Ample Harvest

While 49 million Americans are hungry or at real risk of being hungry, more than 40 million Americans grow food in home gardens – often more than they can use, preserve or give to friends. To address this, the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign, created in May 2009 by CNN Hero Gary Oppenheimer, diminishes hunger in America by enabling more than 2,600 food pantries across all 50 states to receive this excess garden bounty from local growers. By replacing the salt or sugar laden canned produce usually available at food pantries, the donated garden produce not only feeds the hungry families, it provides for a healthier diet (with reduced long term health care expenditures), it lowers the carbon footprint of the food while also reducing the environmental impact of wasted food.

To support Ample Harvest visit their website at:

AmpleHarvest.org

Operation Smile

Throughout the world, Operation Smile volunteers repair childhood facial deformities while building public and private partnerships that advocate for sustainable healthcare systems for children and families. Together, they create smiles, change lives and heal humanity.

http://www.operationsmile.org/

The Power of ONE!!

Katie Spotz, Rowing for Clean Water.

Katie Spotz gets my vote this month for Nice People doing Nice Things.

Do you doubt the power of one? I certaintly have, but Kattie Spotz, a 22 year old from a small town in Ohio, is driven by extreme challenges. On January 1st 2010, Katie left the coast of Africa in her one-woman rowboat headed to Guyana, over 2.500 miles away, to raise money for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, a non-profit that brings global communities together to provide safe drinking water to billions of people arond the world in need. After 3 months at sea, Katie's vision and commitment to making a difference in the world has not ended. Read Katie's story here.

The Egbar Foundation

The EGBAR Foundation is a vehicle for change. It's primary function: To create an appreciably cleaner environment by instilling in young people throughout the world, the importance of "Making a Difference", one park, one neighborhood, one community at a time.

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors and nurses volunteer to provide urgent medical care in countries to victims of war and disaster regardless of race, religion, or politics.



http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

Aperture Foundation

The not-for-profit arts institution dedicated to advancing fine photography, publishing a magazine and books, presenting a diverse selection of photographs and texts.


aperture.org

Free Rice

For each word you get right, they donate 20 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program to help end hunger.

Play and improve your vocabulary while you're at it! Just have fun!

http://www.freerice.com

Free Genealogy Research

RAOGK is a global volunteer organization. With over 4000 volunteers in every U.S. state and many international locations, they help thousands of researchers. Their volunteers take time to do everything from looking up courthouse records to taking pictures of tombstones. All they ask in return is reimbursement for their expenses (never their time) and a thank you.

Click on their logo to find a volunteer in your local area

The Story of Stuff- by Annie Leonard

"Annie Leonard's incredibly engaging 20-minute short film, "The Story of Stuff", is an alarming (but never alarmist or shrill) look into the way that our consumer society works" reports cory doctorow of boing-boing. He goes on to say that " Leonard's cradle-to-grave picture of stuff is lucid and answers a lot of questions about how we got here -- and how we can go somewhere better next."

First 30 Days

Ariane Bonvoisin is an incredible lady set out to help others during changes (that we all inevidably face) in our lives. More specifically, her site, advice, counseling, inspirational stories are a lifesaver for many who have no where else to turn during stressful times. Her mission is to inspire you to find the positive in any change.

Quote from Ariane:
Despite the change — be it unpredictable or self-propelled — the first few days and weeks are often the hardest, most emotional time. It's when we have the most questions, emotions, doubts and fears, and when decisions need to be made. This is also the time when we are most in need of direction, information and support. Thirty days is enough to get started in the right way, to share with you what makes change easier and why some people get through change better than others.

I believe anyone can change. I believe there is always something good that will come from a change, even if you can't see it right now. I believe that when we stop resisting the changes we are going through and simply embrace them, we realize that life is on our side. I believe that we all have a part of ourselves that doesn't change — and, when we find that part within us, whatever change we are going through on the outside becomes easier.

The Skoll Foundation

The Skoll Foundation's advances systemic change to benefit communities around the world by investing in, connecting and celebrating social entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurs are proven leaders whose approaches and solutions to social problems are helping to better the lives and circumstances of countless underserved or disadvantaged individuals.

Say Thanks to our Troops

"This web site sponsored by Xerox, gives you an opportunity to send a free printed postcard to U.S. military personnel stationed overseas showing your support and appreciation for their service to our country."

Whatever your personal political opinions are, the fact remains that thousands of our country's men and women risk their lives for us every day. Show them you care about their lives, their personal sacrifices and the sacrifice their families make for us.

It literally takes just seconds to personalize a postcard to thank these brave, unselfish men and women. It's as fast as sending an e-card to a friend.

Click on the link above to read the many thanks submitted by our service men and women and take a second out of your day to say "Thank You".

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

The Random Acts of Kindness™ Foundation inspires people to practice kindness and to “pass it on” to others. They provide free educational and community ideas, guidance, and other resources to kindness participants through their website at www.actsofkindness.org.

Soldier's Angels

Thousands of our country's men and women risk their lives for us every day. Our political opinions shoudn't matter if you care about our soldiers lives, their personal sacrifices and the sacrifice their families make for us. Support and encourage the young men and women who put their lives on the line daily for us back home in the United States. Soldier's Angels was started by a self described "ordinary mother" that believes in doing just that.