Tag Archives: philanthropy

Day it Forward – January 2020

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice by sharing a charity on one of our social media posts (or Sylvia’s)!

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one or more to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of January 2020 are WWF-Australia’s Koala Crisis Fund and the Australian Red Cross.

WWF

WWF-Australia is one of Australia’s most trusted conservation organizations. WWF works in Australia and throughout Asia-Pacific to protect endangered species and habitats, meet the challenge of climate change, and build a world where people live in harmony with nature.

Australian Red Cross

The Australian Red Cross supports and empowers people and communities in times of vulnerability. Their purpose is to reduce suffering across Australia and internationally through mobilizing the power of humanity.

Sylvia donated $750 USD ($1032 AUD) to each charity, and you can, too, here (WWF-Australia) and here (Australian Red Cross).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of February, please comment on our Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter #DayItForward post(s) or Sylvia’s Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter #DayItForward post(s). We appreciate and consider all submissions!

Did You Know Volunteer Vacations are a Real Thing? Here’s Where You Find Them

Not finding anything interesting in those glossy travel photos and site reviews? Why not think about acts of kindness as you plan your next getaway? Global volunteer opportunities allow you to spend your leisure time helping others, which we guarantee will deliver the most rewarding vacation. Maybe you’re tired of trying to avoid the touristy crowds or you’ve had your fill of relaxing on white sandy beaches on holiday. Or perhaps you just want to try something new and feel good about it at the same time!

If you’ve got some vacation days coming up, and would like to use them to help the world, here’s a handy list of organizations to explore:

Volunteer Abroad

Volunteer Abroad is among the largest programs for volunteer vacations. Choose from a huge selection of trips by interest, from archaeology to environmental conservation and building.

Teaching in Fiji:

Organized by Projects Abroad, this trip integrates volunteers into the local culture.

Environmental Conservation in Peru:

Located in the Amazon rainforest, volunteers take part in environmental conversation and agriculture projects.

 

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

WWOOF links volunteers with organic farmers to learn about organic and sustainable farming.

 

Go Eco

Go Eco offers affordable trips to solve real-world problems.

 

Rustic Pathways

If you’re a student, Rustic Pathways offers programs of various lengths in weeklong increments for middle school to college students and even offers a gap year program for high school graduates. In locations like Costa Rica, Fiji, and Thailand, with leadership- and service initiative-focused courses, Rustic Pathways is “redefining how to integrate education, travel, and philanthropy in a world where all people are connected by a shared humanity.”

 

Find your own international volunteer opportunity

If you still aren’t sure about where you’ll best spend your time and energy, check out Volunteer HQ, where you can search for the perfect travel and volunteer abroad opportunity to fit your timeframe, skills, and preferred destinations. You can also research the site for tips on volunteer travel, such as the best options and locations for singles, and even take quizzes to help you decide what volunteer vacation might be best suited for you.

No matter where you choose or who you decide on to take you there, you can spend your free time gaining new experiences, making friends, bettering your understanding of other people across the globe from you, and finding things within yourself you may not have known existed. Sounds like a ‘win-win’ to us.

Have you taken a volunteer vacation? Tell us all about it in the comments!

Day it Forward – November 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice by emailing us. (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts!)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one or more to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

 

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of November 2017 are Vetsports and the Elephant Sanctuary.

 

vet sports logoVetsports was “founded in 2012 by three combat Veterans, VETSports aims to set the standard for how to improve Veteran’s physical, mental, and emotional health through sports, physical activity, and community involvement.” Vetsports was submitted by Cara Gadero on Facebook.

 

 

elephant sanctuaryThe Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee exists to provide captive elephants with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being, and to raise public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild.” The Elephant Sanctuary was submitted by a reader on Instagram.

 

 

Sylvia will be donating $750 to each charity, and you can, too, here (Vetsports) and here (Elephant Sanctuary).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of December, please send submissions by November 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “December 2017 Day it Forward”, or comment on our Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter. We appreciate and consider all submissions!

Day it Forward – October 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice . Tell us as much or as little as you like, such as what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you wish to share with us – we want to know all about it! (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts.)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

 

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of October 2017 are the Las Vegas Victim’s Fund and United for Puerto Rico/Unidos por Puerto Rico.

 

LV victims fundThe Las Vegas Victims’ Fund is in place to assist the victims of the tragic Las Vegas shooting that occurred on October 1st, 2017 at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip. Funds will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the horrific Las Vegas mass shooting​.

united for puerto rico logoUnited for Puerto Rico is an initiative brought forth by the First Lady of Puerto Rico, Beatriz Rosselló, in collaboration with the private sector, with the purpose of providing aid and support to those affected in Puerto Rico by the passage of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane María. 100% of the proceeds will go to helping the victims affected by these natural disasters in Puerto Rico.

 

Sylvia will be donating $1,375 to each charity, and you can, too, here (Las Vegas Victims’ Fund) and here (United for Puerto Rico).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of November, please send submissions by October 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “November 2017 Day it Forward”.

Day it Forward – September 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice. Tell us as much or as little as you like, such as what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you wish to share with us – we want to know all about it! (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts.)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of September 2017 are Team Rubicon and SBP: Disaster Resilience and Recovery

We can’t prevent natural disasters. But we can prevent some of the suffering they cause. By increasing resilience before disasters occur and streamlining the post-disaster recovery process, we’re able to fortify people against unnecessary stress and trauma. -SBP

SBP is providing recovery efforts in Houston, TX following Hurricane Harvey, as well as many other places where they also provide resilience training.

 

Team Rubicon‘s primary mission is providing disaster relief to those affected by natural disasters, be they domestic or international. By pairing the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders, medical professionals, and technology solutions, Team Rubicon aims to provide the greatest service and impact possible.

Sylvia will be donating $1,375 to each charity, and you can, too here (Team Rubicon) and here (SBP).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of October, please send submissions by September 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “October 2017 Day it Forward”.

Day it Forward – August 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice . Tell us as much or as little as you like, such as what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you wish to share with us – we want to know all about it! (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts.)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

The charity Sylvia has chosen for the month of August 2017 is The 52nd Street Project. Here is a little about them:

52nd street project“The 52nd Street Project (The Project) is dedicated to the creation and production of new plays for, and often by, kids between the ages of nine and eighteen that reside in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood in New York City. The Project does this through a series of unique mentoring programs that match kids with professional theater artists…”

“The Project is about making children proud of themselves. The Project is not about teaching children to act, although they will learn to. It is not about teaching them to write plays, although they will learn that as well. What it is about is giving a kid an experience of success. It is about giving a kid an opportunity to prove that he or she has something of value to offer, something that comes from within that he or she alone possesses, something that cannot be taken away.”

 

Sylvia will be donating $1,500 to the The 52nd Street Project and you can donate, too, here.

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of September, please send submissions by August 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “August 2017 Day it Forward”.

Day it Forward – June 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, you can submit the charity of your choice (detailed instructions at the end of this post). Tell us what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you feel is important to share with us – we want to know all about it!

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

The charity Sylvia has chosen for the month of June is The National Constitution Center:

The National Constitution Center is the first and only institution in America established by Congress to “disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a non-partisan basis in order to increase the awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.” The Constitution Center brings the United States Constitution to life by hosting interactive exhibits and constitutional conversations and inspires active citizenship by celebrating the American constitutional tradition.

Sylvia will be donating $1,500 to the The National Constitution Center and you can donate, too, here.

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of March, please send submissions by June 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “July 2017 Day it Forward”.

Day it Forward – March 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, you can submit the charity of your choice (detailed instructions at the end of this post). Tell us what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you feel is important to share with us – we want to know all about it!

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

One of the charities chosen for the month of March is Families4Fauqier, submitted by Rachel Pierce. Here is her submission:

My charity is Families4Fauquier. It’s important to me to help others in little ways that can really add up big! We offer families in the Fauquier community and beyond ways to help make our community better and help spread cheer to others such as our military hero[e]s at Walter Reed Medical Facility, local senior citizens, special needs children and Foster Care children.

Sylvia will be donating $750 to Families4Fauquier and you can donate, too, here.

Sylvia has also selected the NEA Foundation. (From the NEA Foundation’s Mission Statement):

nea foundation logo

The NEA Foundation, through the unique strength of its partnership with educators, advances student achievement by investing in public education that will prepare each of America’s children to learn and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Sylvia will be donating $750 to the NEA foundation and you can donate, too, here.

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of March, please send submissions by March 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “April 2017 Day it Forward”.

Day it Forward – August 2016

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause that is important to them.

Every month, we will ask you to submit the charity of your choice (please send submissions to contact@beyondwords.life with “September Day it Forward” in the subject line). Tell us what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you feel is important to share with us.

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to donate as well.

The submission chosen for the month of August is the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors:

“The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) offers compassionate care to all those grieving the death of a loved one serving in our Armed Forces. Since 1994, TAPS has provided comfort and hope 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones. TAPS has assisted over 60,000 surviving family members, casualty officers, and caregivers.”

Sylvia will be donating $2,000 to TAPS. You can donate, too, here.


If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of September, please send submissions by August 25th, 2016 to contact@beyondwords.life.

5 Community Organizations Fighting to End Homelessness

The San Francisco Chronicle together with a coalition of other San Francisco media outlets recently led a media blitz addressing the ever-present problem of homelessness in the Bay Area. The campaign immediately went viral in print and online, lighting up headlines in national newspapers and inspiring other communities across the U.S. to redouble their efforts in the search for solutions.

Homelessness is a human issue that affects all segments of society, coast to coast, urban, rural, and everything in between. Homeless Americans are not the fictional too-lazy-to-work deadbeats and dangerous addicts of TV and movies: They’re our mothers, sons, spouses, widows, teachers, soldiers, employees, and community members; and indeed many houseless men and women are members of communities who are demonstrably more vulnerable to poverty and exclusion.

In the midst of our renewed national outrage over the more than half a million men and women who sleep on the streets each night, let’s applaud the big names like United Way and the National Coalition for the Homeless for their tireless efforts to bring housing security to every American.

But let’s also remember the little guys, those defying their much humbler budgets and capacities to serve the groups most at risk of becoming homeless in the local communities we all call home across the country.

Here are five of those organizations.

 

Project Homeless Connect

In the city where the homelessness epidemic regularly makes headlines, Project Homeless Connect is striving to provide basic services and the overlooked necessities of daily life to the women and men of San Francisco living life without a roof over their heads.

Of the many organizations working to combat homelessness in the Bay Area, Project Homeless Connect stands out for its attention to human detail. Striving to offer “holistic care in a dignified setting,” PHC goes beyond the standard housing and job training services to offer everything from haircuts, to wheelchair repairs, to providing people with the opportunity to call friends and loved ones on the phone. Neglected health and mistreatment of the body and the emotions are obstacles to finding employment and stability, and PHC’s success shows that paying attention to these details pays off.

project homeless connect
Photo courtesy of Project Homeless Connect.

If you live in the Bay Area, you can volunteer a few hours of your time to anything from assembling personal hygiene kits to participating in outreach walks; or you can make a monetary donation here.

 

Lost-n-Found Youth

Lost-n-Found Youth in Atlanta, Georgia is working to rescue the hearts and lives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths who together make up 40% of the nation’s homeless youth population.

Their 24-hour hotline is available to youths in all situations, and their six-bed, 90-day housing facility does its best to ease LGBT adolescents’ transition as they cope with fleeing or being forced out of their homes, placing teens and young adults in host homes until they’re able to support themselves. Alongside these services, Lost-n-Found works to provide clothing and food for young people stuck on the street, as well as mental health counseling and assistance recovering vital documents like birth certificates and ID cards that are too often withheld by families and present obstacles to gaining employment.

Lost-n-Found is currently seeking to triple their transitional housing capacity in order to serve more of the young people who find themselves feeling lost and discarded in the streets. You can make a donation to the cause; or if you live in the Atlanta area, volunteer a few hours of your time to empower young people and assure them that it does get better.

 

5 Star Veterans Center

Since 2012, the Five Star Veterans Center has been working to get homeless veterans in the Jacksonville, Florida area “mentally and physically healthy enough to return to work, reunite with families, and regain control of their own lives.”

Many veterans return from deployment to find insufficient healthcare structures in place for issues like PTSD and the physical disabilities that often prevented them from finding employment. Five Star Veterans Center seeks to combat this with its two residence programs: the Passport to Independence program and a mental health counseling initiative, both laid out in detail on their website. Their approach seeks to provide our veterans with safe housing, meals, and assistance obtaining VA benefits and medical care while also offering mental health and job training services to help them to return to work.

veterans
“A child of a New York area Coast Guard service member waves the American Flag while marching in New York City’s Veterans Day Parade, Nov. 11, 2013.” Photo by DVIDSHUB via Flickr under CC BY 2.0.

Five Star Veterans Center is a young organization funded primarily by individual donations, which you can make here. Jacksonville area residents can also volunteer their time in roles ranging from fundraising to computer assistance.

 

A Child’s Place

Too often, children in families experiencing homelessness watch their grades plummet and eventually drop out of school, lacking the stable support structure necessary for learning and a good education. A Child’s Place wants to change that reality for children in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.

A Child’s Place’s mission is “to erase the impact of homelessness on children and their education,” seeing this as one of the best intervention points for making real strides against homelessness. To make this investment in their community, the organization provides food, school supplies, and other necessities to minimize interruptions to the child’s life in the midst of an experience with homelessness, while also working with families to help them gain employment and housing.

If you want to invest in ending homelessness by ensuring all children get an education, you can donate here, or volunteer your time with A Child’s Place in their Charlotte office.

 

Michigan Ability Partners

Up to a quarter of men, women, and children living on the streets are mentally or physically disabled, left to struggle untreated or undiagnosed on sidewalks and back alleys. Michigan Ability Partners is working to support this population in southeast Michigan by creating opportunities for disabled persons and other at-risk groups like veterans in the area.

Aside from traditional housing support and services, MAP offers services like its Transitional Work Program and social enterprise work initiatives, which provide the men and women they work with with an income while building the crucial work experience that many have never had the opportunity to gain. MAP also maintains a vocational program to assist with job placement, and permanent supported housing to disabled persons struggling to escape chronic homelessness.

homelessness
Photo by Helen Taylor via Flickr under CC BY-NC 2.0.

To support Michigan Ability Partners in offering inclusive and empowering services, you can make a donation here, or learn about volunteering your time or supplies here.

 

Interested in learning more about homelessness in the United States and what you can do about it? Take a few minutes to read up on the 10 most essential stories from the San Francisco media blitz and what’s been learned from them. You can also take a hands-on approach by making homeless helper bags, or browse through the national directory of organizations working against homelessness to find out how you can start making an impact in your home community.