Community Service

Jun

It is possible to have me-time and family-time together? With the hectic lifestyle of many Americans, spending quality time with the family and finding time for yourself can be challenging. Well, what if you could do activities that provided both me-time and family-time. Here are 3 creative and fun ways you can put me-time into your family-time.

1. Read a Book & Discuss Over Dinner.

Select a book that every reading member of your household can comprehend. Next, give each member their own copy of the book. Lastly, set a timeline of how many chapters should be read each week. At the end of each week, have a discussion over dinner where you and your family can share thoughts. Doing this will give you me-time when reading the book on your own and family-time when everyone gives their thoughts.

2. Create Family Scrapbooks

You can create a fun activity for you and your family with your family pictures. To get things organized, each family member could work on a theme such as birthday party or family vacation pictures. Each member would work on their own scrapbook providing me-time and after completion the whole family can review the scrapbooks together.

3. Do a One-Man Show

Have each member of your family individually work on a presentation for a one-man show. The presentation can be any talents such as playing an instrument or doing a magic trick. Set a date for when the shows will be performed. Each person will get me-time while working on their performance and family-time when the presentations are made.

May

Marketing Your Charity

By admin | Community Service, Volunteering

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Charities need money to operate. There’s no doubting that. Finding effective ways to market your charity could help you reach higher levels of success. A good marketing strategy, however, might need to use several techniques to reach all potential donors.

Create a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy

Whether you have experience with email campaigns, mailing postcards or going door to door to solicit donations for your charity, you will need a comprehensive strategy that allows you to make the most of every opportunity. Try creating a marketing strategy that uses several techniques in combination with each other.

For instance, you might include radio interviews, postcards and letters to attract more donations. You should make sure that each of your techniques approaches important subjects from the same perspective. If your emails and postcards contain contradictory information (or even different logos), then your potential donors might become confused or worry that you are running a scam. That’s not going to help you or your cause.

Keep Up the Momentum

Once you get your campaign up and running, keep up the momentum by celebrating every victory. Set specific goals that you can reach along the way and let people know when you hit those marks. A simple note to remind donors of your ongoing efforts could convince them to contribute even more money. Once the campaign has concluded, celebrate your achievements but remind everyone that there is still work to be done.

Each year presents new challenges that charities need to overcome. Whether it’s a hiccup in the economy or cuts to federal funding, you need a strategy that can help you overcome any obstacle by encouraging donors to contribute.

Mar

History of the Salvation Army

By admin | Community Service, General

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When most people think of the Salvation Army, either a thrift store or a red donation kettle is the first thing that comes to mind. Many Americans do not understand what the Salvation Army is as an organization, including its history, beliefs and practices. The Salvation Army began in the United Kingdom in the late 1800s as a Christian volunteer group. The original structure of the organization was very like the military with uniforms and ranks, from soldiers all the way up to generals. Shortly before the turn of the century, the Salvation Army had spread to other countries, including the United States, Ireland and Australia. Members of the Salvation Army were dedicated toward helping the poor, the destitute, and other ”undesirables.” By the early 1900s, the Salvation Army had distinguished itself in America as a source of disaster relief, working in areas that experienced tornadoes, floods and earthquakes. In fact, they were among the first and most active organizations on scene following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center buildings.

The Salvation Army is now a huge organization operating in countries all over the world. In addition to thrift stores in which they sell donated items, the Salvation Army also generates revenue during the holiday season with ”bell ringers,” volunteers who stand outside of many stores, ringing bells and collecting the spare change of passersby. While the Salvation Army continues to work towards helping the disadvantaged, they also adhere to a number of Christian values that are not completely accepted by the U.S. government, including their stance on abortion, homosexuality and euthanasia. They are, however, continuing to provide relief where ever disaster strikes and contribute large amounts of money toward re-education and training the poor for job skills.

Mar

Family Bonding Through Volunteering

By admin | Community Service, Volunteering

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Volunteering is many things to many people. Some people volunteer to gain skills, others volunteer to add it to their resumes. Often, people volunteer as families to create better bonds. Volunteers may be specifically trained in the areas they work in such as firefighters or may be used on an as needed basis.

There are many different activities families can do to volunteer and strengthen their family bond. It is all about spending time together as a family and maybe learning something about each other you did not know. It feels good to volunteer and even better to volunteer together as a family unit. It will probably be surprising to families the conversations they will have and the humor they will share while volunteering. There are all sorts of volunteer and donation opportunities available to families like the wonderful charity Kars for Kids.

Families can volunteer at their local soup kitchen. At a soup kitchen people may prepare the food, serve the food or clean up the food. Volunteers may also solicit donations or distribute information about the soup kitchen.

There are many outside opportunities for families to participate in. Many parks need cleaning up and many elderly people need their lawns tended.

Families can also join together to make a worthwhile donation to a charity or help a charity obtain donations. Organizations such as Kars for Kids send kids to camp each year and make a difference in their lives. They help children address all sorts of issues in their lives such as educational, family or social issues. Families can help solicit donations or educate others as to what Kars for Kids does. Families can even save their extra change to purchase an older car or truck to donate to an organization such as this.

Families can volunteer at local churches as well. They can contact the ministerial alliance in their community to explore what churches would benefit from help.

Mar

Best Charities for Giving

By admin | Community Service, General

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Nearly everyone is aware that charitable contributions to qualifying organizations can be deducted from one’s taxable income for the purposes of figuring federal income tax. What you may not be aware of is that there are charities for nearly every situation, including those that are affiliated with specific religions. Finding a charity that you feel comfortable supporting takes only a little time and research, and your contributions can do much to help improve the lives of others.

A large number of charities deal with adverse health effects such as AIDS, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and muscular dystrophy. If you have any family members who have experienced these or other health problems, you may want to focus your charitable contributions toward Bailey House, the Cancer Research Institute, or the Muscular Dystrophy Association. If you prefer a more general health-related charity, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may be the answer you are looking for.

If you would prefer to donate to a charity that helps with social issues like human rights, world hunger or literacy, you can check out the Global Hunger Project or the Human Rights Watch. There are also several other good charities that deal with specific social issues like torture victims, homelessness and disabled persons. Likewise, you can also find charities that are aligned with or sponsored by specific religious organizations. The American Jewish Committee works for global Jewish advocacy, while the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging helps to remove barriers for both young people and the elderly. When choosing a charity to receive your donation, be sure to investigate it fully. Review their disclosures for the percentage of their donations that finds its way into the hands of the needy, as that is unquestionably the most important consideration.

Jan

Modern Volunteering

By admin | Community Service

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Have you ever wanted to donate to a great cause, but didn’t feel like you had enough money to make a difference? With the advent of microgiving, volunteer opportunities open up. In fact, with microgiving or crowd sourcing, you can find a great project that needs volunteers. With everything from charities to people looking for help with the funding for their new business or invention, you can help out a variety of people with only a small amount of money.

There are many people today who have great ideas for businesses or inventions, but don’t feel like they are able to do much about it. Sometimes, these endeavors are very expensive. Starting a business, for example, can take a lot of money up front. If you have an idea for an invention, you may find that the supplies that you need are more expensive than you anticipated. This is where companies like microgiving.com can help out.

With microgiving.com, you are able to specify how much money you will need to get your project up and running. Once this is specified, other people, called donors, are able to donate to your project. This can help you get the money that you need to get your project or invention off the ground. Not only do these new businesses help those who are opening them, they also help stimulate the economy, which in turn, helps everyone in the country.

The more popular that microgiving becomes, the more great businesses and inventions will be created. On top of that, many times those who receive help go on to help others, as well. This creates a cycle of giving. This means there are more givers, more chances to give, and more volunteer opportunities. As these opportunities become available, there are more people willing to take help. As microgiving becomes more popular, the world becomes a more charitable place.

Jan

The Role of Charities in Communities

By admin | Community Service

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Charities and not-for-profit organizations are an integral part of any community. Without these groups, need persons, disable persons and others would fall between the cracks and wouldn’t be able to function in some cases. Charities are set up to focus on a variety of different needs within a community.

Some of the charities are local chapters of larger nationwide organizations. These groups often do their own fundraising and plan activities, but get leadership guidance from the the national group. Some examples include the United Way, Salvation Army and Goodwill. All of these function nationwide but in local communities are set up to help local people. The advantage of being part of a larger organization is having the guidance and the name recognition that often goes along with these groups.

Another group that works in local communities are local religious group, like churches. Churches have historically been the main source of community based help and can help people that don’t belong to the church. The Catholic church is especially none for these services and is behind many of the local non-for-profit hospitals. These churches help by giving needy people money and food.

Some non-secular groups also operate in local towns. These groups are not connected to a nationwide group but serve the community. Sometimes they are small non-profits that meet a small goal like providing care packages to sick children in the hospital, and other times they are large groups like a food pantry that serves a large community. These groups depend on local donations to operate and for fundraising. They are a huge presence in the community. They exclusively serve a local area or boundary.

Local not-for-profits are a key to any community. Without these local groups, many populations would be under served and wouldn’t be able to function properly.

Jan

Generous CEOs Give Back

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: Image via Wikipedia

You cannot help but admire someone who has built a business empire and made millions of dollars. Their ingenuity and risk taking are to be admired, but it is even more admirable when you see these top business leaders share their wealth. People like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, and Blake Mycoskie are generous CEOs who have become more famous for how much they give back rather than how much they are worth.

Bill Gates may not be the richest man in the world any longer, but in 2010 he remains the most generous. Heisranked second on Forbes’ list of the wealthiest people in the world, worth an estimated $53 billion, andhas made it clear he feels he has an obligation to give back. Gates, who has made his money from Microsoft, has put pressure on other wealthy people to contribute to charities as well. His foundation has given billions to efforts to improve education in the U.S. and fight the spread of infectious diseases around the world.

Warren Buffet is another of the generous CEOs with a strong social conscience. Inspired by Gates challenge to give back, Buffet contributed $1.6 billion in stock to the Gates Foundation last year. This brings the total of donations from Buffet to the foundation to almost $8 billion. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has also committed to giving away more than a billion dollars; his cause is educational reform.

Blake Mycoskie, the founder of Toms Shoes, has found a way to combine daily business with his philanthropic work. Every time he sells a pair of shoes, he donates another pair of Toms Shoes to a child somewhere in the world living in poverty. Sales of the shoes, which are modelled after the alpargataa slip shoes worn in Argentina, are approaching the half-million mark, which means that over 400,000 Toms Shoes have been given to kids across the world who did not have proper footwear.

Dec

Retirement Homes are a Thing of the Past

By admin | Community Service, Government Assistance, Low-Income Housing

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These days many couples are forgoing home ownership as they age. They no longer want the hassle of maintaining a home that is too big for them. In those cases, these couples often move into independent living community together. Some of these have smaller garden homes or might have apartments that are built for couples. Many of these communities have various stages of facilities. You might move in when you have very little need for medical help. Then as you age and your health declines, you can move into another part of the community that has assisted living or nursing home facilities.

Another great benefit to these facilities is the companionship. Many seniors find themselves without friends and family and independent home helps them transition into a facility without feeling like they are losing all independence. Some of these places, with their pools, fitness studios and sunny, warm locations, feel more like a resort than a retirement community. The cost per month is often less than the cost to live in a home and provide meals for yourself. Overall, I’d have to give today’s independent living communities high marks when compared to the facilities of the past.

When I was younger it seemed that retirement homes for seniors got a bad rap. These were portrayed as a place where people sat around most of the days in rocking chairs looking out across the horizon. If they did have any activities they participated in, those were usually games of bingo or possibly shuffleboard. Well there is nothing wrong with rocking chairs, bingo or shuffleboard; but today’s independent living communities are much different than those in the past. A lot of the reason for that is that senior/elder care is not the same as it used to be and many people are living more active lives later in their lives.These days many couples are forgoing home ownership as they age. They no longer want the hassle of maintaining a home that is too big for them. In those cases, these couples often move into independent living community together. Some of these have smaller garden homes or might have apartments that are built for couples. Many of these communities have various stages of facilities. You might move in when you have very little need for medical help. Then as you age and your health declines, you can move into another part of the community that has assisted living or nursing home facilities.Another great benefit to these facilities is the companionship. Many seniors find themselves without friends and family and independent home helps them transition into a facility without feeling like they are losing all independence. Some of these places, with their pools, fitness studios and sunny, warm locations, feel more like a resort than a retirement community. The cost per month is often less than the cost to live in a home and provide meals for yourself. Overall, I’d have to give today’s independent living communities high marks when compared to the facilities of the past.

Dec

Volunteering At The Hospital

By admin | Community Service

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Everyone can agree that it’s nice to be able to give back. Sometimes though, it’s tough to know just how to do it. Everyone wants to be able to help, but they find it hard to find time in their busy schedule. Often times it’s just hard figuring out where to go to get started. If you have never thought of volunteering at a hospital, this is an amazing way to get your volunteer career started and a way to make a difference immediately.

The first thing you want to do is to do a Canada 411 search of hospitals in your local area. You should then pick whichever one you might want to go to and then give the Human Resources department a call. Just let them know you are interested in volunteering. Let them know where you might like to work. Also, be sure to let them know if you have any physical limitations. This is a really important part of the process because there may be jobs that you cannot do and for that, you should let them know so they can handle it accordingly.

One of the jobs they may have you do is just walk through the hospital offering books and magazines to the patients. Some of these patients are there all by themselves and are just looking for someone or something to keep them company. You can help by offering them reading materials or just stopping in to have a conversation. Most of these people just like to talk so listen to them and their stories and you will probably make their day.

Making the choice to volunteer at a hospital is more than just a good thing. It can be a way to transform your life and do it for the better.

3 Creative Ways to Put Me-Time into Your Family-Time

Marketing Your Charity

Create a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy

Keep Up the Momentum

History of the Salvation Army

Family Bonding Through Volunteering

Best Charities for Giving

Modern Volunteering

The Role of Charities in Communities

Generous CEOs Give Back

Retirement Homes are a Thing of the Past

Volunteering At The Hospital

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