Giving Back in October - Open Your Karma Bank

Thank you for reading this post.  I know that it has been a long time since I have posted a Giving Back post.  It has not been for lack of wanting to.  This month's charity represents a cause that is very near and dear to my heart.  As much as I would love for it to be to yours also, I hope it is not from personal experience.  This month's Featured Charity is Remembering Our Babies.

Giving Back in May

This month we honor mothers everywhere.  Being a mother elicits so many emotions.  I spent a good portion of my life thinking that I could not be a mother.  There was no real foundation for that thinking.  It's just what I thought.  I remember asking my husband, "What if we can't have kids?"  God bless him.  He told me that we would just get another dog.

A.C.N.M. = American College of Nurse-Midwives

This month's featured charity came so easily.  I am honoring the American College of Nurse-Midwives Foundation.  Whenever I think of Mother's Day and motherhood in general, my midwives come to mind automatically.  During my pregnancies, I was tended to by midwives and both of my daughters were delivered by midwives.  The Foundation is run by a small group of volunteers whose mission is to support excellence in women's healthcare by developing and promoting excellence in midwifery.

I had the honor of speaking with Jan Kriebs, CNM, FACNM, President of the Board of Trustees.  She explained to me the fantastic things that the Foundation does within the community.  The Jeanne Raisler Memorial Fund encourages midwives who want to go abroad.  The Foundation sponsors scholarships for students pursuing careers in midwifery.  Community grants assist local groups seeking to educate patients about issues relating to healthcare.  In keeping with the promotion of excellence, the Foundation also sponsors research.

If you would like to make a donation to the American College of Nurse-Midwives Foundation, you can go to their website here or mail a payment to:

ACNM Foundation 
801 East Park Drive
Suite 100 
Harrisburg, PA  17111

PH:  (717) 703-0034

FX:  (717) 234-6798

If you want to make a donation to honor your midwife, include a note to that effect and the Foundation will print that in their newsletter. 
 

To get involved with the A.C.N.M., go here to find out how.  May 13-17 is ACNM Virtual Lobby Week 2013.  The goal is to "Speak Out For Midwifery."  In 15 minutes, you can help support issues concerning healthcare delivered to women and children and the midwives who provide this care to them.  For this month, I added the ACNM's Blog Feed to the bottom of my blog for those who want to read through it.

Tell me about your experiences with midwives.  This is truly a passion of mine so I invite you to leave me your thoughts on the topic.

Karina

Tell me your thoughts!

Subscribe

  

Giving Back in April

With this first Friday of April brings another Giving Back charity.  April marks the first full month of spring and the month we celebrate Earth Day 2013 (April 22).  Since Punxsutawney Phil's spring arrival prediction left us scratching our heads, cabin fever is certainly setting in for some. This month's charity will inspire you to get outside.

American Rivers is the leading organization working to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and streams. Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Since 1973, American Rivers has fought to preserve these connections, helping protect and restore more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and the annual release of America’s Most Endangered Rivers®.

Giving Back in March

Today we mark the first of March and the first Friday of the month, which means it's time to feature another charity here.  I am so excited to feature this month's charity.  Without further ado, this month's featured charity is:

The Pets for the Elderly Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit charity that  helps pay the fees to participating animal shelters throughout the United States for senior citizens (age 60 and over) who adopt a companion dog or cat from a participating shelter — including pre-adoption veterinary exams and spay/neuter, if part of the adoption fee.

Tweet

When I came across this charity, tears came to my eyes.  Many years ago, we gave my grandmother {who passed away a few years ago} a dog - a Pomeranian - to be her and my grandfather's daily companion.  The mission of this charity touches my heart so deeply that, as I write this post, tears come to my eyes because I think of my grandparents.  Words escape me to describe to you how much they meant to me in my life.

My grandparents

I confess that I was unsure about featuring this charity just because it unveiled some very personal feelings that I am not used to talking about, especially on a blog where my purpose is, in essence, about other people.  The topic of my grandparents is very sacred to me and one that I keep very close to my heart.  For that reason, though, I thought it was worth featuring them here.

Pets for the Elderly Foundation currently partners with animal shelters in 29 states.  Their goal is to underwrite these companion costs for shelters in all 50 states.  I had the pleasure of speaking to their Executive Director, Susan Kurowski, and she told me that they receive a donation from one of their first adopters.  It's for $2 per year.  {Yes, that is $2 per year.}  This donation is her way of giving back what she can to an organization that gave her so much.  {Here are some pictures of some of their recipients.}  If this wonderful lady is able to give that, I wonder how much money we can raise this month for so many others who need this companionship.  Ms. Kurowski told me that donations have been down and they have not been able to expand their services for this reason.  Let's see if we can help them with that.  Here is a link to their donate page and their home page.  On their home page, at the top right, you will see a link to Amazon.  Your purchase, through that link, helps support them also.

If you do make a donation, please leave me a comment.  I would like to know that this post is encouraging you to give back to the communities that we all live in.


Karina

Tell me your thoughts!

Subscribe

Giving Back in February

The first Friday of every month I feature a charity here as a way of giving back.  I am proud to feature this month's charity: 

  

In honor of Valentine's Day and the month of love, this charity fills all the requirements of the aaawww factor.  The three oldest children of the Kladar family began this charity.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The kids started the charity for other kids. 

Kladar kids

The mission of Kids Helping Kids Fix Broken Hearts, a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization, focuses on helping "children in need of lifesaving heart surgery by providing funds for transportation to a hospital, food, lodging and for procedures necessary to save or enhance their quality of life."  The money raised from donations and the sale of their dishtowels also assists in paying "for other expenses related to the surgery not covered by insurance."

"The Kladar Kids can be invited to share their experience, show a documentary about their charity and sell dishtowels for $5 each. Corporations, community organizations, churches, and schools are all places that can collectively save the life of a child and help families in need."  If you are involved in an organization and would like to help, please contact them.

For anyone that is a parent or compassionate towards children's needs, this charity will tug at your heart strings. Nothing interrupts life more than having a sick child, especially one that is in need of life-saving surgery. To have the added pressure of meeting financial obligations relieved, helps a family to focus on the recovery of their child. If you want to help out this great cause, you can purchase a dishtowel......or two or you can donate here.

By the way, "the dishtowels are purchased from a manufacturer in Michigan and sent to a local fabric store in Coeur d'Alene, ID for screen printing."

Karina

Tell me your thoughts!

Subscribe

** If you like my blog, please subscribe to continue to receive updates. Simply click on the button. Thank you so much for your continued support.

What Inspired This Mom

A few nights ago, I watched CNN Heroes.  Each year CNN recognizes everyday people doing extraordinary things. 

Watching these people inspired me. I decided that beginning next month, I would feature a charity here on this blog.  There are numerous well-known charities that do phenomenal work.  There are also countless local charities that are not so well-known except to the local communities they serve.  I have learned a lot about the companies that make their products in the U.S.  I want to be able to learn about those that serve our communities in a different manner and bring that information to you also.

In order to accomplish this, I ask for your help.  If you know of a charity that deserves to be featured here, please let me know.  The charity will be featured the first Friday of the month and a new one each first Friday of the month thereafter.

Karina

I love comments!

If Money Weren't An Issue......

Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net by Idea Go

As the holiday shopping season approaches, the topic of money usually starts creeping up in my head.  I am pretty sure that many people can relate to this thought, whether it's good or otherwise.  It is no secret that there are several people wishing that they could win the lottery this week sometime.  There are others that are just praying for a meal on Thanksgiving.

I wrote a previous post about wanting to travel across the country in an RV. That's on my bucket list, so if money weren't an issue, I would do that.

The funny thing is that I think that earning money creates some character.  We learn to appreciate the work that went into earning it.  Earning, giving, saving and spending is how we look at our money after taking a financial planning class at our church.  There is truth in the expression: Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

I watch my girls grow and learn and sleep every day.  I do get paid in hugs and kisses, but I don't think I could pay for groceries with hugs and kisses.  I write this blog and love every minute of it.  My husband enjoys what he does for a living.  I tell him that he has a gift.  He does get paid for doing that (since we can't the bills with hugs and kisses).  I do think I would volunteer at more places, but that's more of a time issue than a money issue.  I have started to collect toiletries to donate to local charities.  Many places provide housing, clothing and food and God bless them for doing so.  I always think, though, about all of those things that I do to "get ready" to go somewhere.  Where do those supplies come from for the people who are struggling to meet those needs?  That's something that I could help contribute to. 

If money weren't an issue, what would you do?  I would love to read your stories.

Karina
I love comments!

Roller Racer

Powered by Disqus

One Mother's Quest to Give Back

Grocery money

Does this picture look familiar?  This is how we paid for groceries during a trip to the supermarket.  It is in making that statement that I can explain my purpose for starting this blog.  I was recently inspired by a news story that talked about American-made products.  Then, a friend of mine gave me the additional courage to put my words out there. 

I hope and pray that this blog gives back to others in the same way that we have been helped to this point.  We have been down in our finances and, sadly, our spirits followed, at times.  Trying to keep our spirits up, though, sometimes seemed like as much of a chore as reading that we didn't get yet another job that we applied for.

Fortunately, my husband was able to find a job thanks to my sister's referral.  Not a day goes by that we don't forget what it was like to be broke, hungry and unemployed.  I serve the information in this blog on a plate of gratitude.  Each time I look around our home, it occurs to me that each item here equals a job for someone.  By showcasing products that are made in the USA, I wonder how many jobs could be created as a result of my desire to give to others what we have been blessed with.