A Bittersweet Existence » giving back

Calling All Humanitarians {PSA}

Dawana — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 19:03:14 +0000

Every morning, my daughter wakes up and goes straight to the refrigerator.

And she waits…

She wants milk.

So the first thing that happened to me this morning on the way to get said milk? I stepped in pee by the fridge. Yup, she peed her pants while waiting for milk.

(Feeling sorry for me yet?)

Image borrowed from Spicy RV

There’s a website called Donors Choose. Donors Choose connects public school classrooms in need of supplies with people willing to donate towards the future of our country (the children).

Through Donors Choose (and some generous donors), I have been able to get an easel and easel pads for my First Grade classroom. If you know anything about lower Elementary School grades, an easel is such an essential piece to teaching and has multiple purposes. I was thrilled!

SO I have recently submitted two more proposals to Donors Choose. I am trying to get my children a listening center and sight word books (sight words are words that you should “just know” and are not easily sounded out phonetically like “the” “could” “from” and more).

I know that times are tough (if they weren’t, then my school would actually have the resources to purchase my classroom what it needs), but I am asking that if you can, or if you know someone who can- please consider donating to my classroom.

You can donate by visiting my Donors Choose page.

If you don’t want to donate towards a listening center, please consider donating resources below to my classroom (Email me and I’d be more than happy to provide you with my school address).

We are in need of:

Glue Sticks
Copy Paper
Pencils
Erasers (Block Erasers or Eraser Caps)
Vis a Vis Wet Erase Markers
Dry Erase Board Erasers
Hanging File Folders (for organization purposes)
File Folders
Lysol/Clorox Wipes
Lysol (or some disinfectant) spray and
Book Baskets (for the classroom library I am trying to build)

I’m sure there are other things, but I can’t think of it right now.

Thanks for reading this Public Service Announcement.

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L.A. Area Mom Bloggers Needed!

Dawana — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:43:02 +0000

If you live within driving distance of Los Angeles then I am looking for you. I have teamed up with the P.R. agency for Habitat for Humanity L.A. to coordinate a “Mom Blogger Build.”

We just ask that you:

- are a mom &

- have a blog

You would have to provide your own transportation to and from the site.

You would just need to show up for a day or two (probably on a weekend) to help work on a house for a family that really needs it. We also ask that you blog before, during and after the build just to document your thoughts, why it’s important, how it touched you, etc.

Also we ask that you help fund raise either virtually or in person to help raise money for Habitat. It costs money to build those houses, so every penny that we can give to Habitat helps them in their mission. Please tell other Moms who blog that you think may be interested.

If you are interested, please email me.

Thanks!

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See Where the Good Goes

Dawana — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:13:15 +0000

There are so many great organizations out there that it is often hard to choose who to support. I believe if I can give a little to campaigns that are close to my heart such as St. Baldrick’s or Relay for Life- then I can help those organizations get one step closer to their goal. As we all know, a little bit goes a long way. Especially in other countries.

I know that we need to work on the problems in our own country before we try to help others, but on the other hand I feel like we are a global community. We are all human beings and therefore should help one another whenever we can. We share this earth with one another.

Save the Children and the Ad Council has a new national public service campaign titled “See Where the Good Goes” which uses an interactive website and social media strategies to raise awareness about the importance of local health workers in developing countries.

“Every 4 seconds a child survives thanks to the basic health care provided by local health workers. Frontline local health workers help children all over the world survive threats like newborn complications, pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and malnutrition. But global estimates suggest we need 4.2 million more health workers in developing countries. Help one. Save many.“

“Meet local health workers and the children they help to survive.

Each year, almost 9 million children in the developing world die of largely preventable and treatable illnesses before they reach the age of five – that equates to approximately 24,000 child deaths a day.

However, every 4 seconds a child survives thanks to the basic health care provided by local health workers.

Save the Children and the Ad Council are working together to mobilize citizen action in the U.S. to help local health workers save more children worldwide.

Help local health workers bring the good to the children who need it most. You are one step away from helping children around the world survive.”

Take a look at their website and find out if this is something that you would like to get involved with.

GoodGoes.org features a customized Google map application of the local health worker’s village, blog posts, video bios, and a menu of ways that you can get involved in this campaign to make a difference.

Consider adding your photo in support of the project to The Great Wall of Good Facebook application.

You can keep up with Good Goes in the following ways:

- “Like” Good Goes on Facebook
- Follow Good Goes on Twitter
- Check out more videos by subscribing to the Good Goes You Tube page

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this post. I was contacted by Save the Children and asked if I would help spread the word about their efforts. I am not affiliated in any way and do not have any material connection to Save the Children. All information about Good Goes was taken directly from the press website and placed in quotation marks, all other opinions are my own.

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Thank You

Dawana — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:48:23 +0000

To all of you who helped me raise money for St. Baldrick’s. I was able to raise $836 and you are more than welcome to donate to help me raise $1,000. Click here to donate.

I found a barber on base that was willing to donate my hair cut, which was very nice of him. I had to cut my dreads off before I got there, though, so I did that last night.

Aaand there’s my hair:

5 Years of dread growing down the drain (lol)

This morning, I had a 9:30 appointment to go down and get the rest cut.

Ready to Rock N Roll

Hubby said I should’ve kept the mohawk. Ummm, no.

Cadence cried- the entire time because she was tired and refuses to nap… or get her hair combed for that matter (which is why she looks like a wild child). By the way, that’s my new buddy/barber- Alvin.

It is very hot here, so I need to either but sunblock on my head, or keep a hat on.

The End.

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The Love of Family

Dawana — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:23:42 +0000

This friends, is the top shelf of my pantry. I should rename it to Cadence-ville.

I told my family back in New York what type of stuff she likes to snack on and they stocked me up.

That is part of what family is all about…

Never mind the fact that Cadence is the only girl in this generation of the family,
surrounded by 6 boy cousins.

Family is love. Family is caring. Family is sharing.
Oh and family is Gerber foods. (lol)

Thanks, Guys.

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Help BEARPAW & Soles4Souls Help Haiti

Dawana — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:03:57 +0000

If you live in the Las Vegas area, from February 16th-18th, BEARPAW shoes will be at the MAGIC/FN Platform Tradeshow. If you stop by the BEARPAW booth and try on a pair of shoes, they will donate a pair to the people of Haiti.

That’s right! Foor every pair of shoes tried on at the tradeshow, a pair will be given to those in need in Haiti. See here for more information.

Where: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas

When: February 16-18

Times: 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Feb. 16; 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Feb. 17-18

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Helping Haiti

Dawana — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:40:04 +0000

I am going to call this a guest post… The following was written by one of my closest friends, Jamila- probably one of the smartest, most caring women I know. She is always, always involved in humanitarian efforts and wears her heart completely on her sleeve. She sent this on Facebook to her friends and I am sharing it with you. I’m sure that she won’t mind.

I have seen many of you change your Facebook statuses over the past 24 hours to express your concern for the people of Haiti in the aftermath of yesterday’s earthquake.

As the photos and videos roll in and the gravity of this disaster becomes apparent, many of us are asking this question: What can I do to help? As we try to figure out what role we can play in responding to the suffering and destruction that we see on our televisions and computer screens, I hope that you don’t mind if I share a few thoughts with you based on my own limited experience in disaster emergency relief.

1. The aftermath of any major natural disaster is often marked by chaos. The response-capacity of the national government is often crippled as it attempts to gather together their own personnel and begins to take stock of its losses.

2. Major priorities in the immediate aftermath include search and rescue of those who may be still living under rubble and recovery of the dead, emergency and trauma medical services, food, clean water and basic sanitation (to prevent the spread of diseases like Typhoid), and efforts to begin to reinstate essential infrastructure (restoring means of communication, clearing roads etc). All of these tasks will take a tremendous amount of skilled-human and financial resources.
3. While there is much urgency now, it is important to note that though disaster only takes minutes or seconds to set in, that the rebuilding effort takes many years.
4. History has shown that disaster emergency responses, themselves, can sometimes cause long-term harm to the nations they intend to help, especially when they fail to empower the people they set out to help, and where they are piecemeal, poorly coordinated, and planning is short-sighted.
5. Not every organization that says it is collecting money to respond to the disaster in Haiti, is genuine. This is unfortunate, but we must be aware that there are those who will use this tragedy as an opportunity for personal gain.

In light of this, here are some tips as you determine how you want to help:

1. As I mentioned above, meeting the immediate needs of the Haitian people in the aftermath of the quake will require a major mobilization of resources and a cadre of skilled workers. If you are interested in contributing to the first response that has already begun, I suggest that you donate either to one of the United Nations agencies (these include UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and others), or to the Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ or another one of the larger international NGOs (examples are Save the Children, Direct Relief International, World Vision, Medecins sans Frontiers/Doctors without Borders, International Medical Corps. These organizations are the ones that are more likely to have the capacity necessary to launch the kind of immediate response that is urgently needed right now. Other smaller organizations, which have a track record in Haiti, and are playing a role in the early response include Partners in Health/Zanmi Lasante and Wyclef Jean’s organization Yele Haiti.
2. If you are in Barbados or elsewhere in the Caribbean and are looking for a national/regional effort to which you can contribute. Please donate to the Red Cross, and stay up to date on the efforts of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency as the coordinate the regional response http://www.cdera.org/cunews/sitrep/haiti/article_2426.php. The Pan American Health Organization will also be playing a role http://new.paho.org/hq/index.php?lang=en. Also commercial banks and the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation have all announced that they will be collecting funds, though we should all be sure to ask where they will be directing these. (If you know of other reputable efforts please share)
3. Clothing and food drives are not likely to be of great assistance at the moment, as getting supplies in and out of Haiti is extremely difficult and the little air traffic that is available will likely be used to transport a volume of supplies that we, as a small island, can not match.
4. Fundraise, fundraise, fundraise!! This is where we can really make a difference. Mobilize as many resources as you can and then direct them to a reputable organization, with either a track record in disaster emergency relief, and/or with years of experience working in Haiti.
5. There are many really amazing Hatian community based organizations who have served their country through conflicts and hurricanes over the past few decades. These organizations will likely be critical in the rebuilding process that will be needed. Should you decide that your financial commitment to Haiti will be sustained for longer than the media coverage will last, donating to some of these organizations is a great way to help. Once again, remember to check out the reputation of the organization to make sure that they do indeed have a track record of service to the people of Haiti. For those of you know of great community based organizations like this, please post info so that others can benefit.
6. Lastly, if you (like me) believe in God, you can certainly help by praying! Pray for the people of Haiti. Pray especially for God’s peace to be with those who are still alive beneath the rubble as they await rescue. Pray for the rescue workers that are arriving on the growth – for stamina and for wisdom. Pray for God to move on the hearts of decision makers around the world to respond generously and wisely to this catastrophe. Pray for each of us that our compassion will be transformed to a deep sense that it would be unacceptable for each of us not to act in some small way.

Most importantly, this is not the time for piecemeal efforts or short-sightedness on our part. This is the time to have the suffering of the people of Haiti, and the long road of rebuilding and recovery that they will have to travel, squarely at the focus of our efforts. This is a time for compassion, and this is a time for ACTION. The scale of need is HUGE. Please let’s not go it alone. Instead, let us try to team up with larger efforts as we seek to make a difference. Please share information or tips on how to help if you have them.

Before I go, I just want to leave with you one of the many news clips that really stood out for me today. CNN’s Sanjay Gupta was interviewing President Rene Preval, President of Haiti. We’ve all seen the photos of the Presidential Palace, which has been badly damaged.

The President’s Palace in Ruins

Gupta asked him about the state of his home, and Pres. Preval revealed that that to had been destroyed. Sanjay Gupta then asked: “Where will you sleep tonight?” The President’s response was this: “I have plenty of time to look for a bed, but now I am working on how to rescue the people…”

The task in front of him is sobering indeed.

Much love to you all and may God’s presence be with the people of Haiti tonight and beyond,

Jamila

PS:- Sorry in advance for any typos, but this was typed in haste.

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Companies and Celebrities Pledge Aid

Dawana — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:10:58 +0000

Image taken from USA Today, By Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Companies and celebrities alike have been reaching into their pockets to help with the devastation in Haiti. To me, this just shows certain peoples realization that we are all a part of a larger, global community. Setting all personal feelings/thoughts/beliefs aside and saying “we are all human beings” and “I can’t even imagine this happening to me” because really, this could have just as easily happened here in the U.S., over in England- anywhere. I feel secure in supporting companies that can support others in need.

Here are just a few of the people and corporations pledging aid:

Go Daddy gives $500,000
UPS gives $1 mil in relief
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, said in a statement on Wednesday that their Jolie-Pitt Foundation would give $1 million to the emergency medical operations of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières.
Abbott Pharmaceuticals is donating $1 million to help Haiti’s health care system.
U.S. manufacturer 3M Co, which makes a variety of bandages and other products used in skin and wound care, said it was working with humanitarian relief agencies to ask what medical products it could provide. The company also said it would likely make a monetary contribution.
The Florida Panthers hockey team said that at its next two home games it will collect donations, including food and used clothing, for victims.
Rogers Communications and the Rogers family will donate $250,000 in funds and goods to Partners In Health:Haiti and other relief organizations.
The Walmart Foundation is sending $500,000 in monetary support to Haiti and another $100,000 worth of pre-packaged food kits to help the Red Cross in its relief efforts in the nation. Wal-Mart’s Canadian division said its 314 stores will accept donations, and money raised will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross Haiti Earthquake fund.
(Wal-Mart won praise for its swift efforts to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 after the storm destroyed parts of Mississippi and Louisiana. Wal-Mart was one of the first responders on the scene, distributing water, food and other necessities to some of the hardest hit areas.)
Hanes brands has pledged $25,000 to the relief efforts in Haiti.
Walt Disney Co pledged $100,000 in humanitarian aid.
Soles4Souls, a Nashville, Tenn.-based charity has announced it will donate 100,000 pairs of new shoes to victims of the disaster.
Kraft Foods Foundation is donating $200,000 to the American Red Cross for relief efforts. The company also said it has a special 2:1 match for employees’ donations up to $100,000 — bringing the total matching component to $300,000.
Toys”R”Us Children’s Fund, a public charity affiliated with Toys R Us Inc said it will contribute $150,000 to help Save the Children in its efforts to provide immediate relief to victims of the earthquake.
The PepsiCo Foundation said it will donate $1 million to the earthquake victims and that the food and beverage company PepsiCo will provide Quaker products as well as bottled water and Gatorade for the disaster victims through its bottlers in Florida and the Dominican Republic.
General Mills Foundation said it will contribute $250,000 to support the disaster relief and rebuilding efforts.
McDonald’s Corp and its franchise Arcos Dorados will together contribute at least $1 million to help the victims of the earthquake.
Google Inc is donating $1 million to organizations engaged in disaster response in Haiti and has published a link on its home page directing users to a page with information on how to make donations.
Alyssa Milano has donated $50,000 to UNICEF and challenged other corporations to match her donation.
Target Corp will donate $500,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with disaster recovery in Haiti.
Procter & Gamble Co said it will provide at least 2 million packets of PUR Purifier of Water through our Children’s Safe Drinking Water partners. It said Duracell has already provided $200,000 worth of batteries and flashlights for donation.
The New York Yankees will donate $500,000 in support of rescue and relief efforts.
The General Motors Foundation is making a $100,000 contribution to the American Red Cross relief fund. GM has provided an Internet link so its employees can contribute to the Red Cross.

This is just sampling. You can find updated information on corporate contributions on the Reuters website.

Kudos to these companies/people for taking action.

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Earthquake in Haiti: How You Can Help

Dawana — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:24:17 +0000

Our Donation

They are saying on the News that the best thing that you can do is send money right now- whatever you can helps.

ABC News has a list of ways that you can help, but you have to keep clicking through and through to see all of the organizations, so I’ve compiled it here for you.

Haiti: How You Can Help

See here on ways to avoid scams.

Image taken from ABC News
(THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP/Getty Images/Getty Images)

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Earthquake in Haiti

Dawana — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:54:37 +0000

I don’t watch TV often during the day. I’m usually chasing after the baby, absorbed in some household task or doing nothing quite frankly. At night Hubby and I have our scheduled TV shows, then we go to bed. So I missed the actual newscast on the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti, but I did find out about it through the internet. I don’t really have words right now to express what I’m feeling besides sadness for the people and all that they have lost, including family and friends and also sadness for people like Pat Robertson who feel the need to say things like “they got together and swore a pact to the Devil… But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other, desperately poor…”

Image taken from Time, taken by Xinhua / ZUMA

If you feel so inclined to help, there are many different routes that you can take. Here is a brief list of organizations that are taking donations online.

You can also help from your cell phone by texting:

“HAITI” to 90999, a $10 charge (donation) will be added to your cell phone bill.
“YELE” to 501501, a $5 charge (donation) will be added to your cell phone bill.

And in case you have not been able to see any coverage of the quake, here is a brief clip. Chris and I don’t have much, but I plan to give just a little something. In the greater scheme of things, a little bit goes a long way.

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