If you haven’t already heard of “ONE,” you will soon. The latest commercial has Matt Damon’s face, but he isn’t the only big celebrity to lend support to this campaign. The idea behind it is to raise awareness about issues such as global poverty, hunger, AIDS and other diseases, and the efforts that are being put forth to combat them.
Drop by and read about this organization. It’s a great one to be aware of–and a part of. It also makes for great writing fodder….
This is Ethan. He needs two hip replacements to make it in this world and he’s only a year old. Why am I posting this? Because I can….
As a writer you have a unique opportunity to be of help. To use your talents to do some good in this world rather than just coasting by. Just recently I helped an animal shelter in Kentucky win $5,000 by doing what I do best; writing. I wrote to the mayor and posted on a lot of message boards to help them win money in a contest. I know that my skills were used well and it felt great! You see, not everyone can do that. You are special!
The purpose of this post is to ask you to consider what you can do with your talents that is altruistic. To encourage you to reach out and help a cause you believe in. Not only is it a great thing to do, it may even get you more work. Help people out and they tend to try and look out for you. It doesn’t matter what your “cause” is–everyone has something that is near and dear to their heart. Take a few minutes and use your gifts to help out. You’ll be glad you did.
Donations are being accepted for Ethan’s first surgery, and they can even take them online. If you have a few bucks, this boy is deserving.
**We’ve been told that the donations link is having issues, so if you can’t get through on that, you can always send a check to:
The Animal Care League, 1013 Garfield, Oak Park, Illinois 60304 ….and put Ethan’s Fund in the subject line.
If you are ever considering donating to a particular charity (or writing about one), check out Charity Navigator. This independent charity evaluator rates over 5,300 charities in the United States based on a variety of criteria. A handy resource…
This organization is amazing. Companions is a non-profit that has several different programs that are designed to help people who are in prison, as well as their families. They have two projects that are especially inspiring: Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project and Father’s Read. Both of these programs consist of volunteers who work with prisoners to have them read books into a taperecorder. The tape is then given to their children so that they can hear their parent’s voice reading the book. Take a minute to learn more about this wonderful, healing program. You’ll be glad you did.
So you set your own hours. Wondering what to do with that extra time you spend Googling yourself and watching cats flush the toilet on YouTube? Volunteer as a tutor at 826CHI, a nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization modeled after the successes of 826Valencia in San Francisco. The brainchild of author Dave Eggers, the flagship center on Valencia Street is now home to 826 National, an umbrella organization that adapts the 826 model to sister centers in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, Ann Arbor, and right here in Chicago on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park.
A trademark of each center, aside from the heavy emphasis on one-on-one attention and fostering each child’s writing skills, is the “supply store”: Valencia has a pirate store that sells pegs legs and pirate perfumes while Brooklyn has a superhero supply store with capes and secret identity kits. Chicago’s The Boring Store is by no means a store for spies (wink wink).
The wonderful aspect of 826 is their focus on publishing, and centers have long been committed to creating a tangible compilation of kids’ (ages 8-18) writing. 826CHI’s latest student publication, Right in Front of Us, is written by 47 Chicago high school students and includes an introduction by author Alex Kotlowitz. Buy it at The Boring Store (1331 N. Milwaukee Ave) or through Amazon. If you’re interested in volunteering or donating, please support our young (and future) writers!
Operation Baghdad Pups is about as newsworthy a charity as you can get. The SPCA International coordinates the adoption of these dogs from Iraq and Afghanistan to the US and gets them out of the war zone. Many of these dogs have endeared themselves to our military men and women who are fighting in the war. Truly a great cause.
Newman’s Own and the Hole in the Wall Camps are worth a mention in the “newsworthy charities” category for several reasons. The company is always coming up with new products, Paul Newman is a total class act - AND - the money goes to charity. Newman’s products are also delicious–I know–I buy them! Check out the site for information on the camps–they provide a fun experience for kids with serious illnesses; free of charge. There are even camps located in places such as Ireland, Florida and France.
To date, the Newman’s Own brand has raised over $200 million dollars for charity. Not bad for something that started out as a whim….if you don’t know the story, it is worth a look.
There are a lot of stories here…………………..
If you haven’t heard of The Haven Foundation you are in for a treat! This charity is the baby of author Stephen King–and the best part is that it is for writers! From the site:
The Haven Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization making grants to freelance writers and artists experiencing career-threatening illness, accident, natural disaster or other emergency or personal catastrophe. The Haven Foundation is a small fund providing grants of up to $25,000 per year, renewable for up to five years (pending approval of renewal application).
It’s nice to know that Mr. King has such affinity for other writers. If you have ever read about his life you will know that he is no stranger to struggle. Hats off to you Mr. King–and thanks for thinking of all of us out here!
Best Friends Animal Society is without a doubt the most amazing animal sanctuary I have ever heard of. Located in southern Utah, this facility has over 30,000 visitors and volunteers coming to see it every year. Why? There is just nothing like it. Animals are rehabilitated and placed in good homes after being cared for at the sanctuary, but the ones that have needs to daunting or personalities that are too disagreeable get to live their lives out in peace there. On any given day there are 2,000 animals at the facility. Surf to their site and check out this newsworthy chartity. They have even recently been featured on Nat Geo with a TV show titled “Dogtown” that focused on the work they do with canines. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.
OK! Time for a fresh category that can help you by providing fodder to write about. It will also help get the word out for worthy charities or non-profits at the same time. If you feel particularly connected to one, perhaps you may want to volunteer your time as a writer-or even purchase something in support of the charity. Up to you. We start out with Homeboy Industries, a really terrific place in LA that works to help those whose lives have been touched by gangs.
They offer tatoo removal, counseling services and best of all, provide training in a skill for those lucky enough to connect with them. Silkscreening, baked goods and landscaping are among the industries that this organization has divisions for. With slogans like “Nothing stops a bullet like a job” and “Jobs not jails,” this noble cause is one worth supporting. I’m thinking about getting one of their t-shirts. Check out their site and get inspired–I know I was!
If you have any charities to share with me, leave a comment and I’ll check them out.
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