The easiest way to save three lives: the Red Cross

The American Red Cross “is the nation’s largest blood collection organization, supplying more than 40 percent of the blood and blood products used in our country.”

Giving blood with the Red Cross is the easiest way to save someone’s life! Every year 4 million people give 6.5 million units of blood to those who need it. Giving blood helps accident victims, cancer patients, surgical candidates, and children with blood disorders. 

If you want to give blood there are a few things you’ll need to do before you do so.

1. Hydrate: you’ll want to be fully hydrated so there is less of a chance to pass out or get sick during the process
2. Wear something comfortable: Wear clothing with sleeves that can easily be rolled up above the elbow.
3. Maintain a healthy amount of iron before donating: include iron rich foods in your diet before donating

On the day of your donation:

1. Bring an ID!
2. Bring a friend!
3. Relax!

There are countless stories on the Red Cross website telling of how they saved someone or were saved themself. One woman writes, “When our infant son was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and rushed to intensive care, he needed blood during open-heart surgery. He couldn’t have survived without that blood supply. Many thoughts went through my mind those weeks in the hospital with him, and one of them was how grateful I am to those who donated blood and how much I’d previously taken the supply of it for granted. He is now six years old and, after two more reconstructive surgeries, is doing well and enjoying life. I now donate blood regularly, knowing the supply is not guaranteed, and that it is one way I can do something meaningful in life.”

If you want to learn more about giving blood and saving someone’s life check out The American Red Cross! There is a donation center close to you! 

What about you? Have you ever given blood? Have you ever considered giving blood?

The numerous children involved in the Syrian conflict

The Syrian War is getting significantly more deadly with the death toll of March at 6,005 men, women and children. According to CNN, the number of those who are killed will only continue to rise. The 6,005 of people killed in March does not include those in detention centers or those who have been kidnapped by rebels. The total number of deaths has been more than 70,000.

CNN states, “March’s documented death toll, the observatory says, includes 298 children, 291 women,1,486 rebel fighters and 1,464 government soldiers.” The war has been raging since March 2011, and many believe it is time to stop.

A small non profit organization called War Child located in UK is determined to help the suffering children. War Child has “… established six ‘Safe Spaces’ in schools in northern Lebanon and we’re supporting almost 300 children. Our trained counsellors will use art and music therapy as a means of helping the young children express their emotions in a healthy way.”

They want to “help 400 children enroll into schools in Lebanon so they don’t miss out on their education. We’ll be providing catch-up lessons to help them follow the local curriculum.

If and when it is safe enough for the children and their families to return to Syria, our projects will follow them back home and help them reintegrate back into their schools and communities.”

War Child is one of the few charities out there motivated to help the children in Syria and all the children who are hurting in the world. Get Involved with War Child and help save a child today! 

Have you heard of the Syrian Conflict? Did you know that the death toll was so high? What are some practical ways we can help as Americans? 

Get involved in a Nashville non profit: The Well Coffeehouse

One of my favorite local non profit organizations is the Well Coffeehouse, located on Richard Jones Road, about a mile from Lipscomb University. I discovered this place last semester and I immediately fell in love! The Well uses all fair-trade coffee, and even the furnishings are fair trade (which basically means not made by slaves). I interviewed the owner of the place, Rob Touchstone, last semester for a school project. I ended up coming back and back because of the atmosphere, awesome music, delicious coffee and the wonderful cause behind the coffeehouse. 

Rob told me that he wanted to create a place where people can help others and talk to them about Jesus without the atmosphere feeling constricted or forced. The Well makes coffee, pays itsemployees and then gives all of their money to another local non profit called Blood:Water Mission. 

Blood:Water Mission exists to end the water and A.I.D.S. crisis in Africa. This organization was actually founded by Jars of Clay, a famous Christian band. 

So next time you’re looking for a great cup of coffee (I suggest the Mayan Mocha) and want to talk about Jesus AND help others at the same time, check out the Well Coffeehouse! 

Have you ever been to the Well? Have you ever heard of the Well? What are some other creative ways to bring Church into a more relatable way?

Let’s end modern day slavery

One of my biggest passions in life has recently become helping eradicate modern day slavery. I believe that God has called me to help end this global epidemic. A practical way to begin ending slavery is raising awareness. Simply drawing a red X on your hand can get people talking. There are currently over 27 million slaves in the world. 

A few facts about human slavery

• Humans can be sold for as little as $90
• Slavery is present in 161 countries
• 80% of people trafficked are women
• Every 120 seconds a child/man/woman is sold into slavery
• 50% of humans trafficked are children
• There are currently 200,000 slaves working the US

Fortunately, there are quite a few non profit organizations that are active in ending slavery. The Passion Conferences have begun their own non profit called End it Movement. End It believes SLAVERY IS WRONG.

YOU KNOW IT. WE KNOW IT. AS A COUNTRY, WE’VE OFFICIALLY KNOWN IT SINCE 1863. BUT HERE’S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW — SLAVERY STILL EXISTS. WE WANT EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE 27 MILLION MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, JUST LIKE THEM, LIVING IN THE SHADOWS. IN BROTHELS. IN FACTORIES. IN QUARRIES. WORKING AS SLAVES. IN 161 COUNTRIES. INCLUDING OUR OWN. WE ARE HERE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON SLAVERY. NO MORE BONDAGE. NO MORE SEX TRAFFICKING. NO MORE CHILD LABORERS. NO MORE, STARTING NOW.” 

Another non profit that helps end slavery is International Justice Mission which to

“brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to secure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to ensure that public justice systems – police, courts and laws – effectively protect the poor.”

What about you? Have you heard of the 27 million slaves? Have you done anything to help or have you thought about volunteering with a non profit that deals with slavery? What are some practical ways as college students that we can end slavery?

The Syrian war and how you can help.

It has been reported that more than 500,000 Syrians have fled their home country to surrounding countries, such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. They are escaping their civil war.

These refugees are dependent on outside help for nearly every need: food, clothing and shelter. Fortunately there are several truthful non profit organizations that specifically aide these refugees.

• Doctors without Borders is an “international medical humanitarian organization that provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people who survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe…” 
• Saving the Children creates real and lasting change for children in need both in the United States and throughout the world. They work in more than 50 countries and serve 48 million children. This organization operates by focusing on the areas of economic and education opportunities, as well problems as lack of protection and hunger.
• Mercy Corps exists “to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure and productive and just communities”. This program operates in the worlds toughest places and is improving the lives of 19 million people. 

Join in with one of these organizations and help end the suffering of refugees. The Syrian War does not just effect the country of Syria, but the surrounding countries and even the world. It is our job as Christians to help those in need.

James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” 

What about you? Have you heard of the Syrian war? Would you be willing to help with one of these organizations? 

One of the most effective nonprofits, charity:water

Charity:water believes that water changes everything.

Perhaps one of the most successful and trustworthy charities is charity:water. Charity:water deals with delivering clean water to communities in Africa. 90% of the 300,000 deaths of children under the age of five per week occur because of unsafe and dirty water.

 Charity:water is extremely effective because 100% of public donations go directly to clean water projects. You may ask yourself how can charity:water can operate when all of the public donations are given away.

The founder of this charity was sick of nonprofit organizations taking advantage of the donors and decided to do something different. There is a private board of investors that pay the employees and keep the website updated, which is how the charity affords to give every single cent of their donation away. 

If you want to help charity water, you can give or even buy a product from them. Once again, 100% of the profits go directly towards clean water wells in Africa. 

Have you ever heard of Charity:Water? What do you think about the charity giving away 100% of the donations? 

 

The scandal behind World Vision

World Vision is an internationally known nonprofit. This particular organization aides in transforming communities through child sponsorship. 

In June 2009, World Vision was caught in the middle of a fraud case in Liberia. Three former employees were accused of stealing food and materials intended for helping people recovering from the civil war, and then sold the products for profits in local markets. 

Not only did corruption occur in foreign countries, but dishonesty is prevalent here in America. A commentor on a Wolrd Vision Storycommenter adds, “I used to work for World Vision…in fundraising actually I got to personally keep 75% of everything I collected from my donors as my ‘salary,’ It is interesting why people fundraising for people in need get to keep such a large percentage of the donation. 

Another interesting aspect of this nonprofit is to see how much the CEO makes a year. According to Charity Navigator, the CEO of World Vision makes nearly $380,000 a year. This is quite a large amount of money for someone who is devoted to serving others with their life. 

Although not all aspects of World Vision are corrupt, it is crucial tor recognize that not all aspects of World Vision are truthful. Before you write that next check for your sponsor child, check up with World Vision. Make sure that the child is getting the money and education they deserves.

So what about you? Have you heard of World Vision or their scandals before? Have you ever sponsored a child with them?

Is your money really going to the needy?

With so many problems in the world, like the problem of unclean water shown in the video, they can often be overwhelming. Thankfully, there are organizations that aide in modern day problems such as unclean water, sex trafficking, slave trade and homelessness.

Although there are people to help those less fortunate, there are people on the other side of the spectrum who are in the business for themselves. Most people have heard about Invisible Children and the controversy that followed the film. Through the following weeks I will be sharing information about non-profit organizations that do their best with the funds given and organizations that could be considered corrupt.

An easy way to check out if the charity is legitimate or not is to check out the website Charity Navigator. This site tells you if the money you give is actually going to the place where the charity says it will go. It is crucial that we are conscious consumers and givers because quite often we give and are not entirely sure where the money goes.

What about you? Have you ever been burned by a charity? Have you ever given to a non-profit then found out that it was not legitimate?