Delancey Street Foundation

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By M. MarksPosted In: EducationTagged:

The Delancey Street Foundation has been in operation since 1971, at which time it started with a mere ten dollars (on loan), four residents, and a larger-than-life dream to help those in poverty, on drugs, former felons and others who hit bottom, turn their lives around.

Today, in 2012, the foundation has achieved a lot but is still trying to help those who have been left behind by society and have not been able to get on their feet sufficiently. Those who are in poverty, or dealing with a teen pregnancy, or cannot read or write, etc., are all looking for a better life and it is the foundation’s mission to help them achieve that.

The average time one spends at the facility is four years (they need to remain there at least two years, but most stay longer).  Following that, those who have been at the Delancey Street Foundation will have gained an: “academic education, three marketable skills, accountability and responsibility, dignity, decency, and integrity.”

Thus it is clear that while there is still much work to be done, the Delancey Street Foundation is achieving its aims – helping the down and out get back on their feet and live a better quality life.

Armed Services YMCA

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By M. MarksPosted In: Military, UncategorizedTagged: , ,

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA), was set up by the National Council of Young Men's Christian Associations of the United States of America.  Its goal back then – a century-and-a-half ago – is the same as it is now; to help all military personnel and their families, in an attempt at providing them with a higher quality of life.  The organization seeks to do this via Christian principles that are manifested in the “educational, recreational, social and religious programs” it creates for them.

Working with the military in this endeavor, the ASYMCA, has, over the years, been highly successful.  Our soldiers and their families have benefitted greatly from its work.  The idea has very much been to provide all our soldiers with “a quality of life commensurate with their service to the Nation.”  However, while the ASYMCA indeed seeks to improve conditions for all soldiers, there has, in recent years, been a special focus on the services on the young, Junior Enlisted Troops and Families, since it is those soldiers who are at highest risk and thus have the greatest needs.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

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By M. MarksPosted In: Charity Activity, HealthTagged: ,

Established in 2000, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research was a way for famous actor Michael J. Fox to put his fortune to good use.  Having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s himself, the actor wanted to help others who were suffering from this disease.  Ultimately, its main aim is to find a cure for Parkinson’s through “an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today.”  In addition, the foundation aims to provide patients with improved treatments as well as long-term, a cure for the disease.

Since its founding, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has put nearly $150 m into research for Parkinson’s as well as finding a cure and in the meantime, developing improved therapies for those with the disease.  The foundation believes its goal really is in reach if it gains enough support.

 

PAWS Chicago

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By JohnPosted In: Charity ActivityTagged: ,

PAWS Chicago’s mission is to “end the killing of homeless pets.”  Founded nearly 15 years ago, it has led to the reduction of homeless pets being killed by half.  Indeed, in 1997 the figure for killing homeless pets was 42,000 and in 2006, it was already down to less than 20,000.  Clearly these statistics show that what PAWS Chicago is doing is working.  That is why its aim to create a city in which no homeless pets are killed seems realistic.   The organization finds homes for thousands of pets, through the Lincoln Park Adoption and Humane Center. In addition, it offers a clinic for free spaying and neutering for those families on low-incomes who have pets.

Missoula Food Bank

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By JohnPosted In: Feeding AmericaTagged: ,

The Missoula Food Bank seeks, quite simply, to feed the hungry in Missoula.  That is its short-term goal.  Long-term, it is attempting to overall reduce the incidence of hunger in the neighborhood and how it impacts the entire community.  Every year, the food bank distributes over 250 tons of food (including fresh, canned, baked and baby items) to the residents in the area. Ultimately through this work, it serves around a thousand households per month.

Along with a full-time staff, the food bank is also blessed with many volunteers who work tirelessly for the organization’s efforts.  Aside from food distribution, the Missoula Food Bank has a free store; a ROOTS program for those who are home-bound or low income; a Café for kids that gives out lunches for those children that may not get a good meal during school vacations, and more.

The San Francisco Food Bank

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By JohnPosted In: Feeding AmericaTagged: , , ,

The San Francisco Food Bank is all about feeding the hungry of San Francisco and Marin.  The charitable organization’s mission is to help people not starve, and not have to choose between rent and food or other basic necessities.  Unfortunately, this very much is the case for the people living in these areas so the San Francisco Food Bank was set up nearly 25 years ago to collect and repackage many thousands of pounds of food which it thereafter distributes to soup kitchens, grocery centers, educational programs and the elderly.

Every week, more than 200,000 people are the recipients of food from the Food Bank.  Each day, a staggering 93,000 meals are made. Thus, through its vital work, this organization links up people and food, also by working with more than 450 nonprofit partners.

The Food Bank receives food from various different sources including: grocery stores, processors and the USDA.  Sometimes food is given as it is approaching its code date; other times because it is misshapen and still other times as the company simply made too much. We have a bunch of volunteers working for us who deal with the food at our warehouse, so we save money on otherwise having to employ around 50 full-time staff members.  It is our intention to feed as many of the hungry as possible, ensuring the people of San Francisco and Marin do not go to bed starving or need to worry about where their next meal is coming from.

Pedro Zaragoza Fuentes Helps Rehabilitate Community Center

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By JohnPosted In: Charity ActivityTagged: , , , ,

The Francisco I. Modero Community Center has recently been rehabilitated in Juarez, Mexico with three million square feet of construction and an area of one thousand meters square.  The center was redone with an investment of 29 million pesos for infrastructure and 19 million for equipment.

The new center was inaugurated on Friday with a long list of important government officials.  The opening saw Secretary of Social Development Heriberto Felix Guerra, Governor Cesar Duarte, Mayor Hector Murguia, businessman Pedro Zaragoza and Magdy Martinez of the United Nations Organization present.

The center teaches more than 30 workshops such as carpentry, cooking, sewing and pastries, computer classes, English, sports and more.  There are also art workshops sponsored by the Federal Government that include drama, music and dance.  This is the only community center in Juarez of the 41 that has a pool, two soccer fields, two basketball courts and a dome.

Here is an example of the many charitable activities that the Pedro Zaragoza Vizcarra Foundation does.

 

Cellphones for Soldiers

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Connecting to Soldiers to Their Loved Ones

In 2004, Brittany and Robbie Bergquist set up Cellphones for Soldiers using a mere $21 from their own pockets.  At the time, the siblings were 13 and 12 respectively.  Today, the worthy charitable organization has raised more than $7m in donations.  As a result, more than 500,000 pre-paid calling cards have been sent to American soldiers overseas, which equals 114 million minutes of free talk time.  Now the plan is to convert old cellular phones into around 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for these soldiers.  To make this happen, the charity needs to collect 50,000 old cellphones every month.

Through its incredible work, Cell Phones for Soldiers has enhanced the lives of soldiers and their loved ones, by facilitating their communication connectivity through otherwise impossible circumstances. These soldiers – working for all of America – receive free communication tools wherever they are stationed.  Anything that is donated that equals $5 (a used phone or a monetary contribution) results in 2.5 hours of free talk time for soldiers.

According to Bob Bergquist, Brittany and Robbie’s father, “Cell Phones for Soldiers started as a small way to show our family's appreciation for the men and women who have sacrificed the day-to-day contact with their own families to serve in the U.S. armed forces.  Over the past few years, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of others. But, we have also seen the need to support our troops continue to grow as more troops are sent overseas for longer assignments.”

 

Helping Women Achieve

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By JohnPosted In: UncategorizedTagged: , ,

Today, there are many ways to give back to others.  Some people enjoy focusing their charitable attention on children’s causes and others emphasize issues of poverty; a lesser known resource for charitable energy is to help women to achieve their professional goals and to help them to raise themselves up economically and professionally.

There are quite a few women’s organizations today that do just this.  While offering financial contributions and donations to women in need, they also offer women the tools to create their own financial stability.

The National Association for Women Business Owners, for instance, formed the NAWBO Institute for Entrepreneurial Development in 2003.  Donations offered to the Institute help them to develop programs and initiatives that will propel women entrepreneurs further along towards their success. This non-profit educational foundation, and an arm of the NAWBO, tries to strengthen the wealth creating capacity for women business owners and to help them to further their entrepreneurial goals.

Another organization, W.O.M.E.N. in America, has created a highly-regarded mentoring program to help women who are early in their careers to build leadership skills and to create an invaluable support network for their future achievement.  Their three year mentorship program enables women to learn from the experience of others while reaching for their professional goals. In addition, after women complete the first two years of the three year program, W.O.M.E.N. in America emphasizes the idea of “Pay It Forward.” As W.O.M.E.N. in America explains, during the third year participants will “be invited at the end of the year to present updates on their “Pay It Forward” projects to the Board or at a Quad Cluster meeting.” At the end of their “Pay It Forward” year, mentees are then inducted into the W.O.M.E.N. in America Alumnae Network.

A third organization, Forte Foundation, is a collection of major corporations and top business schools that have come together to help direct talented women to become business leaders. Founded in 2001 to address the results of the landmark research study, “Women and the MGBA: Gateway to Opportunity,” they help women to gain a strong footing in the business world.  They motivate young women to explore business as a career choice, increase women’s access to educational and business opportunities, support women financially in their business education pursuits, and support cutting-edge research on women and business.  Forte Foundation depends on its many sponsors and collaborators which include business schools, corporations and nonprofit organizations to help today’s women to succeed in the business environment.

These three organizations, the NAWBO, W.O.M.E.N. in America and Forte Foundation, are a few examples of the many organizations out there that are helping women to achieve.  As the expression goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  These organizations are, indeed, offering to teach women so that they will be able to feed themselves for a lifetime.

 

Giving Hope to Cancer Patients

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By JohnPosted In: Charity ActivityTagged: , , , , ,

All cancer patients need hope. No matter what their prognosis, feeling some kind of hope is the only way they can carry on.  Thus the City of Hope – nearly 100 years old – is a phenomenal charitable organization that helps these patients live with a little hope.  The organization is recognized around the globe for how compassionate it is toward patient care.  As well City of Hope is a leader in biomedical research and treatment and education institution, engaging in innovative scientific projects, and developing breakthroughs in the world of cancer research that ultimately result in new therapies, which have led to the improvement of the patients’ quality of life and have thus again given more hope to these patients.  Indeed, some of the biggest advances in modern medicine have come from the organization’s physicians and scientists who have “offered insights that have reshaped the world's understanding of diseases.”

The City of Hope is located near LA, California.  Director of the Beckman Research Institute of the organization is Dr. Richard Jove, who is also a professor of Molecular Medicine.  He studied at Columbia University, Rockefeller University and the State University of New York, Buffalo.