February 2011
31 posts
12 tags
Day 311: Friendship Circle
Last night’s benefit party was a success, with the money raised last night and donations online we’ve raised over $2,100 for Livestrong! That’s amazing! I’m so thankful to the bands that played, all the wonderful people that came and danced, the photobooth, and the viaduct. All in all a great night! If you would like to make donation to LiveSTRONG in honor of the event,...
13 tags
Day 310: Julien Collot Foundation
Tonight is my birthday party at Viaduct, all the proceeds will be donated to LiveSTRONG in memory of those I’ve lost to cancer in 2010. The goal is $2K and we are about $700 away, I’m confident we will hit our goal. In keeping with today’s theme, I am donating to the Julien Collot Foundation, which is determined to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.
The...
14 tags
Day 309: The Bhopal Medical Appeal
Late night post today, I spent the day at my alma mater Illinois State University, I was invited back to talk with current students about my work in the theatre as well as my mission of giving. It was the first time I ever a guest speaker, but I had a wonderful time talking about my experiences and answering questions. I just hope it was beneficial for the students as I well, I will be making a...
14 tags
Day 308: The Girl Effect
When I was in Chiapas building a school with Foundation Escalera, we watched a couple of The Girl Effect videos at our first team meeting. I was moved by the message and mission of The Girl Effect. I wanted to make sure I dedicated a day to the work they doing to empower girls around the world to improve the future of our world.
The Girl Effect is the potential of 600 million adolescent girls to...
15 tags
Day 307: Free Wheelchair Mission
Thanks to everyone who contributed to my birthday fundraiser for LiveSTRONG on Crowdrise, it’s a cause near to me. I have been a social cigarette smoker since college, last year I had quit for 15 weeks, then I had a little relapse, but it’s now been 8 weeks since I last smoked a cigarette. I am firmly committed to quitting smoking for good. The real eye opener for me was losing my...
13 tags
Day 306: Harlem RBI
Today is my official birthday and I’ve been overwhelmed by all the birthday messages and donations to my LiveSTRONG fundraiser on Crowdrise. You have truly made my birthday great! Thank you! Mashable even did an article about Living Philanthropic today, so touched by that, thank you for helping spread the word. I’ve been thinking a lot about the past 305 days and what I want to do to...
13 tags
Day 305: ThinkCure!
I’m very excited from my benefit party on Saturday, so far we’ve raised over $700 for LiveSTRONG on Crowdrise! I’m hoping to hit the $2,000 goal with the money raised at my birthday benefit or at least get pretty close! In keeping with supporting cancer research, today’s give to LA’s ThinkCure! a community organization raising money to provide seed grants to cancer...
12 tags
Birthday Benefit Party for LiveStrong
As many of you know, I’ve been giving to charity everyday for a year. In 2010, I lost 3 people to cancer. So, in lieu of presents I have been asking for donations to be made to the LiveSTRONG Foundation in memory of all those we have lost to cancer. (http://www.crowdrise.com/LP-FEB) But, if you like parties with your donations, then come celebrate my birthday at the Viaduct in Chicago...
12 tags
Day 304: Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai
Heart disease takes more lives of women than all cancer, which is why it so important that research and heart disease prevention is supported.
The research at the Women’s Heart Center is revolutionary. Few institutions in the country are so focused on how heart disease presents itself differently in women. The Center is changing how women are diagnosed, treated, and educated about heart...
15 tags
Day 303: The Pixie Project
Today’s give encompasses many of my favorite things, bowling, Portland, and animal rescue. The Pixie Project in Portland, Oregon is having a Furbowl-a-thon to raise money for their animal rescue and adoption work, so I decided to give my daily donation to one of the teams. They also have a generous donor matching donations, so that doubles my contribution, which I also like.
The Pixie...
14 tags
Day 302: Advita Fund USA
I am a big supporter of funding supportive services for cancer patients and survivors as well as cancer research and prevention. Almost everyone I know has been affected by cancer, either personally or having a close friend or family member diagnosed with cancer. This is one of the reasons why I feel it is important for me to give to organizations helping cancer patients attain the treatment they...
15 tags
Day 301: Top of the Rock Wildlife Sanctuary
Today’s give goes out to two fellow Crowdriser’s Patricia, who is a fundraising master and Patrick who is president of National Wildlife Human Society. NWHS is a wonderful wildlife conservation organization and they operate a wildlife sanctuary as well.
Top Of The Rock Wildlife Sanctuary was founded 20 years ago, on a remote mountain top in north central Arkansas wilderness. It was...
13 tags
Day 300: Noah's Wish
DAY 300! Woo-hoo! Getting close to 365! I just want to say I love Crowdrise, this social giving site has introduced me to so many giving and cool people. Today’s give goes to Adria’s project for Noah’s Wish on Crowdrise, she’s running the Honda LA Marathon for NH and I think that is awesome. Noah’s Wish is a great organization that helps rescue animals in the face of...
14 tags
Day 299: Habitat for Humanity
There was a man who lived in Ohio who generously gave of his talents and time to help others without fanfare or recognition. Even when he almost lost his home, he still went out and built homes with Habitat for Humanity because he believed others needed help more. Today’s give is in his memory, he may not know all the people he inspired, but hearing his story from my friend certainly...
13 tags
Day 298: Chicago Canine Rescue Foundation
Happy Valentine’s Day! Will you be my volunteer? I am constantly inspired by all the great readers and visitors of my blog, it’s truly amazing how giving and caring you are! There are over a dozen of you that have taken up giving missions of your own and that’s amazing! I wish you the best on your journeys. If you have started your own mission of giving because of Living...
14 tags
Day 297: Gasland via International WOW
This morning I watched the documentary Gasland and I was moved to donate today’s give to Gasland and the production company International Wow. Director Josh Fox set out to investigate the interest in natural gas drilling after an offer to lease his family’s land in Delaware, what he found where people across the US affected by the potential hazards of natural gas drilling, particularly...
12 tags
Day 296: Young Survival Coalition
Today’s give goes out to an organization founded by young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Cancer has affected a lot of people in my life and I am drawn to organizations working to raise awareness and empower those affected with cancer to improve their lives. The community of support YSC provides is priceless.
Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is the premier global organization ...
13 tags
Day 295: Urban Ministries of Durham
I received an email from Rosalinda yesterday mentioning an online game called Spent, she mentioned after playing for a few minutes, she had to quit. I was curious to see what this game was all about. The game challenges you to make it through a series of challenges for a month starting as an unemployed worker with a dwindling income. I made it though the month and had to make some tough...
15 tags
Day 294: Project Angel Food
There is nothing more soothing to the soul than a warm healthy meal, but sometimes it’s not always possible to obtain. For those dealing with or affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, getting a nutritious meal is not only important to satiate a hunger, but is vital to promoting healing and wellness. Today’s give goes to LA’s Project Angel Food whose...
14 tags
Day 293: Pine Street Inn
Today’s give is in honor of Carl D, this guy is a prime example of paying it forward. Carl washes dishes part time at a restaurant in Billerica, MA to earn extra money to donate to charity as part of his spiritual path for lessons in humility and sacrifice. He is a true everyday hero and just another example of someone trying to do a little good in their community. So, I am donating to one...
13 tags
Day 292: Greenpeace
I was looking at the other organizations that Groupon was fundraising for and was thinking how I can incorporate in my daily giving, I noticed Groupon was giving $15 credits to anyone who donated to Greenpeace. So I thought, well I will use that $15 credit (when it comes in April) to pay it forward to another charity, makes sense to me.
Here’s how it works: Groupon is collecting...
15 tags
Day 291: The Tibet Fund
During the Super Bowl there was a commercial for Groupon that has caused a lot controversy. It boldly makes light of the human crisis in Tibet, murder and human suffering is never something to make fun of, even if your intentions are good. I could have made better use of the 3 million + spent on that ad. But, the curious mind in me decided to dig deeper as to why Groupon would release an ad such...
15 tags
Separated at Birth?
Separated at Birth?
Ben Stiller joined Crowdrise last week and his profile photo looks eerily similar to mine! Above left is the ribbon cutting of the school I helped build in Chiapas with Foundation Escalera. Above right is the ribbon cutting of a school site in Haiti with Ben Stiller’s Stillerstrong Foundation.
At any rate, it’s a mirror image of kindred spirits. :)
It’s...
11 tags
Day 290: Wine To Water
Happy Super Bowl, everyone. I was hoping for a Steelers-Bears game, but it’s been a good game so far. Today’s give goes to an organization that works to help provide clean water and sanitation to people in need across the world. Access to clean drinking water is something that we sometimes take for granted, being in Mexico and not being able to drink the water in the village was an...
14 tags
Day 289: Stiller Foundation
Today, I noticed Ben Stiller had joined Crowdrise and after reading more about his foundation and project in Haiti, I had to join his team and make a donation to his cause. We are on the exact same wave length when it comes to promoting education worldwide. My experiences building a school in Chiapas this past December with Foundation Escalera only strengthened my resolve. By developing and...
14 tags
Day 288: Food on Foot
Some of the readers of this blog, do some incredible things and you all continue to inspire me. There are so many great people out there creating positive change in their communities. Today’s give Food on Foot is another testament to power of one person’s drive to create good in the world. What started as one man trying to battle hunger in LA out of the trunk of his car has grown in...
13 tags
Day 287: Help-A-Pet
Keep all the recommendations coming. It’s so awesome to find out about great new organizations like today’s give. Help-A-Pet is a wonderful group based in Illinois that helps pets and their owners nationwide pay for expensive medical treatment for their pets. To realize how important their work is, you only have to take a look at some of the success stories, like:
Josephine White...
16 tags
Day 286: Public Action to Deliver Shelter
Chicago was hit with one of the biggest snow storms in recent years, I spent most of the morning shoveling off the sidewalks. My mom texted me this picture of a snowdrift outside her door, that’s about 6 feet high. As much of a danger and inconvenience a snowstorm like this can cause, it was really kind of cool walking around in it. I wanted to make a donation today to an organization...
8 tags
Technical difficulties : snow big deal
After the great Chicago blizzard of 2011, I am without Internet access. I am writing from my phone. I will post the full give for day 286 once I’m back online. Stay gold.
14 tags
Day 285: LIFT
It’s a snowy, snowy day here in Chicago, had a lovely walk home in the snow. As much I love a snow day, I know this going to be a tough night for the homeless and those living below the poverty line, which is why it’s important for me to support organizations working to lift people out of poverty. Organizations providing access to successful social programs, not just handouts, but...
10 tags
“Tag you’re it! You have one life to touch as many souls as possible....”
– livingphilanthropic.com 