Doctors Without Borders

One of the organization that I have been blown away by time after time is Doctors Without Borders (also known as MSF, Medicins Sans Frontieres). 

This incredible group works in over 60 different countries assisting people in need. In seven weeks, Doctors Without Borders treated over 3,000 malnourished children in Sudan. They rushed to aid flood victims in Nigeria and are still working tirelessly to assist individuals in Haiti. In Sri Lanka, the group is rehabilitating people with spinal cord injuries. 

Recruiting both medical and non-medical aid workers, the group provides its volunteers with incredible benefits such as round-trip transportation, room and board in the country where the project is taking place, a salary and per diem (in the currency of the country the project takes place in), insurance (life, medical, emergency evacuation, disability), letters of support for student loan deferrment, payment of interest on student loans during and 6 months after the assignment, and much more. Doctors Without Borders reaches out not only to the individuals in the countries it serves, but also goes to great lengths to make certain that volunteers are provided for as well.

I Dare You

The Girl Effect

This simple yet incredibly powerful short film is the hallmark of a growing campaign around the globe. After you watch the film, head to www.girleffect.org and check out the incredible work this campaign is inspiring!

Random Acts of Kindness: The Inspiration For This Blog

Throughout my life, my parents have served as examples of who I wanted to become. They tirelessly helped those in need and put others before themselves every single time the opportunity arose. They encouraged their children to go out and change the world for the better, whether the contributions were great or small.

I remember watching these two people changing the world for the better while the world looked on. While they gave all they could, I was also watching people who did not. I saw those who found volunteering to be a waste of their precious time. I saw people who used donations as a simple tax write-off. I watched this and I made the decision to try to live my life the way my parents always have. In fact, it was my parents who showed me the story of The Starfish to begin with. Their encouragement and compassion has always inspired me.

One memory that has always stuck with me is one from a time when I was about 4 or 5 years old. It was a cold night when my mother, father, brother and I were headed into a restaurant to eat. Outside, we saw a homeless man leaning against the wall asking for money for food. Instead of waving him off or simply handing him a dollar, my parents invited him to come and sit down to eat with us. Although he was surprised at the offer, he agreed and joined us. We were so busy listening to him tell amusing stories that I never noticed my father slip out. After a few minutes he returned carrying a bag, which I thought nothing of at the time. After we finished our meal, the man thanked my parents for about the hundredth time and we headed out the door. Outside, my father handed him the bag which contained a winter coat. I will never forget the look on the man's face...His eyes welled with tears and he thanked my parents over and over. My parents just smiled. Without another word we got into our car and went home. We never saw the man again and my parents never mentioned what they had done for him. It was something that came naturally to them. Someone was in need and they did what they were supposed to do, they helped him. Although it was a small act of kindness, I have never forgotten it. Today anytime I feel like giving up, when I get frustrated about being one person and feel as though I will never make a big enough impact, I remember the look on the man's face when my father handed him the coat. Like magic, a new kind of confidence and energy comes back to me. I remember that it doesn't take an enormous gesture to make a difference. It takes one little act of compassion and love at a time. Sometimes the biggest changes come from quietly and humbly serving others. It simply takes perseverance, dedication and a willingness to be an agent of change.

My hope for all of you is that you go out and change this world for the better in any way that you can. Remember that no action is too small. Remember that there are children out there who are watching you too, be they your nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, or even neighbors. Remember that what they see in you will someday impact their decisions on the kind of people they want to become. My hope is that you will show them how to be the kind of people who dedicate their lives to helping...one starfish at a time...

Random Acts of Kindness in Action: 1

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own lives that it takes witnessing a small act of kindness towards another to remind us to be the people we want to be. 

Hearts United For Animals

Hearts United for Animals (HUA) is a national no-kill shelter which has rescued over 4,000 dogs from puppy mills across the country. Although predominantly focusing upon dogs, this group also houses some cats who would otherwise be put down or abandoned. The 65-acre farm is covered with trees and grass and has enormous dog yards where the animals are allowed to run and play. Giving them medical treatment, training, and socialization, many of the dogs are able to be adopted by loving families across the country through the Jet Set Dogs Program which transports them to new homes. Approximately 300 animals are housed on the farm at a given time. All of the animals are fixed and are put on healthcare. With specific volunteers dedicated to a set number of dogs, special attention is given to each animal and prospective adopters are given information on the dogs' personalities, likes and dislikes.

KAYCIE

Those animals who were too traumatized by their previous living conditions, are older and not likely to be adopted, and those with disabilities too great for adoption are kept on the farm to live out the rest of their lives in a loving and nurturing environment through the Sanctuary Sweethearts program.The Sanctuary Sweethearts are cared for through donations provided to the organization.

KID ROCK

The dogs have been placed in 45 states and Canada and was honored by the Smithsonian Institute for the technology used in the Jet Set Dogs program. Educational programs such as the Spay/Neuter Program and anti-puppy mill effort are used to inform and assist the public in caring for animals and limiting the number of dogs who end up in shelters and abusive situations. As the group is based in Nebraska, the organization assists with vet care for families in the Midwest who cannot pay for surgeries or treatment for their animals.

WALLY

In honor of a shepherd mix named Tia who was severely beaten by her owners with a baseball bat and was rescued by HUA, Tia's Place was created. This refuge is a safe haven for dogs who were severely abused by their owners before being rescued by the organization.

SPRITE

From volunteers to come and play with the animals to monetary donations that will be placed towards the cost of caring for the animals, educational programs, and vet care for families who cannot afford it, help is always embraced by HUA. For more information about adopting or assisting the group, please visit www.hua.org.

City Gate

If you are looking for an organization which does incredible work for youth and is one of the most fun-filled places to volunteer, City Gate is the group for you. This amazing non-profit was founded in October of 2001 in Washington, DC by Dr. Lynn Bergfalk in order to assist disadvantaged or disenfranchised members of the DC community. The group specifically focuses attention upon assisting children and youth, homelessness and poverty, and immigrant and international populations. In their own words, City Gate's goal is "To help folks on the margins of our society gain access to benefits of the larger community. And, second, to swing that gate both ways, and provide opportunity for those in the mainstream to understand the experience of the marginalized. Swinging the gate both directions recognizes that we all are fellow travelers in the journey of life. Whatever our personal circumstances may be, the blessing of reciprocity will enrich every person as we give and receive from each other." The group assists in numerous ways with afterschool programs, science clubs, summer camps, ESL classes, family literacy programs, and much more.

One such program is The Caterpillar Preschool. This is a multicultural language school for children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 5 years old. Children spend 2, 3 or 5 days a week in either the Spanish or French immersion room where they learn through play to become fluent in a foreign language. The opportunity allows children to become fluent in another language while their brains are developing, giving them a head start from an early age. 

City Gate provides grocery assistance, special holiday events, and a clothing closet for families in need at various locations around the District. 

Family literacy and adult literacy classes are also provided by the organization. GED Preparatory classes and the Adult Education for Careers provide a space for furthering career opportunities in a safe and healthy environment. 

Summer camps and after-school groups allow children to spend time in a safe and nurturing environment filled with educational opportunities and healthy snacks. Tutoring programs and homework help from caring volunteers ensure that children are keeping up with work and are staying at the appropriate grade level while boosting confidence and advancing scores on standardized testing. 

Although all of these programs are incredibly beneficial and necessary, my favorite program is the Urban HANDS alternative break program. HANDS, standing for Helping Another in Need by Demonstrating Servitutde, is an incredible program which children from the summer and after-school programs are paired with volunteers for service projects. The programs vary in length from a day to a week and are filled with fun and games for the children, while teaching the importance of volunteer work. In the evenings, children watch movies, eat healthy snacks, and play games. During the day, they are sent to assist with volunteer projects ranging from physical labor projects to working with organizations to fight poverty and homelessness. Ranging in age from about two to ten years of age, the children I worked with spent the evening playing board games and watching the movie Hook only to rise bright and early to take part in a Help the Homeless Walkathon. Teaching these children from a young age the importance of giving and serving others, the program created a great sense of pride for the children and helped to inspire volunteers to set an even greater example for the children they worked with.

City Gate is one of my favorite groups in DC and I highly recommend getting involved in any way you can. From monetary donations to serving the community the way the children in Urban HANDS do, this non-profit does more than help those in need. It reaffirms every reason why one volunteers in the first place. For more information about this group, please visit http://city-gate.org or contact Dr. Bergfalk at 202-237-1799. 

City Gate

City Gate

Based in Washington, DC, City Gate is an incredible organization which strives to assist inner-city youth. 

Heifer International

                      

Stretching across the globe, Heifer International  has been providing low-income families with a means of sustainable living for over 60 years. The group uses the acronym PASSING ON THE GIFTS to create a unique twelve-part cornerstone of sustainability. 

• Passing on the gift
• Accountability
• Sharing and Caring
• Sustainability and Self-reliance
• Improved Animal Management
• Nutrition and Income
• Gender and Family Focus
• Genuine Need and Justice
• Improving the Environment
• Full Participation
• Training and Education
• Spirituality

Families in need of financial assistance receive gifts of heifer, sheep, llamas, water buffalo, goats, chickens, rabbits, geese, pigs, trees, or bees and are taught how to care for and use the animals or trees in an environmentally friendly and profitable way. Families are able to sell milk, cheese, eggs, honey, wool, etc from the animals in order to make a living while having food for themselves and using manure as fertilizer for crops.

Heifer International has come up with a number of creative ways in which to get involved and "Pass on the Gifts." Individuals may choose the type of animal(s) they would like to donate and will receive information about the country the gift will be sent to. 

Rather than giving money individually (although the organization readily accepts private donations) why not get others involved too? Some of the ideas listed on the Heifer International website include the following: 

Team Heifer- a fundraising effort in which an individual can set a goal and recruit friends and family to become team members in order to raise money to assist the organization. By logging onto the organization's website, you can add your team's efforts onto the worldwide Pass on the Gift map. 

                                                             

                

Host a Meal- create a dinner featuring foods from the countries and regions where the organization works. Decorate with displays, maps, and information about what the group is doing around the world. Heifer International even allows you to order kits for your event. Make sure to add your event to the map! 

Showcase a Heifer-theme book at your book club- raise awareness about the group through choosing a book discussing hunger, poverty, and environmental issues. Gather friends, family, colleagues or local businesses to support the effort and discussion and encourage them to donate to the cause. Heifer actually sells several books about its work on the official website. 

Organize a Chores for Change Challenge- not only is it a catchy title but it also does a great deal to help fight hunger. Challenge family and friends to volunteer at local soup kitchens or food banks. Have each participant recruit sponsors to pledge donations for the time spent in volunteer activities. Send the donations to Heifer International in order to help fight hunger on a global scale! 

                                                

Coordinate a Dare-A-Thon- let friends and family dare you to do silly things like dye or shave your hair, take a pie to the face, or kiss a pig in exchange for a donation to the group.  Add your event to the Pass on the Gift map!

Simplify Your Life- just think about all of those old items sitting in your garage and attic...the roller-blades you are never going to use, that awful old vase your aunt gave you as a housewarming present...Now gather those old items you don't touch for a good cause! Create a mass garage or yard sale with the families in your neighborhood! Publicize the event and let people know that all proceeds will go to Heifer International. Create pamphlets for families to keep out on the tables explaining what the organization does for low-income families. Invite the local paper or TV crews to publicize the event. Pool all the money at the end of the sales and send it to Heifer! 

                                                           

Casual day at the office- talk to your employer about holding a casual or theme day (or week) at the office. Have your colleagues pay to dress up, or down, and send the proceeds to the group. Add it to the map! 

Pass on the Gift of Pounds- collect money to help those in need while shedding extra "pounds" for the cause! Ask people you know to sponsor your weight loss. For each pound you lose, raise money to help those in need! It's an easy way to stay motivated! 

It's no wonder that this group has been in existence as long as it has. It is well run and dedicated to its cause. For more information and how and where to send funds, please visit http://www.heifer.org/site/c.slI3IdNVJuE/b.4912843/k.D236/Give_Now.htm?msource=TH1E100003

Stepping Stones Nigeria

Stepping Stones Nigeria is an incredible organization which was created in 2003 by Gary Foxcroft and Naomi Chapple. After spending three months at Akwa Ibom State and witnessing the lack of resources in schools, children sleeping on the streets, and many social issues which were plaguing the children of the region, Foxcroft was inspired to create a charity to assist Nigerian youth. Fighting for quality educational programs and resources, putting an end to the stigmatization, killing and abandonment of "child witches," and bringing an end to child trafficking, this program partners with local community organizations to end child abuse and deliver much needed health care and refuge for at risk youth.

Programs offered by Stepping Stones Nigeria: 


The Stepping Stones Model School provides over 180 nursery and elementary school children with quality teachers and numerous resources. Students who cannot afford the small monthly fee used to provide teacher salaries, attend through scholarships and are provided with free uniforms and books. The Local Government and village chiefs work with the program's supporters in order to create quality curriculum and provide the children with better opportunities. Using synthetic phonics and learning through play, educational toys, books, and games fill the school indoors, while a playground greets children outside. Local carpenters built furniture and supplies for the school with wood from the area.The children are taught sustainable farming practices by teachers and staff on the school's farm, which includes crops such as pineapple, water leaf, pumpkin, corn, cassava, and beans, as well as mango, apple, peach, pear, banana, plantain, and pawpaw trees. The profits from the produce of the farm are donated back to the costs of running the school. 

The murder, abandonment, and trafficking of child "witches" is a grave concern in the Niger Delta. The role of the church in this issue is quite alarming. Using fear tactics spread by "pastors" of some new Penetecostal groups have begun moving into communities and branding children as "witches" for economic and self-gain. Creating superstitious belief that by eating and drinking food and drink laced with "spells" can make an individual house wizards and witches in an individual, these pastors unleash panic and terror within communities. These pastors often convince communities that specific children (picked at random from the community) are the reason for issues in society, claiming that the children are causing HIV/AIDS, malaria, hepatitis, typhoid, cancer, infertility, mental health issues, divorce, and any other misfortunes that may arise within a village. Stemming from religious profiteering, extreme poverty, the disintegration of the extended family structure, superstitious beliefs, and broken marriages, accusations of child witchcraft are allowed to fester within communities and often cause children to become victims of heinous crimes and abuse. These pastors charge villages money in order to rid them of the witchcraft and the children harboring these evils.  These suspected witches range in age, some being younger than a year old. Some children are abandoned, isolated, and casted out of their communities, where they either die of starvation or are trafficked. Others are forced to drink acid, are taken into the forest and murdered, are bathed in acid, are publicly disgraced and murdered for all to see, are poisoned to death, or are buried alive. Others still are brought into churches where they are chained and tortured to extract confession. Through efforts of this group and groups like it, these horrific crimes against children have been made illegal. The group works with organizations in order to educate communities about the fallacies of the claims of witchcraft and pushes to bring families back together and assist the children who were abandoned and left for dead.

Child trafficking is another issue which is all too familiar in Nigeria. According to the organization's website, it it estimated that over 15 million Nigerian children are transported from rural to urban cities to be sold into child labor and slavery, (domestic servitude, forced labor, and sexual exploitation). The group strives to abolish this practice and advocate children's rights through drama groups and other means of educational programs and awareness.

The reach of this organization is astonishing and the work done in order to bring about educational equality and an end to child abuse is admirable. This is an incredibly deserving group which is always in need of advocates to sign petitions, spread awareness, and become actively involved in helping the children of Nigeria. For more information about this group and ways to become involved, visit www.steppingstonesnigeria.org.

Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place

The Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place (CCHFP) is perhaps one of the most dedicated and deserving nonprofits that I have worked with in Washington, DC. With a mission statement that pushes for community involvement in assisting homeless and formerly homeless adults in Northwest, DC, the group takes a grassroots approach to making a difference.

The program provides an enormous range of services. Upon stepping onto the bright blue porch of the main office, one is greeted by a strong sense of community and care. The Welcome Center provides clients with clothing, toiletries, and lunches, as well as a comforting place to relax and talk amongst friends.  Free health care and addiction and mental health evaluation and counseling are provided along with access to phones, a permanent address for mail to be delivered, laundry services, and a shower facility.

The organization reaches out in order to build lasting relationships with the men and women who come to them. Staff assist clients in navigating and utilizing public benefits and resources, developing and maintaining transitional and permanent housing programs, as well as supporting congregation-based shelter programs in the area.

Volunteers are crucial to the success of the program. Neighborhood groups, concerned citizens, school groups, congregations, businesses, etc. are all welcome and necessary for the delivery and support of crucial services for the organization. From assistance with donations, to individuals to take part in annual events such as the Help the Homeless Walkathon, to help with advocacy for policies and resources to fight homelessness, to simply using word of mouth to get others involved, volunteers are respected and appreciated by this group like no other.

I began working with CCHFP as an intern four years ago and I still cannot thank them enough for the experience they gave me. This group creates a sense of community that many other organizations overlook. This sense of compassion and concern for their clients is what separates this nonprofit from so many others that I have worked with. They place a human face on the issue of homelessness and inspire individuals to work towards change.

For more information on services, events, and how you can get involved, visit www.cchfp.org or contact Bill Long at 202-364-1419 x23. You will not regret it!

The Starfish

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead was reaching down to the shore, picking something up and very gently throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish into the ocean." The old man chuckled and said, "I guess I should have asked,why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?" "The sun is up and the tide is going out," replied the young man. "And if I don't throw them in they'll die." "But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You can't possibly make a difference!" The young man listened politely and bent down, picking up another starfish. He turned it over in his hand and carefully threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. Looking up at the old man he said, "It made a difference for that one."