Environmental Protection

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The International Rivers Network (more commonly known as International Rivers) was established to help the environment in general, but more specifically the rivers and the neighboring communities.  Set up more than a quarter of a century ago, the charity focuses on how to preserve the rivers in their most natural habitat.  The construction of dams are fought harshly against and International Rivers tries to encourage water saving habits.  As well, the organization seeks ways of preventing tough floods.

International Rivers works with other organizations too, in order to efficiently achieve the best results.  Particularly active are those individuals and communities impacted directly by dam constructions, as well as those wanting to protect the environment while looking out for its future.  As well, there are many experts in the field seeking ways of looking for alternatives to destructive river projects.  The main thrust of the work takes place in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Pedro Clean Up

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Drinking Water Distributed – Free for the Southeast and West

Pedro Zaragoza Vizcarra Foundation, Lucerne Milk BipGas, will join the Board of Municipal Water and Sanitation (JMAS) to distribute free water in the southern colonies (east and west of the city) that are currently not connected to such a facility.

Veronica Jimenez, director of the Foundation, said two trucks belonging to the enterprise will be distributed, on a schedule, as of today in 22 colonies.  She said that around 6,000 families will benefit from this, being the recipients of 800 liters of water on each distribution day.

Tankers have a capacity to charge between 15 thousand liters of water per trip. According to the schedule in the division, every Monday the trucks will go to Plazuela de Acuña, San Rafael, Plazuelita and Tarahumara. On Tuesday they will go to Golden Valley, Desert Farms and Eye of God. By Wednesday, the tour begins in Loma Blanca, then  Emiliano Zapata and will end in in San Isidro Extension. Thursday’s schedule will be in Lomas de Poleo Alto, Lomas de Poleo Low, Santa Elena Farm and New Millennium.  On Friday it will go to Polo Gamboa, Peasant, Villa Esperanza, United Farm Bello Horizonte.  The schedule will begin daily, at 10 am prompt.

The families concerned will be contacted by the Foundation which will also be in touch with the Bipgas and Lucerne Group to provide trucks, drivers’ salaries and water transfer.  It was also indicated that over the hot summer months, the high temperatures that affect our city impacts everyone but it is the children and low-income seniors who do not have the basic service of water in their homes, so are more exposed to health problems who are the most vulnerable.  Jimenez also pointed out that this program is activated each year by the Foundation and the Zaragoza group, generating very good results.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

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The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seeks to “help all people lead healthy, productive lives.”  It firmly believes all lives have “equal value” and thus tries to provide the resources people are lacking to ensure they have enough food and live above the poverty line.  Health and (adequate) wealth are the foundation’s main aims.  In America, the charitable organization (headquartered in Seattle, Washington) works toward facilitating and enabling access to educational opportunities for all, leading to a greater chance of being successful in life. The foundation’s co-chair is William H. Gates Sr., CEO Jeff Raikes, and directed by Bill and Melinda Gates as well as Warren Buffet.  Their mission is to “increase opportunities for people in developing countries to overcome hunger and poverty.”

The three main areas the foundation works in are: Global Development, Global Health, and United States.  In the first, work is done to reach as many people as possible in the areas that have the most potential for “high-impact, sustainable solutions”; in the second, attempts are made for progression in science and technology to save lives in poor countries, focusing on health issues and in the third, the  United States Program work, is geared towards citizens achieving the best – and most – education possible.

Central Neighbourhood House

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The Central Neighbourhood House, is Toronto, Canada’s second oldest settlement house. For the past century, both staff and volunteers have been working together with the neighbourhood to find out what is missing in their lives and what the House can offer.  It has been working for this goal since 1911.  There are many gaps in society unfortunately, and this is what the CNH recognizes through its efforts. 

Therefore, we offer: childcare services; a variety of programs for children and youth; special club for women; stroke survivors club; in-home services; a program for vulnerable seniors; a community development program; a supportive housing initiative; street survivors initiative and more.

The CNH has been located in various different neighbourhoods throughout the last century due to economic concerns or to move to a bigger place so it could develop and offer more services.  Today the CNH can be found at 349 Ontario Street, where it has been for more than 40 years.

The House tries very hard to provide much needed services, but at the same time to offer extra-curricular activities for children so that it’s not all just about need, but fun too.  For example, there has been a music school; a dressmaking course and more.  The idea is that those in need should get more than just what they need; they should get what they want and enjoy too.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

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The LBBC (Living Beyond Breast Cancer) charity was established back in 1991 as a response to the need for support and information on the subject of breast cancer and its treatment for women.  The charity has, today, really come a long way since then.  It now has the capacity to provide help and support to women at any stage of breast cancer – be it the initial diagnosis, or parts of treatment, recovery and anything else they might need or could help them navigate the breast cancer journey and its aftermath.

The LBBC’s mission is to “offer specialized programs and services for the newly diagnosed, young women, women with advanced breast cancer, women at high risk for developing the disease, and African-American and Latina women.”

In addition to the support the LBBC gives to its female patients, the organization provides assistance to those healthcare professionals who are helping these women.  This achieves two things:  it gives much needed support to the supporters; and it provides them with useful information which makes their job more effective.

One of the LBBC’s annual programs is called Yoga on the Steps, which will take place later this month on October 16.  It is the organization’s “signature annual fundraiser [that] provides a way for individuals and teams to join their communities in supporting women affected by breast cancer while experiencing the healing benefits of yoga.”

American Bird Conservancy

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The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) – established in 1994 – is focused on the conservation of wild birds and their habitats across the nation.  Whenever there is any kind of threat to birds, the ABC is on the case.  In this capacity it is able to advance the whole concept of bird conservation.  The ABC also encourages individuals and groups to work with it, “regardless of their political, economic, or social point of view [through] innovative, fair solutions to difficult issues.”

The ABC works for the following principal causes:  the development and maintenance of a reserve system for the 82 bird-triggered Alliance for Zero Extinction sites and the sites for declining birds in the Western Hemisphere as well as improving the area’s bird conservation capacity.  As well it seeks to protect key wintering habitat for various Neo-tropical migrants and improves communications.

To date, the ABC has enjoyed success in network development of more than 40 globally significant biodiversity reserves in the following countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru.  As well, there are plans to double this number.  By protecting these reserves, birds are protected as well as biodiversity, local and global communities.  Various endangered species will be protected through the reserve system as well.

The Valerie Fund

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When nine-year old Valerie Goldstein passed away after a battle against cancer, her parents Ed and Sue didn’t want her death to be forgotten.  They thus established the Valerie Fund, back in 1976, in her memory.  The fund’s aim is to “provide support for the comprehensive health care of children with cancer and blood disorders.”

Thirty-five years after its founding, there are today, seven Valerie Fund Children’s Centers for Cancer and Blood Disorders located in tri-state hospitals which offer comprehensive health care to over five thousand children and their families every single year.  This makes up the biggest network of healthcare facilities for children with cancer and blood disorders throughout New Jersey, making it one of the largest in the country, with more than 25,000 patient visits annually.

The Valerie Fund seeks to treat the “whole patient” and the “whole family.”  This means that it focuses not just on the physical needs of the individual, but also their emotional needs.  And since cancer impacts the entire family as well, the Valerie Fund notes that and provides support and counseling for siblings and parents as well.

ThanksUSA Helps Military Families

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ThanksUSA evolved in quite an interesting way.  Two sisters, Rachel and Kelsi, were on a family vacation in August 2005 when they got the idea to help families of military troops.  While participating in a treasure hunt, they were inspired to think of creating some type of a treasure hunt program for soldiers.  ThanksUSA is short for “Treasure Hunt Aiding Needs of Kids and Spouses of those serving the United States of America.”

ThanksUSA is a non-partisan, charitable organization that mobilizes Americans to thank those in the armed forces.  They have two interconnected programs.  They have a national treasure hunt that raises awareness and funds for scholarship programs.  They use the money raised to provide need-based college, technical and vocational school scholarships for children and spouses of those who are serving.

This year, the 2011 Stephen Curry ThanksUSA Charity Golf Tournament will focus on ThanksUSA and benefit the organization.  Participants will include NBA star Stephen Curry and other sports and entertainment VIPs, local community leaders, military people and more.  The event will take place on September 26, 2011 at the Presidio Golf Club in San Francisco, California.

Serving Our World

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Serving Our World is a vital non-profit organization that seeks to place the far too many young girls and boys in loving, safe, protected homes.  These children have been horrifically exploited in some way or another; from exploitation to rape, and even being trafficked.

Making a donation to Serving Our World will actually “change the course of their lives; help us rescue more children today before it’s too late.”  For example, in Thailand, the statistics show a child is lost to some kind of horror every four minutes.  Long-term goals of the organization is to “build long-term community benefits for the people in East Timor and Thailand.”  It has over 18 years’ experience in this field so it can “bring relief to the families where it is needed most.”

Serving Our World is now asking volunteers to support its efforts by joining the Serving Our World family The Good Life Home.  This is a “haven…where children can be safe to play, with grounds enough for them to be a kid and play with friends.”  All donations will make a huge difference.  Remember:  these children are worth it and deserve a chance at a normal, happy, healthy life.

Women’s Environmental Network

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The Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) is a UK-based organization set up to “educate, empower, and inform” those to whom the environment is important.  One of its main activities in this realm is campaigning on environmental and health issues, but from a woman’s point of view.  Formed in 1988, the WEN seeks to connect women, health and the environment.

Environmental Issues

According to its website, the WEN has worked out that with today’s huge amount of consumption, three planets would be necessary to adequately sustain our needs.  Given that this is due only to increase, soon five planets would be needed as figures shown the population will exceed nine billion by 2040.

Women and the Environment

So the question that is to be asked, is why is this so much more of an issue for women than men?  Apparently, this is because women comprise 66 percent of those impacted by “climate-related disasters in developing economies.”

What’s also sad is that fewer and fewer individuals are connecting these days to “simple pleasures like communal outside spaces and growing their own food.” So there needs to be a change in the way in which we are living.

Women Green Pride

On the flip side of all of this, there is actually a lot being done in this realm, especially by women in the UK.  For example, there is a bunch of groups led by women who “every day, take conscious actions to consume less, to use resources more effectively, to raise awareness at grass roots levels about climate change and to engage women and men in community-based projects such as allotments and orchards.”  So there is much being done.  But there is obviously also, still much more that can be done too.