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World Health Day

world-health-day

I know that on friday I told you that this week is National Volunteer Week and by the way it still is. However, today is World Health Day….I know it probably isn’t on your calendar but that’s why I’m here to share a little snippet of info.

The World Health Organization created these days to inform us all that our world is small and we need to all look out for our health and the health of others.

This years focus is on mosquitoes, flies, ticks and bugs …..I know not a glamorous topic but they may be a threat to your health, your family, your home or simply when you are traveling. This short video highlights simple measures we can take to protect ourselves and the international message of this years World Health Day.

So consider your self informed. Don’t forget the bug spray when you head out on Spring Break and remember that your health is a gift. Take a moment of gratitude for that and have a wonderful World Health Day!

Charity Matters.

 

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Charity Profile

Girls on the Run

MollyBarker girls on the run

Last week social media was all a flutter over a tutu, a photo and a very inappropriate comment from a magazine. While the story of Monika Allen was interesting, the real story was about supporting a non-profit, called Girls on the Run. A story that is just as impressive and with an amazing founder behind it all, Molly Barker.

In 1993, Molly Barker was on a run and had an epiphany that changed everything. A four-time winning Ironman competitor, Molly had life-long struggles with issues of self-worth. On that fateful run, she began to plan a program to provide preadolescent girls with the tools to embrace their strengths and navigate life’s challenges.  In 1996 that is exactly what Molly did  with the help of thirteen brave girls.  Twenty-six girls came the next season, then seventy-five and by 2000, Girls on the Run International, a 501c3 organization was born, when Molly realized that so many girls could not pay for the program.

Girls on The Run’s mission is to create a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.They meet twice a week in small teams of 8-20 girls, teaching life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and running games. The girls learn understanding themselves, valuing relationships, teamwork and understanding how to connect with and shape the world at large.

Today with the help of over 55,000 volunteers, the Girls on the Run program currently serves over 130,000 girls in 200+ cities across North America each year. They have served 713,855 girls since inception.

I came across this quote from President, Elizabeth Kunz in regards to the tutu story, which I think sums up what makes this organization so inspirational.

“At Girls on the Run, we believe that girls have the power to change the world.  While it is easy to silence or ignore the voice of one person, the voices of many united in purpose has power!   Amazing transformation is possible when we embrace and live our core values of joy, gratitude, empowerment, connectedness, responsibility and intentionality.  By celebrating one another, connecting with one another and coming together as one powerful movement, we can create healthy dialogue, elevate thought and, indeed, change the world.”

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2014 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.
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Charity Matters Inspiration

Happy Hearts

 happy_hearts_fund_pic_petra_nemcova

Today, I was part of an upcoming 10 year anniversary photo shoot for The Spiritual Care Guild. Not by coincidence, my sister sent along info on another non-profit that is also celebrating its 10 year anniversary, The Happy Hearts Fund. While, its founder is a Sports Illustrated swim-suit model, who is no stranger to photo shoots….she is someone who took her tragedy and made something so inspirational… that I had to share.

Her name is Petra Nemcova and she was in Thailand when the Indian Ocean Tsunami struck on December 26, 2004. After recovering from her injuries, she returned to Thailand to see how to be of the best help. When she witnessed families without homes, children without parents, and entire communities swept away, she knew she had to act. Petra was most affected by the children who were not getting any help five months after the disaster.

So in 2005 Petra  was determined to restore hope and opportunity to the children affected by the Tsunami with a vision to rebuild schools and children’s’ lives following natural disasters. It was the first time she experienced the “gap period” which occurs after first response and before governments step in after a natural disaster. For this reason Happy Hearts Fund concentrated its mission in the gap period by building “Happy Self Sustaining Schools.”

 

Happy Hearts Fund was structured so all administrative costs would be underwritten, thereby ensuring 100 percent of all donations received would be directed to children’s programming. Since inception, Happy Hearts Fund has worked in a total of 14 countries and is currently active in six countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and Haiti. They have built or re-built 85 schools and kindergartens. Since their inception The Happy Hearts Fund has benefited more than 46,000 children and 490,000 community members.

Now, that is something that makes this heart very happy!

Charity Matters.

 

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Childrens' Causes

Credit Do

 

Credit Do Chris

I sometimes wonder if being amazing is a genetic thing? Have you ever noticed that exceptional people sometimes come from the same family? That is definitely the case with non-profit founder, Chris Avila Hubschmann. I say this only because I have met a few of her amazing siblings, all of which make our world better. Genetics or not Chris is an inspiration.

Chris comes a great family of hard-working Texans. She had her first job in 7th grade and never looked back. A few financial bumps between college and her career as a business manager for The History Channel, reshaped the direction of her life and inspired her to start an incredible non-profit called Credit Do.

Chris got her first credit card the beginning of freshman year of college, to use for textbooks. However, she didn’t really understand how credit worked and learned her lesson the hard way. As a result, she was determined  to “redefine what credit means and was concerned that our society is addicted to a broken credit system.” After researching micro-loan programs, she had an epiphany: what if our credit was representative of what we do—in other words, what we’ve earned—and based on our merit?

In essence, Chris wanted to provide a financial education and credit in exchange for social productivity for middle school students.

That is exactly what she did in 2010. Credit Do partnered with financial literacy organizations to teach the basics of managing money starting in a low-income school in New York City. They then encouraged and empowered these children to work for what they need through partnerships that Credit Do had established. Once the students learned the value of work for credit, they receive a savings account to continue their financial growth.

As Chris told me, “the journey for me was about measuring my time via my worth.” She has taken that philosophy directly to her organization. Credit Do is rooted in the belief that credit is not only a measure of someone’s financial worth, but more importantly, their positive contributions to the community and making financial independence a reality for all.

Like I said, genetics or not Chris Avila Hubschmann has taken her life lessons and turned them into a lessons for all. Pure inspiration.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration

Listening

 

Anti-Gang Groups-Bailout

The other day I was invited to attend a “listening session” for an organization that I am involved with, that is going through a transition. For those of you that know me, well….talking is more what I am known for, than listening. The beauty of this event was that it brought together people from a variety of non-profits all over Los Angeles and put us in small groups to discuss the change.

My group consisted of school principals, college professors, non-profit employees and one gentleman from Homeboy Industries, who on the surface, appeared to have had a gang past. The room was noisy and filled with conversation, some which was difficult to hear. As the night came to a close and we gathered for dinner and this gentleman began to tell me his story. He was soft-spoken, gracious and an incredibly gifted speaker.

He moved to Boyle Heights as a young boy and grew up in a home filled with addiction and abuse. Art was his passion and escape and when a teacher ripped up his art work, his anger took over, his school career ended and a life a drugs ensued. Almost a decade later he gave up hope and walked onto a freeway at night ready to end it all. His last words, “my children or mis hijos.” A gust of wind surrounded him, a truck swerved and by the grace of God this gentleman ended up alive and in rehab .

He left rehab and walked straight into Father Greg Boyle’s office at Homeboy Industries and asked for a job. Father Greg cried when he saw the change in this man and told him to start his job on monday. As I sat and listened to this incredible story, the Homeboy employee leaned in and said, “that was 8 years ago and now I have dedicated my life to helping others with their  sobriety, living a life of integrity and I use my life-like the gift it is every single day.”

My eyes filled with tears, at this incredible man, his grace, the gift I was granted by his presence and the simple invitation to listen.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration

Be More Heroic

be more heroic 2With October comes the beginning of fall, the crunch of leaves, football and anti-bullying month. Who knew? When we grew up, there were bullies on the playground and in our neighborhoods but there were few solutions. Well there is a great new non-profit called Be More Heroic.Org that is taking a fresh new approach to the age-old problem of bullying.

Be More Heroic all began when six friends, hatched an idea in Justin Haulbrook’s living room. Their mission was to inspire individuals and communities to stimulate positive, proactive and courageous action in their daily lives. In order to make that happen Be More Heroic visits schools (elementary through colleges) and begins their program with a huge interactive assembly that empowers students with music, media and personal stories.

After their assembly, the Be more Heroic team creates a student team that sustains the message of the assembly throughout the year. The student team then creates and completes three service projects that involve, school, home and community.  The result is a group of children who now become student advocates against bullying as well as inspiration to other kids, their communities and themselves.

Now thats what I call heroic!

Charity Matters.

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Education

More than making the grade..Grades of Green

GradesofGreen+Annual+ClUcYEl7fxYl“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” That infamous Margaret Mead quote is what came to mind after my inspiring conversation with Grades of Green’s Kim Martin

Six and a half years ago, Kim Martin was an environmental attorney with young children in elementary school.  She befriended 3 other like-minded mom’s; Lisa Coppedge, Shaya Kirkpatrick and Suzanne Kretschmer, who had been deeply impacted by Al Gore’s environmental movie, An Inconvenient Truth. The four of them began working together to find creative ways to green their school. Before long, these savvy moms and their school were winning national awards for their efforts and making an amazing impact on their youth, school and community.

They realized that they were truly onto something much bigger as their initial students moved onto middle school and began asking questions about where were the recycling containers and why was the school using styrofoam? Moments like these prompted the four women to take their extraordinary volunteer efforts to the next level and three years ago they founded the non-profit, Grades of Green.

Their mission is simply to inspire and empower kids and the broader school community to care for the environment. The vision of Grades of Green is to make environmental protection second nature in young minds.

Their website breaks down initiatives for individuals and schools to make small and simple changes that have big impacts. Things such as Walk to School Wednesdays, (de)Tox Thursdays, Campus composting and Electricity Challenges. All these activities are free, simple, easy and impact full. The kids learn by doing, not by lecture. The founders’ dream is that this next generation lives in harmony with the earth and that all their decisions big and small reference that point.

What started as a small thoughtful group of committed citizens has already begun to change our world. Today, Grades of Green is in more than 209 schools, in 30 states and has worked with over 130,268 children and counting. That small thoughtful group has become a large one and as their motto says, “Every shade makes a difference.”

Charity Matters.

 

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Education

The Edible Schoolyard

edible schoolyardWhen we hear the name Alice Waters, we think food, we think Chez Panisse, author and Berkley. What we don’t think of is non-profit founder. Even I was surprised to discover that this world renown chef has taken her gifts and shared them with others. It all started with a simple walk to work…..

What began as a simple walk to work 17 years ago has today turned into a beautiful garden with more than 100 varieties of seasonal vegetables, herbs, vines, berries, flowers, and fruit trees. The Edible Schoolyard Project now has a staff includes five teachers and two AmeriCorps members. Their 30 volunteers have served over 7,000 students. The Edible Schoolyard has had over one million visitors to date and counting, many who are past students coming back to share their memories of the Edible Schoolyard.

Today, in addition to supporting the Edible Schoolyard Berkeley Alice Waters and her team are taking their mission across the country and encouraging other schools to create their own Edible Schoolyard., thru their Edible Schoolyard Academy.

As Alice Waters would say, “Simply delicious!”

Charity Matters.

 

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Education

Making Recess what it used to be…Playworks

playworks-1The first week of school already found me running to drop off my son’s forgotten notebook. I happened to find myself on campus during middle school recess. Meandering thru hundreds of  thirteen year olds in search of my son, I noticed something strange. No one was “playing.” Recess looked more like a benefit with swarms of clicks talking in large groups. What is happening to these kids? Does anyone play anymore?

Well, it seems that I’m a little late to this idea and that it isn’t just parents worried about play but also teachers and principals. I was thrilled to discover that someone is really doing something about this and her name is Jill Vialet.  In 1996, Jill had a conversation with a haggard looking school principal who launched into a tirade about…recess.

The principal was tired of seeing the same kids in her office every day, for fighting on the playground. She didn’t believe they were bad children but was equally worried about her teachers who were literally hiding, to avoid recess so they wouldn’t have to confront the inevitable outbreak of chaos.

That conversation struck both a chord and action from Jill Vialet, who within the same year founded Sports4Kids, which is now Playworks. Her goal was to transform recess and the school day with safe and healthy play so teachers can teach and kids can learn.

 

Playworks is the only nonprofit organization in the country providing trained, full-time play coaches focused on recess to hundreds of low-income schools in major urban areas. 85 percent of principals report that students are more engaged in school since having Playworks on site. The safe and healthy play Playworks is bringing to schools is helping students succeed in the classroom and in life.

Today, Playworks brings play and physical activity to more than 130,000 children in 300 schools in 23 US cities and continues to expand. Jill Vialet knows how important play is and her non-profit more than makes it work!

Charity Matters.

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Education

Gordie’s Story

I have yet to repost something I have already written, this is a first. However, I have watched so many of my friends children leave this week for college that I feel I must revisit this.

So often we do not make discoveries or connections until it is too late.  We do not realize the value of a friend until they have moved away, we do not appreciate our child until they have left for college or we do not know the value of one’s life until it has passed.

Why is it that we wait to make these connections? Why is our hindsight is so crystal clear and our day-to-day vision so clouded? This story is perhaps no different, however, the beauty of it lies in the ability to take that clear vision and create something that matters.

This month thousands of college freshman have left home and many are beginning the process of Rush as they look to make new homes away from home in sororities and fraternities across the country.That is exactly what Gordie Baily did in September 2004, as an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Gordie, a fun-loving freshman who had been the Co-captain of his varsity high school football team, a drama star, a guitar player and a walk on at Boulder’s lacrosse team was adored by all. He pledged Chi Psi and on the evening of September 16th, Gordie and twenty-six other pledge brothers dressed in coats and ties for “bid night”, were taken blindfolded to the Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest where they were “encouraged” to drink four “handles”  of whiskey and six (1.5 liter) bottles of wine.

They were told, “no one is leaving here until these are gone.” When the group returned to the Fraternity house, Gordie was visibly intoxicated and did not drink anymore. He was placed on a couch to “sleep it off” at approximately 11pm. His brothers proceeded to write on his body in another fraternity ritual. Gordie was left to “sleep it off” for 10 hours before he was found dead the next morning, face down on the floor. No one had called for help, he was 18 years old.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFoAST6r_QM&feature=related]

The nonprofit Gordie Foundation was founded in Dallas in 2004 by Gordie’s parents as a dedication to his memory. The foundation creates and distributes educational programs and materials  to reduce hazardous drinking and hazing and promote peer intervention among young adults.  Their mission is committed to ensuring that Gordie’s story continues to impact students by challenging attitudes about the true risks of hazing and alcohol use and works to promote healthy campus environments in which hazing and alcohol poisoning do not occur.

In just six years, the Gordie Foundation made an impact on hundreds of thousands of students across the country through its programs and educational efforts.

Why is it that we wait to make these connections? Why is our hindsight is so crystal clear and our day-to-day vision so clouded? Why is it that we do not know the value of one’s life until it has passed?

Charity Matters.

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Education

Girls Write Now

Girls write nowThe echo of Steve Job’s graduation speech is still in my ears, “connect the dots of your life.” Somedays, I stare at the blank page before me and simply do not see the dots. Today is not one of those days. The dots begin to connect.

My head swirls with the multiple graduation ceremonies I will attend this week, some for friends, others for schools I am involved with. These thoughts of graduation bring so many dots to the forefront. How did these young men and women get from freshman year to this moment of graduation? How did they connect their dots?

Chances are they had mentor to guide them. A teacher, parents, a counselor or perhaps even a volunteer who showed them the way.

As I stared at my blank page looking for a story to share, the dots began to come together when I came upon the story of Girls Write Now. A non-profit that does just that, mentors inner city girls by connecting them with television writers, Pulitzer prize winners, school principals and other women writers.  These connections provide the singular purpose to guide these girls through the four years of high school, to find their voice and to get into college.

In 1998, Maya Nussbaum set out to create an organization where girls could have ” A real live role model.” Her mission was to provide guidance, support, and opportunities for at-risk and underserved girls from New York City’s public high schools to develop their creative, independent voices, explore careers in professional writing, and learn how to make healthy school, career and life choices.        

Today, fifteen years later, Maya has done that and so much more. Girls Write Now has served over 4,500 girls and 100% have gone onto college. Which brings it all back to graduation and the dots. As a woman, a writer, a non-profit founder and someone who believes that education changes lives, this spoke to me. My dots came together today on this page for you, just as I will proudly sit and watch all those dots come together in that singular moment for all those graduates this week.

Steve Jobs was write 🙂 …… Connect the dots of your life.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration

A message from the grave

steve-jobs-stanfordIn the spirit of the season, with graduations everywhere, I decided to take a stroll through some epic commencement addresses, a journey longer than most graduation ceremonies I might add. Of all the speeches I listened to the one that I simply could not walk away from, fast forward or forget was Steve Job’s speech at Stanford.

I have written and delivered many speeches in my lifetime but never a graduation speech. Steve Job’s words, ideas and stories spoke to me from the grave. So, I know it isn’t short but if you give your self a gift today, a small moment. Make it this.

 

As Steve Jobs said, “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” Using your time to do what you love and make a difference for the world is a choice and a gift.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration

A little inspiration

STEMI am a communicator, connector and doer. I’ll admit some of these traits are good to have, but truthfully, none of them in excess is fantastic. So, when I was invited to an amazing event at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles on Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. I was excited to be able to use of few of these traits in one place.

No, I don’t possess any math or science skills but I wanted to connect some high school girls from my alma mater to a place I love, CHLA. These five women panelist were everything from MIT robot inventors, researchers studying the impact of pollution on Autism and even non-profit founders.  Each woman on her own was beyond impressive but collectively, they were remarkable.

They were not remarkable because of their science, educations, impressive resumes or their White House honors. The reason each speaker was so impressive was that they all independently had the same message. The message was, “Do something that matters. Have a purpose and make a difference. Find your gifts and use them towards the greater good.”

Now, it doesn’t take a scientist to figure out just how brilliant that advice is? Simply genius.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Quotes

What Matters?

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

Mark Twain

Education Matters. Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2012 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.

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