Child pornography and expoitation online is a growing global problem. And if you have children, the facts are more than just shocking and deeply disturbing. They’ll actually make you want to cry, vomit, or both. And it will make you want to do something.

I recently read an article in Readers Digest about how a lone cop created one of the largest online child pornography investigative units in the world. He dedication to fight the heinous crimes of internet child abusers was admirable, and brought about when he saw online photos of a 4-year-old girl being abused in the most horrifying ways. He later caught the perpetrator and continues his fight today.

Today, I received this email, asking me to “Light a Candle” for the innocent victims of internet child abusers. I immediately visited the site called Light A Million Candles, and lit my candle, which was the 735,612th. The site, which is part of the International Center For Missing and Exploited Children (which I’ll talk about in my next post), hopes to get the attention of the big guys (governments, politicians, financial institutions, ISP’s, tech companies and law enforcement agancies) to STOP making this horrendous practice such a viable commercial venture online, which destroys thousands of innocent children’s lives. They don’t ask for money, they just ask that you lend your voice to support this exemplary cause.

The petition hopes to light one million candles by December 2006. Help STOP this evil practice and LIGHT A CANDLE NOW.

Technorati Tags: Kids, Child Pornography, Missing Kids, Child Exploitation

Categories: Campaigns, Children, Organizations | Tags: Child-Exploitation, Child-Pornography, Kids, Missing-Kids

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If you’re like me, you probably believe that you should be giving more to charity. Guilt aside, the latest research shows that many, many people wish they did give more, if any at all, but just don’t know how to go about it.

Well, this week you finally have the opportunity to do so. Why? Because its National Giving Week in the UK as of TODAY and you’ll now find a hundred different ways to give, most of which are easy and fun.

Cooked up by the CAF, or Charities Aid Foundation, National Giving Week is a wonderful way to start giving more, and making it a part of your life. By simply logging onto the website, you’ll soon find some fabulously fun ways to give, such as the Celebrity Charity Auction which lets you bid on donated items from the stars like Madonna and Robbie Williams on eBay.

The site also offers a wealth of information and resources on a wide number of charities. It covers HOW you can give as an individual, through work or payroll, as a family or group, by volunteering and so on; whom or where you can give to as well as uselful tips on how to get started.

Vicki Pulman spokeswoman for CAF explains:

“The first thing is to ask yourself how much you can afford….Whenever we ask people to audit themselves, they usually say they could afford more and want to give more. It is the job of charities to gently remind them of that fact.”

Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Ideas, Organizations, Tips, Volunteering

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Bindi, the 8-year-old daughter of the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, made millions tear at her stoical speech during her father’s memorial service. Well, the brave little girl is now showing how she plans to continue her father’s legacy by becoming the front person of her father’s wildlide campaign, the Wildlife Warriors Charity.

The new campaign of the charity hopes to raise funds through the sale of green wristbands and dvds of Steve’s memorial service - the proceeds of which will go to saving endangered animals.

Michael Hornby, the Fund manager of the charity says that the campaign was planned and set in motion even before the untimely death of Mr.Irwin, and it will continue now, more than ever as Steve would have wished.

“It’s a project that was actually developed six months ago working with newspapers to try to find an opportunity to provide easy access for everyone to get involved with conservation,” he told ABC Radio.

“With the untimely passing of our good mate, Steve, I guess this project has brought on added meaning.”

Technorati Tags: Bindi Irwin, Steve Irwin, Australia, Environment, Wildlife

Categories: Animals, Campaigns, Charities, Children, Wildlife | Tags: Australia, Bindi-Irwin, environment, Steve-Irwin, Wildlife

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With the holiday season fast approaching, theres no better time to start giving. Christmas charities are now beginning to launch their annual campaigns, which we’ll be looking into in the next few posts.

One charity to start early is HALO or Holiday Angels Loving Others. This charity which started five years ago, was formed to help brighten the lives of families in need for the holiday season. This comes in the form of food and gifts, of which there are three ways to help: through donations, volunteering, or adopting a family.
A project of the Catholic Charities, the charity allows both individuals and corporations to help, monetary donations of which are tax deductable. Pam Richcreek, Assistance Coordinator at Catholic Charities explains:

“HALO truly promotes community involvement…The clients like it because they feel a sense of belonging to the community and it provides the personal touch for the adopters, because they actually meet the families they are donating to”

Technorati Tags: charities, christmas, halo, catholic charities, families, holidays

Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Families, Holidays, Religious, Volunteering | Tags: catholic-charities, Charities, christmas, Families, halo, Holidays

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In the UK, animal rights charities such as the RSPCA and the Pet Care Trust have long been fighting the legality of animals sold during Commercial Pet Fairs. There was great concern that the welfare of animals bought and sold at such temporary events were compromised.

However, a new bill that has just been passed not only bans the sale of animals, but also allows animal lovers to run and participate in these pet fairs without the need for a license.

David Bowles, Head of External Affairs at the RSPCA commented:

“We are delighted that the Government is going to follow the judicial review on pet fairs that concluded that such events are currently illegal under existing legislation and to ensure that new legislation maintains the position that it is illegal to sell animals at temporary commercial events, under the Animal Welfare Bill.

“The RSPCA has attended many commercial pet fairs and has had long standing concerns about the welfare of the animals which are bought and sold in such circumstances.”

“Today’s announcement heralds an important decision on welfare grounds to continue to ban commercial pet fairs in England, and that is very good news for the welfare of the diverse variety of animals now kept in captivity. We would urge the Assembly of Wales to do the same.

“The consultation announced today will also provide the opportunity to clarify what is meant by permitted fairs where animals are not sold in the course of a business. All animals that are bought and sold at temporary fairs are subject to the same welfare needs, and the RSPCA will be seeking to ensure that those needs are recognised in law.”

Technorati Tags: charities, animals, rspca, pets, animal welfare, animal protection, laws

Categories: Animals, Charities, Laws | Tags: animal-protection, animal-welfare, Animals, Charities, Laws, pets, rspca

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