The Arthritis Foundation provides funding for a number of arthritis-related research projects.
I had the privilege of seeing several of those on-going projects that are happening at Duke University. I was able to meet many of the researchers behind these important projects and ask questions about their work.
I am excited about what I experienced. It was obvious that the researchers enjoyed what they were doing and were also excited about the possibilities the research could bring to millions of people in the future.
I wrote a little about what I learned on two of the projects at:
Most of us either suffer from arthritis or know someone who is. This is because 50 million people have already been diagnosed with it in the U.S. (1 in 5 people). My hope is that this sampling of research the Arthritis Foundation supports will excite you to the point you will see the benefit of supporting the organization.
I want to alert you to a group of people who are making a difference in the lives of people in Uganda. They are called Three Avacados (known as @nonprofitcoffee on Twitter). Why am I highlighting them here? Because of the story behind their name. Check out this excerpt:
"Our story begins in the humble village of Bulopa Uganda. Bulopa, like many other villages in Uganda, is a very remote and extremely poor village. There is a small church there, which amounts to nothing more than a few sticks in the ground and some benches. We had been invited to worship with the people of Bulopa. Despite the fact we were over four hours late, the entire village was there to welcome us. It had been a long day, we were all tired and..."
I trust this story inspires you. Participate by getting some coffee. Start your own service to others. Or look around and find excuses to give. And may God bless your holiday season!
Nonprofit organizations impact your life every day. You might not realize how big the nonprofit world is.
Gayle Gifford shared the below video at The Butterfly Effect and I just had to share it with you. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the video and how it might have changed your perspective of the nonprofit sector.
Here is an excerpt from Seth Godin's latest blog post:
"Some of you may have discovered that today is supposed to be my birthday. No longer. I've never really liked birthday hoopla, especially mine, so I've given my birthday to Scott and the folks at Charity:water...."
I recently attended my son's National Honor Society ceremony at the high school where he attends. The ritual is for several seniors to present speeches dealing with character, leadership, service, etc.
One speech, in particular, caught my attention. The presenter, student Beth Kerlin, delivered a simple, yet profound idea: leave the world a better place. I gained her permission to share it with you on this blog. I trust it inspires you to continue giving everyday of your life.
"When I was about 6 years old and in the 1st grade I lived right next door to the church where my father was a pastor. The only thing separating our yard from the church yard was a sidewalk. One Sunday after church I remember running down that sidewalk feeling like I was flying. This is my first memory of service. I don't remember who it was that I helped other than that it was an elderly woman from my church. I can't even remember what I did for her. All I remember is that I felt like a superhero. I know it sounds kinda cheesy but that was how I understood service as a child.
"Whenever I helped someone I would get this warm fuzzy feeling in my heart; like if I closed my eyes I would be soaring above the earth. I couldn't get enough of this high feeling, so I jumped at every opportunity to help someone. I would even wash the dishes after church luncheons for hours when I was barely tall enough to reach the faucets.
"Now 12 years later I am still washing dishes for the church, but I know longer do it because it makes me feel like a superhero. You see somewhere along the way I learned that serving someone isn't about the way it makes me feel but the way it makes them feel. It isn't about you feeling like you’re flying, but making others feel like they’re flying.
"Inductees over the next year you will be involved with things through NHS that will help you to understand more of what I am talking about. You will help out with the mitten tree around Christmas. I remember the day of the deliveries, walking into Mrs. Toy's room and almost crying at the beauty of a room filled with gifts. On that day you will get to play Santa Clause because you will be bring a little magic into the homes of complete strangers and makes some dreams come true.
"For some it may have been delivering a bike to the little boy who asked for one. Or maybe seeing the face of a mother light up when she knew for once her children would have more than enough. For me it was the moment I made my first delivery. I was carrying presents into the home of someone I had never met before and placing them under her tree.
"Her Christmas tree that looked exactly like the one I see on Christmas morning. A real live tree that you have to water every day. Covered with homemade and antique bulbs and more tinsel and icicles than you can imagine. The branches were literally sagging from all the weight. But to me this was beautiful. I remember looking at that woman as I left and hearing, "Merry Christmas!" and replying, "Merry Christmas to you too!"
"In that moment there was nothing different about us. We were two human beings just doing our best to leave the world a better place after we were gone. I believe that it was in that moment or maybe awhile later when I was remembering it that I learned what true service is. It's not about giving money, or possessions, or even time, though you can give all those things, but true service is about a relationship; about making someone else higher, even if it means making yourself lower. It was the look in that woman's eyes as they lit up with joy when she thought we were done bringing things in and she hears that there's more. It was the opportunity to make her life a little brighter, even if only for a moment. A true servant sees an opportunity like this and takes it. Yes there will be times when you are tired and would much rather be sleeping then making countless trips in and out of the cold to load cars with groceries and gifts, but in the end, when it is all over, you will be able to look back and see that you did something worthwhile; that you helped your fellow man.
"Service to your fellow man is one of the reasons why being in NHS is such a unique and high honor. There are plenty of other awards and scholarships you can get for getting good grades in school or having a high G.P.A. But NHS is more than that. It is an award that says you have strong character. That not only can you study hard and be successful in school but also that you spend time doing things for others. NHS is a group of servant leaders, so it is my honor to tell you that this evening represents that you are one of them. So congratulations and be proud of yourselves."
Scott Couchenour is a guest blogger for the Everyday Giving Blog.
Frequently, I get comments like "You're everywhere on the Web" and "I was searching on the Internet and your websites kept appearing in the results."
This doesn't happen by accident. It is also much less frustrating and less time-consuming if you have a world-class mentor who can guide you through the steps you need to take.
Two of my mentors are David Perdew and Mark Hendricks. They are world-class Internet marketers and mentors. They are also available to mentor you in person, and David is allowing me to give you a $200-off coupon code that will get you access to this opportunity for less than half price. But the discount is only good for the 1st 24 people that take advantage of the offer TODAY before 11:59pm ET.
NAMS is a hands-on workshop taught by several of the best known experts in their field. Whether you want to make some extra money or learn better ways to spread your message, NAMS is the place to be.
Students Helping Honduras is busy this Spring holding fundraising events across the country. I was able to attend one of the events this past weekend at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The fundraising event was a volleyball tournament. The funds raised through the event are going to be used to build a library at the village of Villa Soleada in El Progreso, Honduras. The facility, designed by engineers and architects from the Building Goodness Foundation, will give more than 2,000 people in the region a safe place to study and access books for the first time.
The event had all of the elements to be successful. The elements included entertainment, food, team competition, great volunteers and fun. They also met their goal by raising more than $25,000.
These students are making a difference in the lives of other people and in the life of a community. How are you making a difference?
Start out the year right. I want to let you in on an exciting new Facebook group which has formed just in the last few days. It's called the "365 Club". Here's how it got its beginning:
Dave Ferguson, Lead Pastor of Community Christian Church, Naperville, Illinois, shared on Facebook how he gave Starbuck's coffee to the staff at a local Kinko's. They weren't expecting it and Dave wrote about their reaction: ""...you'd think they won the lottery! A little generosity goes a long way!"
Out of that experience, a Facebook group was formed. 365 Club. It's for anyone who is committing to do at least 365 random acts of kindness throughout the 2009 year. It's based on the premise that everyone expects gifts at Christmas time. But if a bunch of us made giving a part of our everyday life, we could change the world.
If you're interested in joining, it's not too late. Here's the link:
I got our local paper on January 1, 2009. At the top of the front page was a "Happy New Year" block. The rest of the front page was nothing but bad news. Our world needs good news. It needs the Good News. Why not show your world what the Good News is? Join the group. Share your journey with the other Club members.
Have a GREAT new year!
Scott Couchenour, certified life coach (guest blogger)
soles4souls is a Nashville-based charity with a very focused mission: to provide shoes for people who have no shoes. They came up with a huge project to provide fifty thousand pairs of shoes before the end of the year.
"Five dollars will purchase two pairs of shoes. Think about it! For less than the cost of a trip to Starbucks, you can provide two people with their very first pair of shoes! Just click here or the logo in the side column, and you can donate online. Kim and I donated eight pairs of shoes this morning (one for every pair I kicked aside to get to my study). It is very easy, takes less than two minutes, and changes someone’s life."
If you're looking for a creative way to give this holiday season, check it out at:
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The Arthritis Foundation provides funding for a number of arthritis-related research projects.
