Proof Positivity: American President Announced

  What a night!  I was up until 12:00 AM last night watching the election.  I’m sad to say my state voted for John McCain but I am happy to say my country voted for Barack Obama.  That’s right Barack Obamais America’s first African American president!  What this means to me is first, I’m hoping this will give young African Americans a positive role model.  You can do anything in America if you put your mind to it.  You can be president with hard work and persistence.  Secondly, I am big on volunteerism and community service.  A large portion of the non-profits are government funded and don’t get enough funding when the environmentis trickle down.  Trickle down is when they hope the wealthy will donate to charities.  I don’t agree with trickle down economics.  My mom’s pay got cut during this kind of economy and she is a teacher.  Yes, even teachers who are funded by the government get pay cuts especially when trickle down is the way they want things to go.  What this also means for volunteerism and serving my country is that programs like City Yearwill have tons of support.  Serving my country doesn’t just mean going off to war it means tutoring a child, teaching a person with disabilities how to paint, painting an elderly woman’s fingernails and listening to her stories of attending the march in which Dr. Martin Luther King gave his “I had a dream speech.”  

 

Barack Obama as president means foreign oil will eventually be a thing of the past.  Maybe our cars will be run on water.  When it evaporates it doesn’t harm the environment or maybe we could tank upat our local McDonald’s.   This new president doesn’t have family that could potentially profit from oil so the sky is the limit.

In America there is a feel good atmosphere.  I watch the journalists of the Today Show Matt Lauer and Al Roker look happier than usual.  It is indeed a “new day.”  If only we can get a woman in office next one that isn’t into moose or wolf hunting preferably.  A woman that is a little more into politics enough to know what Roe vs. Wade is.  One that will consider some women were abused or could die if they have a baby.

On with non-political news…

The Gift That Keeps Giving

The Family Giving Tree program began in 1990 as a San Jose State University MBA class project. Jennifer Cullenbine and Todd Yoshida were asked to “create a program that adds value to someone  else’s life.”  They created The Family Giving Tree with the hope of providing Christmas gifts to 300 children in East Palo Alto, California.   Encouraged by the success of the first year, Jennifer decided to continue the program. In the 16th year of the program’s existence, the number of gifts donated had swelled to 63,000, making The Family Giving Tree the largest gift donation program in California.

The Family Giving Tree is a four star, rated 501c(3) nonprofit, by charity navigator.

 

You Lean On My Big Shoulders

 

In light of the election I thought I should probably highlight a few charities in the Chicago area. 

 ”The mission of the Big Shoulders Fund is to provide support to the Catholic schools in the neediest areas of inner-city Chicago. 100% of the funds raised by the Big Shoulders Fund are used to support children through scholarships, special education programs, instructional equipment, much needed school facility improvements, faculty support, and operating grants.  The Big Shoulders Fund is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. “

The schools supported by the Big Shoulders Fund are the most poor and oldest Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. The criteria that are used to designate a Big Shoulders Fund supported school include:

• The school is located in the City of Chicago;

• Title I eligibility and participation; and

• School has 20 percent or more of its students receiving free and reduced luncheons through the school’s lunch program.

Over half of the students who attend these schools are living at or below the poverty level.  Through education an opportunity to break the cycle arrises.

Proof Positivity: Welcome!

Welcome to Proof Positivity’s new home.  I hope you all enjoy it.  I think this new site gives Proof Positivity a professional look and I like that.  I am still getting used to WordPress so if you see any bugs or glitches just let me know.  If you would like to find out who I am linking to feel free to look around.    A few special features that PP has here that it didn’t have at Blogger is the calander on the side which will tell you when I posted and take you right to that day.  My archives now has a scrollbar.  This site will tell you where everybody is going and the most popular posts automattically.  I think this is an awesome feature.  I am looking forward to making this site the place you go to for your daily dose of positive and happy news and I will also be working on placing a lot more news into the posts.  With that said here is today’s news:

 

RSM McGladrey Supports the Special Olympics

RSM McGladrey, the fifth largest tax, accounting, and business consulting firm in the United States announced the Special Olympics as the official Charity of The PGA McGladrey Team Championship.    The partnership will support athletes by giving financial support and a chance for them to enhance their golf game by participating in certain PGA McGladrey Team Championship events throughout the country.  This will also provide an opportunity for the employees to get involved through volunteerism.

 

“The PGA McGladrey Team Championship is all about the power of teamwork and the idea that you can achieve almost anything if you have the right team,” said Steve Tait, president of RSM McGladrey. “We are thrilled that Special Olympics is now part of The PGA McGladrey Team Championship and we look forward to the passion the Special Olympics involvement adds to this great event. Working with Special Olympics further demonstrates the shared values of giving back, the sport of golf and the accounting profession.”

 

Can of the Year Award

There is an event for every thing including cans.  Dutchman Antonio Perra invented the resealable can and it has won international recognition. His can was nominated ‘Can of the Year’ during ‘The Canmaker Summit Conference’ in Warsaw, Poland.   It was prepared for worldwide production in collaboration with Ball Packaging Europe and Coca-Cola. The Ball Resealable End (BRE) prevents cans from leaking after they have been opened and preserves the beverage’s carbon dioxide content. The first drink to use the BRE is Coca-Cola’s new energy drink ‘Burn’, which was launched in France earlier this year. 

 

Antonio Perra and Sander Zweed (R&D Director) of Bound2B and 4Sight Innovation are extremely honoured. A delighted Perra says: “I would never have dared dream that my invention would eventually meet with this much international recognition. I’m as proud as a peacock. The introduction of the ‘Burn’ energy drink has only just been rounded off, and already we have received this prestigious award. I sincerely hope that this establishes the new standard for beverage cans.”

 

All Smiles

In Madison, Wisconson

October marks National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and sadly, more than five million people in the United States are affected by domestic violence each year. These startling statistics reflect why the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation’s (AACDCF) Give Back A Smile (GBAS) program was created. Its mission is to “restore a life by restoring a smile” by providing free cosmetic dental care to survivors of domestic violence. More than 6,000 AACD dental professionals have volunteered their time and expertise for free, over 650 cases have been completed for a total dollar value of over $6 million, and 335 applicants are being treated throughout the United States.

 

“After suffering abuse, it is difficult for survivors to find something to smile about, and it’s even harder when they don’t have a smile to show. American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry members assist survivors of domestic violence by treating their dental injuries, restoring their smiles, their self-esteem, and their lives,” said AACD Foundation Program Manager Lisa Fitch. “We are overjoyed that AACD volunteers have given so much of themselves by helping those in need.”

 Finding Help Through Give Back A Smile
 → Domestic violence survivors who have suffered dental injuries from
     abuse by a former intimate partner or spouse can contact GBAS
     toll-free at 800.773.4227.
 →  Survivors must make an appointment with a counselor, domestic violence
     advocate, social worker, or therapist to complete the advocate section
     of the GBAS application.
 → GBAS conducts the initial review of the application, however, the
     dentist has the final say as to the eligibility of the applicant.
 →  If eligible, the AACD connects the survivor with a local GBAS
     volunteer who provides treatment at no charge to the recipient.
 Restoring Lives by Restoring Smiles.

 

Design Studios Compete in the 5th Annual Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge

Today’s race cars have ground-breaking technology to improve speed, power, performance and safety. Imagine  never needing to stop for re-fueling or collision avoidance assistance technology for enhanced safety.

“Automotive designers have always been fascinated with Motor Sports and this year’s Design Challenge has provided them with the opportunity to use their creative talent to look at these cars with new eyes, using innovative technologies and approaches,” said Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc. “This adds to the excitement, interest and personal involvement in the sport that has thrilled people of all ages for many years…and many more years to come.”

  The Audi R25 special features high-velocity banks and tunnels, which allow cars to race “inverted” and the opportunity to pass anywhere with aerodynamic racecars.

 The BMW Hydrogen Powered Salt Flat Racer reuses existing, ordinary and materials such as old oil barrels and BBQ lids to whimsical and sustainable by employing goldfish as “co-pilots” to ensure that the vehicle is running clean

 The GM Chaparral Volt collects and creates its own energy from three different clean, renewable and abundant California resources: Earth, Wind and Fire to create an entirely new category of racing – the eco-triathlon.

Proof Positivity: Cradles to Crayons

President Bill Clinton stated on April 28, 2005, “Today, I had the chance to go by the warehouse and see all those wonderful volunteers and to thank the donoors of materials and the volunteers and also to acknowledge, what is to m,e phenominal that Cradles to Crayons actually distributes these packages through more than 200 social service agencies.”

I interviewed Rhonda Feder, Community Outreach Manager from Cradles to Crayons.

 

 

When was cradles to crayons founded?
Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia was founded in 2007 by Jennifer Case. We opened our doors in
June 2007. The organization was originally
founded in the Boston area in 2002.

What is Cradles to Crayons?

Cradles to Crayons is a 501c3 (nonprofit) organization dedicated to providing everyday essentials to children in need. We collect new and gently used clothing, toys, books, shoes, puzzles, games, arts and crafts, school supplies, baby equipment and more through donations at our warehouse and through community drives held throughout the Philadelphia region. We are able to provide so much to so many with the help of the great number of volunteers who work in warehouse throughout the year, and through the generosity of those who donate to us their no longer used items for babies and children, and through individual and corporate donations.

What is the mission for Cradles to Crayons?

Formally, our mission is to provide, free of charge, to children from birth to pre-teen, living in poverty or low income situations, the basic essentials they need to be safe, warm, ready to learn, and to feel valued. We also set a foundation for lasting change through the meaningful, tangible volunteer opportunities we provide to thousands of youth and adults each year. It is often easier to understand our dual mission when we put it like this:

1. We provide to children in need what they need when they need it— and make existing agencies that serve children more effective.

2. We are able to do this efficiently and economically by engaging and mobilizing volunteers of all ages thru schools, companies and communities to encourage everyone to “give back.”

What is The Giving Factory?

The Giving Factory is our warehouse, in Horsham, PA. There is also a Giving Factory in Quincy, MA.

Cradles to Crayons serves both Philadelphia and Boston can you please tell me about the child poverty rate in both of those areas?

Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), a Philadelphia-based children’s welfare advocacy group, reports that 168,718 children in the five-county region in and around Philadelphia are living in poverty. As for Massachusetts, on our website it is reported that almost 500,000 children in Massachusetts live in poor or low income situations, citing the National Center for Children and Poverty.

How is Cradles to Crayons able to help the child poverty rate?

Cradles to Crayons, rather than offering direct service to children, provides essential items for their well being directly to other nonprofit organizations, health centers, schools and others who service children who in need, thereby enabling them to more efficiently serve the children and their families. We fill orders placed on behalf of individual children by their social workers, principals, health care providers and others, providing a reliable resource to those serving children directly. By supporting the basic needs of children, we are enabling other organizations whose mission is to reduce the child poverty rate and serve children in a variety of ways and settings.

How many children do you serve?

So far, we served over 8,400 children! We are receiving and filling more and more orders each week, on average, about 150 orders per week. Each order represents one child.

Do you have any big events you would love to shout out to the world?

Oh yes! Our annual fundraiser, A Family Time to Give, is coming up on November 22, which is also National Family Philanthropy Day. We call this our un-gala fundraiser. Rather than a formal, black tie event, we invite families and the families of corporate sponsors, to spend a day under a heated tent outside our warehouse, in a day of service for the whole family. We re-create our warehouse under the tent, and families inspect and sort clothes and books, test toys, make sure games and puzzles have all their pieces and more. There are special, kid-friendly activities for young children, a band, a delicious lunch, and the joy of spending a day teaching your children the value of community service and giving back. Information about A Family Time to Give, including individual tickets and sponsorship opportunities, are available on our website, http://www.cradlestocrayons.org/. This event is sponsored generously by Bank of America, Comcast, Advanta, Target, Neiman Marcus, Shire and US Airways.

How can the average person get involved?

There are two ongoing ways for individuals and groups, including groups of children, to get involved in Cradles to Crayons. The first is by helping us to collect donated items in the community by hosting a collection drive. This can be done informally among family and friends, in a school or business setting, through a scout troop, sports teams, house of worship, moms’ group, or any other group one may belong to. The pharmaceutical company Shire recently hosted our most successful collection drive to date – it was held over two days at a park near their Chesterbrook corporate offices. As the Community Outreach Manager, I work with individuals and groups interested in hosting a drive, and I provide the kind of support that makes it an easy and rewarding experience for anyone willing to help us! I can be reached via email at Rhonda@cradlestocrayons.org, or by phone at 215-836-0958×207. I am also in need of help from anyone willing to drive to pick up donations, especially those who can make a commitment once a week or twice a month.

The other way to help is by volunteering in our warehouse. Children as young as six years old are welcome (with a parent or guardian). Individuals and groups are welcome, and we often host corporate groups looking to volunteer together or as part of a team building exercise. We have recently hosted groups including Independence Blue Cross, Vanguard, Motorola, Prudential Fox and Roach, Reed Technology, SKF and more. There is always work to be done in our warehouse, and we rely on the time and efforts of our volunteers for much of the work in our warehouse. Volunteers are asked to inspect and sort clothes, make up arts and crafts kids, clean and test toys, pack orders for children, and more. Volunteers are welcome to come in once, but many return on a regular schedule. In addition to our regular hours for volunteers, Tuesday – Friday, 10 AM – 3 PM, we are open Tuesdays and Thursday from 3-5 PM for high school students, and we are open late for working families on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, and two Saturdays each month. We also are always looking for volunteers who can make a commitment for a few hours a week or even a month – we call these our Champion Volunteers! Visit our website to sign up to volunteer at our warehouse.

For you, what is the biggest reward of making a difference in the lives of the children you serve?

The biggest rewards for me are in knowing that we genuinely are children through helping the organizations that directly serve them, and also in helping to set a foundation among children, ALL children, that service is a valuable, important part of life.

Thank you so much for your time.
Thank you for interviewing me!

2006 Video President Clinton video

Proof Positivity: A fun and safe Halloween

One of the best things about carving a pumpkin is baking pumpkin seeds. Last year I had my first experience with this.

You will need:
Your pumpkin
colander
cooking spray
salt

1. Preheat your oven to 350.
2. cut out the top of your pumpkin and scoop all of your seeds out into you colander. Rinse all of the pulp out.
3. get a cookie sheet spray the cooking spray on it.
4. place the seeds on the tray and salt them.
5. Leave them in the oven for 10 minutes turn them over and bake them for another 10 minutes.
6. leave them to cool and then store them in a Ziploc.

Have a safe Halloween

1. If you won’t be Trick or Treating with your child know your child’s route and make sure that he/ she will be going in a group with another parent you can trust.
2. Teach your child not to vandalize. Vandalism is not a trick or treat. Teach your child to clean up any vandalism they may cause.
3. Every Halloween people harm black cats. Make sure your child knows this is wrong and the law protects the animals.
4. Make sure you child wears reflective tape and carries flashlights.
5. Make sure your child knows to look both ways before crossing and not to get into vehicles with strangers.
6. Throw out things like apples and oranges. It’s better safe than sorry. Always inspect your kids bags.

For a spooktacular charitable time

You can help the Help Houston Aeros Charities sell pucks.
In my area Habitat for Humanity will hold a haunted house.
Create your own charitable event for your favorite cause. How about a party where you keep a donation bowl and all proceeds go to your favorite cause. Ask a company to sponsor your event. They may give you things to auction for a little free advertising.

Proof Positivity: Ark of Hope

Proof Positivity author Blair Corbett sent this to me. Please click on the image to read.

Ark of Hope

Blair’s Article

Proof Positivity: What do NFL’s Larry Izzo and Ron Burton have in common?

NFL special teams captain Larry Izzo has just received the Ron Burton community service award for 2008. Patriots Chairman and CEO presented Izzo with the award. He has held three karaoke events, called “Larryoke”, to raise money for military charities such as Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund, Home for Our Troops, the Fallen Patriot Fund, Fisher House Boston, Operation Ensuring Christmas and the Pat Tillman Foundation. His three Larryoke events, featuring Larry and his teammates belting out karaoke tunes, have raised a total of $600,000. During the 2005 off season, Izzo traveled to the Middle East for a week to officially open the Pat Tillman USO Center, located at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. He also visited Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan and Iraq, meeting thousands of soldiers during “The USO and NFL Salute the Troops Tour”. Izzo has also done volunteer work with Cause, a non-profit organization that benefits military personnel while they recover in military hospitals, and he has visited injured military personnel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.” In 2007 he served food in a kids cafe and served and prepare meals for the Boston homeless. Larry Izzo states, ” It’s truly an honor to receive this award and to be associated with Ron Burton. The work that I do in the community pales in comparison to what he was able to do in his lifetime. But it’s an honor. I thank the organization for giving me this award and I thank my teammates for supporting the work that we do with the military. It’s about the troops. Any time we’ve had the Larryoke event, it’s been about the troops and supporting them and their families because they’re the ones that need it the most. I’m just happy to be in a position where I can put an event together that brings attention to the sacrifices they’re making and raise a little money while having a little fun.”

Here is a little video treat to get a good giggle from this is Larryoke. It is hilarious. If you’re going to make yourself look silly may as well do it for charity. What a great idea for fundraising.

I couldn’t resist I had to place the video it was so funny. Anyhow, I commend Larry Izzo. I love when celebrities use their status for something good. I think it makes them more human and if they aren’t used to what it’s like to be in certain situations it’s a little bit of a reality check.

Home | War Child

Home War Child “War Child is an international charity that works with children affected by war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Our work with former child soldiers, children in prison and children living and working on the streets gives them support, protection and opportunities. To make sure we provide them with what they need we involve them directly in all our decision making.”

How much do you pay to download your music? What if you could download your music and make a difference? This site offers downloads from artists like Radiohead, Keane, Artic Monkeys, and coldplay. They have an 11 page list and they are $0.99 in pounds I don’t know what that coverts to In U.S. dollars.

Lisa Smith-Batchen 810

Since May 1st, 2008 $240,000 has been raised. Her teams goal by October is $500,000. Online donations have been set up and an online live tracking device so we can see where Lisa is all the time.

Teton Races
Updated website
Donation page
Newsletter
Lisa’s blog
Dream Chaser events

Proof Positivity: Solution

I am dedicating this post to Kdawg68 at THE ASPIRING HORSEPLAYER

I love horses but I just don’t get racing them. It makes me sad that one would have to be put down. If I were to sit and watch the races and I saw one go down I would probably end in tears because I’m the emotional sort. This is a story of a second chance. Injured thouroughbreds are adopted through a program called Rerun “ReRun Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Thoroughbred adoption program whose mission is to help ex-racehorses find a second career. Horses accepted into the program are evaluated, rested and rehabilitated as needed. The Thoroughbreds are then placed with qualified adopters to begin their chance at a second career.” This site also offers an opportunity to adopt the race horses that will no longer be used for races.

In The NICU

When my first child was born we lived 70 miles from the hospital. I spent 4 days trying to get him here before the doctors ordered a c-section. Something wasn’t right. It took a full day for him to finish a bottle. That’s not normal. The next day I was told he has seizures. I was heartbroken and I resented every woman who had a baby that could visit them. Mine was in the NICU (newborn intensive care unit). I had to visit him. I couldn’t take it I demanded to leave the hospital that day. I could have stayed an extra day but every time I heard a baby cry that wasn’t my own I cried. I was sent to Ronald McDonald House with my fiance. The people were so nice and every one had a different story. I saw ivy needles inserted into my babies head, arms, even his feet. I had to agree to an MRI and a spinal tap to figure out the cause of the seizures. My son was given a neurologist who told me he expected the problem to be gone in six months and it was. We had six months with him on a drug called phenobarbital. Without it he wouldn’t have eaten. He was a low birth weight baby so we had to try to fatten him up before he was out of the danger zone. Baby’s in the NICU need special care you cannot take your baby home without a CPR class.

He has outgrown the seizures. The grim prediction of the neurologist seems to hold no weight. He told me it could cause disabilities or delays but he is ahead of his class. He is a normal healthy boy and he has no clue that he ever had seizures.

A few sites to look at: Ronald McDonald House http://www.rmhc.com/

March of Dimes http://www.marchofdimes.com/

Infant CPR http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/infantcpr.html

Coats For Kids

Coats for Kids is looking for new coats. They have already had 2,013 coats delivered so it is a year round thing. It’s spring time and sales are going on right about now so it would be the perfect time and it’s tax deductable. Why wait for the chaos that is the Christmas season?
http://www.coats-for-kids.org/

Ward Tipton Dot Com is The Write Resource

Ward Tipton Dot Com is The Write Resource Mt. Tipton is faced with a challenge to raise $1million dollars. He intends on giving to charity. “You see, the challenge requires me to prove that the American people are the greatest people in the world.” Mr. Tipton is cynical toward the American government but these days who isn’t, but he has a strong belief in it’s people. He hasn’t picked out his charity yet but when I get word I’ll let you know. Please go to his site and read what he has to say.

Charity Navigator

I feel that everyone should give to charity and it doesn’t have to be a monetary donation. Many charities are grateful just for the volunteerism that they receive. A few good ones that I personally have volunteered for are Coats for Kids. They need people to go through the coats to make sure they are in good condition and often they send out personal hygiene kits too and those need to be gone through. Habitat For Humanity does more than build homes for low-income people they also help the elderly repair their home. Public school systems need volunteers for libraries, tutoring, mentoring, and being a positive role model. Some of those kids are from severely broken homes. Domestic violence shelters need people to help file and be support to the women and children there. There is a strong privacy policy these shelters are kept secret for the protection of the women and children living there. If word gets out where the shelter is at then a life can be jeopardized. Only volunteer for one if you can keep the location secret.Research, research, research never give money to a charity unless you are sure it’s legit. There are scammers that want your money for their own purposes. Here is a site to help you with that: Charity Navigator – America’s Largest Charity Evaluator Home