June 22 (Day 114) Ophelia's Place

In spite of the unprecedented growth of eating disorders in the past two decades, eating disorders research continues to be under-funded, insurance coverage for treatment is inadequate, and societal pressures to be thin remain rampant.

In the United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder (Crowther et al., 1992; Fairburn et al., 1993; Gordon, 1990; Hoek, 1995; Shisslak et al., 1995).

Our Mission:
 
Ophelia's Place is a non-profit organization committed to empowering individuals, families, and communities to redefine beauty and health through initiatives that increase self-esteem, improve body image and introduce alternatives to dangerous desires for perfection; and to providing outreach, advocacy and educational services to those impacted by eating disorders, disordered eating and body dissatisfaction.

Our Vision is to begin changing culture and to empower individuals, families, and communities to embrace health, beauty, and happiness at any shape and size and to share a message of body celebration.

Ophelia’s Place has become a one of a kind resource center, recognized globally. We provide education, outreach, support and always a fresh cup of coffee and lots of chocolate. It is a place filled with stories of struggle, determination, recovery and hope. It is a place filled with color and depth... it is a place where helplessness is transformed to hopefulness.

Click here to read the story of how a family's journey through a daughter's eating disorder inspired them to make a difference!  Thank you Mary Ellen and Dan Clausen!   


How You Can Help:

Make a Donation to Ophelia's Place.
Eating Disorders Resources Page.



Sources:  Ophelia's Place
                NEDA

June 21 (Day 113) Getting Back to Nature...Giving Back to Nature

Summer is here and today's cause highlights a great opportunity to give back and have a great vacation at the same time.  This is something that I really find appealing.  The opportunity to make a difference while seeing beautiful parts of the country...AWESOME!   How about you.... are you interested?

 

"Wilderness Volunteers projects are like fantasy camps for those of us who dreamed of being a backcountry ranger but found ourselves sitting in a cubicle."   -AR, participant who built a trail in the Sierras 

 

 

Wilderness Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created in 1997 to organize and promote volunteer service to America's wild lands. We work with public land agencies including the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Our Mission is stewardship of America's wild lands through organizing and promoting volunteer service in cooperation with public land agencies.

 

This year we are offering a selection of trips with a variety of service projects; all trips cost $259. All food including snacks is provided. We don't charge the agencies for our work, but they supply tools and supervision for the projects. Participants provide their own camping gear (a list specific to each trip will be mailed with registration confirmation), a sense of adventure, and a willingness to contribute time and energy to worthy projects.

 

It's incredible how much work a group of hearty volunteers can do in a week's time! All trips are led by volunteer leaders. Trips are one week long and are limited to 12 or fewer participants. Meals are included in the trip price. Participants share camp chores. Most trips include extra time to explore and enjoy the area in which they are based. Wilderness Volunteers teaches and follows Leave No Trace outdoor living skills and ethics.

Why Volunteer with Wilderness Volunteers?

• Give Something Back to America's wild places
• Meet interesting people from across the country
• Have an adventure
• Stay active and healthy
• Learn new skills
• Visit new places
• Participate in the stewardship of our national treasures

 

Get Involved:

 

Check out the list of Projects available for 2010. 

Donate to Wilderness Volunteers

 

Source:  http://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/

June 20 (Day 112) - ZERO Tolerance for Prostate Cancer

Today is Father's Day.. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!  Today also brings Men's Health Week 2010 to a conclusion.  In honor of Men's Health Week and Dads everywhere, today's post highlights a very important men's health issue.  Make sure you click on the blue links to find out more about today's cause.

We are: ZERO - The Project to End Prostate Cancer.  We believe in the fire. The fire inside you. Burning to live and to live every day to the fullest. We believe cancer must not extinguish it. Ever! We believe in not just beating cancer, or curing cancer but ending it. And we believe it should not take forever to do it. Everyone has a project. And we believe every man, every loving wife and every caring family member must unite to end this disease. 

Prostate Cancer Facts and Statistics:

• Prostate cancer is diagnosed every two minutes and fifteen seconds, and more than 217,730 new cases are expected in 2010. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in America among men.
• An estimated 32,050 American men will lose their lives to prostate cancer this year.
• Prostate cancer takes about one life every 18 minutes - In the next 24 hours, prostate cancer will claim the lives of 83 American men.
• One in six American men is at lifetime risk of prostate cancer.
• If a close relative has prostate cancer, a man's risk of the disease more than doubles. With two relatives, his risk increases five times. With three close relatives, his risk is about 97 percent.
• Prostate cancer represents 33 percent of all new cancer cases in American men. That's more new cases than any other cancer.

Get Involved:

Make a Donation.

The Great Prostate Cancer Challange and Dash for Dad invite you to lace up your running shoes and race to raise funds for a cure for Prostate Cancer.  There are 14 race sites across the country this year, click here to find an event near you. 

Click here for others ways to get involved.

Sources: http://www.zerocancer.org/

June 19 (Day 111) Doing Good One Search at a Time

What if even a fraction of the billions of dollars generated by search engine advertisers and online shopping was directed towards the causes you care about? That is the concept behind GoodSearch  a search engine powered by Yahoo! GoodSearch donates 50% of its revenue, approximately a penny per search, to the charities designated by its users. You use it exactly as you would any other search engine and the pennies add up quickly – just 500 people searching four times a day will earn around $7,300 in a year. It doesn’t cost the users a thing!

More than 91,000 charities and schools are now participating in GoodSearch and more than 100 new groups are joining each day! Here are just a few of the many success stories thus far:

• ASPCA has earned $33,700
• Best Friends Animal Society has earned $17,000
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has earned $13,800
• Elephant Sanctuary has earned $13,200
• Heifer International has earned $5,900
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has earned $12,300

  

Similarly with GoodShop, consumers are helping their favorite causes by shopping at hundreds of well known retailers including Amazon, Target, Apple, Macy’s, Best Buy, Orbitz, Staples and others. The shopping experience and the prices are exactly the same as going to the retailer directly, but by going through GoodShop, up to 30% of the purchase price is donated the user’s favorite cause!

Using GoodSearch is simple. Because the site is powered by Yahoo, users are assured of high quality results - but each time you search, money is generated by the advertisers for your favorite charity or school.

Every penny counts! While doing a search or shopping online why not raise money for your favorite cause? There is absolutely no reason not to use GoodSearch and GoodShop - it's so easy.

“We know there are a lot of people who want to do good but may not have the time or the money to help out.” said Ken Ramberg, Co-Founder of GoodSearch. “GoodSearch and GoodShop make it as easy as possible. We’ve taken something people do every day -- searching the Internet and shopping online -- and have turned it into doing good."



Source: goodsearch.com

June 18 (Day 110) Saving Lives... for pennies!

The Children's Safe Drinking Water program provides clean drinking water to people who really need it. Every day more than 4,000 children in developing countries die, simply because they don't have clean drinking water. With your help, we can make a difference.

Contaminated Drinking Water is a major problem: 

• More than one billion people do not have access to safe water. 
• Diarrhea caused by drinking contaminated water remains a leading cause of illness and death among infants and children in the developing world. 
• About 1.8 million children die every year due to diarrheal diseases. 
• More children die from diarrheal illnesses like cholera and dysentery than from HIV/AIDS or malaria combined. 
• P&G has collaborated with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) since 1995 to develop safe drinking water systems that people can easily use in their homes. 
• There is conclusive evidence that simple, low-cost interventions at the community level can dramatically improve the quality of household stored water and greatly reduce the risk of diarrheal disease and death. 
• It is well documented that simply providing safe, clean, drinkable water can reduce deadly diarrhea and other devastating diseases by about 50%.

The Children's Safe Drinking Water program is focused on reducing sickness and death resulting from drinking contaminated water. Working with organizations such as PSI, CARE, World Vision, Aquaya Institute, USAID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the International Council of Nurses, Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, Save the Children, Samaritan's Purse and Americares, P&G helps distribute PUR packets to people in developing countries and emergency relief situations across the globe.

To date, the Children's Safe Drinking Water program has delivered over 1.6 billion liters of clean drinking water. And we are committed to delivering four billion liters by 2012, more than doubling the efforts of our first four years.

Get involved with the work they are doing with charitable organizations and educational programs that support this effort to bring clean water to people in need around the globe. Together we can make a difference.

Watch a PUR tablet make unsanitary and potentially deadly water drinkable.

Wow... that is impressive!  Won't you please help to make this available to those who need it! 

Make a Donation.  
It costs only 10 cents to provide one packet that will clean up to 10 litres of water! A donation of $1 will provide a child with fresh drinking water for 50 days. A $7.50 donation you can give a child clean water for a year. And, a donation of $30 will provide an entire family clean water for a full year! 

Source:  www.csdw.org

June 17 (Day 109) The Shade Tree

Every day The Shade Tree is changing lives...

The mission of The Shade Tree is to provide safe shelter to homeless and abused women and children in crisis and to offer life-changing services promoting stability, dignity, and self-reliance. Since 1990 The Shade Tree has served homeless and abused women and children, victims of domestic violence, victims of elder abuse, victims of street violence, female veterans, homeless youth and the physically disabled.

Using programs offered by The Shade Tree, women can rebuild their lives. They can find employment, secure permanent housing and become productive members of the community. The shelter provides immediate safety from the harshness of the streets, street crime and domestic violence. Each person is provided accommodations that ensure the dignity and respect of everyone utilizing the Shade Tree services.

The Shade Tree is the largest shelter of it's kind in Nevada, and is the only 24-hour accessible shelter designed specifically to meet the needs of women and children. With 364 permanent beds, The Shade Tree provides some 80,000 nights of shelter each year. On average, 33% of our clients are children under the age of 18. Senior citizens represent the fastest growing segment of our population.

The second and third floors of our 38,000 square foot facility are residential areas with sleeping rooms, libraries, training rooms, rest rooms, and children's play rooms. The main floor has our "Dayroom," kitchen, laundry, restrooms and showers, and services for victims of violence. The full basement is used for storing donations and shelter supplies.

The Shade Tree is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. This means that most donations are tax deductible. We are a local 'grassroots' agency with no national affiliation or support. To remove any barrier that might prevent a woman from accessing necessary services for herself and her children, 100% of our services are provided completely free of charge, regardless of the length of stay.

Homelessness Knows No Boundaries

Women are sad and fearful when they first come to The Shade Tree. Family and friends sometimes bring women and children to the shelter when they can no longer care for them. Some women and children are brought to the shelter by our Metro Police. Local doctors, nurses, and hospitals refer people to The Shade Tree. Other social service agencies and churches refer women and children to us. Sometimes they just come in off the streets.

It doesn't matter how they come to us; we care for them all. We provide services for homeless and abused women and children, victims of domestic violence, victims of street violence or gang violence, victims of elder abuse, the physically and mentally disabled, female veterans, the working poor and homeless youth.

Our residents represent all ages, races and ethnic groups and educational levels. Last year we provided shelter and services for 17 women who had graduate degrees and 91 who had undergraduate college degrees. No one is immune. Our youngest residents last year were the new born babies that came to The Shade Tree directly from the hospital. Our oldest resident was the 1 woman who was over 85 and the 10 who were between 75 and 85.

Ways to Help:

Click here to donate and see other ways you can give.

Provide items from the Wish List. Please direct all questions regarding donations to: (702) 385-0072

 

 

 

Source:  The Shade Tree

June 16 (Day 108) Bugles Across America

Today's post is a very unique and  humbling way to make a difference.  Obviously, not everyone is going to be able to participate in a volunteer capacity, but there is the option of supporting the efforts through a monetary donation.  If the opportunity to provide a military send off to a deserving veteran is something that touches your heart , then please take a minute to learn more about today's cause.

 

Bugles Across America, NFP was founded in 2000 by Tom Day, when Congress passed legislation stating Veterans had a right to at least 2 uniformed military people to fold the flag and play taps on a CD player. Bugles Across America was begun to take this a step further, and in recognition of the service these Veterans provided their country, we felt that every Veteran deserved a live rendition of taps played by a live Bugler. To this end, we are actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

Bugles Across America now has over 5000 bugler volunteers located in all 50 states and growing number overseas. Since the Department of Veterans Affairs is expecting more than 1/2 million veterans to pass every year for the next 7 years, Bugles Across America is ALWAYS recruiting new volunteers.

Bugler Volunteers can be male or female. They can play a traditional bugle with no valves, or they can perform the ceremony on a Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, or a 1, 2 or 3 valved bugle. The bugler can be of any age as long as they can play the 24 notes of Taps with an ease and style that will do honor to both the Veterans, their families, and the burial detail performing the service.

Get Involved: 

Make a Donation.

Be a Volunteer Bugler.

Request a Bugler.

"There is no act that is too small to make a difference!"

Source:  Bugles Across America

June 15 (Day 107) Be A Man... Self Exam

June 14th - 20th is Men's Health Week!  Every year Men's Health Week concludes on Father's Day and it is a time to encourage those men in our lives ... both young and old, to make the right choices to improve their lives, wellbeing and all areas of their physical, mental and emotional health.  To that end, today's post will highlight a cause that is sensitive and some might find embarrassing to talk about... Do all the men in your life a favor and make sure they have this information. You could save their life! 

The Sean Kimerling Testicular Cancer Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of testicular cancer and the need for regular self-examination. Our goal is to increase early detection of testicular cancer. We seek to ensure that young men are aware of the disease and have the information they need to conduct regular self-examinations, recognize possible warning signs, and seek medical help without embarrassment or fear of stigmatization.

The Foundation was established in memory of Sean Kimerling, the Emmy Award-winning anchor of WB 11 sports and pre-game announcer for the Mets. Sean died from testicular cancer on September 9, 2003. He was only 37.


Young men most at risk


Testicular cancer most often affects men between the ages of 15 and 40. However, men of any age, including infants and the elderly can develop testicular cancer.


The Importance of Self-Examination


The vast majority of testicular tumors are discovered by men themselves, either by accident or by performing the self-examination procedure. In fact, one research report found that only 4% of all testicular tumors are discovered by physicians, usually when they are performing an exam for other reasons. As a result, regular self-examination is essential.

The Exam

The testicular self-examination, or TSE, is a quick, simple, painless, exam that men can perform on themselves in the privacy of their own home. All men should perform the exam once a month. The exam takes only about three minutes to properly perform. By performing it regularly, you will become familiar with your anatomy and better able to recognize changes.

The best time to perform the TSE is during or immediately after a warm shower or bath. The warm water relaxes the skin on the scrotum, making it easier to perform the TSE. Also, your fingers will more easily glide over soapy skin, making it easier to concentrate on the texture underneath and increasing the likelihood that you will feel any lumps or nodules on your testicles.

Click here for resources available explaining how to perform a self-exam including a video (computer generated graphics, non sexual content). 
 
Ways You Can Help:

Support the Cause... Donate Now.
Get Involved... Other ways to help.

Make sure you pass this information along to every man in your life. Testicular cancer is very cureable is caught early!



Source:  Sean Kimerling Foundation

June 14 (Day 106 ) World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day is celebrated June 14th every year. It is an opportunity to express gratitude to those who donate their blood in order to save lives, without expecting anything in return.

Millions of people owe their lives to people they will never meet – people who donate their blood freely and without any reward. However, the overwhelming majority of the world’s population do not have access to safe blood. Over 80 million units of blood are donated every year, but only 38% are collected in developing countries where 82% of the global population live.

In addition, many countries remain dependent on donation by the families or friends of patients who require blood and, in some countries, blood donors still receive payment.Yet evidence from around the world demonstrates that voluntary unpaid donors are the foundation of a safe blood supply because they are least likely to transmit potentially life-threatening infections, such as HIV and hepatitis viruses, to the recipients of their blood. It is to these unsung heroes that World Blood Donor Day is dedicated.

While it is hoped that World Blood Donor Day will create wider awareness of the importance of voluntary blood donation and encourage more people to become regular blood donors. It is designed to celebrate and thank those individuals who voluntarily donate their blood without any reward, except the knowledge that they have helped to save lives, particularly those who give blood on a regular basis two, three or more times each year. It is our hope that a new generation of blood donors will follow their example, providing the safest blood possible for use wherever and whenever it is needed to save a life.

If you currently donate blood on a regular basis.... THANK YOU!   If you have never donated blood, please consider taking the opportunity to donate blood and make a difference - maybe save a life!  Click here to find a blood drive near you or schedule a donation.



Sources: wbdd.org

June 13 (Day 105) Transplant Grants for Kids

TRANSPLANT PATIENTS NEED YOUR VOTE!

Help NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and Be The Match Foundation take the lead in a race for $100,000

Today's post involves another simple thing that you can do to make a difference in the lives of others!  You don't even have to leave your house... just take a few minutes, log on to your pc and make a difference!  I posted about Be The Match Foundation in an earlier post (view post) and decided to post again when I was made aware of this contest.  Helping Be The Match win a $100,000 prize would be awesome! 

Pepsi, Jimmie Johnson and Be The Match Foundation are teaming up in a race to win $100,000.  There’s never been an easier way to help children battling leukemia and lymphoma receive the marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant they need.

Go to NASCAR.COM/PepsiRefresh and vote for NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and Be The Match Foundation’s Transplant Grants for Kids. Voting is open through June 23rd and you can vote as many times each day as you would like.

Pepsi has invited three NASCAR drivers to take part in this friendly competition. All are teammates on the Hendrick Motorsports team and each driver will promote a charity of his choice. The driver who collects the most online votes by June 23rd wins $100,000 for his charity.

Jimmie Johnson, the four time reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, has selected Be The Match Foundation as his charity. The funds would help financially vulnerable families afford the uninsured and overwhelming recovery costs that come with a child’s marrow transplant.

“I can't imagine having to choose between being beside my child's hospital bed or being at work in order to keep our insurance active and a roof over our heads. It is a wonderful thing to know that Transplant Grants for Kids can help ease that tension,” Johnson said. “These grants give moms and dads a little less to worry about and give kids what they want most when they are sick - their parents by their bedside."

This $100,000 competition featuring NASCAR drivers is part of the Pepsi Refresh Project, a multi-million dollar national campaign that asks people to submit ideas to better their community and gives the public the chance to vote for their favorite.

Every year, 10,000 patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other life-threatening diseases discover they need a marrow transplant but have no donor match in their family. Many are children. Be The Match Foundation raises funds to help patients find an unrelated marrow donor and receive the transplant they need.

While a marrow transplant can be a life-saving treatment, it takes a financial toll on a family. Often there is the temporary loss of at least one parent’s income to care for their child. And even with insurance, not all costs are covered. On average, child transplant recovery expenses exceed a family’s income by $1,200 per month.

Your support of Be The Match Foundation helps families pay for prescription co-pays, transportation to and from the transplant hospital (often in another state), temporary lodging, and other uninsured expenses for up to six months after transplant.
 
So remember... get out the vote!  Vote for Jimmie Johnson and Be The Match Foundation.  You can vote as many times as you like....stuff that ballot box on behalf of children and families recovering from Marrow transplants! 


Other ways you can help:

Click here to learn about the many ways you can give.
Ways to get involved.
Join the registry.
Give birth to hope... donate umbilical cord blood.  Find out how.



Sources:  Be The Match
               Pepsi Refresh

June 12 (Day 104) Miles of Smiles

Vanessa Hailey is requesting your help... She has a TALL order in front of her!  Her goal is to provide each of the 2500 athletes participating in the 2011 Special Olympics Washington State Winter Games with a hand knitted scarf!  WOW!  That is a lot of knitting... makes my fingers hurt just thinking about it.  That is where you come in.  Are there any knitters out there?  We are putting a call out for knitters so if you are a knitter... or you know someone who is a knitter, here's your chance to MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 



As of June 10th -
Scarves needed: 2500
Scarves supplied: 281

As you can see, there is much knitting to be done... Please consider helping if you are able! 


Here is the post from Vanessa's blog:  Miles of Smiles

Please join me in helping make scarves for the 2011 Special Olympics Washington State Winter Games in March 2011. They are expecting 2,500 Athletes and our goal is to be able to give each Athlete their own handmade scarf. Scarves need to be approx. 5" wide by 55" long either crocheted or knitted. The colors are Red Heart Super Saver Cherry Red and White. You can use your own pattern or use any of the patterns listed.


Please send the completed scarves to:

Scarves for WA Special Olympics
c/o Vanessa Hailey
10995 Warfield Road
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284

Due date for scarves is February 25, 2011
Please email vanessa@nwcorrosion.com if you have any questions.


This is what this blog is all about... Finding a need and working to fill that need! Doing what you can, where you are, with what you have!  Thanks Vanessa Hailey for using your talents to help others and inspire us all.


Source: milesofsmiles4charity.blogspot.com

June 11 (Day 103 ) 20 Centres for 2010

It's World Cup fever time in my house!  Soccer has been a major part of my family's life for many years now.  My daughter plays college soccer and has played the game since she was a very young child.  Soccer has taught her many valuable lessons; the value of teamwork, unselfish play, working hard and personal responsibility. She now coaches younger players and helps to give back and foster a love for the game in the next generation of soccer players.  A simple game like soccer is making a profound difference in the lives of many young people worldwide. 


20 Centres for 2010 is the official campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Its aim is to create 20 Football for Hope Centres to promote public health, education and football in disadvantaged communities across Africa. As part of the Football for Hope movement led by FIFA and streetfootballworld, the campaign will leave a tangible social legacy for Africa.


The importance of this legacy is highlighted by the fact that many communities in Africa continue to face serious social challenges. By using the positive elements of football, many locally run organizations have been successful in reaching young people and addressing such challenges. In order to strengthen this development, Football for Hope Centres are being created in disadvantaged communities to be used as facilities from which these local best-practice organizations can reach out to the local young people.

The creation of a Football for Hope Centre begins with identifying both the local challenges as well as a local organization that successfully uses football-based programs for social development. The centre and the programs that are run there, e.g. HIV/Aids awareness, literacy, gender equality, disability and integration, are created to meet the needs of the community.


The organization chosen as centre host manages day-to-day activities with the support of the local community, progressively turning the centre into a self-supporting hub and model for social development through football.   Each centre consists of an artificial turf football pitch and buildings to provide space for classrooms and health facilities. The centres provide long-term infrastructure for Centre Hosts to improve and expand their unique youth development programs.



Get Involved :

Find out how you can get involved here.



Sources:  fifa.com
               streetfootballworld.org

June 10 (Day 102) Adopt A Shelter Cat

Approximately 4 million cats end up in shelters every year, including thousands born every spring and summer during “kitten season.” To help promote adoptions of these fun, affectionate animals, American Humane celebrates Adopt-A-Cat Month each June.

Your local shelter is brimming with cats of every breed, age and personality just waiting for a loving home. Whether you prefer young and frisky or mature and mellow, you’re sure to find the perfect cat companion during Adopt-A-Cat Month!


Adopting a cat from your local shelter will enrich your world in so many different ways:

•Cats will keep you entertained with their playful antics.
•Cats are very affectionate and love to cuddle with you.
•Having a cat can reduce your blood pressure and prevent heart disease.
•Cats are very clean -- they bathe themselves!
•Cats are independent and can be left alone while you are at work.
•Cats do not need to be housebroken -- using the litter box comes naturally to them.
•Cats do not need a lot of space. They are perfect pets for apartments and smaller homes.
•Cats get plenty of exercise living indoors. Just 15 minutes of play each day will satisfy a cat.
•Taking care of a cat can help teach children responsibility and humane values.
•Approximately 4 million homeless cats end up in animal shelters every year in the United States. By adopting, you’ll be saving a life.

Once you’ve adopted your new feline friend, help combat cat overpopulation by spaying or neutering your cat. And don’t forget to keep your kitty safe with an ID tag and microchip!

Won't you consider adopting a new feline friend?!  If you are unable to adopt you can still help....contact your local shelter and see how you can assist them as a volunteer or donate needed items. 


Click here to find a shelter near you.



Source:  American Humane Org.
              ASPCA

June 9 (Day 101) Nun on the Run!

Have you ever seen a Nun on the Run?  I have not, but that would be fun!  Sounds like a Dr. Suess story, doesn't it?  If you haven't, here's your opportunity -


From April 19th to June 19th, 2010, Lisa Smith Batchen, one of the world’s premier ultra-runners, will be the first person to attempt to run 50 miles in each of the 50 states.


Accompanying Lisa on the run will be a small support crew including her good friend and running partner, Sister Mary Beth Lloyd. Sister Mary Beth, 61, belongs to the order of the Religious Teachers Filipini, an order dedicated to education. Sister Mary Beth will run alongside Lisa in her full habit: a black wool tunic over a white shirt and underskirt, black headpiece and a black woolen belt… and sneakers.

The Dreamchasers Foundation, founded by Lisa and Sister Mary Beth, will give 100% of the donations made to AIDS Orphans Rising.




Every 14 seconds a Child Headed Household is formed.

 A Child Headed Household (CHH) is a small nuclear unit of a family, trying to keep together, trying to uphold the ideals of their society and it traditions. These children have been orphaned by AIDS. There are literally millions of them all over the world and theirs is a life of poverty and deprivation.



The Religious Sisters Filippini provide food, housing and education to as many of these children as possible. These Aids Orphans are working very hard to Rise above their situation in order to have a better life and to be part of Africa's future. These are the Aids Orphans Rising ... and they need your help.



HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Donate to RHTA today.

RHTA on Facebook.

See Schedule of when Lisa & Sister Mary Beth will be in your area.



Sister Mary Beth & Lisa.... YOU BOTH INSPIRE ME!! 



Source:  Running Hope to America
                Aids Orphans Rising

June 8 (Day 100) Eradicating Poverty - One Bead at a Time.

Today is my 100th post!  When I started out on this project, I didn't realize how much work and time would be involved in posting everyday.  I will say, over the past 100 days, you and I have learned many things - some inspiring and some very disturbing.  Thank you to all who have taken the time to read my posts and share them with others! If you are inspired to take action on behalf of any of the causes mentioned here, please do so!  Please continue to share these posts with others and let's ignite a little common man philanthropy!   Remember... Do what you can, where you are, with what you have! 

BeadforLife is part of an international grassroots movement to overcome extreme poverty. Your participation in the Bead Circle makes a difference. Please join us.  All of us together complete the Bead Circle: the Ugandans; party and event hosts; volunteers; and those who buy, give, wear and love these beautiful beads. There are already tens of thousands of us wearing bright paper jewelry made from strong Ugandan hands as a symbol of our commitment to work for a better world.

Our goal is for our members to be independent of BeadforLife within 27 months by being able to support themselves within the Ugandan economy. To assist members in launching their own small businesses or in creating new revenue streams, we provide entrepreneurial training, facilitate savings accounts, and make business funds available.

In addition to buying and selling the beads, BeadforLife sponsors Community Development projects in health, vocational training for impoverished youth, affordable housing, and business development. These projects are supported with the net profits from the sale of the beads, and support not only beaders, but other impoverished people living in Uganda.

Click here to see how a bead is rolled. 

Want a fun and easy way you can help Bead for Life?
Host a Bead Party:  Have fun and make a difference!
Host a BeadParty at your home, church, school, office or in your community and have fun while making a difference. You can help raise awareness about extreme poverty and support Bead for Life by selling beautiful jewelry items, hand-crafted by impoverished women in Uganda. By hosting a BeadParty you are taking concrete action to help alleviate poverty a world away! Hosting is easy! Bead for Life will support you from beginning to end with no cost to you!


Donate to Bead for Life.

Bead For Life on Facebook.



Source: BeadforLife

June 7 (Day 99) Letters for Lyrics

Today's post features a FREE & easy way to make a difference to those serving in the military! The Zac Brown Band has teamed up with Ram Trucks to create Letters for Lyrics and together they are hoping to send 1 million letters to U.S. troops stationed overseas.


All you have to do is write a letter to a military service person and drop it off at a RAM dealer in your area. You can find your nearest RAM dealer here. In return for writing the letter you will recieve a cool gift... the country band is thanking you with a "Southern Ground Compilation" CD. The CD, which is not sold in stores, features three new songs from Zac Brown Band and songs from artists Sonia Leigh, Nic Cowan and Levi Lowrey.



In addition to handing out the free CD for every letter turned in. U.S. Ram Truck dealerships are providing special “Letters for Lyrics” stationary.  The non-profit organization Soldier’s Angels will help by making sure the letters are delivered to the U.S. troops. But that is not all, there is an exclusive live version of the band’s latest single “Free” available for download for the first 100,000 fans through RamTrucks.com. For each download of this single, Ram Truck will make a donation to Soldier’s Angels, which provides “aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, veterans and their families.”



Watch the exclusive documentary film "For Those Who Serve" following Zac Brown Band on their April USO Tour in the Persian Gulf. The film features the band performing for the troops, meeting individually with our men and women in uniform stationed far from home and sharing their thoughts on the experience. The documentary will be released in multiple segments and is available on the Ram Trucks website.


Please help us reach our goal of sending one million letters.





Source: Ram Trucks - Letters for Lyrics

June 6 (Day 98) Have a Garage Sale for Charity!

It's that time of year again--Garage Sale Season! If you have decided that it's time to get rid of your excess stuff, having a garage sale is a great way to accomplish that.  How about taking it one step further and making a difference.  Become part of the new grass roots movement taking off across the country and raise funds for charity by holding a Garage Sale for Charity!  In the past couple weeks in the area in which I live, I have come across 2 charity garage sales... one benefitting ACS Relay for Life and the other Susan G. Komen.   What a great way to make a difference.  

One person, one garage sale can make a difference. This is grass roots at its best. The potential over the next several months is huge! Effortless fund raising for charities during the slow summer months when donations are down -  money local charities would have otherwise never seen, during the months they may need it the most. Sell, donate, feel good! Saving the world one garage sale at a time.

 
How to hold a Charity Garage Sale:

Step 1... Pick a Date.  Most garage sales Thursday - Saturday, but whichever days work for you is fine!   Advertise! Advertise! Advertise!  Get the word out by posting it on Craig List and in your local paper. Enlist the help of your family and friends to make up flyers and posters and put them up around town. If your community has public access TV ask them to publicize your garage sale.  Make sure to let your customer's know which charity you are helping! 

Step 2... You need something to sell.  Ask friends, family, and neighbors to clean out their closets, garages and basements for this worthy cause. Have them bring them to your house so that you can sort and price.

Step 3... Set up.  You will need as many folding tables and table cloths as you can get.  Organize the goods on the tables.

Step 4... Additional Fundraising ideas.   Ask your friends and family to supply baked goods and beverages to sell at the garage sale. This will help you raise more money.

Step 5... Get Help.  Ask your friends for help during the sale.  At the end of the sale you can pack up unsold items and donate them to a local charity.



source: ehow.com

June 5 (Day 97) Helping the Gulf - Part 2

The images from the BP Oil Spill are horrifying.  We are now starting to see the animals covered in oil or floating dead in the oil filled water.  It is a very sad sight and it makes you feel like you want to be able to do more!  I have already posted on ways to help, but I wanted to revisit this tragedy because the affects are so great and grow greater everyday. 



Did you know that Dawn Dish Soap has been involved in helping wildlife for many years?  When rescue crews remove the slick black oily film from wildlife affected by oil spills they use Dawn dishwashing liquid.  They’ve been doing it for more than 30 years and for almost that long Dawn’s corporate parent, P&G, has been donating money and product to help animals hurt by disaster. But it is only recently that P&G began to involve its consumers. Through its “Dawn Saves Wildlife” campaign, shoppers can go online to activate a $1 donation from P&G with every bottle of Dawn they purchase.  It is estimated that Dawn detergent has helped save more than 75,000 animals.


Other ways to get involved:

Check out the information below from the Louisiana Gulf Response website and check out each of the organizations websites...you will find many you can assist in this effort:

In the wake of the BP Oil Spill that is threatening our coast, local, regional and national conservation organizations are coordinating volunteers to assist in local, state and federal recovery efforts in Louisiana.

Our organizations - including the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, the National Audubon Society, and The Nature Conservancy - are established, active advocates for the preservation and restoration of coastal Louisiana.

We are organizations with a history of on-the-ground work in Louisiana, and we are combining efforts and experience to implement an effective volunteer response and make a real difference in the BP Oil Spill recovery efforts.

Click here to read my earlier post to see other ways to assist with the Gulf Oil spill effort.



Sources:  ctpboston.com
               www.lagulfresponse.org

June 4 (Day 96) Lupus Foundation of America

Today's post is especially meaningful to my family because we have a family member who has been diagnosed with Lupus.  Lupus is one of those diseases that most people don't really know much about.  Please take a few minutes to read the post and learn about Lupus and check out the ways you can get involved in helping to find a cure for Lupus. 

The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (LFA) is the foremost national nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus and providing support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus.  The LFA was established in 1977 when local lupus organizations came together to bring national attention and resources to lupus. Since that time, the LFA has evolved into the field’s preeminent nonprofit lupus organization with nearly 300 chapters and support groups nationwide.

 

What is Lupus? 

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs ("foreign invaders," like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues ("auto" means "self") and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.

Lupus is also a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Lupus can range from mild to life-threatening and should always be treated by a doctor. With good medical care, most people with lupus can lead a full life. Lupus is not contagious, not even through sexual contact. You cannot "catch" lupus from someone or "give" lupus to someone.

Lupus is not like or related to cancer. Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, as described above. Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS the immune system is underactive; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.

Our research estimates that at least 1.5 million Americans have lupus. The actual number may be higher; however, there have been no large-scale studies to show the actual number of people in the U.S. living with lupus.

• It is believed that 5 million people throughout the world have a form of lupus.
• Lupus strikes mostly women of childbearing age (15-44). However, men, children, and teenagers develop lupus, too.
• Women of color are 2-3 times more likely to develop lupus.
• People of all races and ethnic groups can develop lupus.
• More than 16,000 new cases of lupus are reported annually across the country.

Get Involved:

Join the Lupus Foundation of America in June as we Walk for Lupus Now®. Thousands of walkers will participate in nearly 70 cities across the nation to raise funds to bring an end to this life-diminishing and life-threatening disease. Many participants have lupus, or are family, friends or caregivers to someone who has lupus. So come out and show your support and give hope for a better quality of life. Click here to find the Walk for Lupus Now location nearest you.

Donate to the Lupus Foundation of America.

Volunteer opportunities available with Lupus Foundation of America.

Find a Lupus Foundation Chapter near you.



Source:  Lupus Foundation of America

June 3 (Day 95) - KaBOOM! Saving Play!

KaBOOM! is a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America's children. Our mission is to create great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities. Ultimately, we envision a place to play within walking distance of every child in America.

Play is on the decline throughout America. Not enough playspaces are being built, and those that exist are often in disrepair. Fears surrounding lawsuits and safety are trumping common sense, resulting in sterile, uninspired play environments. Recess is being eliminated from our nation’s schools. Kids are overscheduled, and in their free time, many choose to stay indoors, lulled by television, computers and video games.
 
   
 

The deficit of child’s play is sad, since it means a world with less laughter and joy. And it has grave implications for our society and our future. The decline of play is closely linked to:

• Childhood obesity
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity, anxiety disorders and depression
• Violence and other behavioral problems
• Stunted social, cognitive, and creative development
• Lack of green spaces in cities and suburbs
• Fragmented communities
• Failing schools 

We fight this troubling play deficit, and its many related problems, through three central strategies:

• Constructing innovative, kid-inspired playspaces, using a community-build model that improves the   well-being of the children we serve as well as the neighborhoods in which they live.
• Sharing the knowledge and tools needed for anyone to find, improve, and/or build playgrounds on their own.
• Building a broad movement driven by research, analysis, policy, and community engagement.

In saving play, we are creating:

• Healthier, happier, and smarter children
• Greener cities
• Better schools
• Stronger neighborhoods 

To date, KaBOOM! has built over 1750 playgrounds, saving play for nearly 3.5 million children. 
Check out this time lapse video of a playground build.

Start or Join a Project in your community.

Donate:  Your contribution will help to give a child a place to play.

Donate to KaBOOM! with Your Mobile Phone.  You can now give a one-time, $5 donation to KaBOOM! through your mobile phone!  Text SAVEPLAY to 40579.

Kaboom on Facebook.

Source:  KaBOOM

June 2 (Day 94) What One Cup of Coffee Can Do...

Today's opportunity to make a difference is so easy... and it tastes great too!  Just get yourself over to your local Tim Horton's Store and buy a cup of coffee.  All of today's proceeds from coffee sales go to help send children to camp!  So enjoy a cup of coffee and know you are helping young people in your community!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 is a special day for Tim Hortons Store Owners, staff and customers. It's Camp Day! Camp Day is the one day a year when Tim Hortons Store Owners across Canada and the United States donate every penny from coffee sales to the Tim Horton Children's Foundation. In 2009, Camp Day raised more than $8.5 million U.S.


Every time a customer buys a coffee at Tim Hortons on Camp Day they will help send more than 14,000 kids - who could otherwise not afford it - on the camping adventure of a lifetime. All children who attend one of the Foundation's six camps are selected from within the communities where Tim Hortons stores are located. Tim Hortons Store Owners work closely with local youth organizations and schools to select children, between the ages of nine and 12, to attend a 10-day summer camp session or seven day winter camp session.  During their stay at one of the Foundation's six camps, campers participate in a wide range of first-class programs and activities designed to increase self-confidence, self-esteem and teach leadership skills that will continue to benefit them for years to come.

"By purchasing a coffee on Camp Day, our customers give kids, who live in their very own community, an opportunity to experience a camping adventure that will inspire them for years to come," says Bill Moir, President, Tim Horton Children's Foundation. "Together we can continue to foster within thousands of children the quest for a brighter future."

The Tim Horton Children's Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1974, is committed to providing an enriched and memorable camp experience for children, who would otherwise not have the opportunity. Funding for the Foundation comes from year-round public donations collected through counter and drive-thru coin boxes located at more than 3,400 Tim Hortons stores, Tim Hortons Camp Day, as well as other special events and donations. Since 1975, more than 120,000 children and youth have attended a Foundation camp.



Source:  Tim Horton's
              www.timhortons.com

June 1 (Day 93) When life hands you lemons....

MAKE  LEMONADE ! 

Nothing tastes better on a hot summer day than a nice tall glass of icey cold lemonade !

Help Put the Squeeze on Childhood Cancer

 

 

Stir up some fun as you raise money to help find a cure for pediatric cancer by taking part in our 7th Annual Lemonade Days, on the weekend of June 11, 12, and 13, 2010. Host an Alex's Lemonade Stand fundraising event along with more than 10,000 volunteers across the country. Our Lemonade Days goal this year? $1 million raised for childhood cancer research… And YOU can help us get there!

 

To take part in our Lemonade Days, hold your Alex's Lemonade Stand fundraising event anytime during this year’s three designated days—June 11, 12, and 13. You can set up in your front yard, at your school, at your workplace, church, temple, community center or anywhere you like!

 

Find out all you need to know, register to participate, and download materials right here to make your Lemonade Days Fundraiser a success.

 

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) shares the vision of our founder and creator, Alexandra “Alex” Scott—a cure for all children with cancer. 

 

When Alex, who was diagnosed with childhood cancer just before her first birthday, was four, she told her parents she wanted to set up a front-yard lemonade stand. Her plan: to give the money to doctors to help them find a cure. Her first “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” raised an astonishing $2,000 in one day. While bravely fighting her own cancer, Alex continued to set up lemonade stands every year. As news spread of the remarkable girl so dedicated to helping other sick children, people everywhere were inspired to start their own lemonade stands—donating the proceeds to her cause.

 

In 2004 when Alex passed away at the age of eight—her stand and inspiration had raised over $1 million towards finding a cure for the disease that took her life. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was started by her parents in 2005 to continue the work that Alex began. Our mission is simple: to raise money for and awareness of childhood cancer causes—especially research into new treatments and cures—and to encourage and educate others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer.

 

Since Alex set up her first lemonade stand in 2000—truly exemplifying the saying “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade”—we have raised more than $30 million, with more than $12 million of those dollars coming from lemonade stands. That money has helped to: 


• fund more than 125 cutting-edge research projects

• create a travel program to help support families of children receiving treatment

• develop resources to help people everywhere touched by childhood cancer

 

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is the living embodiment of Alex’s spirit of determination and hope. Like Alex, we believe that every person can make a difference. Together, we can bring about a cure. Please join us in “making lemonade” today!


Donate to Alex's Lemonade Stand.  -For Mobile Donations, text Lemonade to 85944.
Click here to find a Lemonade Stand / Fundraiser in your area.



Alex's Lemonade Stand on Facebook.
Read / Subscribe to the Lemonade Blog.



Source:  Alex's Lemonade Stand