56: Birthdays, Puppies, Prisons, Police, and Wounded Veterans

One of my best friends has as birthday today and chose an amazing nonprofit for us. "Puppies Behind Bars (PBB) trains prison inmates to raise service dogs for wounded war veterans and explosive detection canines for law enforcement. Puppies enter prison at the age of eight weeks and live with their inmate puppy-raisers for approximately 24 months. As the puppies mature into well-loved, well-behaved dogs, their raisers learn what it means to contribute to society rather than take from it. PBB programs bring the love and healing of dogs to hundreds of individuals every year. The dogs bring hope and pride to their raisers, and independence and security to those they serve."(http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/mission) Obviously, this organization represents mastership of empathy and function. Dogs who don't succeed in the program can be adopted. If you want to look at a lot of adorable puppies, you can go to the photo gallery http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/photo-gallery here.

A film company followed PGG trained for three years and produced the documentary "Prison Dogs." You can find more about the award winning film here: http://www.prisondogsfilm.com or watch the trailer in the video link above.
Thank you Puppies Behind Bars and Happy Birthday Hanz! 

You can find the Donations by the Dozen posts here on google,

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graceinitiative/,

on twitter https://twitter.com/MarciGoLightly,

or on the Grace Initiative Foundation Tree, LLC's website http://www.graceinit.org/donations-by-the-dozen.html where you can enter your email to subscribe for an email daily dose of Donations by the Dozen.

Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to charity

55: Questions and Answers - Knowledge is Both

I have a Twitter friend who is also featuring new nonprofits every day: @MarkBrokeIt. Recently he featured the Khan Academy, and I am happy to feature it also. The Khan Academy offers resources and free education for anyone to use at his or her own pace. Since I am a knowledge and learning lover, I find this exciting and wonderful for parents, students, and anyone who wants to know things or maybe for someone who may just miss things like Algebra (yes, we are out here). 

A personalized learning resource for all ages
Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Our math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. We've also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content. (https://www.khanacademy.org/about)

On the press page (https://khanacademy.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202483630-PressRoom)Khan Academy states, "We have delivered more than 580 million lessons and learners have completed more than six billion exercise problems." So it really want be that long before they've completed one exercise per person on earth - how cool is that? 
So if you want to learn something they didn't offer you in your past curriculum or to share with someone you know, the Khan Academy can help. 

I'm going to end with a question I want to know. So Mark, just what did you break? 

You can find the Donations by the Dozen posts here on google,

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graceinitiative/,

on twitter https://twitter.com/MarciGoLightly,

or on the Grace Initiative Foundation Tree, LLC's website http://www.graceinit.org/donations-by-the-dozen.html where you can enter your email to subscribe for an email daily dose of Donations by the Dozen.

Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to charity

54: A Girls Best Friend's Birthday (Loch Ness Monster is 6!)

I'm not going to lie and am not too embarrassed to admit I truly imagine being interviewed by the news asking, "Marci, what's it like being pals with the best dog ever?" Yeah, I know.
Today is the Loch Ness Monster's Birthday, and here's a video of her day. If you're in Norway, you can see her on tv soon too. Nessie is a 150 pound blue Great Dane. I spent a long time researching the dog I wanted to get, because I have a lot of reduced and elderly animals here. I needed to know a new and large dog would fit. After choosing a Great Dane, I researched the breed a LOT, and that research made all of the difference in Nessie being a happy dog and fitting in with the family. Whatever breed of dog you get, I highly recommend researching it to know it's needs, care, style, and so forth. For example, people think because Great Danes are so big, they need a lot of exercise, but it's important to never force them to run, jump or play too hard. They shouldn't have puppy food because the protein level harms their fast growth and can create major problems their legs.
At any rate, because people may not research a breed, both the human and the dog can suffer in a bad relationship. Thank goodNessie there are Great Dane Rescues like Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue. Harlequin Haven truly cares about rescue, about the breed itself, and about poor breeders and animal care. They had a very special rescue called Mozart who paints, too: http://hhdane.com/mozart/mozart_paintings.asp. Harlequin Haven is a very respectful rescue organization on so many levels, and I truly appreciate their consideration of the animals and of other rescue organizations.
For me, my lifestyle, my other animals, and more, I could not ask for a better best friend, and I am more than happy to answer questions about her. Happy Birthday to Nessie and thank you Harlequin Haven for being the place I would look for another great Great Dane.

You can find the Donations by the Dozen posts here on google,

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graceinitiative/,

on twitter https://twitter.com/MarciGoLightly,

or on the Grace Initiative Foundation Tree, LLC's website http://www.graceinit.org/donations-by-the-dozen.html where you can enter your email to subscribe for an email daily dose of Donations by the Dozen.

Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to charity

53: Caring Bridge - A Bridge To Sharing Care and More

I chose today's Donation by the Dozen nonprofit for a few reasons. The  most prominent reason is if you don't know what the Caring Bridge is, I feel like you definitely should. Caring Bridge started out as one lovely woman's help for a friend and evolved into the 501(c)3 it is today, because what they do is so meaningful, so helpful, and so fabulous.
When someone in  your life is ill or has a terminal illness, it can be really difficult to communicate and update people. Everyone is busy with appointments, absorbing the information and emotions, and each phone call, text, or email takes time away from helping the loved one. Sometimes it's hard to reach people or to know who needs what, and sometimes it's just hard to talk when you don't feel like talking. Caring Bridge provides a place where you can create a page/site for you or your loved one to share news or update people about the journey of health. Being ad-free and private makes it extra fabulous. Having everything centralized also provides a location for coordinating help, communicating needs, and sharing support amongst those who care. To find out more about setting up a site, you can click here: https://www.caringbridge.org/createwebsite/email.
The video below tells the beautiful story of how one amazing woman, Sona Mehring, created this wonderful place of love, hope and healing.

Thank you Sona and Caring Bridge, and I will always remember tiny Brighid's story https://www.caringbridge.org/resources/fox9-honors-our-19th-anniversary/.

You can find the Donations by the Dozen posts here on google,

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graceinitiative/,

on twitter https://twitter.com/MarciGoLightly,

or on the Grace Initiative Foundation Tree, LLC's website http://www.graceinit.org/donations-by-the-dozen.html where you can enter your email to subscribe for an email daily dose of Donations by the Dozen.

Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to ch

52: When is it Going to Stop?

I saw this disturbing child abuse video in a news article this morning, so Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA) became today's Donations by the Dozen topic. PCAA aims to prevent child abuse before it can happen. They report "because of the success of our signature home visiting program Healthy Families America, evidence based home-visiting strategies that are proven to improve child well-being are able to reach nearly 100,000 families every year." (http://preventchildabuse.org/about-us/) From recent group sessions I have attended, I have grown to value even more highly those whose job is home visitation. Regardless of what job requires the visitation, home caregivers or others are one of the first lines of communication when something seems wrong, whether it is child abuse or something else. I applaud and thank each of you for what you do under amazing constraints and pressures. 
Additionally, the PCAA website's many resources include The RESILIENCE Project. (http://preventchildabuse.org/resource/resilience/) If you want to take more of a stand, create awareness, or educate others, this may be a good place to start.

“Researchers have recently discovered a dangerous biological syndrome caused by abuse and neglect during childhood. As the new documentary RESILIENCE reveals, toxic stress can trigger hormones that wreak havoc on the brains and bodies of children, putting them at a greater risk for disease, homelessness, prison time and early death. While the broader impacts of poverty worsen the risk, no segment of society is immune. RESILIENCE, however, also chronicles the dawn of a movement that is determined to fight back. Trailblazers in pediatrics, education and social welfare are using cutting-edge science and field-tested therapies to protect children from the insidious effects of toxic stress—and the dark legacy of a childhood that no child would choose.” – Synopsis from RESILIENCE" (http://preventchildabuse.org/resource/resilience/)

You can find the Donations by the Dozen posts here on google,

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graceinitiative/,

on twitter https://twitter.com/MarciGoLightly,

or on the Grace Initiative Foundation Tree, LLC's website http://www.graceinit.org/donations-by-the-dozen.html where you can enter your email to subscribe for an email daily dose of Donations by the Dozen.

Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to ch

51: Going Big in the Biggest State

Our biggest state features a highly rated nonprofit assisting the homeless and at-risk youth. Based in Anchorage, Covenant House Alaska bases its vision on the principles of Immediacy, Sanctuary, Value Communication, Structure, and Choice 24/7/365. CHA offers a Youth Engagement Center, Wellness Center, a Youth Advisory Board, and Transitional Living. "These programs empower our youth in their journey from homelessness to a brighter future. We help them finish school, learn a skill, find a job, secure a place to live, reunite with their families, build a strong foundation and begin their lives again. Programs are designed to connect, protect, nourish, heal and transform lives." (https://ak.covenanthouse.org/Programs-Youth-Parents)  In the video, you will see some of the provisions CHA has available, including a new art room. Here (https://ak.covenanthouse.org/statistics) are some statistics about the successes of CHA, and here (https://ak.covenanthouse.org/Kisha-story) is a beautiful personal story from Alaska Covenant House you may enjoy. By far the biggest state in our nation, Alaska offer so much beauty, but taking care of homeless and at-risk youth at Alaska Covenant House offers a big bonus and a beauty for its people too.

You can find the Donations by the Dozen posts here on google,

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graceinitiative/,

on twitter https://twitter.com/MarciGoLightly,

or on the Grace Initiative Foundation Tree, LLC's website http://www.graceinit.org/donations-by-the-dozen.html where you can enter your email to subscribe for an email daily dose of Donations by the Dozen.

Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to ch

50:Happy Birthday, Bambi! Mini Aussie's Rock

It's almost one of my very best friend's birthdays, and he loves his Mini Australian Shepherds, hence New Spirit 4 Aussie Rescue. I've met his Aussies and they are wonderful. However, they are each unique, unpredictable, and do things no one expects. As with many breeds, these dogs need special care potential dog owner's may not research. Sariya Winters, an owner of Australian Shepherds says, "Aussies require so much attention and activity. It's imperative that potential families are prepared to provide the care and activity level necessary for this active breed".  I know what that is like: see an adorable dog, fall in love and make a commitment to care, and then what? For me, I research to see that breed's needs and behaviors to make sure it's a potentially suitable fit. I have animals with special needs, so I cannot afford to make a mistake with someone who won't fit into their rhythm. Yet, some people haven't grown up with pets as I have and may not understand the needs of an animal they've met. Australian Shepherds and Mini Australian Shepherds have needs (like many other breeds) that absolutely must be met or they will be miserable, so having an organization like NewSpirit 4 Aussie Rescue to ensure compatibility is essential to the family and to the dog.  So today, we offer our Donations by the Dozen to New Spirit 4 Aussie Rescue for all Australian Shepherds but also to all breeds who may be misunderstood by us mere humans. We are all, human or otherwise, unique, but these sweet dogs have unique personalities and I thank New Spirit 4 Aussie Rescue for recognizing their unique sweet and special place.

You can find the Donations by the Dozen posts here on google,

on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/graceinitiative/,

on twitter https://twitter.com/MarciGoLightly,

or on the Grace Initiative Foundation Tree, LLC's website http://www.graceinit.org/donations-by-the-dozen.html where you can enter your email to subscribe for an email daily dose of Donations by the Dozen.

Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to charity, m