July 10 (Day 132) Fresh Air Fund

Remember your summer vacations?

Doesn’t every kid deserve that kind of fun?

 

I love the idea behind today's post...I wish I lived in the hosting area because I think it would be awesome to share my family with a young person this summer.  What an awesome honor and a great way to make a difference! I imagine this would have to be as much fun, or even more fun, for the host family as it is for the child - imagine opening up a whole new world for a child in need. 

If you live outside the hosting area, there are still opportunities to help. Please consider making a donation to allow children the experience of summer camp. 

THE FRESH AIR FUND, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877.  Nearly 10,000 New York City children enjoy free Fresh Air Fund programs annually. In 2008, close to 5,000 children visited volunteer host families in suburbs and small town communities across 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada. 3,000 children also attended five Fresh Air camps on a 2,300-acre site in Fishkill, New York. The Fund’s year-round camping program serves an additional 2,000 young people each year.

FRESH AIR CHILDREN:

Children are selected to participate in The Fresh Air Fund Friendly Town program based on financial need. Children are from low-income communities, and often come from families without the money to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.

FRESH AIR FUND FRIENDLY TOWN PROGRAM:

Fresh Air children, boys and girls from six to 18 years old, visit 300 Fresh Air Friendly Towns in the summer. Fresh Air children on first-time visits to Friendly Town host families are six to 12 years old and stay for up to two weeks. The program also has a special one-week option for New York City families who would like to host children on their summer vacations in the country. Over 65 percent of all children are reinvited to stay with host families, year after year. Reinvited youngsters may continue with The Fund through age 18, and many spend the entire summer in the country. Fresh Air children and volunteer families often form bonds of friendship that last a lifetime.

FRIENDLY TOWN HOST FAMILIES:

Fresh Air Fund volunteer host families open their homes to inner-city children for two weeks or more in the summertime. Each Friendly Town community is supervised by a committee of volunteers. Committee members select host families after reviewing their applications, visiting them in their homes and checking their personal references. There are no financial requirements for hosting a Fresh Air child. Most hosts simply want to share their homes with inner-city youngsters. Host families are not paid. The Fund has a program for placing children who have special physical or emotional needs.  If you are interested in hosting a child, refer to the hosting area map to see if hosting is available in your state.

Get Involved:

Donate to the Fresh Air Fund.

Volunteer opportunities at Fresh Air Fund.

Fresh Air Fund on Facebook.

Source: Fresh Air Fund

July 9 (Day 131) Loans that Change Lives

Kiva is a Swahili word meaning “agreement” or “unity”.  Kiva's mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty.  Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending.

Kiva.org is a non-profit that is revolutionizing the fight against global poverty by enabling people to connect with and make personal loans—of as little as $25—to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world. Most of the poor in developing countries are self-employed entrepreneurs and a small loan to purchase business-related items such as sewing machines or livestock can empower them to earn their way out of poverty.   View the current entepreneurs stories and loan requests here.

Kiva was born of the following beliefs:

• People are by nature generous, and will help others if given the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way.
• The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity.
• By connecting people we can create relationships beyond financial transactions, and build a global community expressing support and encouragement of one another.

Kiva promotes:

• Dignity: Kiva encourages partnership relationships as opposed to benefactor relationships. Partnership relationships are characterized by mutual dignity and respect. 
• Accountability: Loans encourage more accountability than donations where repayment is not expected.
• Transparency: The Kiva website is an open platform where communication can flow freely around the world.

As of November 2009, Kiva has facilitated over $100 million in loans.   Check out their website and learn more about Kiva and their mission.  Their website is awesome and is loaded with information about what they do and how you can help. 

Do More:

Donate to Kiva.

Help spread the word about Kiva.



Source: kiva.org

July 8 (Day 130) Goodwill Industries

Today I wanted to highlight an organization that is working to help unemployed people find employment.  I live in Michigan - one of the states with the highest unemployment rate in the country.  Too many people are hurting and without jobs.  Many people have lost their unemployment benefits and the prospects of finding a job here are very difficult.  Thank you to organizations like Goodwill Industries who are working diligently to get people working!  Goodwill Industries is all about people working!

Goodwill is North America’s leading nonprofit provider of education, training, and career services for people with disadvantages as well as those with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.


They believe that work has the power to transform lives by building self-confidence, independence, creativity, trust and friendships. Their mission is to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities by eliminating barriers to opportunity and helping people in need reach their fullest potential through the power of work.



When you donate your gently used household items and clothing to Goodwill, and when you shop at Goodwill, you are playing a vital role in fulfilling their mission of helping people go to work. The sales of donated items in their stores and online at www.shopgoodwill.com  fund the Goodwill job training programs and other services that are critical to the health and well-being of communities across the United States and Canada.  Shopping at Goodwill is making an investment in your community because 84 percent of the revenues help fund job training programs and employment placement services for people who want to work or others having a hard time finding employment [OR people who have physical, mental or emotional disabilities lack education or job experience, or face other employment challenges].


So get busy and clean out all those closets... Donate to Goodwill Industries! 



Get Involved:

Make an online donation to Goodwill Industries.

Donate merchandise and Shop at Goodwill. Find a Goodwill location in your area.

Find volunteer opportunities with Goodwill Industries in your area.  There are many ways to help, so check it out and see how you can make a difference.




Source:  Goodwill Industries

July 7 (Day 129) Bake Me Home

Making the World a better place.... ONE COOKIE AT A TIME!  That is the mission of 9 year old twin sisters, Emma and Amy.  In 2008, when the girls were 7 years old, they along with mom Alison, established Bake Me Home. 

 

 

Bake Me Home grew from their desire to do something more for the homeless family shelter where they had volunteered together for 3 years. Their volunteer work began with collecting items for the Bethany House Shelter at the twins birthday party each year. In lieu of gifts from their friends, the girls asked for items for the shelter such as books, infants toys, and snacks for summer field trips. (What a great way to teach children about helping others.) Once the items were gathered, they delivered them to the shelter and prepared a homemade pancake breakfast for the families. The girls favorite part was always staying after breakfast to play with other kids at the shelter.

 

Desiring to help more families, Bake Me Home has expanded to include the YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, and the Tom Geiger Guest House in Cincinnati, Ohio and the YWCA House of Peace in Clemont County, Ohio. These organizations do a great job helping the families find new homes and we want to give them a present on moving day. "We love making homemade cookies with our Mom and we want other kids to spend time with their moms, and enjoy eating cookies in their new home. So we give each family everything they need to make their own homemade cookies, all in one of our “Bake Me Home” cloth grocery bags (because we saw a show about how plastic bags are bad for our Earth). Here’s what’s in the bag:" 

• A $20 Kroger Grocery Store Gift Card
• Jar of homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mix
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Baking sheet
• Pot Holder
• Spatula
• Toothbrushes (Family pack of 6) and a tube of toothpaste
• A booklet of recipes donated by the Nutrition Council of Greater Cincinnati and printed by our friends at Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church

 

 

What is really amazing about these awesome kids is that they did not stop with their tote bag program, they have started 2 additional programs that complement Bake Me Home! They have a modified version of their Tote Bag program working in conjuction with local food pantries. They also have started the Bake Me Home Family Portrait Program.  The Family Portrait Program has to be, without a doubt, the program that makes the biggest impact for the least money. For approximately eighty cents worth of ink and paper they have seen mothers cry as the only picture they have of their kids comes to life. What an awesome way to make a difference!

 

 

I am so impressed by these 2 AWESOME young ladies!  They truly represent what this blog is all about.  Finding a need and doing what you can to make a difference!  Thanks to Mom & Dad too, for never telling the girls that they are just kids... they can't make a difference!  KIDS CAN AND ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!   Amy, Emma and Mom.... YOU ROCK!! 

 

 

Get Involved:

Donate to Bake Me Home.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Even little bits of money can be a big help. For example, only $5.00 will buy enough brown sugar for 30 jars of cookie mix!

 

Check out the BAKE ME BACK HOME  fundraiser page and send cookies to a service member while helping support the work of Bake Me Home.

 

If you are interested in a volunteering opportunity or donating 5x7 frames or potholders, send an email to cookiegirls@bakemehome.com regarding your specific interests. 

 

Bake Me Home on FaceBook.

 

 

 

Source:  Bake Me Home

July 6 (Day 128) Bountiful Bowls

Because of the downturn in the economy, many pet owners are feeling the pressure - and many pets are becoming homeless. Many families just cannot afford to care for their pets any longer. They may have lost their jobs or homes and are forced into new living arrangements which causes them to make the painful decision to surrender their pet to a shelter. 

I can't imagine having to turn over my dog....I would be heartbroken.  Although today's post is specific to my area, please contact your local animal shelter, as many shelters have similar programs to help families keep their pets! There is a way to help, please help if you can!

 

For the month of July, Huron Valley Humane Society is holding their Bountiful Bowls Food Drive. Now through July 31st, there are ten different local locations where you can donate food to the HSHV Bountiful Bowls Food Program and help keep local pets with their owners during these tough times.

The Humane Society of Huron Valley understands that financial difficulty often means making a list of priorities. Frequently, animals are forced to be low on that list. HSHV's Bountiful Bowls pet food assistance program helps Washtenaw County, Canton and Plymouth residents who are having difficulty meeting the nutritional needs of their dog or cat due to financial burden. Trying times can be temporary. With a little assistance, a pet owner can often find a way to keep their pet in their home.


The Bountiful Bowls Pet Food Assistance Program was started by HSHV to help people that need assistance for a short period of time. We are distributing around 2,500 pounds of food each month to 232 families in need. This includes donations we take to Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels who transport the pet food to homebound seniors and people with disabilities. We also work with Food Gatherers to transport pet food to the Manchester Family Services food distribution each month.

Overall, we are consistently coming up short of cat food. The majority of our recipients have multiple cats, so 60% of the food we distribute is cat food. Only 54% of the food we receive is cat food, so we often need to buy cat food to meet the needs of the recipients.

HSHV recommends using/donating cat & dog food that has protein as the #1 ingredient on the list. Examples of good pet food: IAMS, Hills, ProPlan, Eukanuba, Purina, Nutro, Nutro Max, Nutro Max Gourmet, Classics, Nutro Natural Choice, Nutro Ultra, Canidae Pet Food, Royal Canin, Pedigree, Fancy Feast.

How Can You Help?

Donations of pet food for this program comes from different sources which includes private citizens & local stores. Donations can be dropped off anytime during normal adoption hours at the Shelter.

If you would like to make a monetary donation to support this important program, please click here.

Click here for a list of drop off locations.

HSHV will accept the following donated food: 

• Dog and cat food in the original unopened bag within 3 months after the expiration date  
• Dog and cat food in the original opened bag within 3 months after the expiration date, providing it is free of bugs or rodent waste

Source: hvhs.org

July 5 (Day 127) Operation: Old Navy

I try not to post similar causes 2 days in a row, but I really wanted to help get the word out about this effort to help the troops.  It is such a simple way to help and since today is the last day - I decided to change the post I had originally scheduled for today to make room for this one.  Please help if you can....  

To celebrate the 2010 Independence Day holiday weekend and honor troops deployed overseas, Old Navy's entire fleet of 1,000 US stores will host a donation drive from July 1 - 5 to collect everyday items needed by the men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Items will be collected by armed services volunteers at all Old Navy locations, which will then be sorted, packaged and shipped to deployed troops by Operation: Care and Comfort.

Old Navy has partnered with Operation: Care and Comfort to send money and supplies to our deployed troops overseas. For you, that mean's a great sale... and a great excuse to shop (like you really need an excuse to shop!) All Old Navy stores nationwide are accepting donations of:

• T-shirts
• Socks
• Underwear
• Undershirts
• Sunglasses
• Flip Flops
• Lip Balm
• Foot Powder

Old Navy customers who participate by donating items will receive a 10% discount off their entire purchase in-store that day. In addition, Old Navy will be offering a "Buy One, Send One" special on Old Navy's famous Flag Tees. For every purchase of an Old Navy Flag Tee purchased in-store between July 1 and July 5, Old Navy will send one to troops overseas, up to 500,000.  (Shirt pictured above.) In case you forget to bring something to give, there's also going to be a "Troop Essentials" section at the front of each store full of items you can donate — all for under $10.

"Operation Old Navy" began in April 2009 in the San Francisco Bay Area with a limited numbers of stores. This year, due to tremendous community interest and support, all of Old Navy's fleet of stores across the country will participate.

"Old Navy cares about our troops overseas and knows that our customers do too," said Tom Wyatt, president of Old Navy. "We hope the effort will help bring families together, and give our customers an additional opportunity to support the men and women that are currently deployed overseas in our communities."

"Operation: Care and Comfort is excited about the 2010 'Operation Old Navy' donation drive," stated co-founder Julie DeMaria. "The outpouring of gratitude from our troops abroad has been tremendous. We received such wonderful pictures and emails from the troops thanking us for sending the Old Navy items to them last year. We can't wait to do it again, and thank Old Navy for their genuine support of our service members."

Since April 2003, the all-volunteer Operation: Care and Comfort program has shipped over 300 tons of care packages for distribution to Marine, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel deployed in conflict regions. Adopted military units receive care packages monthly, until they return home. Operation: Care and Comfort is proudly listed on the Department of Defense "America Supports You" web site and has received national awards and recognition for its work on behalf of the military. For more information on how you can support this worthy program, please visit http://www.operationcareandcomfort.org/.

So pick up some of the requested items at your local Old Navy.  You can get 10% off your purchase by making a donation.  While you are there, pick up one of the special Buy One/ Give One T-shirts.  It's a win/win.... shop and make a difference at the same time!

July 4 (Day 126) Fisher House

Happy Independance Day!! Today we celebrate the Red, White & Blue by highlighting another great charity doing a great work on behalf of America's brave military men and women.  Take a look....

The Fisher House™ program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments Of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House™ Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

There is at least one Fisher House™ at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House™ program serves more than 10,000 families, and have made available nearly three million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. By law, there is no charge for any family to stay at a Fisher House operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual Fisher Houses operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!




How to Participate:
Donate to Fisher House.

Become a Fisher House volunteer.

Read words of thanks from soldiers.



Source:  The Fisher House

July 3 (Day 125) Tickets for Charity

Summer is in full swing - time for all of that outdoor fun!  Here's a great way to give back while seeing a concert or sporting event.   Take a look....

Tickets-for-Charity works with some of the biggest names in entertainment to offer music, theater and sports fans hard-to-find seats and event tickets online. T-F-C offers the same or better prices you’ll find elsewhere while supporting great causes in the process. From sold-out shows, concert tickets and VIP Packages to this year’s hottest theatre and sport tickets, Tickets-for-Charity helps you find seats and buy tickets while benefiting the causes you care about most!

How it Works:

1. Tickets-for-Charity works directly with artists, management, venues and promoters to make high-demand live event seats available at face value plus a separate donation directed to partner charities. (Tickets-for-Charity is not an auction platform – donation amounts are pre-determined by Tickets-for-Charity with our partners.)


2. Each event features a specific artist-designated charity and typically offers customers the opportunity to select additional charities to benefit from their purchase.

3. 100% of the donation amount (less direct transaction costs) is distributed to the charitable organizations chosen by customers from a list of leading partner charities.

4. Similar to any other entertainment purchase, 100% of the face value of each ticket is remitted back to the original ticket source. The charitable donation is captured from the premium fans often pay unauthorized ticket brokers and scalpers, but given the option would much rather direct to charity.

5. Tickets-for-Charity charges an industry standard per ticket service fee to operate the platform, fulfill ticket orders and distribute donations to partner charities.

Working with artists such as Billy Joel, Brad Paisley, Coldplay, Elton John, James Taylor, John Mayer, Kenny Chesney, the Rolling Stones, The Police, Barbra Streisand and many more, T-F-C has generated over $3.4 million in donations for leading charities. If you are looking for hard to find and sold out tickets online, you have come to the right place.

Featured upcoming events include Brooks & Dunn tickets, Boston Red Sox tickets, Boston Celtics playoff tickets, U2 tickets, James Taylor & Carole King tickets, Eagles tickets, Sting tickets and more!


So check it out and if you need any tickets, consider buying your tickets through T-F-C and make a difference all at the same time!


Source:  Tickets for Charity

July 2 (Day 124) Gift Card Giver

Over and over again, I am amazed by the compassion of people for helping others and doing good.  I am amazed at the ingenuity and creative ways people come up with to support the causes they care about. Today's post is one of those simple ways to make a difference - Wow, what a great idea! 

Four friends had an idea to collect gift cards and give them to people in need. They went to a gathering and asked 8 people how much money in unused Gift Cards they had in their wallets and walked away with $50 in Gift Cards to help people in need. Gift Card Giver was born.

Gift Card Giver is a new form of giving. The Gift Card industry has risen to be a 60 billion dollar industry. Ever wonder how many gift cards are unused? Between 10 – 15%. That means billions of dollars are sitting on gift cards, waiting to be used for good.

How many gift cards do you have sitting in your wallet? We guess you have at least $5 of unused gift cards right now. What’s 5 bucks going to buy you? Maybe a pair of socks…but 10 people giving 5 bucks will buy a kid a winter coat, or 1000 people giving $5 may give that same kid a warm bedroom to sleep in through the night.

We collect and distribute the cards to appropriate Non-Profit Organizations that can use those cards to help others. We have never used a card for ourselves and never will. This is a grass roots campaign that has created a new form of giving and you are an important piece to the idea coming to life.

We collect the donated gift cards and organize them in secure bins by company name. When we obtain a reasonable mass of dollars in gift cards (typically between $100-$500) we give those cards toward a project, person or organization that can best use that gift card for a significant need. Sometimes, we purchase the needed items ourselves and deliver the gift directly. Other times we give the individual or organization a tall stack of gift cards with a combined total dollar amount so they can go buy the needs themselves. Many people ask if we can combine gift card dollar amounts into one gift card? The answer is sometimes, depending on the technology of the company and the willingness of each unique store’s manager to work with us on the project.

After we contribute cards to projects, we share the experience with you in our Giving Stories. Without your small donation of gift cards, the stories would not be possible. If you would like to hear about all our Giving Stories, please sign up for email updates at giftcardgiver.com.

Get Involved: 
 
It is very simple to get involved:  Send your Gift Cards...


STEP 1: Use as much of your card as you want (or send a full card).
STEP 2: Write how much is left on your card using a permanent marker.
STEP 3: Place the card in an envelope and send it to us at:
Gift Card Giver
PO Box 17628
Atlanta, GA 30316


Host a Gift Card Giver House Party.... Find out how.
 
Make a donation to Gift Card Giver.
 
Gift Card Giver on FaceBook.
 
 
 
Source:  Gift Card Giver

July 1 (Day 123) Racing for Kids

Founded in Detroit in 1989, Racing For Kids® is designed to use the increasing popularity of motorsports to focus public attention and funding on the health care needs of children.

The hospital visits form the heart of the program. Racing For Kids® drivers visit children in Children's Hospitals wherever they race. They spend time with each sick youngster answering questions about their sport, posing for pictures, signing autographs and handing out the distinctive Racing For Kids® hats, coloring books and assorted memorabilia provide by our sponsors. For many hospitalized youngsters,these visits by the racers are the lone bright spot in what is often a rather gloomy experience. Attending physicians report that these visits play an important part in each child’s recovery therapy.

Racing For Kids® representatives have visited with more than 20,000 young patients in nearly 400 hospitals in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Australia.

Check out upcoming Racing For Kids® hospital visits.



Get Involved:

Donate to Racing for Kids.
There are many great reasons to volunteer.




Source:  Racing for Kids

June 30 (Day 122) READ, GIVE, GROW.

Milk + Bookies is a nationwide charitable organization that inspires children to give back, using books as its currency.  Milk + Bookies teaches young children how great it feels to give back, while celebrating the love of a good book. 

At Milk + Bookies events, boys and girls are provided the opportunity to select, purchase and inscribe books that are then donated to their peers who do not have access to books of their own. The fun-filled events feature music, story time and, of course, milk and cookies.

Please visit the Milk + Bookies website for great ideas! Check out the M+B CLASS PROJECT and the M+B BIRTHDAY PARTY . There are instructions and contact information on how you can host your own class project or party.  What a GREAT, FUN way for kids to give back to other kids! I especially like the Birthday Party idea.  As a parent, I remember the birthday parties - each one having to be bigger and better than the last. This idea is awesome... kids getting together to celebrate a birthday and learning about service and giving back! 

Milk + Bookies combines two essential and worthwhile efforts: LITERACY PROMOTION AND SERVICE LEARNING. While the book donations are imperative to our mission, just as important is instilling the seed of giving into each host and their young guests, sparking feelings of importance, self-confidence and the desire to give and give again.


READ, GIVE, GROW.



Donate to Milk + Bookies.
Milk + Bookies on FaceBook.



Source:  Milk and Bookies

June 29 (Day 121) Turning Disabilities Into Capabilities

For 50 years, Shepherds Ministries has focused on meeting the needs of people with developmental disabilities. We provide a variety of services addressing residential, educational and vocational needs. Shepherds Ministries, a nationally recognized organization founded on Jeremiah 23:4, provides compassionate Christian care, vocational education and job opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities, helping them attain Appropriate Independence with fulfilling jobs and lives, while also providing for their spiritual development.
For adults with developmental disabilities and their families, Shepherds' case managers, living skills instructors, nurse, consultants, teachers, work supervisors and administrative staff provide a future and a hope.

It was 1957 in Milwaukee Wisconsin when parents of a son with cognitive disabilities approached their Sunday school class and asked a probing question. "Would they consider doing something for children with developmental disabilities?" The outpouring of compassion that erupted from that class has cascaded down through multiple generations, profoundly impacting the lives of people with developmental disabilities.
At first it was baby sitting and day-care, but soon this class of caring couples saw a vision for a broader ministry to other families with children who were cognitively disabled. With much prayer and even greater faith, a boarding school was established for children with developmental disabilities.
In 1964, Shepherds Home and School opened its doors welcoming 36 children. At that time, little was being done in public education to address the needs of this special population. Shepherds Home and School provided an essential service to these children and their families.
As the children grew and as public education began providing special education services, Shepherds transitioned into an adult ministry, focusing on vocational training. Today, Shepherds Enterprises provides vocational training to adults with developmental disabilities. About 150 individuals live on our campus and many work at various jobs within Shepherds Enterprises.

In 2008, Shepherds Ministries returned to its educational roots, establishing Shepherds College, a 3 year post-secondary education program for young adults with cognitive disabilities.

Get Involved:

Make an online Donation.

Here's a great low cost way to help:
Collect Campbell's Soup labels.
Send your labels to Shepherds.

Our address is:
1805 15th Avenue
Union Grove, WI 53182



Source:  Shepherds Ministries

June 28 (Day 120) Dogs On Death Row

At first glance, today's post looks a little innocuous.  A cute cartoon dog with a prisoners cap on!  But read on and you will discover this charity is working to bring about an end to animal cruelty while helping place animals who otherwise would be euthenised into good, loving homes.    

Driven by a deep passion for animals, Jodie Richers founded Dogs on Death Row in 2007. Having worked in the nonprofit arena for many years as a director for One Child At A Time, an international aid and adoption organization, and also as a board member for Children's Charities of America, Jodie posesses a skill set ideal for leveraging dollars into the most efficient action possible to save the greatest number of dogs.

Jodie is tireless in her efforts to rescue, rehabilitate, and find homes for unwanted dogs everywhere. She is also committed to educating the public about the inhumane nature of gassing and heart prick as a means of killing animals. 

We would never lock human beings into a room, fill it with carbon dioxide and let them suffocate to death. It is inhumane. But, this kind of death is the fate of thousands of dogs and cats every year. It is a terrifying and brutal way to die and it needs to be outlawed.  Please sign up to receive our legislative action alerts and learn about how you can help abolish this barbaric practice in your state.

Click here to read about Amazing Grace, the dog who miraculously survived the gas chamber. Be forewarned, This article gives a graphic description of the practice.

How You Can Help:

Spay and neuter your pets.

An unspayed female dog, her mate and all of their puppies, if none are ever neutered or spayed, add up to:

• 
  
  1 year: 16
• 
  
  2 years: 128
• 
  
  3 years: 512
• 
  
  4 years: 2,048
• 
  
  5 years: 12,288
• 
  
  6 years: 67,000 dogs !!!

There aren't enough good homes for all of these dogs.

Make a donation.

Thousands of dogs are euthanized each year because of lack of funds to support them. These dogs deserve to live out their natural lives. A small contribution can make a BIG difference.

Take action.

If you have ever heard an accurate description of what happens to an animal when it is gassed to death or killed by heart prick, you know just how inhumane this practice is. Help us to outlaw these methods of killing dogs by contacting your state's legislature.

Educate others.

Tell your friends and family that you support Dogs on Death Row and tell them why it's important to get involved.

Source:  Dogs on Death Row

June 27 (Day 119) Making a difference...One Card at a Time

Today's post offers the opportunity to encourage someone who is suffering through an illness. Having several family members who have battled breast cancer, I know firsthand the positive affects that receiving a card or letter of can have on someone who is ill.  It offers a little ray of sunshine on a otherwise dark and dreary day! And it doesn't cost much.... The cost of a card and stamp and a few minutes of your time...That's it!Would you like to send just one card a month to help someone in need? Would you like the wonderful feeling of knowing you have helped brighten someone's day? Then ShareaCard is for you!

ShareaCard was started in 1999 by Suzanne Virostek, as a program to send cards to seriously ill "Friends in Need". To date, they have Featured over 90 people from across the U.S. and Canada who have reported over and over how much it means for them to receive cards from people they don't even know. They have expressed feelings of comfort in knowing that others are thinking of them and praying for them while they are going thru this tough time. We believe we can make a difference in the lives of others, just one card at a time!


Sadly, in 2004, Suzanne passed away from a 7mth battle with Ovarian Cancer. Prior to her passing, she asked for the assistance of Kathy Yordy who now runs ShareaCard.org and Cacfriends.com with the help of some great moderators. In April, 2007, Shareacard became incorporated and in August 2007, we became a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization!


Each month, we feature one or two individuals who are seriously ill and in need of encouragement. A webpage is constructed especially for them and posted on ShareaCard.org.  Members and people who come across this organization while surfing the web, mail cards/gifts to those individuals who are featured at our central post office box. The cards are then disbursed to their home address by ShareaCard. They will remain on our "active" mailing list as long as we receive updates on their condition.


Want to Participate? Click here for details.

Make a Donation.



Source:  ShareaCard.org

June 26 (Day 118) The Jed Foundation

The Jed Foundation was founded in 2000 by Donna and Phil Satow after they lost their son Jed to suicide. While trying to learn more about suicide and make sense of their unthinkable loss, the Satows discovered an urgent and unmet need for programming and resources that helped colleges, students and parents recognize and address the signs of emotional distress and suicide.

The organization’s first program, ULifeline, launched in 2000 and has become a widely used online resource for college mental health with campus-specific information for over 1,250 schools. Through the guidance of respected experts in the fields of mental health and higher education, The Jed Foundation has become the leading nonprofit organization addressing issues related to mental health and suicide in the college population.

Every year an estimated 1100 college students die by suicide. For many more students, their path to graduation and a productive life will be interrupted by struggles with emotional distress. Our goal is to help more of these students survive and thrive at college.

Most people who are suicidal desperately want to live but are unable to find another way to cope with their thoughts or feelings. Almost all college students who die by suicide are suffering from an emotional disorder, most commonly depression. Other emotional problems can increase the risk for suicide too, such as anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, substance abuse or eating disorders.
Identifying and treating these illnesses is especially important because someone with an untreated emotional disorder may be more likely to attempt suicide in the wake of a stressful event such as a death, relationship difficulties or a failed exam.

Know the Warning Signs
The most effective way to prevent suicide is to know the warning signs, take those signs seriously, and respond appropriately. People who are suicidal can be helped with the proper treatment. Common warning signs of suicide include:

• Hopelessness
• Rage, uncontrolled anger, or seeking revenge
• Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, seemingly without thinking
• Feeling trapped – like there’s no way out
• Increased alcohol or drug use
• Withdrawing from friends, family and society
• Anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time
• Dramatic mood changes
• Expressing no reason for living or no sense of purpose in life

If you witness, hear or see anyone exhibiting the signs above, get help IMMEDIATELY by contacting a mental health professional or calling 9-1-1 or The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).

Campus Resources
Help is available on or around campuses through the following resources:
•Student counseling center
•Student health service
•Resident hall director, dean, academic advisor, tutor, or faculty
•Campus religious or spiritual leader
•Community mental health center
• Local crisis center or hotlines

In an Emergency
If you cannot reach the contacts listed above during a crisis:
•Take the individual to an emergency room or mental health walk-in clinic
• Do not leave the person alone until professional help is with him/her
• Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs, or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt

As a parent of 2 college aged young people I find this very compelling. Young Adulthood is a very difficult time under the best of circumstances,  It is people like Donna & Phil who amaze me!   Those who dig down deep and find the fortitude to turn their personal tragedy into something greater - Thank you Satow family for fighting the good fight to help other young people and families.


Get Involved:
Donate to The Jed Foundation.
Donate from your mobile phone. Text ONMYMIND to 20222 to donate $10 to The Jed Foundation.
Text and data rates apply.

The Jed Foundation on FaceBook.
And as always... pass this information along to anyone you know who may need it.



Source:  The Jed Foundation

June 25 (Day 117) iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad & iGive

Okay all you iPhone & iPad devotees out there.  I've watched on the news lined up at the Apple Store for days to get the latest and greatest technology as soon as it is offered.  Well, here is your chance to use your technology for good...
Want to fight breast cancer, help animals, and alleviate hunger? You can tap for that! Check out the Touch To Give iPhone App that allows you to support 3 of your favorite causes just by tapping your iPhone! 
 
Give extra with your iPhone. It's fast, free, & easy! Now you can "Touch To Give" on your iPhone to fund breast cancer research, feed shelter animals, and provide hunger relief — all with the GreaterGood Network's handy and free iPhone app.




Once you download the app onto your iPhone*, iPod Touch, or iPad, you will be able to Touch To Give every day! Just open the app, choose the cause, and tap the colored "Touch To Give" button. 100% of revenue from our sponsor ads are used exclusively to help the cause. You can Touch To Give for all three causes every day — to click for the other causes just click on the "GreaterGood Network" at the top left. It's always free!

There are three causes in the Touch To Give app. With The Breast Cancer Site, your touch funds breast cancer research. With The Animal Rescue Site, your touch gives treats; food and care for rescued pets in shelters and sanctuaries. And with The Hunger Site, your touch pays for garden seeds for sustainable farming projects.
You can do even more to inspire and make a difference, right from your iPhone! Spread the word by sharing our app via Facebook or Twitter — the more people who Touch To Give, the more good we can do together.

 
Click here to download the free App today at the iTunes Store and start tapping to make a difference! 
 
 
 
Source: The Greater Good Network
             www.thebreastcancersite.com

June 24 (Day 116) "To Have & To Give"

We all know that June is the considered the month for all things "Wedding" related.  Charitable Weddings are becoming more and more popular as a growing number of couples incorporate their socially conscious values into their wedding planning.  Many couples want to use their special day as an opportunity to give to the causes and charities that matter to them. 

The mission of "I Do Foundation" is to help engaged couples bring a charitable focus to their wedding. Our goal is to share the joy and wealth of these wedding celebrations with nonprofit organizations by providing couples with a variety of donation options and wedding services.

I Do Foundation provides couples with flexibility to choose the organizations they want to support with their wedding donations.Just like a gift registry, a Charity Registry informs your guests about your charitable preferences and guides their giving. When you create a Charity Registry, you may suggest a specific number of donation gifts, or you may allow any or all of your guests to make donations freely. You can specify a certain dollar amount for each donation, or allow your guests to choose the amount of their gifts.

During this momentous occasion of love and new beginnings, we invite every engaged couple to share their wedding with a broader community. By making charity a part of their wedding, couples can support their commitment to lifelong giving and active involvement in their communities.

Thank Your Attendants by giving them a charity gift card.

Gift Shopping: If your couple has registered for gifts, all purchases made through the I Do Foundation website will generate a contribution for charity. Simply by registering with one of the partner stores you can raise charitable contributions. Up to 10% of guests' gift purchases from these partner stores will be donated to your selected charity. These donations are made at no additional cost to you or your guests.

If you are getting married, or you know someone who is getting married - check out the "I Do Foundation" and see if you might be interested in this venue of "giving back." 

Source:  I Do Foundation

June 23 (Day 115) Gilda's Club

Gilda’s Club is a free social and emotional cancer support community for men, women and children with all types of cancer and their families and friends. Gilda’s Club is the legacy of comedian and former Detroiter, Gilda Radner, who is best known for her work on “Saturday Night Live.”


Gilda Radner is best known as an original cast member of Saturday Night Live. As one of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" she created lovable characters like Rosanne Rosannadanna, Emily Litella and Lisa Loopner.


Gilda's astonishing career was cut short when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1986. Joanna Bull, Gilda's cancer psychotherapist, introduced her to cancer support groups. Recognizing how integral the support experience was to her treatment, Gilda's dream was to develop a community where anyone with cancer would receive the kind of support she had found. In her best-selling book It's Always Something, Gilda wrote about her experience living with cancer. She spoke of establishing such a support community in New York when she felt better and said, "There should be a thousand of them."

Gilda's ovarian cancer was diagnosed too late for effective treatment and she died in 1989. Following her death, Gilda's husband, actor and comedian Gene Wilder, Joanna Bull and many of Gilda's friends founded Gilda's Club in her memory. The first Club with its signature red door opened in New York City in June 1995.

Gilda’s Club offers emotional and social support as a supplement to medical treatment. Members meet and share a collective wisdom, which Gilda said helped her regain control of her life and reclaim her gift for laughter.

Gilda’s Club offers weekly wellness groups for anyone living with any type of cancer and weekly family groups for family members and friends. Weekly workshops include art, meditation, guided imagery, creative writing, yoga and much more. Monthly networking groups include supper/lectures and social events. Gilda’s Club also has many groups specific to children and teens and provides supervised childcare while adults attend groups. A library with resource information and Internet access is available for members.



Get Involved:

Make a donation.

If you need assistance or would like to volunteer, Find A Clubhouse near you.




Source:  Gilda's Club

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/