Friend for Life Cancer Support Network

July 8, 2010 By 2 Comments
A cancer diagnosis can make a once-familiar world suddenly seem like unknown territory. Friend for Life Cancer Support Network is there to help you navigate your path and gain a sense of direction. Friend for Life is a team of over 200 cancer survivors/volunteers – men and women who provide one-on-one emotional support to anyone experiencing a diagnosis of cancer and to their loved ones. 
 
You’ve Got a Friend…
Established in 1988, Friend for Life is a network of survivors and co-survivors (caregivers) who serve as trained volunteers, providing one-on-one emotional and psychosocial support to persons recently diagnosed with cancer, and their loved ones. Facing cancer with someone who has been through a similar experience helps restore a sense of stability during a tumultuous time and to navigate the path through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.




If you or someone you know is diagnosed with cancer of any type, Friend for Life can match you with a volunteer who has experienced a similar diagnosis and course of treatment. Being able to talk with someone who’s “been there” can provide immeasurable comfort and hope.

 If you’d like to learn more about becoming a Friend For Life volunteer, click here.  Volunteers are the heart and soul of Friend for Life Cancer Support Network.



Other ways you can support Friend for Life Cancer Support Network:

Follew them on Twitter: @FFLCancerSprt



Join them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1030818297#/pages/Friend-for-Life-Cancer-Support-Network/58186132169?ref=ts


Shop at your favorite retailer onine and a portion of your purchase price will benefit Friend for Life GoodSearch: http://www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=900616 
We-Care: http://friend4life.we-care.com/
GoodShop: http://www.goodshop.com/?charityid=900616

Vote for them on Chase Community Giving: http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/611139410-friend-for-life-a-cancer-support-network-inc

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Day 28 of 30 Days/30 Ways to Give: BACKYARD PHILANTHROPY

April 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community . . .

and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.”

—George Bernard Shaw

 

 
Serving your community—the place where you live and work and where you’ve planted roots—is everyday philanthropy at its most relevant. Because when you serve your community, you serve yourself.
 
Today’s Give Back Action: Backyard Philanthropopy
 
Serving the Community Where You Live
 
United We Serve (serve.gov) is the U.S. government’s nationwide service initiative to encourage Americans to get involved in community service and develop “do it yourself” service projects. The website is a fantastic volunteer resource that enables citizens to search for service opportunities in their area or post their own. Here you’ll find handy toolkits for organizing a book drive, supporting a community garden, preparing your community for disasters, or tips on creating and managing your own project.
 

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Day 27 of 30Days/30 Ways to Give Back: DONATE FUR

April 27, 2010 By 2 Comments
Lynne Slater, a wildlife rehabilitator, was caring for a week-old bobcat whose mother had been killed by a car. Slater tried several times to feed the starving infant, but the kitten simply would not suckle a baby bottle. Then she cut a hole in a piece of fur that was donated and stuck the baby-bottle nipple through the hole, and the kitten drank hungrily. This surrogate mothering technique continued to work until the kitten was old enough to be weaned. Said Slater: “Without the Coats for Cubs fur donation, we wouldn’t have been able to help this bobcat kitten survive.”

Today’s Give Back Action: DONATE FUR

More than a decade ago, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) started Coats for Cubs (hsus.org/furdonation) as a way for reluctant fur-owners to help distressed animals. The program distributes donated furs to licensed wildlife rehabilitation centers across the country, where they’re used in bedding and nesting materials to soothe orphaned and injured wildlife.

For the past four years, HSUS has partnered with the national retail chain Buffalo Exchange (buffaloexchange.com) to collect furs at their thirty-six locations nationwide between November 1 and April 22. Visit their website for store locations.

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WORLD HEALTH DAY 2010

April 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Today is WORLD HEALTH DAY!

We don’t need a lot of time or money to fight against disease, poverty and other ailments. What we need is knowledge.

Making a difference is so simple, once you’ve got the know-how. “How to be an Everyday Philanthropist: 330 Ways to Make a Difference in you Home, Community and World – At …no Cost!” has all the tools, actions and inspiration you need to make an impact.

How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist shows how just a few small changes to things we are already doing (shopping, cleaning, working, etc.) can make a difference in helping global, national and local charities assist the needy. Each chapter uses a different method of “everyday” philanthropy (such as using your body, your trash, technology, etc.) to solve problems requiring attention. For anyone who wonders, “what can I do?” This book gives you the resources, encouragement and advice you need to take action.
 

As President Jimmy Carter says of the book, “This timely manifesto will serve as a wonderful reminder that everyone can and should try to make a difference. It will inspire confidence that we can help make our world a better place.”
Buy, Borrow or Share a copy of this great book today!
Together, we have the ability and power to create a safer, happier, healthier place for all.
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30 Days/30 Ways – National Volunteer Month

March 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

National Volunteer Month is rapidly approaching (April 1-30).

What are you going to do to give back?

If you’re like most people you may be wondering how you’ll find the extra money or spare time to make a difference, right? In today’s economy and busy-ness, most of us don’t have a lot of time or money to donate.  We would like to help out the causes we care about, but finding a way to give back usually becomes overwhelming and we push it off until another day.

Well, in honor of National Volunteer Month, Everyday Philanthropist is going to give you one action each day during the month of April that is simple, cash-free and time-flexible for ordianry people who want to help!

With everyone’s busy lives in mind, I give you actions that anyone can start and finish within the course of one day, often within an hour or less.

Starting in April, people can visit this Everyday Philanthropist blog, Everyday Philanthropist on Twitter and Everyday Philanthropist’s Facebook page to get daily inspiration on ways to give back. 

Some of the simple volunteer tips and philanthropy ideas included in the “30 Days/30 Ways” campaign include:



— Play for a cause.  Freerice.org donates rice to the hungry for each answer you get right on this (rather addictive) vocabularly game.


— Mentor a child.  Don’t have a lot of time to volunteer?  No problem.  Find flexible mentoring options online at places like Hangproud.com.

— Reuse a Shoe.  Donate old sneakers to Nike-Reuse-a-Shoe, where they’ll be recylced into safe playground spaces for children.


— Smart Spending.  Shop your favorite stores at online charity malls and a portion of your purchase price is donated to your charity of choice.


GIVEAWAY!!! ~ In addition, Everyday Philanthropist will shine the spotlight on volunteers throughout this month.  Go to our Facebook page to share your personal stories, read firsthand testimonials from current volunteers and be inspired by the “30 Days/30 Ways” tips on how to lend a helping hand.  A prize pack, including copies of How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist : 330 Ways to Make a Difference in your Home, Community and World – At no Cost! (Workman, 2009) will be awarded to people doing good across the country. 

In addition, you will be featured on Everyday Philanthropist’s blog and may be featured in an upcoming book. Here’s how to enter.  Share your personal way of how you like to give back (no matter how grand or slight) at our Facebook Fan Page.  5 Winners will be chosen radomly and contacted after the contest closes on April 30th.   Contest starts today!

Good luck and see you all in 2 days to start our 30Days/30Ways Program!

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Become a Part of Something Great – Be a Mentor

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Here’s a simple way you can provide children with a better future:
Contact a local chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (bbbs.org) or Boys & Girls Clubs of America (bgca.org) to learn how you can get involved.

It is the perfect time to discover your local Boys & Girls Club and its role in the community. From homework help, open houses and parades to picnics, performances and fundraisers, there are many opportunities to learn how you can make a difference in the life of a child.

Visit your local Club and learn how we are helping young people BE GREAT!

Watch:  Ashanti shares why she supports Boys & Girls Clubs

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A Call to Serve

June 26, 2009 By 2 Comments

First Lady Obama announced the commencement of United We Serve, the US Government’s nation-wide summer of service initiative that encourages Americans to get involved in community service and to develop “do it yourself” service projects. The website, Serve.gov is an online volunteer resource that enables citizens to search for volunteer and service project opportunities in their localaties.

Watch the video below to hear Mrs. Obama’s message on service and log on to the United We Serve campaign at http://www.serve.gov/ to get involved.

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Why Should YOU Volunteer?

June 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Forty years ago, a young dentist from Tucson named Sam Marascalo noticed that low-income families were staying away from the dentist’s chair. He decided to help found a free dental clinic at Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, called St. Elizabeth’s Clinic (or “St. E’s”) where families who might otherwise be unable to afford quality dental care would have an opportunity to be seen by a board-certified dentist. Twenty years after Dr. Marascalo began volunteering his time at the clinic, his daughter married another dentist, named Phil Mooberry. Dr. Mooberry also joined the St. E’s team. The tradition took on a new generational dimension when Dr. Sam’s grandson, also a dentist, began donating his time to the clinic. The dentists at St. E’s see between twelve to fifteen patients a month, in addition to their regular load at their own offices. They provide indigent patients with vital dental procedures—from basic exams and fillings to dentures and crowns. By donating their time (and expertise), these volunteer dentists give back to their community in a way that transcends dollars and cents.

Stories like that of Dr. Marascalo and his son-in-law and grandson remind us that sometimes our time can be the most effective philanthropic tool we have. Charitable organizations are founded and spearheaded by individuals who are committed to and energized by the causes they fight for. Despite this commitment and energy, charitable entities face obstacles, some of them insurmountable. Charitieswant to reach out to every man, woman, and child who cries out for assistance; but sometimes their reach isn’t long enough——either because funds have run out, volunteers are scarce, or social pressures have put a damper on things.

As volunteers, this is when we step in. And an astonishing number of us do just that. More than 200 million people throughout the world volunteer to work on issues such as: promoting peace, helping animals, strengthening communities, protecting children, feeding the hungry, and preventing illnesses and disease. But in a world of six billion, the majority of them in need, even 200 million volunteers can’t do it all by themselves.

Finding time to volunteer is easier than you may think. It needn’t require a substantial and long-term time commitment; in fact, by carving out just few days each year, even a few hours, can create some powerful changes.

Why volunteer?
Ø Personal Enrichment. Have you ever given a special gift to someone for no reason at all? If you haven’t, give it a try. If you have, then you already know the warm feeling you get when you do something, of your own volition, for someone else. That feeling is no different from the feeling you get when you volunteer your time to help the less fortunate. Sure, it’s been said before, that giving back feels good—but do you know why we get that feeling? It’s because these experiences enrich, expand, and personify our principles. They give our lives a purpose that is greater than ourselves, even if it just brightening the day of an elderly neighbor by bringing him a hot dish once in a while.Volunteering creates in the volunteer a tremendous sense of empowerment. In a world where we, as individuals, seem to have so little control over whether good or bad things happen, knowing that you have changed something for the better, even if only a little bit, is extremely powerful.And that change doesn’t always, or even usually, come from money. All the money in the world won’t make a difference if no one is willing to do the work. The most plentiful crop will simply rot if no one harvests the fields. Our donations of time are just as important as the money we donate, because both elements are crucial to getting the work done.

Ø Profesional Enhancement. Along with a personal sense of purpose, volunteering adds dimension to your resume and catalog of lifeexperiences. Volunteer positions provide knowledge, tools, and new skills —great material for a resume or college application. In fact, some organizations won’t even consider your application unless you have done some volunteer work in your chosen field. Volunteer experience provides a unique opportunity to acquire and develop skills that can translate into a diverse career portfolio. In the business world, specialized skills such as problem solving, public speaking, project management, and team leading, are referred to as “power skills.” They are highly sought-after within the business community and often hard for companies to come by in new employees. Yet these reach skills are developed in a great deal of volunteer work! Your Volunteer activities clearly demonstrate to potential employers your ongoing commitment to your career and to the world.

Spiritual Enhancement. Many people choose to volunteer because the religious tradition to which they belong values such work highly. In most of the world’s major religions, charity it a cornerstone of the faith. Beyond duty, however, is the spiritual element of charity and volunteerism. Many people find such activities nourishing to their spirit. Hospice care, for example, can give volunteers a chance to provide comfort to someone at the end of his or her life, as well as strengthen one’s appreciation for life itself. Others find helping abused children to be sacred work, that helping even a single child stitches up a huge hole in the world. Whether volunteer work is a mandatory part of your faith or something that simply strengthens it, it can be transcedent in many ways.

Perhaps the most important thing we have to give is our time. We cannot give of ourselves if we do not first give the time to do what we’ve pledged to do. So get out there! With thousands of volunteer centers throughout the world and the Internet teeming with calls to action, a plethora of exciting opportunities await you.
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Switch a Hobby Into a Helping Hand

June 22, 2009 By 2 Comments

According to Nancy Monson, author of The Healing Power of Crafts, hobbies and crafts are a multibillion-dollar industry in America. Over three-quarters of American households have at least one family member who spends an average of 7.5 hours per week engaged in a beloved hobby or pastime. Creative outlets such as painting, knitting, gardening, and carpentry provide talented crafters with opportunities to express themselves artistically while producing something other people can enjoy or use. While some people may have an innate talent for writing or an aptitude for technology, others are gifted singers, golfers, or even great history buffs.

These kinds of hobbies produce objects that can, believe or not, be used in a way that makes a massive difference in the world.

Painters can teach art classes to special needs children. Singers can use the beauty of their voice and love of song to bring lessons and music to inner city children who’s schools can’t afford an arts & music program. History buffs can assist museums, present guided tours for the community, and present history lessons for teenagers through school outreach courses. Even golfers can share their love of hobby, in a positive way; offering free lessons on the weekend to engage troubled teens in a meditative sport that requires focus, commitment and patience. A golfer could also volunteer to serve as a golf historian in the community – where they would collect, preserve and share golf’s rich history with others and organize fun golf tournaments to benefit charity.

Anybody who has gift, talent, special skill, or love a pastime can make a change in the world by sharing it with others in some way! Look at local community centers and outreach programs to find out how your hobbies can be put to good use.
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