“Everyone has the need to contribute. It is one of the six human needs. If you give from your heart, it will come back to you tenfold.” – Anthony Robbins

One of the most powerful books available is the little book called Notes From A Friend by Anthony Robbins. Don’t be fooled by its size. It packs a wallop! In fact one of the greatest ways to make a difference can be found in the first few pages of this book.

Robbins talks about how a stranger had arrived on their doorstep one gloomy thanksgiving and delivered to their impoverished family a basketful of everything they needed to celebrate the holiday. When they tried to thank him he said that he was just the delivery guy. A stranger had made what would have been a very sad moment a highpoint in a family’s life.

We too can make a difference. People don’t need to know we are the source of the gift. It is pretty easy to find out from the local community centers who are the families who truly need assistance and what they need. It is possible to drop off your gifts to them on their doorstep without their knowing you were there. Just be the delivery guy and make someone’s day.

Don’t worry that what you give them only lasts a moment. Sometimes that is all people need, help to get through or past a difficult time. Food may not last very long but when you have just lost everything in a natural disaster it is much appreciated.

If you’d like to be part of the International Basket Brigade, visit the website of the Anthony Robbins Foundation. You can help by contributing in-kind or in cash or you can help find families that need your generosity the most. You can even organize your own basket brigade or deliver the baskets yourselves.

It makes a difference in people’s lives to know that someone cares for them, even if they’ve never met. Go ahead and make a difference.

Categories: Children, Elderly, Events, Ideas, Men, Organizations, Programs, Tips, Volunteering, Women

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It is hard to be sick. We all hate it when we have to stay in bed whether it is just with a fever or with a worse bug. The feeling of lethargy dampens our spirits. Having your body let you down is really annoying especially when there is much that you want to do. It is even worse when it is cancer.
Just imagine how much worse it is when you’re a kid. Very few people see you as normal. You regularly need chemotherapy, you may undergo surgery, not to mention losing your hair. It can be difficult to keep your spirits up when you are undergoing so much treatment.

It isn’t only the child who suffers. The whole family shares the difficulty, not physically but in the finances, in their schedule, in their lifestyle. Their whole lives tend to be rearranged to work around the needs of their family member with the disease. When the times are rough, the whole family tend to be down.

They need people to help them. Financial assistance is a great help but that isn’t all they need. They are looking for angels. That doesn’t mean they are looking for miracle workers in spite of the title.

The simplest way you can support the cancer warrior (child fighting the disease) is to send a card. You can be a birthday, christmas or a card angel. This means sending a card on those special occasions just to wish them well.

If you are willing to give a more long term commitment, why not be an angel. Angels are people who commit to a year (or more) of supporting a family through the difficult years of treatment. These angels are asked to send a card or little gift once a month to the cancer warrior and one member of the child’s family. Angels do this without expecting any response from the family. They may be too busy trying to cope with the situation to respond. They need people who will consistently send every month without fail.

If you want to know more, please visit the Cancer Warriors website.

Categories: Children, Ideas, Organizations, Programs, Tips, Volunteering

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One of the best ways to give is to give in kind. This usually means that we can look around at the things we have and give to charity the things that we don’t need, don’t use or don’t like. Often this means we are getting rid of our old things.

Now there is nothing wrong with giving away what we don’t need. Better that someone else benefit from it, right? It’s just…why give something that we already know is damaged beyond repair? Why give shirts that are so full of holes they aren’t good for anything but rags?

You will do more good and give less work to the organization’s teams (believe that they are very busy) if you give good items, not trashy pieces. For example, go ahead and give up your old shirts but do make sure that they are still wearable. Maybe you can give the ones that you just outgrew.

Please refrain from giving clothes that are stained with grease, blood or similar stains. Even though many products are coming out in the market that claim to be able to remove any stain, we know that the charity organizations or the recipients usually can’t afford it.  Please be generous enough to give clothes that they can be proud to wear even if it isn’t brand new.

If you want to give an old grill now that you have a new one the children in the orphanages or families will surely appreciate it. It would surely be appreciated if you would take the time to clean it up and give all its parts. It would spare them the expense of having to replace the missing pieces if you still have them.

Your kindness is much appreciated but please give these charities your respect. The recipients may be in need but they do have their dignity and would appreciate  your treating them as people, not just as receptacles for the things you no longer want or need.

Categories: Ideas, Products, Tips

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The best kind of charity is one where the giver does not feel strained but enjoys their donation. For most people, it can feel like a burden to give. This is especially true when they themselves are in need. Yet we know that others need our help so everyone tries to give what they can.

As we know, little things can have a big effect. A dollar at a time, people are helping kids all over North America and Canada simply by enjoying their favorite treat can mean a miracle. This is the kind of program that the Children’s Miracle Network utilizes.

Last August 10, Dairy Queen held their Miracle Day Treat. Every customer who purchased a blizzard was helping to save the life of a child. All the proceeds from the blizzards goes to a hospital that is part of their network.

Dairy Queen has been working with the Children’s Miracle Network since 1984. They are not alone. Wal-Mart, Marriott, The Walt Disney World Corporation, Ace Hardware and the Coca Cola North America are just a few of the companies that sponsor this foundation. Their current spokesperson is LeAnn Rimes.

If you want to assist the 17 million children that the Children’s Miracle Network supports you can do so by supporting one of the various programs of the sponsors of the organization, such as Dairy Queen. Of course, you can also send in a donation in cash via credit card. It can be a one time gift or a monthly donation. Any amount you give will be appreciated.

Categories: Events, Fundraising, Ideas, Organizations, Programs, Tips

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When looking to find a job in the non-profit world, the first step is to ask around. Network by telling people you know ( family, friends, colleagues) and consider doing some unpaid volunteer or internship work to get your “foot in the door” so to speak.

Although most internships are not paid (or paid very little, perhaps just covering food and/or transportation expenses), it can be a wonderful opportunity to also discover your strengths and become aware of the roles and environment when working in the non-profit industry.

The next best resource for work in the non-profit world is obviously the internet. Nearly all of the non-profit organizations and groups have websites which post career opportunities and volunteer positions, and job sites are also useful as many of them have sections featuring jobs in the non-profit sector.

Not only does online research make sense financially (it costs nothing to email!), but it also allows you to learn about the various organizations to discover what suits you best.

Other good places to look are local newspapers, non-profit organizations magazines and newsletters, and bulletin boards at your community center or church.

Remember that only 20-25% of jobs use advertising, so it pays to think “out of the box” and be resourceful. Perhaps after finding organizations which interest you, you could contact them directly to know “first-hand” if they have any possible openings. Their websites should also have some useful information and contact details.

And lastly, don’t give up! Always check up on your resources often as new jobs and openings appear daily. Keep on researching, and don’t be afraid to apply even if you are worried that your qualifications won’t suffice. If you have passion and commitment for the job, you could be the best person for it.

Categories: Ideas, Jobs, Organizations, Tips, Volunteering

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