Volunteers Needed in the Philippines for Typhoon Haiyan Disaster Relief

In the wake of the recent Typhoon Haiyan disaster in the Philippines, Projects Abroad is calling for volunteers to help with valuable typhoon recovery work.

To help in areas that have been affected by Typhoon Haiyan, Projects Abroad is directing resources and efforts in the Philippines toward providing volunteers to help in typhoon relief work in the Philippines through a special Disaster Relief project.

Projects Abroad's Disaster Relief project in the Philippines will focus on areas in the northern part of Cebu Island close to the typhoon's path, including Bogo City, Tabogan, and San Remigio, all of which have been affected by the typhoon.

The main objectives of the Disaster Relief project are to bring educational facilities that have been affected by the typhoon back to working order as soon as possible and to look after local children while their parents help with the clean-up efforts.

It may take several weeks for schools and other care centers for children to receive government help while infrastructure is being repaired. Projects Abroad volunteers will help to bridge this through repair and renovation work at schools and childcare centers and by helping to care for children.

Volunteers can join the Disaster Relief project in the Philippines anytime and stay as long as they can, for a minimum of at least two weeks. Work will start as soon as possible and be ongoing for at least several months. It is preferable to plan to arrive on a weekend so volunteers can start working in teams Monday mornings.

All volunteers will be accommodated with secure and undamaged host families and be supported by full-time local Projects Abroad staff.

For more information on how you can get involved, contact Projects Abroad or visitwww.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-destinations/volunteer-philippines

Resources on International Women's Day

In honor of International Women's Day, we have been searching the 'Net for some resources that benefit women.  We hope that you may benefit from these resources, or you can pass them to someone who will. In no order, here are some of the best resources we found online.

• Kiva: A site where you can lend women in other countries money to start their own businesses.  This is a chance for women to get out of poverty to help themselves and their families.
• Small Business Administration is a site where where women can find content on business and its related issues.  Need to know how to write a business plan? What should you know about hiring employees?  Be sure to visit the SBA.
• Dress for Success provides professional wear for women looking for work or are in the workplace.  A woman can get two outfits; one for a job interview and the other to wear to work.  In fact, visit the site to find out where you can donate a suit.
• Women's Sports Foundation helps promote physical and sports activities awareness to girls and women.  This is a great site 
• Kickstarter allows you to post your creative venture idea online in hopes of getting financial supporters to make it a dream come true.  There are different categories available.  Be sure to take a look, and be inspired to create or back an idea financially.  No backing is too small.
• International Museum of Women: An online museum that curates via multimedia  arts, stories and ideas of women globally.  There are also real live events as well.  Be sure to visit it for a little taste of the cultural arts.
• Women for Women: This organization works with women who are from war torn countries.  Women are given opportunities to learn new skills and training, in hopes of rebuilding their lives with stability through work.

Be sure to list some of your favorite resources.

Free Ice Cream for a Cause

On Tuesday, Sept. 27^th Cold Stone Creamery^® and the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® are inviting everyone to take part in the 10^th Annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social.  From 5-8 p.m., all Cold Stone locations will be giving away a FREE 3-ounce portion of the Sprinkled with Wishes Creation, Sweet Cream Ice Cream mixed with Brownie, Rainbow Sprinkles and Fudge. 


Guests are encouraged to make donations to the Make-A-Wish foundation during this event. Additionally, throughout the entire month of September, every Cold Stone store nationwide will sell paper wish stars for $1 each to help raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This is the 10^th year Cold Stone Creamery has supported the Make-A-Wish Foundation and they have raised over $4 million to help change the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Everyone is encouraged to make a donation to ensure that the 10^th annual ice cream social is the most successful yet.

Rally Behind the Stalnakers

Hey guys! The Love Drop team is at it again! Last month they gave over $6,000 worth of cash and goods to their recipient, the Kahlen family, who had been going through a financially hard time due to the economy (and whose daughter is currently battling Tuberous Sclerosis). They focused on their love of spending time together, and brought them over 8 pairs of tickets to a whole bunch of local events. It was awesome, and you can watch how it all went down here.

This month they rally behind the Stalnakers - a family who, along with thousands of others along the gulf coast, are still reeling from the effects of the BP oil spill. Our goal is to get them a reliable used car this month as their previous two have died, and it's getting harder and harder for them to manage w/ the one they're currently borrowing. They've been giving back to their community since they moved in, and now it's time for US to help them!

Want to help? Here are three ways you can participate:

Help them get a car! - Our #1 goal is to give them a reliable used car in decent working order. If you have any leads, discounts, or connections in this area, please email Love Drop and let them know.
Give $1.00 - This money will help get them back on their feet, and relieve some financial burden. Every dollar counts!
Give a gift or service - Gift cards are always helpful. Places like Target, Wal-mart, restaurants, etc would definitely help them out. Services too - especially those you can offer yourselves, or from your company.

This month they rally behind the Kahlen Family

Love Drop is a micro-giving network of people who unite as a community to make a difference in the lives of one person or family a month. By giving just $1.00, they make it easy for their members to change lives in a fun and super easy way.

At the end of every month, Nate and J$ show up in the town the families live in and present them with everything the team raised -- all the money, the gifts, whatever the community helped get. It's all on film, and it all ends with us making a difference! (And then it starts all over again the next month)

Last month Love Drop gave over $5,000 worth of cash and goods to their recipient, Katie, who had been battling a couple of brain tumors over the years, and it culminated with a surprise gift of 15+ friends showing up at her house to celebrate with her. It was awesome. You can watch how it all went down here.

This month they rally behind the Kahlen's - a family who has been hit hard by the economy, and by their daughter's serious medical condition, tuberous sclerosis. In addition to financial assistance, they're planning to unite the artistic community to help support Kent's glassmaking work.

Want to help?  Here are two ways you can participate:

1. Give $1.00 - This is the best way to help out and join their team at the same time.
2. Donate a piece of art - Love Drop started their first art shop this month, and would love to feature your artwork in it. Proceeds go to help the Kahlen's this month, and is a great way to promote your work.

Thanks everyone! We'll let you know how it goes!

Join My Village

Did you know Malawi is among the world's least developed and most densely-populated countries? Because of the extreme poverty in the region, Malawi has a low life expectancy (44 years of age) and high infant mortality (89 deaths per 1,000 births, the 14th highest in the world).

As a member of MyBlogSpark, we wanted to share with you the news that was announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative Fifth Annual Meeting. President Clinton introduced a unique commitment between General Mills and CARE called Join My Village, an innovative online community that is fighting poverty in Malawi through the empowerment of women and girls.

Here's how you can get involved:

• Visit Join My Village and join one of ten village teams to benefit approximately 75 villages in Malawi
  
  
• As a village team member, you will get to know the women and families in Malawi through frequent updates, photos and stories



• You can also track how dollars are creating change and improving lives in Malawi


• Through simple online activities - answering a quiz question, telling a friend about Join My Village, or joining a village team - $1 will be unlocked by General Mills and will go to CARE's poverty fighting programs in the Malawi villages (limit of 3 activities per person per day, and $15,000 per online village team - or $150,000 in total)



• Additionally, General Mills will match personal contributions dollar-for-dollar for up to $50 per donor, $15,000 per village team or $150,000 in total



• CARE will distribute all funds raised directly to Malawi to provide economic opportunities for women and increase access to quality education for girls

Join My Village is setting out to drive measurable and long-term positive impact with women and families in Africa by tapping into the inherent power of women to connect with, and provide strength for, other women.

To learn more about Join My Village and help unlock funds to empower women and girls in Malawi, visit JoinMyVillage.com.

Courtesy of MyBlogSpark.

Saturday: Food for Thought

"If you can give back as a woman to other women, that's one of the greatest things you can do."

Vera Wang


(How awesome is that!)