Ways to make a difference Archives - Page 30 of 31

Charity Matters Inspiration October 2, 2013

Be More Heroic

With 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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Technology that Matters September 30, 2013

Swap Serve

As most of you know I am a big believer in volunteering. Simply giving any talent, skill or time you have to a cause you care about and expecting nothing in return….except the great feeling you get from giving.

Well, it seems all of that is about to change. There is a new game in town and its called Swap Serve. Swap Serve has a little different approach to volunteering. They are trying to align non-profits with volunteers. Here is what makes this different, in exchange for your time, local businesses reward you with free stuff, such as coffee, donuts, movie tickets, etc.

Here is how it works:

I’m not sure if this is the way of the future, a win-win or defeating the point of volunteering? Regardless, anything that gets people out helping one another is a success in my book. So check it out and see if Swap Serve has come to your town yet. Do me a favor, if they haven’t, just keep on giving your time. There is no greater gift to give.

Charity Matters.

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Education September 16, 2013

More than making the grade..Grades of Green

“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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Raising Philanthropic Children July 24, 2013

Voluntourism

Its summertime and with that means travel and family trips. Our past few summers have been filled with the kids sports activities and very small windows for travel. I’m not letting that slow me down but rather am already beginning to plan for next year.

Our oldest will be graduating high school and it seems like the perfect time for a family trip that involves voluntourism or volunteering and travel. Since I have begun my research I thought I would share it with you. My first stop was a web-site chock full of information called Voluntourism.Org where you can learn about hundreds of opportunities and how to plan your trip.

Voluntourism.Org had great recommendations for the pre-planning stages such as:

1. Do your homework

2. Ask yourself and your family what do you really want to achieve from this experience? Help others? Bond with your family? Get into a great college?

3. Choose a reputable organization to partner with

4. Involve your family in all the pre-planning process.

5. Document the experience with video, photos and journals.

There are thousands of online sources promising you and your family amazing experiences but finding reputable ones can be overwhelming. Here are a few volunteer programs that had some great endorsements:

1. Global Volunteer Network

2. Cross Cultural Solutions

3. Rebuilding Together U.S. based program that builds homes across the country

So whether you go now or next year, travel near or far….know that your time is your greatest gift. Think about sharing that precious resource with your family in helping another. Those are the moments that make an impact on all involved. I’m hoping I can make this happen and that perhaps you can too.

Charity Matters.

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Charity Matters Inspiration May 13, 2013

The Chocolate Bar Book

Sometimes inspiration comes from the craziest places. Yet, I continue to revel and delight when I am touched and inspired by loving acts of kindness and friendship. This story is as sweet as its name and the angels who created it. This is the story of The Chocolate Bar Book.

The story begins with two best friends, named Dylan and Jonah. These six-year-old boys are not exactly like average little boys because Jonah suffers from a very rare liver condition called Glycogen Storage Disease 1b. Dylan wanted to help his best friend find a cure for the rare disease and had an idea to write a book as a fundraiser. He wrote The Chocolate Bar Book in hopes of raising one million dollars to help find a cure. “Chocolate Bar” is Dylan’s and Jonah’s code word for awesome, which is exactly what these two are.

To date these two pint sized wonders have raised over $200,000 and counting. Dylan’s hope is that his words and pictures will help change the world, one book at a time. I think he has already accomplished that goal. How sweet is that?

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference May 8, 2013

Help A Mother Out

Since this week is Mother’s Day, I thought it was important to take a moment to look at an amazing non-profit making a difference for mothers. There are thousands of organizations that help women around the globe but this organization started with a single purpose and its name says it all, Help A Mother Out.Org

That single purpose was to provide disposable diapers for low-income mothers, which Food Stamps do not provide for. Mothers can not take their children to daycare or school without providing disposable diapers. Since these diapers can cost up to $100- per month, many struggling mothers were jeopardizing their children’s health by trying to stretch their diaper supply.

So in May 2009, two friends from the Bay Area, Lisa Truong and Rachel Fudge had an idea after seeing reports of families struggling during the recession. As a young mothers, they called some local shelters and asked what was needed and the answer was diapers.

On Mother’s Day 2009, the two decided to hold their first diaper drive and gathered over 15,000 diapers. Today, Help A Mother Out has provided over 1,000,000 diapers! They are a non-profit organization based in San Francisco with chapters in Southern California and work on diaper drives in other states like Washington and Arizona.

As we all know motherhood can be a dirty business but with organizations like Help A Mother Out women and children will all be sitting pretty this Mother’s Day.

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference March 29, 2013

Final Verdict: Kindness counts

More than 40 days ago I wrote to you about my Lenten pledge, which was to perform a random act of kindness everyday of Lent. Well, hippity hoppity Easter is on its way this weekend and here are a few things I have learned this past month.

First and foremost, kindness counts. No matter how big or how small the act of kindness, it truly impacts someone’s day. As you know, my first week in to this promise was a bit dicey. I had really believed that these opportunities would simply present themselves, that however, was not the case. I had to look for ways to be kind randomly.

At week two, I had redefined the word “random.” My slight tweaking of the definition was that it simply had to be random for the recipient, not a random act on my part. For example a friend was mentioning a book she had heard about. I got online ordered it and it just showed up at her house, no note but just “randomly.” I loved it, she loved it but let’s be honest, it wasn’t random.

By week three, what I noticed more than anything was that going out of my way for a stranger became more habitual. Each time I did something like send a note to a long-lost friend or pay the person behind me’s parking I felt amazing and the recipient was sadly, always truly surprised by my kindness.

As I entered the home stretch what became the single best part of my resolution was that kindness seems to be contagious. Who knew? When stuffed some money in a sleeping homeless man’s shopping cart,suddenly a ripple effect occurred, others looked at me and then did it too.

While, I must confess that I did not perform 46 random acts of kindness, I did come close with 37. At the end of the day it didn’t become about having to log my kindness, it became about how wonderful it felt to make someone’s day. Although, Lent ends on sunday, I think this resolution might just stay around a little bit longer.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference March 20, 2013

Why I write

Each week I sit down at my computer and write. Sometimes its a story about an incredible person who shaped our world and made an impact, other days its simply a quote or a thought that I feel compelled to share with you. And some days I wonder why? Why do I feel so compelled to do this?

Since I’m in the sharing mood, I think there are a few reasons that I write. First and foremost, at my core I am a communicator. Whether its my motor mouth, or talking with my hands or through these keys, it is simply who I am.

More than that, I write to remind myself of who I need to continue to strive to be and become. I write about my heroes, people who have taken a problem and turned it into a solution that impacts thousands of others in incredible ways.

Writing broadens my world and brings people and situations into my life, in ways I never imagined. Charity Matters has given me such purpose and my hope is that is has brought some to you as well. As I say every week, we all have gifts. Finding those gifts, recognizing what they are and sharing them in ways to make our world better is just simply what it’s all about.

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference February 25, 2013

The Oscars, the day after:Closets for Causes

What happens the day after the Oscars? I think it’s a little bit like the day after a parade… so much excitement, excess and fun and then what? Where do all of those Red Carpet moments of glamour and excess go? Most end up in video clips for eternity but what happens the next day to the items left behind from that magical night?

Well, many of them go back to the stylist and are then returned to the designer but many are given to the celebrity who wears them. The result is closets filled to the rim with amazing designer clothes, bags, etc. One stylist, Talia Bella saw the waste and excess as an opportunity to make a difference. She did so, by founding Closets for Causes.

What Closets for Causes does is bridge the gap between style and philanthropy. They raise serious funds by liquidating celebrity client’s closets and organizing the sale via eBay. Those funds in turn go the charity the celebrity chooses. The result brings attention and funds to an important cause and makes our celebrity crazed society happy to own a piece of celebrity fashion.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT8fRWgoL-4]

So whether you are a fashionista, a celebrity stalker or just someone who needs something new in your closet you can follow the companies mantra, “Shop good, do good, look good.”

Red carpet or not, making a difference is way more beautiful than anything else you do.

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference February 22, 2013

Random acts of kindness: one week in

How many of you made New Years Resolutions or Lent sacrifices? If so, how is that going for you? I can honestly say after a week into my commitment to perform 46 random acts of kindness, this is more challenging than I thought.

Part of the problem with resolutions I’m discovering is, that we have an expectation in our minds of how they are supposed to play out. We give up chocolate and see ourselves as a super model in a bikini or we give up Facebook and see ourselves with so much extra time. Sadly, these preconceptions are often what becomes our roadblock to success.

I, of course, envisioned myself helping hundreds of little old ladies from Pasadena who were just lining up waiting for me to help them…randomly of course. Surprise, that hasn’t been the case. This past week I have had to go looking for opportunities, they did not come to me as I had thought.

Day one I helped a handicap man at mass, day two I helped an elderly lady at the grocery store, and day three there was no one in line behind me so I could pay for their coffee….hmmm so I put money in an expired parking meter. Then I hit a serious lull, it was late in the afternoon nothing had presented itself (or I wasn’t paying attention) and I panicked..what to do? I picked up the phone and phoned a friend, one I hadn’t spoken to in a long while. Warning: grey area here. Is this a random act of kindness or pre- meditated desperation to fulfill my obligation?

Either way it was a good feeling and even better conversation. So I have still have 39 days to make this right, be kinder, make an effort and more importantly make a tiny difference in this world. Hey, a difference is a difference! Random or not.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference January 21, 2013

Hug someone

Today is National Hug Day, who knew something like that even existed ? Who makes these things up anyway? Honestly, a hug can never hurt and can only help…so I say lets celebrate it!

On January 21, 1986, Rev. Kevin Zaborney created National Hugging Day…every once in a while we all need an excuse to go out and just hug someone. So hug your children, your friends, your co-workers and maybe even the mailman. Why not?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H_MdIxxmrM]

It will just remind you that you always feel better when you give of yourself. Sending huge hugs to you all!

Charity Matters.

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Mentoring January 14, 2013

Mentoring Matters

“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.”

Bob Proctor

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjmZHP4ZyYc&list=PLsbXHX4vrTcL34SyshXEk4VJan84p4-bf&index=1]

Be a mentor, change a life.

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference December 28, 2012

The Charitable Deduction

Now that the holidays are winding down, it’s the time of year for those last-minute donations. All so that we can get charitable deductions for our taxes. Yikes, that dreaded word, taxes!

Of course we give for so many more reasons than deductions, but it is an additional perk of helping out a cause that you care about. However, that perk is becoming endangered.

As you may already know, some of our congressional leaders are calling for limitations of tax deductions for charitable giving. Charitable donations are the lifeblood of hundreds of thousands of amazing non-profit organizations.

A group of 600 charitable organizations, called The Independent Sector, has been leading the nonprofit communities on this and for more information on the charitable deduction you can click here.

If this is something that you care about, you can email your congressman and senators via their websites or call their offices directly. The same group has put together a letter that you can personalize and sign, and they will deliver it to your representatives and President Obama. Click the link if you would like to Send a letter to Congress

Please join in working to preserve the charitable deduction. Regardless of why you give, these deductions help support our countries educational system, expand access to health and human services, enrich an appreciation of our cultural heritage, advance medical research, and support so many programs vital to the health of our country and communities around the world.

Charity Matters.

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Ways to make a difference December 12, 2012

Be an Elf. Org

On monday , I talked about the US Post offices 100-year-old program called Operation Santa. Well one volunteer “elf”, Patrick Reynolds, was so inspired by his experience with the program that he decided to help promote the cause with Be An Elf. Org.

On Christmas Eve, 2004, Patrick delivered gifts through Operation Santa to needy families. He was so moved by the experience that he set up Be An Elf.Org to bring more attention to the post offices program. Patrick wondered why he not heard of the USPS program? So he decided to use his time and talent to bring more attention to a cause he cared about.

“I was moved by the surprise and delight on children’s faces. I thought more people should know about the Letters to Santa / Operation Santa program,” Patrick said. Within a few days, he got the idea to form a new group, which became Be An Elf.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh9jkmfQz-g]

I love this story because it is a true reflection of what Christmas is all about. We all have causes that we care about, but the Christmas spirit inspired Patrick to action. He in turn inspires each of us to reach out to help a child in need and reminds us what the season is all about.

Charity Matters.

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