Causes Worth Supporting: Hospice

Photo courtesy of Tennessee Hospice Organization

This week I think it's time we looked at supporting an organization that has been there for most of our families at one time or another: Hospice. The Hospice organizations around the country do some of the most beautiful work in healthcare. They make everyone as comfortable as possible in their last months, weeks, or days - and give their patients as much dignity and respect as they deserve. I have experienced family losses many times with Hospice's presence and I volunteered with the local Hospice while I was in high school. This is an organization that not only cares for the patient, but the entire family. The nurses are as caring and sweet as you could ever imagine, and grief counseling is offered for each family to help them through their grieving for a over a year after the loss. Hospice Houses offer a wonderful location to stay for patients that cannot or do not wish to live out their days at home, still giving all members of the family the familiar comforts of a home whenever possible. 

Hospice relies on donations (linked to our local Hospice in Cleveland) to continually offer their services to any qualifying patient regardless of their situation or ability to pay. This is a great kindness when you consider the monumental costs of aging, painkillers - medications in general, and most chronic or incurable conditions. Not to mention the numerous services that Hospice workers provide directly to the families of those in their care. 

 In the field of cinema, there have been some wonderful films that teach us about valuing life for its temporality while showing the beauty that is the succinct existence of a human life. One of my very favorite films does just that in a beautifully, utterly magical way - and that film is Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. I won't tell you anything about the story, though I will share this one quote that illustrates a piece of why I love the film so much. Before I share that though - let's try to remember to support those who support us in our times of greatest needs, alright? They more than deserve it.

 

Causes Worth Supporting: Your Family

Photo credit to the amazing Lauren K. Photography of Cleveland

This week's Cause Worth Supporting is a simple one that not many of us think about. We forget how important it is to support ourselves and our families, to make effort and sacrifice for the betterment of their future - to invest in ourselves! So today it's all about how you can support your family by saving more, spending less, and paying off debts as quickly as you can to become debt free!

My husband and I have been in debt since we got married (we both came into the marriage with debt from college - his credit cards, mine student loans) and it's only snowballed as the years have passed. I have made a lot of progress on our little mountain in the last year using Dave Ramsey's Snowball Method and paid off about $8,000 worth of debt (in total we probably have around $120,000 - though the majority of that belongs to my student loans and the car we purchased last year and make payments on each month). So while things like that are on hold and we're burning through what little savings I held built for us - a lesson learned that won't ever be forgotten - I'm working to eliminate any extraneous spending (which is really hard sometimes) and do what we can to keep all of our bills current.

What you see up there is Dave Ramey's Baby Steps to becoming debt free. For at least the next few years Step 6 won't apply to us except that we'll be saving for a home in our future. Regardless, this is the pattern I follow for our goals (steps 1-3 in particular). When I was working on our savings and debt last year, I would take a few hundred dollars of our flex paycheck each month (the first paycheck was devoted to almost all of our bills, the second would be focused on debts and other needs) and put it towards paying off some of our debts (while paying minimum amounts on our other debts/bills). Another $100 would get put into our savings account and then I had a little cash savings I was building at home that I would add to any time I went shopping at Target or to buy groceries by getting $10 or $20 cash back and just taking straight home to the little billfold I was keeping it in. When things were going according to plan, I could save $2-300 a month. I'll be honest, that didn't happen for as long as it should have and it several times would get spent on minor emergencies or needs - hey, we've got kids and they need some pretty expensive stuff sometimes. Anyway, that's how things were and we'll return to that style again when we're back on our feet. My husband and I have also agreed we're going to try out the cash envelope concept from Dave Ramsey (can you tell I'm a fan?) and I'm also considering the idea of opening a savings account at a different bank from The Nester - or just a different account than our usual savings - so that your savings don't get touched as easily as when they're attached to your checking account.

Below are a few other links I've found in the last couple years that I really found helpful or interesting about paying off debt, managing finances, and/or savings -

A Starter Post for Saving Money Tips & Couponing

'And Then We Saved' - a great blog on becoming financially solvent

The Spending Diet from ATWS - or the more intense & quickly successful Spending Fast

All Hail the Life Changing Ecstasy of a Home Management Binder
 *a note on the HMB - there are a thousand different styles and free printables for these available on the web (just search it on Pinterest and you'll be set for life really). I've used one for a couple years and it's insanely helpful. Invest the time to set it up right and you'll love having everything all in one place!

Enjoy your day and your family, everyone. Here's to a 2014 where we all get a little closer to being debt free and having the life we want!

Causes Worth Supporting: Athena's Warehouse

Last month during my Shopping for Good project, I introduced you all to Athena's Warehouse in Atlanta. Today we're going to get to know them so much better with Law of Bambi's first interview! Without any further adieu, let's get right to it! I asked Bee, the founder and Managing Director of Athena's Warehouse 10 questions and these were her answers:

The beautiful and amazing Bee!

1. How did the idea for Athena's Warehouse come about?
Originally AW started out as an organization with just a simple idea; we wanted to recycle our bridesmaids and cocktail gowns and provide teenage girls with an opportunity to go to prom without worrying about the financial aspect. Other organizations similar to ours already existed. But we wanted our program to have a twist. Instead of a princess or a fairy tale, we wanted to embrace the concept of empowerment. So, we chose Athena as our icon and asked the girls to complete three hours of service to earn a dress.

                                                                           

2. What would you like to see AW accomplish? 
AW has expanded quite a bit since we first started. As we spent time with the girls doing community service and helping them choose a dress, we found that they were very curious and wanted guidance about college, dating, and other important aspects of their lives. So, we added an after school program called Be Awesome, Be Aware. We teach life skills that encourage graduation and college, and we provide resources that help achieve economic independence.  

Currently, we are working with junior and senior girls, but our vision is to start reaching young women at an earlier age—when they are entering high school as freshmen and staying with them until they graduate high school. More and more, we realize the importance of positive role models for young women, especially for those who have economic challenges. We see change and we see our influence and impact, so it reinforces our beliefs. We can make a difference.

 

3. What do you think we as a society need more of in our everyday lives? (eg. kindness, laughter, whoopie cushions, etc.) 

Our society needs more vulnerability. As AW works with teenage girls, I am often surprised by the girls' willingness to share their stories and by their openness with each other and to the organization. Many of the girls have stories to tell and their stories are difficult; they are not afraid to shed tears or share with us feelings that are extremely personal. As we grow older, most people learn to put up a wall and become less willing to show vulnerability. We're taught to hide ourselves, or that vulnerability is a weakness. But it is, in fact, the opposite, and though teenage girls can sometimes be hard to work with, they are above all honest about the way they feel and are willing to share it with just a little nudge and a safe space.

4. If there was a 30 day challenge that you could make everyone do - what would it be? [*I'll be doing whatever challenge you say here*] 
As technology has become more readily available, people are becoming more and more addicted to the internet and their cell phones. When I go out to dinner, I notice so many people constantly checking their phones. Their level of engagement and their connection with one another has diminished in the process. I know I have been guilty of looking at my phone instead of the other person's face.

So, my challenge to you is to leave your cell phone in your car or in your purse every time you meet a person out for dinner. No checking it even when the person is in the bathroom. I have found that the more detached I am to my cell phone, the more content I feel in general.   

You asked, and you've got it Bee - I'll be leaving my phone in my purse (for safety reasons compared to the car) and not touching it at all when I'm out with someone else for the next 30 days. Since that would finish on February 13th, I'll actually extend it to include Valentine's Day and make it a 31 day challenge! No more Instagrams of date meals or mid-date/hangout Facebook statuses - it's time to tone down the phone and internet binging. I'll post about this 2 weeks in and then at the end of the challenge to share with all of you how it goes and what I learn.

5. What is your (or AW's) life philosophy in 5 sentences or less?
I really believe in the concept of leaving the world in a better place than how we first encountered it. If that means being socially conscious on a large scale or inventing something that changes the way we live or making art or music or photographing the world, then I encourage and embrace it. Other decisions like rescuing an animal or calling your mom every week or standing against racism or bullying are also important ways to better society and create important changes.

I truly couldn't think of a way to say this better than you did, Bee!

6. Who inspires you? 
My family inspires me for their honesty, tenacity, and strength.  I am always inspired by pioneers who are courageous in their will and unafraid of being themselves or working for a greater cause. Some of my heroes are Frida Kahlo, Hillary Clinton, and John Lewis.

7. What helps brighten a bad day for you (or AW)?
Fresh air and exercise!  I love Atlanta, so being outdoors in the city is important to me.  It can take form of a run on Freedom Parkway, a bike ride on the BeltLine, the dog park at Piedmont, or Stone Mountain.


8. How does AW find and decide on projects to coordinate with? (Headbands of Hope, etc.)

We collaborate with local organizations that have mission alignment. We've worked with Ahimsa House, Hands On Atlanta, Project Open Hand, MINT Gallery, and the Atlanta BeltLine. We're always open to new ideas and projects.

9. Where is AW headed in 2014?
We're celebrating our five-year anniversary, and we have some exciting changes and additions coming in the new year. We'll be expanding some programs, but also making a few changes to our structure to better serve the community.

10. What is your (or AW's) New Year's resolution?
My resolution is to become less car-dependent. For me, that entails walking to the store and taking MARTA to work and biking more often. I find that by sometimes when I simplify my life, I feel much happier.

Thank you so much to Bee & Athena's Warehouse, as well as my correspondence pal, Kim who helped me to organize all of this from the very first message on Facebook! I am so excited to keep in touch with and follow the future of AW - maybe sometime soon I can come do some volunteer work with you guys! I'm only a mere 6 hours away these days in Gainesville, Florida while I visit my family so I could enjoy a short roadtrip up to visit and do some good with all of you.

I hope all of you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed coordinating it and reading the answers myself. This is truly a beautiful organization and deserves whatever support we can give! Head over to the AW website and Facebook page to find out more on how you can help support and empower these young girls!!

Causes Worth Supporting: Tiny Superheroes

(image from tinysuperheroes.com) 

Welcome to the first Causes Worth Supporting post of 2014! Today I wanted to start the year off with a beautiful cause I heard about over the holidays, and really I just can't get over how much I admire this woman and her family's efforts. Tiny Superheroes was created by a woman named Robyn who decided that children facing, fighting, and overcoming illnesses and disabilities need to be empowered. They need to be recognized for how amazing and truly extraordinary they are. These children exhibit *super* powers that many adults couldn't even handle flourishing under the weight of. Since the beginning of 2013, Robyn and her family have made around 3,500 capes for tiny superheroes all over the world. What an amazing thing to spend your money on! You can buy a cape for a tiny superhero waiting for a way to show the world how spectacular they are, you can buy t-shirts to show your support and help raise awareness, or you can buy an Ambassador Kit and receive a t-shirt, a tote bag, 15 Tiny Superhero bracelets to give out to friends and family, and 30 Superhero Squad cards featuring some of the many Tiny Superheroes and telling you about their story!

My son, Owen, is turning three later this month and we recently decided that we're doing a superhero themed party for him (he's in love with Superman & Batman). Since he received more presents at Christmas than he even remotely needed, we've decided to tell those interested in giving him gifts for his birthday to consider supporting Tiny Superheroes in his honor. I have always loved the idea of letting the boys grow up knowing that gifts are not the most important part of holidays or birthdays and teaching them to focus on the family and friends who love them. This is a great start to that tradition I think - I'll be sure to post later this month about how the party went!

Head over and take a look at the Tiny Superhero website or Facebook page. Buy a cape or become an ambassador. I'm sure you'll be glad you did.

 

(image from tinysuperheroes.com)

Causes Worth Supporting: Toys for Tots

In 1947, Toys for Tots was founded by Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR to bring toys to less fortunate children in the Los Angeles area. In 1948, the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots and expanded the program to become a national effort. Walt Disney designed the famous train logo and it has ever since been a yearly tradition for citizens who are able to help children in need to enjoy and experience the joy of Christmas.

Over the last 66 years, many celebrities have endorsed Toys for Tots: Mickey Mouse, Bob Hope, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Andy Griffith, Doris Day, Brooke Shields, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush - to name a few.

In 1992, the Toys for Tots Foundation provided over 2.5 million toys to children in Florida and Louisiana who were victims of Hurricane Andrew. In 2001, special events were held for the children who lost a parent in the September 11th terrorist attacks. Forbes has named Toys for Tots as one of the top 10 charities on the Forbes 'Gold Stat' list. Most recently in 2012, the foundation provided more than 7 million children with almost 16.8 million toys!

There are few holiday charities as great as the USMCR Toys for Tots Foundation in my opinion. You can find your local drive information here or you can read on their site about donating funds by selling items on Ebay, donating a car or vehicle, or simply donating a few dollars directly to the foundation.

Hopefully you've been able to contribute a toy or two to your local drive already, but if not - do what you can to try and help! You can also follow the foundation's Facebook page to find out other ways to help! For instance, they posted recently that Walgreens & Duracell have partnered together this season to promise that for every package of Duracell batteries purchased at a participating Walgreens, Duracell will donate two batteries to Toys for Tots!

It's so wonderful to help children feel the joy and wonder of Christmas - find out about how you can help that happen!

Causes Worth Supporting: Your Local Foodbank

 

Supporting your local foodbank is a HUGE deal. My family tries to help our local Cleveland Foodbank as much as we can because we know how huge a problem hunger and poverty is in our area. As of 2010, 22% of children in America live below the poverty line (just over $22,000/year for a family of four!). There are estimated to be 16 million kids that live without access to sufficient and nutritious food on a regular basis - 49 million people in total. Hunger is a massive problem in our country. To give you some perspective on that kind of a number, the population of New York City is 8.337 million people. That means twice the population of NYC entirely in children go hungry here in one of the most affluent countries on the planet. The populations of New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Orlando, Seattle, and ALL of Hawaii still only add up to just over 20 million people - still less than half of all the people fighting hunger in the United States. 

You can help your community with this fight by looking up your local foodbank and then deciding to donate a generous gift of however much you can afford, or simply donate some groceries to their headquarters! Volunteers are always appreciated at these organizations and in many cases gravely needed. Call today and find out how you can best help and serve your community. Living your life without helping those in need, you don't even realize how much your missing out on. Volunteering and becoming involved with your area is an incredibly rewarding experience which will give you memories that you'll treasure for the rest of your life.

This holiday season, and throughout the year, remember as you sit down to enjoy your dinner or your deliciously warm breakfast how many go without what you are so easily enjoying. Make a promise to yourself to help others this year. You'll be happy you did - and so will the people you help.

If you're in the Cleveland area, you can learn more about our Foodbank and how to support them here. If you live elsewhere, scoot on over to Google and discover how you can get involved!

Have a blessed and warm Tuesday, everyone!

Causes Worth Supporting: St. Baldrick's Foundation

Earlier this year, I found out about St. Baldrick's Foundation and immediately knew that it was something I needed to support in any way I could. St. Baldrick's collects funds to be used towards children's cancer research to find a cure for all children's cancers. They spend 82% of the money brought in directly on research with only 2% on management and general costs & 16% on fundraising, you can read directly about their financials here. St. Baldrick's raise their funds through volunteer run fundraisers where people such as I volunteer to be Shavees and promise to shave their heads in support and solidarity with all of the children going through cancer treatments.