Saturday, December 31, 2011

Lend A Hand All Year Long

happy-new-year

 

The holiday season may be drawing to a close, but that shouldn’t curb our desire to Lend A Hand. Keep giving back all year long.

Make a New Year’s Resolution to support Dignity & Respect. Sign our petition and follow the tips! Then support Dignity & Respect by volunteering your time, donating food, clothes or funds, or just by helping out a friend or neighbor in need.

Lend A Hand this holiday season and make sure everyone is treated with Dignity & Respect. And if you have a charitable organization that you would like to spotlight, share it with us on our Facebook wall!

Season’s greetings and Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Lend A Hand this Holiday Season: Spotlight on Amnesty International

 

amnesty

 

It’s not too late to give back this December . Lend A Hand this season! Amnesty International makes it easy for anyone to help spread Dignity & Respect to all people around the world. Whether you can volunteer, donate, or just sign a petition, you can make a big impact in the lives of every human being:

Whether you have 5 minutes or more time to spare we've got a way for you to make a mark in this world.

Our strength lies in collective action. With over 3 million Amnesty members and supporters, we help individuals around the world whose human rights are being violated.

Here are 10 ways you can make a difference:

1. Take action right now! With so many issues happening all around the world, sign a petition on one of the many human rights issues facing our communities around the world.

2. Attend an event. Events are a great way to get to educate yourself and others about human rights and meet other like minded people in your community who want to take action together.

3. Become a member. We are a movement of people. Each time a new person joins, Amnesty’s light shines brighter on the injustices occurring at different places around the world. Join today.

4. Donate. Your gift helps keep our movement free from corporate influence and independent from government agendas. Donate now!

5. Volunteer. Our network of volunteers have the chance to try almost anything—from phone banking, writing letters and organizing a group to responding to a crisis, leading a lobby effort or carrying out our campaigns—we invite you to explore the diverse volunteer opportunities available to you around the country.

6. Join a Group. Together, the members of our groups take action, reach out to new communities and educate the public about how they can make human rights a reality for all.

7. Follow a Campaign. Are you passionate about a certain issue? Join a network of activists around the country who are using campaigns to teach communities about torture, abolition of the death penalty, ending poverty and more.

8. Shop for a Cause. At our online store you can shop t-shirts and a variety of gifts with a purpose.

9. Write for Rights. Join over 17,000 people in one of the largest events on behalf of political prisoners, human rights defenders and others whose rights are being violated by their governments or corporations.

10. Partner with us. Through collaborations, partnerships and collective action, we can improve the state of human rights here and abroad. If you represent a university, association or agency, explore the ways you can support Amnesty International.

Learn more about how you can help here: http://www.amnestyusa.org/get-involved

Lend A Hand this holiday season and make sure everyone is treated with Dignity & Respect. And if you have a charitable organization that you would like to spotlight, share it with us on our Facebook wall!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Lend A Hand this Holiday Season: Spotlight on Best Buddies International

BestBuddies

 

Still looking for a way to Lend a Hand and give back this holiday season? Why not learn a little more about Best Buddies International:

Best Buddies is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to almost 1,500 middle school, high school, and college chapters worldwide. Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States, and in 50 countries around the world. Best Buddies’ seven formal programs – Best Buddies Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies, Jobs and Ambassadors – positively impact nearly 700,000 individuals with and without disabilities worldwide. Best Buddies volunteers annually contribute, at no cost to their communities, support services that equate to more than $164 million USD.

As a result of their involvement with Best Buddies, people with IDD secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, become inspirational leaders, and make lifelong friendships.

Check out a full account of the exciting contributions Best Buddies makes in the everyday lives of people with IDD here: http://www.bestbuddies.org/best-buddies

And if you would like to Lend A Hand, Best Budies is always looking for volunteers! Even something as simple as becoming an online eBuddy can change the life of a youngster. Become an email pen pal and brighten someone’s day while they learn important social and communication skills. It costs nothing but can mean the world. Learn more here: http://www.ebuddies.org/

Lend A Hand this holiday season and make sure everyone is treated with Dignity & Respect. And if you have a charitable organization that you would like to spotlight, share it with us on our Facebook wall!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Lend A Hand this Holiday Season: Spotlight on Paws With a Cause

 

paws

Still looking for a way to Lend a Hand and give back this holiday season? Paws With A Cause is a national organization that trains and provides assistance dogs to people with disabilities. Their mission is to encourage independence by training assistance animal and reaching out through education and support programs. Assistance animals and service dogs help their owners in a variety of ways:

“Hearing Dogs learn to alert individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to basic sounds such as a smoke alarm, a ringing telephone, a crying baby or a doorbell. The dog is trained to alert the individual of a sound and then lead them to the sound. If the sound being alerted to is a smoke alarm, the dog then accompanies the owner out of the building. All PAWS Hearing Dogs are taught basic American Sign Language commands.”

“Service Dogs are custom-trained to assist people with physical disabilities or seizure disorders. Service Dogs can perform tasks such as opening doors, turning light switches on/off, or picking up an object as small as a dime. Should the client fall, the dog can even be trained to act as a brace so the person can regain position.”

“To children with Autism, everyone, everywhere and everything is 'outside' of their world. Dogs can break into this world by always being there when they are needed by the child; dogs don't pass judgment on a child, like humans tend to do. By nature, the dog does not care that the child has Autism; they only care that they are a part of the child's life.”

Read about all these trained animal companions can do here: http://www.pawswithacause.org/Clients/AssistanceDogs/tabid/700/Default.aspx

If you would like to Lend A Hand to this organization, Paws With A Cause welcomes your donation but also is in need of volunteers. You can foster an animal or learn to become a trainer! Learn more here:

http://www.pawswithacause.org/GetInvolved/RaiseaFutureAssistanceDog/tabid/701/Default.aspx

Lend A Hand this holiday season and make sure everyone is treated with Dignity & Respect. And if you have a charitable organization that you would like to spotlight, share it with us on our Facebook wall!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Announcing November’s Dignity & Respect Champion Bracken Burns

 

DRChampion

 

This month we recognize Washington County Commissioner Bracken Burns as the November 2011 Dignity & Respect Champion of Greater Pittsburgh.

Bracken has tried to build a regional community that embraces diversity and encourages its citizens to love and respect each other.  He often reminds others that "inclusion is not just about race, it also includes gender, age, geography, income, folks with handicaps, etc."

Serving as Washington County Commissioner since 1996, Bracken decided not to run for a fifth term in office. Since taking office 16 years ago, Bracken's accomplishments include spearheading construction of the 50 bed Alzheimer's Unit at the Washington County Health Center, developing an Attendant Care Training Program to aid elderly and disabled citizens, leading historic preservation efforts to restore and utilize the old jail as a Family Court Center, and more.

Commissioner Burns is known for starting all of his public comments with the phrase, "It's a great day in Washington County."  He feels that we all have an obligation to be a "cheerleader for our community."

If you would like to nominate a Dignity & Respect Champion, visit us here. Let us continue to recognize everyone who works tirelessly for inclusion!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Lend a Hand this Holiday Season – Spotlight on Habitat for Humanity

habitat

 

Still looking for a way to Lend a Hand and give back this holiday season? Did you know that when you give to Habitat for Humanity, your gift might have twice the impact!

Investing in a Habitat family creates a brighter future for the children in Habitat homes.
Did you know that children who live in inadequate housing have lower educational achievement and are more likely to be impoverished and unemployed as adults? The good news is that, according to the Harvard Center on Housing, a dollar invested in housing has a greater impact on a child’s long-term well-being than a dollar invested in health or education.

Check to see if your employer will match your donation here: http://www1.matchinggifts.com/habitat/ It’s a great way to give doubly for the holidays!

And if you own a business, you can encourage your employees to give back this season by joining Habitat for Humanity’s Gift That Builds program:

http://www.habitat.org/support/giveatwork/Company_giving_guide.aspx

And here are some more ways you can help:

Share your enthusiasm about Habitat for Humanity with your colleagues. Here are some ideas of how you can support Habitat at your workplace:

· Identify Habitat for Humanity supporters in your company.

  • Encourage others to take advantage of your company’s matching gift program
  • Ask your Human Resources team to add Habitat for Humanity to your workplace giving campaign.
  • Raise money for Habitat by collecting donations and allowing donors to wear jeans on a designated day.
  • Host an event in the office to raise funds for a specific Habitat project.
  • Organize a group of coworkers to volunteer on a Habitat build site or go on a Global Village volunteer trip.

What will you do to Lend a Hand this holiday? Share your ideas and favorite charities with us!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Tip #29: Lend a Hand! Reaching Out to People in Need this Holiday

 

xmashand

A few weeks ago, Parade Magazine featured a wonderful article entitled “Can You Help? Lend A Hand This Holiday Season. ” In this article Parade Magazine lists several charities that would welcome your help this holiday season:

Christian Appalachian Project
Gradient Gives Back Foundation
National Fuel Funds Network
New Mexico Community Foundation
Operation Homefront/Hooah Lounge

Operation Peacekeeper
Oregon Food Bank
School District of Joplin R-VIII Foundation
Southern AIDS Coalition
United States Olympic Committee

(Read the original article here: http://www.parade.com/news/2011/11/giving-issue.html)

Because Dignity & Respect Tip #29 is also “Lend a Hand,” we would like to invite our friends and followers to join us this holiday season by giving back. Choose one of the charities from this list or just pick your favorite charity that you support. Share your stories about why we should support this charity too or tell us how you are giving back this holiday season by posting to our Facebook wall:

http://www.facebook.com/DignityandRespectCampaign

Inspire us! And most importantly: Lend A Hand!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Give Back this Holiday Season!

wreath

 

As we move into the holiday season, it is all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the busiest shopping season of the year. But we here at the Dignity & Respect Campaign encourage everyone to focus on giving back this year. Here are some simple ideas to get you started.

1. Say “Thank You!” Write a note to someone who has helped you out this year.

2. Donate to your local food bank

3. Donate to your favorite charity

4. Donate old clothes especial any winter coats that are still in good repair

5. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen

6. Send a care package to a soldier

7. Foster an shelter animal in need

8. Shovel snow for your neighbors, especially neighbors who are physically infirm

9. Pick up trash at a local park or around your community

10. Visit patients at your local hospital or nursing home

And if you have ideas on how to help your friends, neighbors and community, please share them with us!