Helping in Texas

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

As Texas tries to dig out of the massive storm they’ve just experienced, there is ample opportunity for so many to be helpful. Many locations in Texas experiences the worst storms that they’ve had in decades, with so many being without power and water for days on end.

Here is a list, from Houstonia Magazine of many places that are helping those in need – and that could definitely use your assistance at this time.

American Red Cross:  redcross.org/local/texas/gulf-coast.

CrowdSource Rescue: Check out crowdsourcerescue.com for more information. 

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center:  Find a spot to donate at giveblood.org.

Houston Area Women’s Center:  Learn more about what it does and how to donate at hawc.org.

Houston Food Bank: Go to houstonfoodbank.org to find out more. 

Here is a similar list of ways to help for those in Dallas.

Being part of the solution matters and every little bit helps.

Helping Veterans one Woof at a Time

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It’s always inspiring to see businesses that give back to their communities. Boss Nation Brands, Inc. is one such company. Started in 2018, Boss Nation Brands, Inc. has both the Boss Dog® and Boss Cat® brands and they focus on nutrition foods for dogs and cats.

In addition to building their business, they are building up their charitable giving at Boss Nation Cares. They use this platform to give back to veterans serving America. They have, as employees, one veteran who has served four deployments overseas and many others with close family members who have served, or are serving.

They use Boss Nation Brands to donate to a different charity every month. So far, in recent months, they have donated to: Pets 4 Vets, Victory Service Dog, Wounded Warrior Project, Folds of Honor, Trails of Purpose and Heroes for Healthcare. These charities all allow Boss Nation Cares to focus on the bond between veterans and animals and to help those who serve our country.

Helping our Youngest Excel

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By JohnPosted In: Charity ActivityTagged: ,

Today, there are so many people in need with the COVID-19 pandemic and crisis. Not everyone is able to give to others, but for those who are this is an incredible time to open your wallet and your heart. Where do you begin to help in these days and months of crisis?

Certainly, we can’t cover all of the organizations that are helping people. But one organization that is worth a look is Inner City-Inner Child. This initiative has the goal of improving the quality of academic life for children from 0-5 in the Washington D.C. area and in their most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. They started in 1987 by bringing concert music to low-income neighborhoods and realized, through this initiative, that “young children had the greatest unmet needs in our community.”

Inner City-Inner Child was created in 1994 and works to integrate the arts with academics to help early childhood education in the D.C. area. With today’s inauguration, D.C. might be just the place to start focusing on our youngest citizens and their needs.

New Book: A Pandemic Keepsake

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

Some of us will certainly want to put this chapter of our lives behind us, and forget about the terrible days we dealt with Covid-19. But others would like to have a keepsake to remember these days and how they got through them. Allendale resident Lorraine Ash volunteered to edit the new book “Corona City: Voices From an Epicenter” which is a compilation of first-person stories and photography that people captured during the first months of the pandemic.

Writers who contributed include the best-selling authors Helene Stapinski and Ilene Beckerman and many everyday people who wanted to contribute. The book was published in November by Magic Dog Press and all royalties from it will go to the organization called Feeding America. It’s a network of over 200 food banks helping people get through this difficult time.

Giving Back in Corona Times

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity

There are so many ways to give back.  During corona times the act of giving is even more important.  So many people have suffered in so many different ways that truly any type of giving would be appreciated. Even if one thinks they have nothing to offer, they would be surprised at just how many opportunities exist.

Take Mozes Victor Konig for example.  An Israeli based photographer, Konig’s work has definitely slowed down during the pandemic.  But rather than rest on his laurels or get depressed about the situation, Konig has been using the opportunity to give back to his community as well as those in other parts of the world.

“In the first lockdown I saw that people were scared, hunkering down and there was an increase in depression and anxiety,” Konig recalls.  “I initially started taking pictures of the ‘world without people’ as it looked to me but that was not helping my own personal mental health.  So I asked around and found that people would love to have socially-distanced photos.  I saw an opportunity and went for it,” Mozes Victor Konig says, explaining how his volunteer work was able to put a smile on people’s faces.

Konig went out and took photos of all sorts of people.  And houses. And dogs.  And then he sent them to their email addresses and refused payment.  “Take it as a gift.  Take it without money.  Just pass it on.  Pay It Forward.  Do a good deed for someone else during this time,” Konig said.

Animals: Making the Difference During Covid-19

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By JohnPosted In: ChildFund International

So many people have been positively influenced by pets this year. While we’ve all be forced to socially distance and stay inside, the pets by our side have made all the difference. That’s why it was so nice to see this week, on Giving Tuesday, that Petco Foundation and the BOBS from Skechers gave $860,000 in grant awards to animal welfare organizations throughout the country.

The grants were given out based on stories that people submitted about their pet adoptions. 50 of the best stories were selected, and the money (ranging from $5,000 to $100,000) was given to the organizations that facilitated the adoption of those pets. The stories are all quite heartwarming and many can be seen here: petcofoundation.org/vote.

While reading the stories, people can also vote in the People’s Choice competition where the best five stories with the highest number of votes will get even more grants. Voting is until December 16th.

Top 10 American Cities & Their Giving

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SmartAsset has a fascinating study looking at who gives the most in America, and how they give. It offers great insights into the patterns. They looked at 170 metro areas and used metrics which includes charitable contributions as a percentage of income, percentage of tax return and other factors. Here is a summary of some of their findings.

*Utah is the state to beat. They have three metro areas that led the study and that are the highest givers based on the criteria they evaluated.

*Most people who make charitable donations aren’t claiming it on their tax forms.

*The top locations, by order of giving, include

  1. Provo-Orem, Utah
  2. Ogden-Clearfield, Utah
  3. Salt Lake City, Utah
  4. Charlottesville, Virginia
  5. Charlotte-Concord-Gasonia NC-SC
  6. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
  7. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
  8. Richmond, VA
  9. Tulsa, OK
  10. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

See the whole study and learn more about what makes these places stand out.

Family-Owned Businesses Making Philanthropic Commitments

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By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity, Charity in Business, FamilyTagged: , , , ,

Family-owned companies are including philanthropy as a fundamental part of their business model, dedicating significant funds to worthy charities and causes.

Evan Metropoulos and Warren Buffett
Evan Metropoulos, left, with Warren Buffett. Metropoulos & Co. has signed Buffett’s Giving Pledge.

Evan Metropoulos, of Metropoulos & Co., says his family has translated its core values and principles to active charitable giving. The company became a signatory to The Giving Pledge, an initiative of billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, pledging more than half of the company’s wealth to philanthropy. According to Mr. Metropoulos, the company takes pride in its giving and its role in modeling good corporate practices.

“It has proven to be good for business, too. We are recruiting and keeping fantastic employees who are committed to what we stand for and give to. Our clients and the wider community want to be a part of generating positive change in the world.”

Evan Metropoulos, Metropoulos & Co.
van Metropoulos at the Clinton Foundation
Evan Metropoulos, left, with members of the Clinton family at a Clinton Foundation Millennium Network event.

Helping Veterans Every Step of the Way

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Here is a heart-warming story. Semper Fi and America’s Fund are helping American war veterans with financial assistance and emotional support. One example is that of Retired Army Sgt. Stefan Leroy who said that representatives from the organization were in his hospital room at Walter Reed Military Medical Center before his family was when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in 2012.

Stefan’s case manager helped him to find outlets for his motivation, including getting into cycling and racing. She encouraged him along the way and told him that he was capable. Septer Fi and America’s Fund even provided Leroy with an adaptive hand cycle and a rower that he could use to work on his strength.

He has since completely a few marathons including the Marine Corp marathon, the Boston Marathon and a triathlon in Santa Cruz, California.

There are organizations, like this one, making a huge difference in the individual lives of our veterans. And they certainly deserve the support.

Uplifting Stories around the Country

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We could all use some great news right now and some stories of people helping each other. Reader’s Digest recently asked for stories of people helping each other around America and they voted on the best place to live based on those stories. They received thousands of entries, and each story is sweeter and more touching than the next. There was a  “Nicest Places” Advisory Council” which included famous journalist and author Mitch Album.

A few of the stories can be found about Alabama, Alaska, and Arizona. There are many stories here that will really inspire readers and perhaps help others to come up with thoughtful ways to help each other in their communities.