105: Happy Birthday Little Baby Giraffe

I didn't jump on the April the Giraffe bandwagon until I woke up this morning and found out she was in labor. Then I thought I was hooked and watched, along with a million of my closest friends, until the baby took the first tumbling steps then the first confident steps, Now all I want to do is watch that adorable, giant baby alllll dayyyyy lonnnngggg. 
I was so moved, I wanted to support the Animal Adventure Park in today's Donations by the Dozen. Since they are not a nonprofit, I had to do that from my personal credit card  instead of as a part of the Grace Initiative (legalities). So for Donations by the Dozen, I found for you instead, the World Giraffe Foundation. "In less than 20 years, there’s been an 80 percent decline in the wild giraffe population. It’s as if people have forgotten this species exists." (http://www.worldgiraffefoundation.org) 
Sponsoring Animal Adventure Park's giraffe care or The World Giraffe Foundation can help sustain these beautiful creatures, and I am thankful for anything that helps them. Now for a few giraffe facts:

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT THE GIRAFFE?
1. Giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth. Their legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet.
2. They can run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances, or cruise at 10 mph over longer distances.
3. A giraffe's neck is too short to reach the ground. As a result, it has to awkwardly spread its front legs or kneel to reach the ground for a drink of water.
4. Giraffes only need to drink once every few days. Most of their water comes from all the plants they eat.
5. Female giraffes give birth standing up. Their young falls more than 5 feet to the ground at birth.
6. Giraffes learn to stand just 30 minutes after birth and can run with their mothers just 10 hours after birth.
7. A giraffe’s spots are much like human fingerprints. No two individual giraffes have exactly the same pattern.
8. A giraffe's feet are the size of a dinner plate—approximately 12 inches across. Females use their hooves as weapons to protect their young. They are strong enough to kill a lion, the giraffe's only predator aside from humans.
9. Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones. Male giraffes use their horns to sometimes fight with other males.
10. Giraffes, like cows, are a ruminant, which means they have more than one stomach to help them digest their food. In fact, they have 4 stomachs!
11. The age of a giraffe can be calculated from its spots. The darker the spots, the older the giraffe.(http://www.worldgiraffefoundation.org/about-giraffes.html)

I don't know yet whether it is a boy or a girl (hence the attache image), but I do know a naming contest is imminent. I also wanted to give a shoutout to Toys-R-Us® for the awesome giraffe cam as well as the big switch after the baby was born to Babies-R-Us® giraffe cam. It was so adorable, and I absolutely agree white was better than purple for the logo, by the way.

Happy giraffe watching if you are watching, and don't forget June 21st is giraffe day.

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

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

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Our email is DonationsByTheDozen@gmail.com.

Thanks and cheers to charity

104: Dream a Little and Reach For It

What's your dream? What's the dream after that? And then?
Today is National Reach as High as You Can Day. It is a day to reach for your dreams, and what a great nonprofit I have for today: Dream Factory. "The Dream Factory is the largest all-volunteer driven children’s wish-granting organization that does not limit its mission to children who have life-threatening illness. The organization believes children with chronic illnesses and disorders also suffer from substantial emotional and physical pain. " (http://dreamfactoryinc.org) 
The Dream Factory and its volunteers operate in 32 chapters across the United States. If you can't find one in your area, maybe your dream will be to start a chapter. The most poplar drams they receive and fulfill include dreams of meeting celebrities, being something they  love likes policeman or princesses, shopping trips, seeing a favorite sports team, and traveling. 

The Dream Factory operates under five core values. These values are:Dedication – We will do everything in our power to create a positive, memorable experience for our dream recipients and their families.Responsibility – We are committed to being an ethical, fiscally and socially responsible all-volunteer organization.Empathy – We place the medical and personal needs of our dream children and their families above all else.Attention – We are attentive to the desires of our dream children, their families, our volunteers, sponsors and donors.Mission-Driven – We will fulfill our mission of granting dreams for critically and chronically ill children and are committed to working as a team and with mutual respect. (http://dreamfactoryinc.org/about-us/)

Today has been nationally dedicated to reaching for dreams, so I hope you take a moment to fill your head and heart with dreams and reach out to them. Sweet dreams.

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

103: Special Friends Need Special Homes

While waiting in the hospital today, my friend Leslie showed me a feature on a Great Dane needing a home. My love for my Great Dane, the Loch Ness Monster aka Nessie, knows no bounds, and I am a huge fan of the breed (hence you get a picture of her with my godson today). The dog Leslie shared is Rocco from AJs Search and Rescue in Fairlawn, Ohio. He is beautiful and sounds like he might be a good match, but I need to put a lot of thought into another large dog given a few aging furamily members here. AJs has a site with a great deal of pet information and educational materials. AJs mission is "To Save Lives, One Paw at a Time! We provide temporary shelter to stray, abandoned, and surrendered animals for the purpose of finding them their forever homes.We strive in getting the homeless animal population to decrease by spaying and neutering all of our animals before they continue their journey into their new home." (http://www.ajssearchandrescue.org)
Whether you want a puppy, a senior, high energy, low energy, large, small or other, AJs has a wonderful mix of pets right now, including a litter of Labrador/Chow Chow/Mixed puppies who are downright adorable. Tortellini is a Chihuahua/Jack Russel Terrier./Mized breed whose cuteness might suck you into hours of paparazzi action if you chose to adopt her. Annie is a Boxer/Beagle mix. She had little access to the outdoors and was pregnant when found. She's now able to find her furever home. Annie has a beautiful coat and sweet face, and I was drawn to her picture immediately. I have someone particular in mind who may fall in love with her. Melbourne looks like a smart catch with gorgeous markings. He is an Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler Mixed breed. These are just three of the many dogs available today. AJs also has fostering needs if that is more your style.AJs has several events in the area too:

• Pet Supplies Plus Adoption Event - Manchester Rd - May 7, 2017 11am - 1pm
• Pet Expo - Hardesty Park - June 3, 2017 10am - 4pm
• Dice Run Fundraiser - Wings Warehouse 4050 Fishcreek Rd, Stow Ohio  - June 17, 2017
• Jog for the Dogs - 5K Fun Run & Walk - September 30, 2017
  
  
  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  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
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

102: So Many Choices, So Much Classroom Success

In studying Social Entrepreneurship in an online class by Acumen yesterday, I learned a great deal about a few nonprofits. Donors Choose/DonorsChoose.org renewed my excitement about their project during various phases of the class, and I hope to reignite you too. Donors Choose helps teachers get funding for classroom needs to better the education and well-being of their students. The model started out in New York City and has since taken the country by storm. 

Simply put: Teachers post a need with the cost, we donate to that cause, the class can thank you if choose. What makes the model extra fulfilling is the ability to choose according to whatever factors motivate you. You can find a class to support by geographic area, by subject, by items needed, by grade, and more. Since I love books, I chose classrooms with a need for books. You contribute however much you wish, and you can choose to add 15% to cover the overhead of DonorsChoose.org to make even more of an impact. Once each project finishes funding, Donors Choose uses the funds to purchase and send the requests. 

https://www.donorschoose.org/about/impact.html

Donors Choose days, "Our team of 80 has vetted and fulfilled over 600,000 classroom project requests that range from butterfly cocoons, to robotics kits, to Little House on the Prairie. Many of us are former teachers, so our operation feels like a cross between a startup and a schoolhouse. Stop by our offices in New York or San Francisco and you'll find us working hard, digging into our data, sharing our favorite classroom projects, and Instagramming the happiest thank you notes from students." (https://www.donorschoose.org/about) For more about the incredible impact by Donors Choose, you can check you the impact page.
Donors Choose offers you the ability to tailor your giving while helping classrooms all over the United States. I find it fabulous and hope you do 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 charity

101: Empowerment 101: Looking at Project Compassion

I very much appreciate nonprofits who create systemic change or act as bridges between their clients and the often labyrinthine path to services. I think Project Compassion, today's Donations by the Dozen recipient, does both. "Since 2005, PC-NFP has assisted over 70,000 homeless, disadvantaged and low-income men, women and children with food, shelter, seasonal supplies, hygiene items, life skills workshops and vocational training." (http://projectcompassionnfp.org/aboutus.html) 

I feel nonprofits providing empowerment programs impact individual success of their clients exponentially more than solely providing basic needs. I know those basic needs must be met first, and most empowering centered nonprofits do this or outsource it. The longevity of success, though,  goes back to the fish versus fishing idiom. Empowering young girls and women as well as the single mothers, provides them with a support system, access to more options, and training/education necessary to not only survive, but to thrive under often adverse or prohibitive circumstances. 

Community Compassion Program: This program is designed to assist with meeting emergency and basic needs of single mothers that are living in shelters or considered low-income and need assistance. This program is designed to create an Individualized Action Plan that would help them implement life skills, educational training, financial literacy and job readiness training into their daily lives. Outreach is offered on Compassion Day to homeless men and women living on the streets. Non-perishable meals, hygiene and seasonal supplies are distributed to the homeless living on the streets, each month. We also provide; when available new car seas, pampers, bottles and diapers.Striving For Excellence Program: This program is designed for youth and young adults ages 14-24. We offer Professional Development, Life skills training, Workforce development training, Vocational training and Continuing Education training and support. We assist these young adults with setting, implementing, and reaching their goals and having a successful life. Workshops are held both on-site at our Compassionate Resource Center, Belleville or off-site by request. Girlz Enrich-Me Program: Offers three (3) programs exclusively for girls.*Empower-Me: is a middle/high school based program. Girls meet each week for one hour to discuss and build self-esteem, self-worth, conflict management, and social skills. This program also offers positive behavior reinforcement with a focus on attitude, decision making, and responsibility. Participants in this program lack the positive support system needed to continue their education and/or avoid falling victim to the negative environment in which they live in. We provide mentoring and a positive support system to ensure each girl continues their education and continue down the road of success.*Imagine-Me Summer Program: is a nine (9) week summer camp for girls ages 13-16. Participants are also struggling with social issues (making and maintain friends), new to the school which they attend, currently living in a single parent home, living in a foster care setting, recently experienced a change in family dynamics such as; (divorce, death of a love one). Girls growing up in impoverished communities face myriad pitfalls; however; the Imagine-Me program aims to help steer these young girl who are struggling with self-esteem and character issues prior to returning back to school.*Girlz On Purpose Tour: is a 1-day tour for girls ages 11 to 18 to navigate self-esteem, education, and character discussions in a fun, energizing, and inspiring day. The first tour was launched in 2014. Girlz On Purpose has welcomed girls throughout St. Clair County, Madison County and St. Louis communities. (http://projectcompassionnfp.org/programs.html)

I have not visited Project Compassion, but the several nonprofits I have visited who adhere to the same principles have filled me with awe and honor in their welcome and acceptance. The beauty of the people I have met in these places will forever be immeasurable, regardless of where they were in the healing and empowering process. If you have a nonprofit near you and are interested in helping, I can wholly  recommend supporting it. The changes these programs make affect change for  everyone in the community.

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

100: Navigating Daily Charity Made Easier with Charity Navigator

Woohoo Day 100 of Donations by the Dozen.

 My goals for this program were multi-fold, and I am accomplishing many of them. I do want to mention I had highly hoped more of you would reach out and recommend ideas or nonprofits, ask questions, tell me your cool ideas and things. I do reach out to people too, but I would love for this to be more of a conversation than it has been. 

I have discovered some favorite  nonprofits I know I will continue to support, though of course I wish I could do more.

I am bound by IRS rules to donate and account for things in multiple ways. To do this, I have relied heavily on Charity Navigator. "Charity Navigator works to guide intelligent giving. By guiding intelligent giving, we aim to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace, in which givers and the charities they support work in tandem to overcome our nation’s and the world’s most persistent challenges." (https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=17) 

As the manager of two foundations and as an individual, I have used Charity Navigator for quite a few years. Since Charity Navigator is also a nonprofit, I donate at the end of each year. I think I owe them big this year, but for today, they are part of the program. 

As with many of the nonprofits I have chosen, Charity Navigator has so much to offer, I won't be able to do it complete justice in detail. The main things you should know is they exist to assist in more ways than just rating charities. The Tips for Donors page can help you decide how to identify, respond, analyze, and support the ideas that draw you to philanthropy. This source offers a variety of articles if you want to know how to handle choosing, how to handle solicitors, questions you should ask, things about scams and other great ways to make the best of your support. Charity Navigator also covers Hot Topics, tracks recent donations made through their site (on the home page), and their Methodology for ratings. Often when charities have not been rated or are not subject to providing information to be rated, Charity Navigator till has a great deal of information they do provide. If you want to know more about Charity Navigator, scroll to the bottom of any page, since they know you mainly visit for the nonprofit sections of the page.

For me, the amount of information I need makes Charity Navigator my main resource each day as I donate. Since I need all of the information like EIN, address, and more, I can easily find it there and assure each nonprofit has the proper status to qualify for my donation. I strongly believe in supporting sites I use who need donations, and I am happy to support and offer immense gratitude to the amazing hard work of all of the stakeholders of Charity Navigator. Also Happy 15th Birthday, Charity Navigator.

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

99: Acumen Pairs Philanthropy and Charity for Success

In researching an article to be released later, I discovered an exciting organization called  Acumen.  "As a non-profit, we raise charitable donations that allow us to make patient long-term debt or equity investments in early-stage companies providing reliable and affordable access to agricultural inputs, quality education, clean energy, healthcare services, formal housing, and safe drinking water to low-income customers." (http://acumen.org/about/) I'm going to pick my top three things to share, since Acumen has so much to offer I can't share it all. 
First and in my own interpretation, Acumen combines the best elements of private and public foundations to create a model focusing on issues at every level. They do this with dignity and teamwork at a global level while remaining open, communicative, and passionate. Why is this so great? It's better than great, because they have bridged a gap from personal to public in a way I might have thought was impossible if I didn't wish to do it myself. The capture below shows the business model, and anyone familiar with private, grant writing non profits will recognize how things generally stop at writing a check. Acumen doesn't stop there, and it's a model of beauty. "The patient capital Acumen provides is accompanied by a wide range of management support services nurturing the company to scale. Our aim in investing patient capital is not to seek high returns, but rather to jump-start the creation of enterprises that improve the ability of the poor to live with dignity." (http://acumen.org/investments/investment-model-2/) 

http://acumen.org/investments/investment-model-2/

Second, I love the open architecture of the organization's attitude/personality. Whether you want to partner, donate, volunteer, or support in some other way, you can find an inclusive and empowering opportunity. Which leads us to my favorite part for the short-term. 

Third, you can take classes. If you know me in real life, you know how much I love learning, so of course I'm all about the classes. "We created +Acumen to give people a meaningful way to “add Acumen” to their lives. Learn through online courses or volunteer and network through our chapters. You could even create and lead a new chapter in your city. The world needs you to lead. This is your invitation." (http://acumen.org/leadership/plusacumen/)

Finding Acumen gave me a hope and helped reignite my belief in my own abilities, because I know, now, there are others out there like me - well, like me but so much better. 

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