November 2013 – Charity Matters

Charity Matters Quotes November 29, 2013

Charity Matters Quotes

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ”

G.K. Chesterton

I hope that today finds you feeling full from turkey, love, family and a wonderful Thanksgiving. Most importantly, I hope this finds you feeling grateful. The more grateful you are, the happier you will be. Here is to a very happy holiday weekend!

Enjoy!

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Quotes November 27, 2013

Giving thanks

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”

W.T. Purkiser

Tomorrow is the day we gather to give thanks for all our blessings. A day to celebrate with friends and family and to load up our plates. Many of you will feed the homeless, invite someone to join your family celebration, help cook and clean or host a house full. While Thanksgiving comes just once a year, sharing your gifts with others is the blessing that lasts all year round.

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Charity Matters.

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Holidays and Holiday Giving November 25, 2013

The opposite of full

The week of Thanksgiving seems to be a week about food and eating. What is the opposite of eating? Not eating or hunger. So it seems only natural that Thanksgiving and feeding the hungry always go hand in hand. The fact is that 1 in 6 people in this country are suffering from hunger.

I have to confess, I have fed the homeless, on more than a few occasions, but never on Thanksgiving. I applaud those that do. I can only imagine how much more grateful you are, for what you are lucky enough to have, after you have witnessed someone without.

I think the most beautiful part of the tradition that many families have, is showing children compassion and gratitude. Any time you give of yourself for another, it is a gift. When you teach and show compassion and kindness it is much, much more.

As you begin to plan for this Thursday’s meal, the arrival of relatives, hustling to the market, think about ways your family can impact another. Here are a few simple ways to get started and make sure to include your kids in the process:

1. Go to Great Non-Profits website, type in your zip code, “feeding the homeless” and find local organizations in your community that you can help.

2. Consider donating a few dollars to a local food bank, ours here in LA, can make $1.00 buy 4 Thanksgiving meals. Here is the web for LA Regional Food Bank.

3. Think big and get involved in a big or little way with Feed America.Org, an organization designed to support the network of food banks across the country.

One last tip, Thanksgiving is more than a day but rather a spirit, that lasts much longer. Consider putting some of these thoughts into action, the day after Thanksgiving on Black Friday, to show your family that giving is more than seasonal. Showing your children the reality that being full is just not just about our stomachs is a Thanksgiving legacy.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration November 22, 2013

When a hero comes along

By the time most of you see this post, the story I’m about to share will have probably gone viral. In hundreds of post, I think I have only shared someone else’s story twice…..but if ever there is one worth sharing it is this. Each week, I tell the stories of the only heroes I have, those that selflessly helped others to make our world better. This man takes that term, hero, to an entirely different level. His name is Sir Nicholas Winton.

Right before WWII, he organized the rescue and passage to Britain of about 669 Jewish Czechoslovakian children destined for the Nazi death camps. The operation was known as the Czech Kindertransport.

What makes Nicholas Winton even more unique is that he never told anyone about this, not even his own wife, Grete. Almost fifty years later, in 1988, she found a scrapbook from 1939 in their attic. It contained all the children’s names, photos, and a few letters from parents of the children to Winton. That is when Grete finally learned the story.

Get the kleenex, to see what happened when the survivors gathered to give him a wonderful surprise:

So if you have seen this before, it just doesn’t matter. It is humanity at its essence. Simple, pure, humble, goodness. These are the stories that need to be shared again and again because the message reminds us of who we are and can be. Heroes are all around us, they are simply the ones …..who never speak up.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2013 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

Story courtesy of www.TruthSeekerDaily.com

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Technology that Matters November 20, 2013

Charity Miles, running with purpose

I never thought I would say this, but I love technology. Ok, I love technology that makes a difference. I also love running and today when my husband stumbled upon this amazing new app, I simply had to share. There is now a way for my run to earn money for causes I care about and its called Charity Miles.

Only a year and a half ago, Gene Gurkoff had a brilliant idea. He wanted to make a difference, more specifically to help his grandfather who suffers from Parkinson’s. Gene’s idea was to reach out to corporate sponsors and ask them to support us, the general public, every time we run, walk or ride. Making our every day workouts a charity race, that turns those miles into donations benefiting 25 amazing non-profit organizations. You can choose where each workout gets donated, with organizations that range from Autism Speaks, (Red), DoSomething.Org, Feed America, Soles 4 Souls and many more.

So, when I ran today (that’s my phone after the run above) a whopping 3 miles, I donated my run to The Wounded Warrior Project, in honor of Veterans Day. Charity Miles saying is,” Every Step Counts.” Since June 2012, runners, walkers and riders have logged enough miles from Charity Miles to go from earth to the moon and back….three times.

I think Charity Miles is onto something great. So download their app, put on your shoes and hit the road to make your life and someone else’s, that much better. They are right at Charity Miles, “Changing the world is a team sport.” That is my kind of team.

Charity Matters.

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Holidays and Holiday Giving November 18, 2013

A new way to smile

While most of us are getting ready for turkey, the stores, catalogs and malls are gearing up for some serious holiday shopping. If you want to avoid the crowds this holiday season, Amazon is giving us a new reason to smile, that reason is called Amazon Smile.

Amazon Smile gives shoppers the chance to donate 0.5% of their purchase to over one million charities of choice. So instead of shopping at regular old Amazon, go onto Amazon Smile, pick your favorite cause and shop away. Almost all of Amazon’s products are eligible with some exceptions. What is really incredible is that Amazon doesn’t have a limit on what they will give, so the more you shop…the more they donate!

While these donations won’t help your tax write off, they will help Amazon’s and more importantly, help people in need. What could possibly be better during the season of giving? So happy shopping and don’t forget to smile!

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference November 15, 2013

National Philanthropy Day

I know, I know it seems that every week I am posting today is volunteer day, or service day or some sort of volunteer related holiday that you have never heard of….I promise I don’t make this stuff up! Today really is National Philanthropy Day, I promise it is not an ask but simply a celebration of you.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals put together this day to recognize you for making our communities and world better because of your service. Each year billions of dollars and volunteer hours are given to countless non-profit organizations around the world because of you and your commitment to your causes.

The goal of today is for charities from around the world to simply say thank you for your support, your time, you’re giving. So, if you don’t hear from your favorite cause, don’t get grumpy, consider yourself recognized and thanked right here and now.

Thank you for all you do, give and share. You make our world better simply by being in it. Enjoy your day!

Charity Matters.

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Military November 13, 2013

Veterans continue service:Team Rubicon

Veterans Day was monday,we hung our flags, enjoyed our holiday and remembered those who served. For most Veterans service never ends and the call to serve is all they know. This week that call to serve is in the Philippines. That is exactly where the veterans who make up the nonprofit, Team Rubicon will be heading on their next mission.

The mission is exactly where Team Rubicon began. Two Marines who met in sniper school, Jacob Wood and Clay Hunt returned from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with other Veterans who were no longer sure of their purpose. That all changed when an earthquake struck Haiti in 2010. Jacob Wood, Clay Hunt and a host of other Veterans decided to deploy to heal others in need and in the process began to heal themselves. That was the beginning of Team Rubicon.

On the streets of Haiti these Veterans realized they were onto something, and that was that “natural disasters present many of the same problems that confront troops in Iraq and Afghanistan: unstable populations, limited resources, horrific sights, sounds and smells. The same skills cultivated on those same battlefields – emergency medicine, risk assessment and mitigation, teamwork and decisive leadership – are invaluable in disaster zones.” Who can rally better than our troops?

Since January 2010 Team Rubicon has rallied its team of veterans to Haiti, Chile, Burma, Pakistan, Sudan, and here at home, in Vermont, Maryland, Missouri, and Alabama. On monday, this past Veterans Day, those who have served us boarded planes to the Philippines…..where they will continue to do what they do, serve.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Quotes November 8, 2013

Charity Matters Quotes

“When the heart grieves over what is has lost, the spirit rejoices over what it has left.”

Sufi Epigram

November 8th is a bittersweet day in our house every year. Once upon a time it was a joyous day that celebrated both my dad’s and my husband’s birthdays. Decades worth of family photos, with big happy smiles and many candles on a shared cake, confirm the memories. Eleven years ago the smiles went away, when my mom was killed in a car accident, on November 9th.

Today, the memories linger, the wounds heal and the celebration begins. Tomorrow we will remember my mom and Sunday we will celebrate my Dad’s 74th birthday. This quote was made for this moment. We will always miss my mom but in this moment, we rejoice in all the smiles and candles that are celebrated this year.

Charity Matters.

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Military November 6, 2013

Hugs project

With Veterans Day approaching on monday, I thought it was a good time to look at the amazing work people do in this country to support our military. In my quest, I came across over 8,000 non-profits that support our troops but this one stood out because of one remarkable lady and a hug.

Her name is Karen Stark and she is the founder of The Hugs Project. In 2004, Karen and her husband Ray, wanted to make sure that every American service member knew they were loved and appreciated for all they do. The couple first wrote to one soldier who was suffering from depression, he then asked them if they could write to another young soldier. Before they knew it they were sending care packages and writing to many troops overseas. Then the Starks had heard that many soldiers were suffering from severe heat exhaustion, so they began making “hugs” which are bandannas filled with crystals that can soak up two cups of water. The soldiers wear these around their neck to keep cool and the ties are affectionately called “hugs.”

Karen said ,”We never intended to send anything more than ” we respect what you are doing” emails but the need was there.” Those emails and cooling ties turned into care packages and now almost a decade later The Hug Project is still going strong. To date the organization is in 50 states and 17 countries around the world, and has sent tens of thousands of care packages and hugs to our troops. Karen and her husband are making the world better, one hug at a time.

Charity Matters.

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What Matters? November 4, 2013

Giving….. to yourself

As Halloween passes and the holidays approach many of us begin to feel overwhelmed this time of year. We have obligations to our families, careers, friends and causes but at the end of the day we only have so much to give. Somedays it feels like no mater how much we give, it’s simply never enough.

Yet, it is enough. We have to start with giving to ourselves before we can give to another. A simple moment of quiet, a run or walk, a call with a dear friend, a sunset or whatever it is that refuels you. As some of you know, one of my guilty pleasures is reading my horoscope., When I saw this it spoke to me and the message is for all of us.

“Saying no to some of our responsibilities and yes to ourselves helps us infuse our lives with a spirit of well-being. Our tendency to take on too much is often a sign that we are ignoring the needs of our bodies, minds, and spirits. When we do this, we begin to feel weighed down by things that are external to us. Taking care of ourselves, however, means that we pay attention to what all elements of our being really need, which frees us up to explore more meaningful ways to live. By putting yourself first today, you will have more energy and desire to get your tasks done.” Daily OM

Put yourself first and know that whatever you give….. is always more than enough.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration November 1, 2013

Movember: Changing the face of men’s health

Photo curtesy of Movember.Com — Photo courtesy of Movember.Com

Today is November 1st and the beginning of Movember. No, this isn’t a typo but rather a movement. You may recall that last November there seemed to be an unusual amount of facial hair and beards. Those beards and unshaven faces were not by accident, but rather a statement for men’s health.

A statement that all began in 2003, when two mates in a bar ( Travis Garone and Luke Slattery) were having a simple conversation about whatever happened to the moustache or the Mo, as they called it, and a joke about bringing it back. These buddies from Melbourne, Australia decided to talk their friends into growing a Mo for a purpose. They were inspired by a friend’s mom who was raising funds for breast cancer and decided to direct their efforts towards men’s health and prostate cancer. They sent an email titled Are you man enough to be my man? The result was 30 guys willing to take up the challenge and pay ten dollars each, towards their cause and the beginning of Movember.

Their goal started small but never wavered. These four friends wanted to recruit men who would support Movember, who by the way are called MoBros. The Mo Bros, would begin by registering at Movember.Com and start Movember 1st clean-shaven, then grow and groom their Mo, for the rest of the month, raising money along the way. In addition, these men become walking, talking billboards for their cause. Not to exclude the girls, they also started Mo Sistas, who champion their Mo by registering and supporting the Mo Bros in their life.

What started as a fun bar conversation in 2003 and 30 MoBros in Melbourne, Australia has morphed into 3 million participants globally, who have raised more than $446 million to date. Movember, is more than a month but rather through the power of the moustache, it has truly become a global movement that is changing the face of men’s health.

Charity Matters.

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