We’ve continued our journey of donating to charities for the 12 days of Christmas this season. Here are the last few and what we’ve shared with one another –
Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS). I realize this is a minefield of a charity to share with the public since it’s created such a divide in our country. However, no matter what side of the fence you are on, the reality is that there are refugees and they need resources. Daren dug up a short video clip showing refugees arriving in Greece from Syria via Turkey: https://youtu.be/tOwL89Tndk4. We donated housewares via Amazon to a refugee family in New Haven, CT.
National Organization for Women Foundation (NOW). After watching Miss Representation on Netflix last month (free if you’d like to watch it!), I was moved to donate to this organization. We watched most of the movie together last night as a family. As a woman myself, I have not even noticed the way the media has influenced me to think about the way I live my live and see myself; AND has likely pushed women away from engaging in Leadership and Political roles. The media and politics shape our culture & how we live, and only 6% of our representative population are making these decisions for everyone else (caucasian heterosexual college educated married men over the age of 35).
Save the Sound and CT fund for the Environment. This is an organization that works to ensure critical natural areas are protected and support wildlife, recreation, and clean water. In addition to a myriad of many environmental pursuits, some highlights are: They push for great open spaces to be protected from over-development, see that important coastal and island habitats are preserved, and natural dunes & marshes help protect shoreline communities from future storms and sea level rise.
Bowery Mission. The Bowery Mission has been helping homeless New Yorkers since 1879, meeting the specific needs of each man, woman, and child who walks through their doors. They first help by meeting immediate needs: food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. They also have residential recovery programs and camps for children. Additionally, they address deeper needs for spiritual wholeness, life and job skills training, and addiction recovery. We watched a short YouTube video that Devin found that explains the impact of this organization impeccably. Check it out if you have a moment – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL_i5WcSOzQ
American Red Cross. I know everyone knows what they do!
I really enjoyed spending the holidays this year focusing on a charity each day during the 12 days of Christmas. It was an exercise to think about what matters to us and to take action (no matter how small) to do something outside of ourselves that inspires us to make the world a better place. I hope everyone I know feels empowered to do things for others and fight for what they believe it.
“As (Martin Luther) King said, ‘The problem today is not the vitriolic words and the evil actions of the bad people. It is the appalling inaction and silence of the good people.’”
Happy Holidays!
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