Season of Giving: Church

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** The Promise United Methodist Church My church is struggling. We had to make big cuts at the start of this year and halfway through. And we have a shortfall if we want to start 2011 in the black. And we have a shortfall on out budget which may result in some major cuts. And that scares me because my church is my home, my family, my community. In my life... I've grown up or attended or somehow been part of 8 or more different churches. Some were a big part of my life- the church I grew up in, the church that surrounded my family during some chaotic times. And some were an attempt at reconnecting with a faith community but weren't a good fit for me. And then I found The Promise. I had made a new friend through community theatre and we were cast (by Christy, ironically) as romantic interests and this meant spending a lot of time together. In the course of the time we spent together, my quest for a church home came up and he told me about this church- The Promise. I was hesitant at first. It was in a strip mall. There were plans to build nearby. I attended on Good Friday because my new friend was singing a solo. And I was greeted warmly and immediately felt welcome, at ease. That was in 2004. In the years since, I've become more and more involved with my church and it has become a very important part of my family, my life, and my relationship with God. Here's what impresses me, what I think is special about The Promise. The people who are part of The Promise are truly dedicated to the purpose of sharing God's love. There is a lot of grassroots missions work that goes on. There is outreach to food pantries, missionaries, local schools. There are projects going on in the children's ministry to teach our kids compassion. There are ways to get involved and use your talents- even if your talent is more passion driven than anything else. You don't have to be a great singer to be on music team and lead worship with the team every week. You don't have to have some degree in whatever to volunteer to help with Sunday School. There is a place for everyone in our church and our arms are open wide to love everyone who passes through those doors- and even those who don't. My church is a newer church. And we are struggling financially. It's a hard economic time and giving is often one of the first things that gets cut in a budget. So maybe you feel moved by something I've said about my church or my faith or how I live my life. Maybe you'd like to make a donation to my church. 12648 E. 116th Street, Fishers, IN 46037 Or maybe you'd like to make a donation to a church in your area. Maybe you don't attend church but you know of a church that does good in your community- you can still make a holiday, charitable donation to them. You don't have to attend a church or be religious or even believe in God to support and appreciate or maybe even benefit from having a church in your community. So consider supporting them- or supporting mine- because everyone is struggling these days. Make an appointment to go talk to the pastor there so you feel comfortable in knowing what they do before you make a decision, perhaps. Support your community by supporting a church.

Season of Giving: Indiana Blood Center

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** Indiana Blood Center Did you know that you can save lives and it doesn't have to cost you a cent? You can support a great cause without donating a dollar. You can donate blood. Well, most of you. Blood donation is something near and dear to someone who is near and dear to me. I've tried to donate blood on many occassions in her honor. Christy is a regular blood donor. In fact, she typically donates platelets instead of whole blood. I had a big old fear of needles that kept me from trying to donate. In high school, I attempted to donate at a blood drive and was borderline anemic and couldn't donate. Between those 2 things, I kept away from the blood donation opportunities. I finally bucked up and decided to make an attempt at donation as a gift to Christy around her birthday a couple of years ago. Turns out, I'm still borderline anemic. Even if I take iron pills, it doesn't seem to bump me up that point or 2. I go back and try from time to time but have yet to pass the initial test. Which is all the more reason why you should donate your blood to your local blood center- to make up for those of us who want to but can't. Scared of needles? Don't be. You barely feel it (going through pregnancy and labor and delivery means getting a lot of blood drawn over the course of those 9 months). Close your eyes and relax. These people are sticking needles into arms all day long- they're pros. People who are good and experienced at drawing blood tend to be pretty pain free in their process. And it goes quickly. And it is a very small amount of discomfort for you that ends up being a literal lifesaver for someone else. Since I can't donate and I'm asking you to go donate, I feel like there should still be something else I can do. I was perusing the website to see if there is a place where I could donate money, perhaps. Or find an idea of what I could do for the Blood Center in lieu of donating blood. And I think I found it. I'm going to send an e-mail to my favorite pastors at my church (we have 2) and see if we can host a blood drive at our church. In this Season of Giving, remember that not all giving requires money. You can give the most life sustaining fluid by donating blood.

Season of Giving: Little Red Door Cancer Agency

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** Little Red Door Cancer Agency I have never had cancer. To my knowledge, my immediate and close family hasn't had cancer. I've had a great uncle with a brain tumor, a former boss with breast cancer, a mom I met on the internet, my best friend's mom, and many more. Some are survivors and some are not. I've been close to cancer but I haven't been hit hard by cancer. I've witnessed the destruction and pain and damage. Which is why I am so glad there are agencies like the Little Red Door out there. From the website: Fighting cancer is tough enough, but it's even harder when you don't have medical insurance or the resources to afford proper care. Little Red Door Cancer Agency strives to make the most of life and the least of cancer, by reducing the physical, emotional, and financial burdens of cancer for the medically underserved residents of Central Indiana. Reducing Financial Burdens •Free nutritional supplements •Free medical supplies •Free wigs and turbans •Free breast prosthesis/bras •Free transportation to and from chemotherapy and radiation treatments along with follow up appointments •Free screenings to detect breast, prostate, and cervical cancer •Free breast clinical breast exams (CBE's), mammograms, ultrasounds, and biopsies to further detect the possibiliy of a malignancy after a cancer screening has been performed •Free ostomy supplies •Free incontinence supplies •Free lymphedema supplies Little Red Door is supported by The United Way and by Susan G. Komen for the Cure and by private donations, grants, fundraisers, and bequests. If you are local to Indy, I'd like to encourage you to support Little Red Door through a fundraiser going on right now: Looking for a way to support Little Red Door? Well do we have an opportunity for you! Now through January 15, Hubbard & Cravens Coffee Company will be selling "little red doors" for $1.00 with all benefits going to the agency (doors will be placed in the store for this time period). Even better, Marcie Hubbard herself has agreed to match all proceeds dollar for dollar. Please tell your friends, family, and co-workers to visit Hubbard & Cravens locations at 4930 N. Pennsylvania St. in Indy, 6229 Carrollton Ave in Broadripple, or IU Hospital at 550 North University Blvd in Indy to participate in this limited time program! And if you need some inspiration on why agencies like Little Red Door are important, read the testimonials on their website. The help they provide doesn't just help save lives- they help change and empower lives. One of the really awesome programs that Little Red Door offers is Camp Little Red Door. It's a summer camp located south of Indy and is designed for kids age 8-18 who are living with cancer. The camp offers a chance to receive support and encouragement through the battle, to openly discuss what it's like, and also to let loose and have fun with people who understand what you are going through. I think that has to be a truly amazing experience. If you click on the link above, there is a list of items they would love to have donated. If you are in the Indy or central Indiana area, I encourage you to consider supporting the Little Red Door Cancer agency. If you aren't local, I encourage you to seek out a similar agency. If you contact your local United Way or Komen Foundation, you might be able to get help in connecting to a small agency that provides assistance to those who are underserved in your own community. Perhaps you can make a financial donation, do a product drive in your office or church, or just help spread the word about the good work being done. Special thanks to M.R. for suggesting Little Red Door as a candidate for being featured in my Season of Giving series!

Season of Giving: The Damien Center

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** The Damien Center From the website: The mission of The Damien Center is to lead the fight to prevent the spread of HIV and to empower persons in Central Indiana affected by HIV/AIDS to move forward each day with dignity. The Damien Center offers vital supportive services to those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS so they may live abundant and productive lives. We also provide comprehensive HIV prevention services, including HIV testing, prevention counseling, education, and advocacy. We believe passionately in the dignity and worth of every person who seeks our services. We strive to be a safe and welcoming place so that no barriers separate people from the services they need to prolong and enhance their lives. The Damien Center is a nonprofit organization that serves the population in the Indianapolis area who are HIV/AIDS positive. The Damien Center also provides education, prevention, and testing services. Some of the services that The Damien Center provides includes: assistance with health insurance, finding housing, dealing with medications, finding transportation, a food pantry and free haircuts, legal assistance, and social events. Why is the work of The Damien Center important? Because AIDS is still killing people. Because there is still a lot of misinformation in the world about HIV/AIDS. Because prevention is still key. Because those who are living with HIV/AIDS aren't treated fairly and navigating the system with this label often means needing an advocate to help you through it. One of the faces of HIV/AIDS that stayed with me in my adolescence was that of Ryan White. Ryan and his mom lived in Kokomo, IN- located about an hour north of Indianapolis. When Ryan contracted HIV, he was shunned by his community and the ignorance of the people there led to him being kicked out of his school. There was a great legal battle and Ryan did attend school there- until his family's safety was threatened. They moved to Cicero, IN- about 30 minutes north of Indianapolis- and he attended Hamilton Heights High School. Ryan was accepted at Hamilton heights by students and staff. Ryan passed away months before his high school graduation. When I met Jeff and we were getting to know each other, the subject of Ryan White came up. Ryan's story had impacted me deeply in school and I was... awed... to know that Jeff had graduated from Hamilton Heights. Jeff had graduated prior to Ryan attending there but he knew kids who were friends with Ryan. One afternoon, Jeff took me on a surprise road trip up to Cicero and took me to Ryan's gravesite. I was deeply moved to be at that place and also deeply touched that Jeff understood how much it meant to me. I think the reason that Ryan White and The Damien Center are so important to me is because HIV/AIDS is a prime example of how ignorance fuels hate and fear. Ignorance is my greatest enemy in so many ways. Once we have knowledge and can make informed decisions, we often realize the error of our fear-driven responses. There is, most likely, an organization similar to The Damien Center in your area. If you are looking to help fight ignorance and encourage the fair and respectful treatment of all people, I encourage you to visit The Damien Center's website, maybe make a donation, or support your own local organization.

Season of Giving: Santa Moms

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** Indianapolis MomsLikeMe Santa Moms Sometimes, I have the privilege of witnessing people doing good simply because it is the right thing to do. There is a mom who started a Santa Moms group last year in an effort to reach out to moms who need help to make Christmas happen for their families. She works with her husband's company and through our website and creates teams who collect gifts and money to buy gifts and she hooks up the teams with the family who has needs. What I love is seeing this online community come together to help each other out. Moms on the site nominate someone that they know has needs. It is completely a grassroots effort. This isn't a foundation or organization. This is just women helping families- because it is what moms do. There are times that this online community fights and squabbles and some don't get along with others. But when times are hard, when one of us is hurting, opportunities become available to come together and help each other out. I've seen it happen before, I've been part of it before, and I'm honored to be part of that community. If you are interested in helping out these moms as they help families in need, contact me in the next few days. They are wrapping up their efforts and making deliveries to the families soon. I also happen to know of some moms who struggle and who never ask for help and even go so far as to reach out and help others instead of putting themselves first and I would love to do something for some of those women. If you are interested in being part of this kind of effort, let me know. Otherwise, I'd just encourage you to find a way to reach out to a family in need in your own community. Buy a gift card for a gas station or grocery store and ask a leader in your church to anonymously give it to someone in your congregation that they know is struggling. If you know of a neighbor going through a hard time, take them a meal. Ask a lonely friend to go see Christmas lights with your family. Santa Moms reminds me that we all have the opportunity to be a Santa and give someone a helping hand or a reminder that they are loved. Be a Santa this year.

Season of Giving: Foodrunners

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** Foodrunners I don't remember how it is I heard of Foodrunners. It might have been a story on NPR. But it struck me at how simple and brilliant of an organization that it was. Have you ever been struck by the amount of leftovers at restaurants, catered events, buffets? And has it ever boggled your mind how much is thrown away, wasted? Foodrunners was founded to help make good use of that food. Foodrunners is located in San Francsico, CA. From their website: Food Runners is currently delivering approximately 10 tons of food a week that would otherwise be thrown away. With help from our volunteer coordinator, our paid truck driver and people like you, we can provide enough food for 2,000 meals a day in San Francisco. Foodrunners has been around for 20 years. It was started by a small group of food service professionals who were tired of the waste in front of them and the need surrounding them. It began as a small operation out of the home of a chef, Mary Risley. It has grown into a volunteer heavy organization (one paid employee- a full time truck driver) that picks up and delivers food all over San Francisco. Companies can call and arrange pick up of prepared food- companies like restaurants, hotels, hospitals, bakeries, and schools. The food is taken from business to organization or group that can distribute it to those in need. Foodrunners is even set up to be able to take a donation of a home cooked meal and give it to a family or group in your neighborhood. Go check out the website and learn more about it. Maybe you are in the San Francisco area and might be able to get involved- arranging a new donation source or becoming a volunteer. Maybe you'd like to make a donation. Or maybe just being aware of this sort of organization will leave you more aware of food waste around you. Do you know of a program like Foodrunners in your area?

Season of Giving: Back On My Feet

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not always doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving ***** Back On My Feet To be fair, I only learned about this organization this morning. I have a little list going of the things I want to highlight and have even asked for input from others (on the Facebook page and via Twitter) and gotten some great ideas. I'm a fan of Baise Communications on Facebook. Baise provides nonprofit connections and news through the Facebook page and I love reading about various organizations through them. Today, I read this: What started as a running club between one woman and several homeless men from the shelter she ran by on her morning runs has turned into a nonprofit organization called Back On My Feet (BOMF) - a homeless advocacy nonprofit that builds confidence through running programs. I was very intrigued so I clicked through to the website, shared the link with Christy, and we couldn't stop reading and digging and finding more information. Most exciting to us is that Back On My Feet is going to be starting an Indianapolis Chapter in March! This isn't just a running club. This is a group that advocates for the homeless while also introducing people impacted by homelessness to running- as a confidence builder, a way of setting and achieving goals. The program has steps built into it- when someone commits to the running club, they move up through this program to help them get back on their feet. Help with training, education, finding a job, finding a place to live. The blog on the website really moved me and I encourage you to read through and watch the videos to find out what kind of impact Back On My Feet has made in the lives of others. Here's a great video to give you a taste of what Back On My Feet is all about: I've signed up to get information on running a race for Back On My Feet and to learn about prelaunch events. I hope I can run with them someday- weekday early mornings won't work for me but maybe a longer Saturday run sometime would work. I've also set up a fundraising page with a goal of $100. Give a little financial support. If you are in Indianapolis and want to get involved- Get Involved with the Indianapolis Chapter. And if you live in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Chicago or Boston, there is already an existing Back On My Feet program in your city. In 2011, Back On My Feet is starting chapters in Dallas-Forth Worth, Atlanta, and Minneapolis-St. Paul (and Indy, of course). You can also nominate your city to become a future chapter! I'm very excited about this opportunity to combine my passions and am really eager to see how this all plays out in the coming months. I hope you are excited about it, too, and I hope that you might be able to donate to the Indy chapter, to your local chapter, or find a way to get involved in your city!

Season of Giving: Kiva

In the month of December, I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need (that means I'm posting twice a day!!). I'm not doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work or may need help. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. See all posts for the Season of Giving *~*~*~*~*~ Kiva I'm not Oprah, that's for certain. And I hadn't paid any attention to her lists of favorite things since the audiences started going all insane and the giveaways kept getting more and more over the top. But I hear she highlighted Kiva as a Favorite Thing this year- and I couldn't agree more. I first heard about Kiva a few years ago and spent hours pouring over the stories of the people who have been positively impacted by this microloan program. More accurately, Kiva connects lenders to loan applicants through existing microloan companies and programs. From the website: 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 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. Some of the loans are combined to help out a group of people or help a larger project. Some of the loan requests are smaller- an individual who needs seed money to buy materials to build their weaving business. You can loan to Glicerio- a farmer who used to work as a hired hand but saved enough to buy a small amount of land and plant his own bananas and coffee in Peru. Or maybe loan to a group of women in Sierra Leone who are seeking to grow their cereal business. Or maybe loan to Hugo- seeking to build and strengthen his bakery business in Peru. $25 to me is frivolous spending at the grocery store. $25 to this loan program is helping to fund someone's roof or helping someone start their own business or helping someone educate their children. Kiva is powerful, in my eyes, because it takes small donations from many and turns those small donations into a large impact. There is a lot of information to read if you should decide to make a loan of $25. Kiva shares information with you about the risks. When your loan is repaid, you can donate the money back to Kiva, you can finance a new loan, or you can transfer the funds to PayPal. There is a lot of information given on the website so read up and think about participating! Hey- if Oprah says it's a Favorite Thing, it must be awesome, right?

Season of Giving: The Fresh Air Fund

I'm going to do a new feature in the month of December. I'm going to feature various groups that help those in need. I'm not doing fundraising for them- just bringing attention to groups that I think do important work. Perhaps you will feel the urge to connect to that group or find something similar in your area that you can volunteer your time and talents. Perhaps you will want to make a donation. Perhaps you will just feel warm and fuzzy knowing that good is being done in the world. *** Today, I'm featuring The Fresh Air Fund. From the website: Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend Fresh Air Fund camps. I never went away to camp when I was a kid. I look forward to camp experiences with my kids- there is a family camp we could attend through our church. I read books about summer camps and I dreamt of summer getaways where I could swim and do lots of fun things. The Fresh Air Fund gives kids that opportunity. In addition to providing inner city kids from New York with summer vacation and camp opportunities, The Fresh Air Fund has programs that run year round. From their website: Summer may seem far away, but NYC children are currently participating in Fresh Air programs, from weekly tutoring sessions to job shadowings to weekend retreats at Fund camps in upstate New York! Our Career Awareness Program serves more than 300 youngsters in middle and high school. We also have new leadership programs for young women to develop their “can-do” attitudes!

The great thing is that even a small donation can make a difference. $10 covers the expense of transporting a child to their Fresh Air Fund summer experience. $24 pays for a week of swim lessons. You can be involved with a small donation or even go so far as be a volunteer or a host family. Did you have outdoor fun as a kid? Go away to camp? Visit family in the country? I'd love to hear about it!