Day 29 - golly, is it turning into weekly blog updates? I hope not. Today's give was to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that searches out causes of and cures for childhood brain tumors. It organizes various fundraisers, awards college scholarships annually to affected families...but perhaps the marquee fundraising event is Ride For Kids. In these, which are held all over, bikers convene and ride and raise money for PBFT. One of our dear friends rides annually in the Baltimore-Washington RFK. That's in Sept this year, so we'll do a give now and another give in Sept. Check out their website to learn more and to find a Ride For Kids event near you in 2011.

www.pbtfus.org

Day 22 - it was a busy week (sounds like the start of a Dickens novel). If I may, the "gives" over the past few days were associated with my Leadership Loudoun's team issue day presentation on Thur Jan 20. To back up, I am part of the current class of Leadership Loudoun (Loudoun County, VA), a leadership development program similar to that offered by many governments and chambers of commerce.

Our team looked at cultural diversity in our county, its roots, how it has evolved through the county's population explosion over the past 10-15 years (Loudoun is regularly listed as the fastest growing, or one of the top fastest growing counties in the country), experiences of first generational immigrants to the county, and specifically within the intertwined perspectives of family, community, business sector, and our diverse faiths. The event was hosted at the Northern Virginia Baha'i Center in Sterling VA. The Baha'i theme of "unity in diversity" tied in well with our issue day theme.

We kicked off our day by shuttling our guests off for a scavenger hunt at a local international food market. The thought being, get them out of their comfort zone and immerse them in other cultures. Most of the guests had not previously been to an international food market.

We reconvened and worked through our presentations and panel discussions, and ended the day with a Bhangra dance lesson. Bhangra is traditional music and dance from the Punjab region of India. It began as a dance symbolizing the coming of the harvest season, and is now seen as an expression of South Asian cultures as a whole.

Congrats to our team for pulling this off, after just 3 months of planning, and with a limited budget and limited resources. Hopefully our guests were able to take away something from this and put it to action in their personal lives!

Day 17 - continuing the theme of cultural awareness, and education too perhaps, today's give was to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Who is old enough to remember the "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" from commercials in the 70s? That phrase was coined by Young & Rubicam advertising executive Forest Long in 1971, as part of a UNCF fundraising and public awareness campaign. Since that time, it has become one of the most recognized phrases in American advertising history.

UNCF was founded in 1944 and is now the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. UNCF provides operating funds for 39 member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), scholarships and internships for students at about 900 institutions, and faculty and administrative professional training.

More information is available at www.uncf.org

Day 16, the start of a week dedicated to cultural awareness. Today's give was to the American Indian College Fund, which provides scholarships and other support for American Indian students. Tribal colleges, the vast majority of which are located on or near reservations, provide opportunity and access to post-secondary education. Offering accredited degrees while keeping Indian culture and tradition at the heart of their curricula, tribal colleges are changing the face of Indian education, one graduate at a time. The Fund disburses approximately 6,000 scholarships annually for American Indian students seeking to better their lives through higher education. The Fund also provides support for tribal college needs ranging from capital support to cultural preservation activities.

More information is available at: http://www.collegefund.org/

Day 15 give was to the United Way of the National Capital Area, which serves DC, Northern VA, and Montgomery & Prince George's County MD. United Way is a nonprofit organization that highlights, unlike any around here, the interconnectedness of our region and the people who live here.

Focusing on the critical areas of Education, Income and Health – the building blocks of a good quality of life – United Way and our member charities not only provide immediate relief of social problems affecting our community, but also works to alleviate the underlying causes of these issues.

United Way NCA coordinates one of the largest annual fundraising campaigns in the country, providing our member charities with access to over 3,000 work sites and hundreds of thousands of potential donors and volunteers. The campaign disperses millions of dollars and allows donors to support United Way, our member charities, or their regional Community Impact Fund. They can also give to funds set up to address the specific impact areas of Education, Income or Health.

More information about the United Way or its member charities can be found at

http://www.unitedwaynca.org

Day 14 - Happy Friday! Today's give was to Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. They "...build with people in need regardless of race or religion." They "...welcome volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds."

From international work in places like Haiti, to local communities, Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

More information is available at: http://www.habitat.org/

Day 13 - today's give (another belated post) was to Children's Miracle Network and, specifically, Children's National Medical Center of DC (we've been here for our daughter).

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children's hospitals. With the help of a Children's Miracle Network Hospital in their community, children of all ages and backgrounds can receive treatment for every imaginable disease and injury--from asthma and broken bones to cancer and heart defects. Children's hospitals are also on the front lines of research, education and outreach programs that keep millions of kids out of the hospital each year.

More information is available at: http://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Day 12 (belated post) - today's give was in memory of the earthquake in Haiti and the ongoing humanitarian and relief efforts there. Many groups are still helping there, and it will take many years no doubt to rebuild and restore life to some sort of normalcy. A donation was made to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to help the people of Haiti rebuild — and build back better. (rest is from the website: www.clintonbushhaitifund.org).

The initial efforts of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund focused on immediate relief and emergency assistance. While we will continue to seek to meet selected near-term needs, Clinton Bush Haiti Fund's primary focus will now shift towards longer-term reconstruction, job creation, and the promotion of economic opportunity. To learn more about both our initial and recent grants, please visit our programs page.

Our aim is to promote an inclusive, diversified, environmentally-conscious and competitive Haitian economy that is decentralized and better integrated into the region — an economy that harnesses the entrepreneurial spirit of the Haitian people to help individuals, families, communities, and enterprises achieve their full potential.

The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund works primarily through partnerships and collaborations with other nonprofit and for-profit entities — particularly Haiti's own. In all activities, Clinton Bush Haiti Fund will work with the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission to ensure consistency with the Haitian Development Plan.

Day 11 - today's give was to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), recognizing the good work of all those adult volunteers ("Bigs") making a difference in the lives of children. Here is a summary from their website:

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters live in single-parent and low-income families, or households where a parent is incarcerated. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”). Providing a system of ongoing evaluation and support, Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven by independent studies to help families by improving the odds that Littles will perform better in school and avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others. Headquartered in Philadelphia with a network of nearly 400 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves a quarter million children annually. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate or volunteer today at BigBrothersBigSisters.org.

Day 10 - today's give was to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Founded in 1866, the ASPCA was the first humane society in the country. Now a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-proft with over one million members, it serves as the preeminent organization advocating for animal welfare. Its programs and services cover animal cruelty investigations to enforcement to outreach to adoption services to pet care. More information can be found at

http://www.aspca.org/

Day 9 - today's give was to Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM), in the form of food for the food pantry and a monetary donation. I've written before about the good that WFCM does - food pantry, sheltering the homeless, emergency assistance, running the thrift store, etc. - throughout Northern Virginia. And of course they couldn't do it without the assistance of the good people and local business community that donate their time and treasure. Prayers for their continued successes and blessings through 2011.

http://www.wfcmva.org/index.php

Day 8 - another local give today, to the Arcola Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department. Company #9, part of the Loudoun County Fire & Rescue Dept, which serves South Riding, Brambleton, Stone Ridge, and Kirkpatrick Farms. Kudos and a big thanks out to all the men and women volunteers of this company...and all service men and women in our various communities. Fighting fires and responding to emergency medical situations are tough jobs. Prayers for your well being and for your families.

http://www.arcolavfd.org/

Day 7 - today's give was to the Salvation Army through their online Red Kettle program. Once you join, you can start your own online kettle, set a goal, and track progress towards that goal. You can email friends and family about your goal and seek donations. You can also join an existing kettle drive - there was one already set up for my community. The Salvation Army does so much good - food for the needy, emergency assistance, helping the elderly, the homeless, missing persons, on and on...and of course the Christmas Charity efforts we all know.

"When you put money in our kettle, expect change." Pretty cool.

www.salvationarmyusa.org

Day 6 - today's give ($20) was to Loudoun Literacy Council, a non-profit dedicated to improving literacy throughout Loudoun County. They provide services to children (e.g., through Head Start, in shelters) and to adults as ESL, Workplace Literacy, and tutoring. LLC is the only community-based literacy organization in the County. And a colleague of mine happens to work for them as their adult literacy program director. Keep up the good work.

A note from the Red Cross came across today, and we are pretty close to the 1-year anniversary of the major earthquake in Haiti. Prompted today's give ($20) to the ARC National Capital Region. Did you know that most people can donate blood, but only about 5% actually do? If you can't donate blood, support this worthy organization with a monetary donation or volunteer some time.

Visit www.redcross.org to learn more.

Belated post for Day 4 (1/4/11). Today's give ($10) was to Feeding America, the leading hunger-relief charity in the US. Their mission is to feed America through a nationwide network of food banks and engage Americans to fight to end hunger in this country. Real hunger is foreign to me, although in my travels I have met people who rely on food banks. Prayers for those who hunger daily and for those who really never know where their next meal will come from. This will probably become a monthly give for me.

Day 3....an old coworker's name came up today. He died of cancer a few years back. And received information in the mail today from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which we've supported in the past. So today's give ($25) was to this organization and their fight to find a cure for various blood cancers. Putting a couple dates on the calendar too: May 9th for the Leukemia Golf Classic in Potomac Falls, supported by a number of Washington Redskins players. And May 15th Marine Corps Half Marathon Run/Walk in Fredericksburg. Hoping to make one of these!

Day 2...today's give was to our church, Corpus Christi, and food to the Western Fairfax Christian Ministries (WFCM) food pantry. It's the second Sunday of Christmas in our church, and we celebrate Epiphany in which the coming of the 3 wise men (Magi) "revealed" Jesus to the world as Lord and King. Epiphany is actually on Jan 6th on the Christian calendar, i.e. the 12th day of Christmas (hence the song). So we'll keep our tree up for a few more days, even though it is shedding needles pretty good right now.

We've given to WFCM for many years because of the wonderful work they do - fighting homelessness, hunger, helping needy families, emergency assistance, etc. Keep up the great work! Check out their facebook page or google their website if you're interested.

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Happy New Year! Day 1 and I already have concerns about being able to keep this resolution, more for the daily post upkeep than for the giving back each day. I guess it will just have to become routine, like anything else. Today's give was to Catholic Charities (www.catholiccharitiesusa.org), a wonderful organization out with a mission to end poverty and help families in need. One of my goals this month is to help our local office (Leesburg VA) in a more tangible way. Keep you posted. Amount given = $25.