  http://www.birthdaywishes.org/