New Year's Resolution Idea (Hint, hint!)

Let's say you make a $10 donation to ABC Charity and that $10 is put into a general fund or used for programs. It goes to the people who need it. Then it gets used up.

Okay. You've made your donation. Now you're off to the rest of your life.

But wait just a minute. Instead of just writing a check, what if you decided to pitch in a few hours as a volunteer? Wouldn't it make your donation go just a little bit further?

Okay, you're volunteering! And guess what? You love it!

What if I told you that you could still do more?

What if you told everyone you knew that you had donated to this charity? You told them why you like ABC Charity? You tell them that you just made a donation, and you volunteered to pitch in a few extra hours a week this year.

How much do you want to bet that those people would be a) interested in donating b) interested in volunteering or c) might pass the word along to their friends?


YOUR BEING INVOLVED INSPIRES OTHERS TO BE INVOLVED.

See how big and fast it could grow? And it's so simple.

Wow, I forgot to mention what you will get out of all of this.

I'm not going to say that being involved with a charity is a sure-fire way to a happier life, however, volunteering and donating to charities makes you feel good. I can speak from my own experience... it has made an enormous difference in my life to be surrounded by people who are involved to help others. It was an unexpected, exciting discovery for me. And it made me blossom in other ways.

If you've ever felt unaccepted in your daily life, or need some help feeling good about yourself, there is no more perfect opportunity than to volunteer. You will be thanked until you are sick of hearing it. Your work will be appreciated. People will say, "I couldn't have done it without [insert your name here]."

Make this your New Year's resolution - choose a charity and make your mark on it.

BIAD Art Club: Where the boundaries between brain injury and creativity crumble

Although I haven't outright said it, I do support the nonprofit for which I work: the Brain Injury Association of Delaware (BIAD). At BIAD, we've been working hard to find out what we can do to help people take charge of their own lives - even if it's not completely at first - so that they can begin to build their own self-esteem.

My last ten bucks of the year will be given to BIAD's Art Club in memory of Mr. Bob Crowley.

The BIAD Art Club was conceived by Tracey Landmann, one of the board members of BIAD. Together with the Gibby Art Center and Art Therapy Express Program, Inc., we put together the BIAD Art Club Program - she worked on the concept and the research - I worked on writing for grants. We got some help from DFRC and the DDC - a local foundation and a state agency that gets money from the federal government help people gain their independence.


The BIAD Art Club Pilot Program was a success in many ways. To see smiles on everyone's faces and watch as they produced art was an emotional experience for me. I saw people enjoy the company of others, as well... even two men who didn't get along were speaking more frequently. Art has since become a major factor in their lives.

One of our artists, Bob Crowley, passed away after the 7th Art Club session. He had suffered a stroke about a year prior to his enrollment in the BIAD Art Club and had been struggling with complications from pneumonia. He was non-verbal, but understood all of what was happening around him. His sister, Dr. Jane Crowley, is a member of our Advisory Board and enrolled him because she loved him. I watched as he worked to construct a model of the Coliseum, experimented with pastels, and quite simply, enjoyed the process of creating something. In honor of his sister, he named his character Jane. (Jane - or Janus Flavius - was a rat that lived in the Coliseum). Bob's nephew was his caregiver, he sat and doodled on his arms and clothes while Bob plugged away at his projects.

I vividly remember the Sunday morning when Tracey called me to tell me that he had passed away. We were camping, and I cried hysterically at the small table while my best friend Liz sat with me. I was so heartbroken. After the shock wore off, I was grateful that I had been able to meet Bob and see him enjoy his experience working with clay and using his art supplies to his heart's content.

I am making a donation of ten bucks to the 2012 BIAD Art Club in Bob Crowley's name because he embodied the BIAD Art Club's intent - to bring together people with similar challenges in order to inspire them to create - to remember that their disability doesn't stop their creativity. I believe in the Art Club and want it to flourish.

Make your own donation to the BIAD Art Club by clicking on the green "donate" button at www.biade.org. You can also send a check to BIAD, P.O. Box 1897, Dover DE 19903. Call 1-800-411-0505 for more information.

My ten bucks matters, and so does yours.

I'm Sorry

To those of you who have been following this blog, I must apologize. In the past two months my personal life and projects have turned upside down. Believe it or not, my job in the nonprofit field has buoyed my spirits while things slowly change around me.

I'll try to feature one nonprofit per two weeks by way of phone interviews and will have to use whatever photos I can pull together to fill them out.

The Nonprofit Challenge: Stretch YOUR Dollar

If you as a person were a nonprofit, here's what you could expect to deal with on a daily basis.

• Being paid when others feel like giving you money out of the goodness of their hearts
• Having the opportunity to apply for more income only when it's convenient for corporations, foundations, or sponsors
• Begging - sometimes on hands and knees - for cash
• Having to prove to people you're using their money to get results
• Working on a budget that is not guaranteed
• Running your coffee grounds through the coffee machine twice
• Using every last bit of toilet paper, toothpaste, and soap in order to avoid buying more
• Going grocery shopping only when you've used up the very last of everything in your refrigerator, including the ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and that package of cheese that has black spots on it
• Eating every last leftover scrap in that Chinese takeout box
• Going on a day trip to a local state park for "a vacation"
• Asking everyone you meet to buy coffee, go get a spa treatment, or buy a ticket for an event so you can get 10% to keep yourself financially afloat

This is the reality for me (on a larger scale) as a nonprofit Executive Director. We do everything (and I do mean everything) on a shoestring budget, often buying only the necessities at the very last second. We reuse file folders three and four times, we keep all of our scrap paper (use both sides), we use an RFP process for almost all of our print jobs and we ask for revised proposals every year (ask our printers), and nothing, nothing, nothing, gets wasted. In fact, we even borrow the darn newspaper from our landlords from time to time. (Shhh.)

What does this mean for the people we serve? When it comes to our programs, we can't scrimp. We work hard to get sponsors and contributors for our programs so that we're able to maximize the impact their money has on our constituents. We have to put our best foot forward to ensure they know we care about them.  

So, my office has a hodgepodge of donated furniture, my interior decorating looks like it was done by a drunken chimp (no offense intended), and my desk, which is covered in paper, is half of a real computer desk that was salvaged from God knows where. I use a cereal bowl to hold my phone messages and all of my office supplies have vendor logos on them because they were either giveaways or samples. But if I've saved an extra dollar to pay an Elvis impersonator a significantly reduced rate to entertain brain injury survivors at our Snow Ball Banquet, it's worth it.

We are not in business to make ourselves look good. We are in business to help people. We use your money the best way we know how, and we work hard to maximize the money you entrust to us.

MTB Special Report: "Integration" Takes on a New Meaning at Camp Manito

Step onto UCP's beautiful campus anytime during July or August and you'll find yourself in a place fulled with positive energy, big smiles, and lots of fun. Well, maybe just more than usual. It's time for Camp Manito!

UCP's Camp Manito offers a unique experience - a summer camp that allows kids to be kids - no matter their physical difficulties. From its wheelchair accessible pool (which is so cool, by the way) to its ramped walkways and entryways, the campus is an accessible paradise. Itself the product of multiple renovations over a hundred years, the campus won architecture awards for accessibility. The campus itself feels like a retreat; I hardly believed that I was in the middle of Wilmington.

Don Moore

My friend Don Moore, the Executive Director of Client Assistance Program (CAP), a program of UCP, invited me to visit Camp Manito and do a special feature. I was more than happy to accommodate him, though as stated in previous posts, my personal life got in the way of a timely publication.

At Camp Manito, swimming is the biggest and the best activity. The kids spend most of the morning splashing around in the pool to their hearts' content. I began thinking about the endless summer days I spent swimming in my public pool, taking such a simple pleasure for granted. Camp Manito uses a waterproof plastic wheelchair to help kids in and out of the pool.

After lunch, arts and crafts, music, and nature fill the rest of the campers' time. My friend Don was Music Director when he worked for Camp Manito; before that, he was a camper's assistant, and before that, he was a camper himself. "My big thing with camp is the 'inclusion' factor," Don said, "The campers' sisters and brothers wanted to come to camp as well, so we invited them to join." The camp is fully integrated, meaning it is open to all kids - those with physical challenges and those without - and the integration "takes out the medical factor and lets kids just be kids."

Camp Director Jessica Ogden

Camp Manito runs for six weeks throughout the summer and is available to children ages 3 to 21 (with disabilities) and ages 5 to 13 (without disabilities). Many 14-year-olds go on to become camper's assistants; some are recruited as paid counselors. The experience is invaluable for them, Don says, "They have 7 to 8 years experience in the field by age 22."

Kaz Sortino (who I interviewed at the Diamond Dinner), served this year as the Activities Director. He has been working on enhancing the camp's activities, including a field trip to a "Can Do" playground and sports activities. Kaz is a former camper and an advocate for the camp; he started a campaign to extend the camp by two weeks (it was cut due to budget reasons). Others have put their money to work for the camp. Peter Collins, a UCP employee, promised a $2,500 donation if UCP could find a way to stretch the camp another week. UCP found a way to do it.

Camp Manito's dedicated camp counselors

It's Camp Director Jessica Ogden's first year in her position. She is a student at Eastern University studying elementary education and special education, and knew someone on UCP's Board who recruited her for Camp Director. With her first week under her belt, she said, "We're finally settling down." She took deep breaths between her hurried words. "The campers have packed days." I asked her how her experience at Camp Manito has changed her life, and she says this experience offers her great insight for her career in teaching. She loves "making people who don't feel included feel included." After our quick interview, she took off to attend to her duties... I wasn't offended.

Grace

I was able to meet some of the campers during their lunch in the cafeteria. Grace, who had great charisma and charm and begged to be interviewed. Grace is confined to a wheelchair but told me that she has been coming to Camp Manito for three years. She's from Avondale, Pennsylvania (just across the border), and has one goal: to run the camp one day. She loves to swim.

Khalil, who has also attended the camp for three years, loves the sports and arts and crafts activities. Like Grace, he loves to swim. He's a student at Mount Pleasant High School, and he and his two siblings have joined him at Camp Manito. He has a bright smile and is thrilled to have the opportunity to enjoy camp.

Khalil

I was a camper, a junior counselor, and a senior counselor at multiple day and overnight camps. During my visit to Camp Manito, I realized this camp was just like any other and that the kids were having just as much fun as at other camps. Maybe more. Perhaps that's the point.

Thank you, Don, and Bill McCool, for the opportunity to see the good you do for our local children.

Beginning to Reshape My World

As many of you know, I've hit some "bumps" in the past few months that have kept me from working on my blog as frequently as I would like. After three months of a marital separation, my schedule is finally beginning to take some sort of regular shape. I finally feel I'm able to begin scheduling and conducting interviews once more.

But before I do, I must make a public apology to a dear friend.

Don, I'm sorry I didn't write and post the piece about Camp Manito during the camp session this year. I took so many notes and photos and yet I just couldn't get the time to write the piece the way I wanted to. My stress level has been immense, and it just didn't come out of me. I will work on this immediately and it will be the next piece I post, before I interview anyone else. I'm so sorry to let you down.

I thank you, my dear readers, for continuing to read. I can't wait to write more!

Living an Authentic Life

"It takes courage to live an authentic life."
 - Alta Porterfield

I've had the opportunity to work in a field in which it is a good thing to wear your heart on your sleeve. Maybe that heart is constantly "bleeding", but I don't actually care what anyone thinks. I'll be that one person who's always pushing for us to be better. If that's my biggest annoying characteristic, I'll be glad to claim it. It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in, but I'll let you in on a little secret: once you've gotten past something you didn't think you could overcome, the belief you gain in yourself helps you tackle the next challenge.

Alta Porterfield is the former president of our church's Board of Trustees. Last week, she gave a sermon that made me burst into tears. She meant to address the issue of patriotism for the 4th of July, but instead, she hit on a topic extremely close to my heart - being sure of yourself and serving as an example for others. She asked us how we might serve as examples within our own community. I realized that pretending to be perfect in every way isn't a realistic example to set for my children. People make mistakes. By covering up my own imperfections and acting like everything's GREAT!, I'm perpetuating an unattainable standard.

Standing up for what you believe in is NOT easy. You will lose friends. You will be embarassed. You will scare people. You will run into all sorts of opposition. Your parents may not understand, though they will probably love you anyway (you hope). You may be worried about being ostracized from your "tribe." These things will pass, and you will remain. You have to live with yourself, so you'd better be at peace with yourself.

Living an authentic life means embracing your bleeding heart, your inner nerd, your love of flowers, your obsession with socks, whatever oddball habits you may have, using those pieces of your character to build a life for yourself. Love those weird things about yourself, and those weird things will love you back. You never - and I mean never - know what they will turn into.

Have the courage to live an authentic life.

The Highs and Lows of Working in a Nonprofit

There are real highs and lows for those of us working in the nonprofit field.

The lows include being challenged on a daily basis to meet the needs of the organization, in the most basic ways, things like insurance, office supplies, and oh yeah, staff. In my particular nonprofit, every expense is magnified in my mind. Even the most basic bills get reviewed for accuracy and for hidden charges. Before signing any contracts for services, I comb through pages of legal gobbldygook to ensure we're not going to get nailed three years down the road. We don't have the luxury of making stupid mistakes. And by the way, I hate finding out a few years later I didn't catch something that will now cost my nonprofit $29.95 extra per month. I growl out loud when that happens (which isn't very often).

The highs - and I do mean highs - make the disadvantages worth enduring. The other day, I was in a meeting about a program that the Brain Injury Association of Delaware (BIAD) piloted with several other nonprofit collaborators. The people in the room represented - for me - the long term leadership of "The BIAD Art Club". Check out pics of the program here. (You have to scroll all the way down to the bottom.) The energy in the room among the four of us (and our distant participant on conference call) was fabulous. Andrew, who serves Peach Tree Acres as its Activities Director, said something about our program that made my heart skip a beat: "For some of the [Art Club participants], this program was the biggest thing of their entire lives." Hearing this, I realized that through BIAD's Art Club, we helped people experience their own highs through personal achievement and recognition. I was struck at the weight of that statement. An immense feeling of humility washed over me.

When the lows get me down, I will think of Jody, who was terrified and nervous at the thought of showing her work in a professional gallery, but got dressed up, did her makeup, and bravely did it anyway. I will think of Hollis, who created a chalk pastel sunset so beautiful it took my breath away. I will think of Linda, who created gorgeous clouds and taught me how to use a paint brush. I will think of Bob, who loved his sister Jane so much he featured her in his artwork, in a manner of speaking. I will think of Tracey, who inspires me every day to continue to work to enhance the quality of life for everyone I meet - not just brain injury survivors - by looking at the whole person.

Administrative headaches will always be there. Funding will never be what we need it to be. And yet, these things are all peripheral to the importance of our mission. They will never stop me from working to make a difference.

A Healthy Harvest for Delaware's Kids

I met Thianda Manzara, Ph.D., in the restroom at a grant workshop at Delaware State University. She said she was the Executive Director of Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids, and I freaked out. I had been on her website not long before, and said, "I have to interview you!" After I explained to her about this blog project, she was excited. For our interview, we met at the St. Jones Reserve in Dover which, I discovered, has perhaps the world's largest and most diverse population of green head flies that I've ever seen. (I'm still scratching.)

Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids is Thianda's brainchild. She wanted to teach kids about agriculture. Herself a former professor of biology with a background in agronomy (the study of how things grow), Thianda had a passion for gardening and good food. Thianda says, "I had an idea, but I didn't think it would work." After hearing about and visiting a California program called "The Edible Schoolyard", which was all about teaching children about agriculture, she said, "There's no reason we can't do this in Delaware." So, she began to build  Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids with the intent to provide children with an education about food, science, and gardening. "I wanted kids to know where their food comes from, and that vegetables can be delicious!" Springer Middle School was the first to sign up, and the program grew from there. The organization attained nonprofit status in 2008.

Thianda now serves as the volunteer Executive Director and Founder for Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids. The program, which is now based in 11 Delaware schools (with two more coming this year), provides teachers with a ready-made gardening program in which the entire school can participate. Children in each grade assume responsibility for different tasks within the garden - whether it be planting or watering or tilling - and they harvest their own vegetables. Each class has a special job to do. Thianda loves to see the children's "delight and discovery over what grows from a seed, and to see that it looks just like what they get at the grocery store." By teaching them to be curious about their food, they are improving their health. And once the program is begun, it is self-sustainable, in other words, the teachers continue the program for the children over the course of the school year.

One child, a seven-year-old from Downs Elementary, worked in the garden growing radishes (among other things). After they were washed, he popped one into his mouth, and it was true love. He went home and asked his mom to give him radishes as a reward for doing well, then he started his own radish garden at home. "I love that he discovered that he loved something that was good for him," Thianda said, "It shows the program really works." The principals, she says, have said the program has made a huge positive impact on their schools.

I ask, "How has your life been impacted by serving your community?" She smiles, and thinks a few seconds. "I am so happy to share the things that I love with children. I love to educate people on something that is really important to their health."

My ten bucks will allow Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids to maintain their program. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit has just one paid staff member and no office, and (as is typical of most Executive Directors), Thianda's small car is filled with the tools of her trade. "We don't have a lot of [overhead] expenses. Even small donations make a big impact. With ten bucks, we can buy seeds for a garden, tools for a student, or one teacher kit."


If more people donated their ten bucks, Thianda says, "We could serve more schools. We have eleven so far, and we're added two more this year, but there are at least eight other schools on the waiting list. We can't accommodate them because we don't have enough people to do the work." Thianda would like to have more employees to make the program more sustainable. She's received some funding through the schools for the programs, and a grant from DOW, but she needs continued support from the community to keep the program growing.

To me, Thianda is the perfect example of someone who saw the opportunity to make a difference, created a program that addressed the issues, and put it into place. Thianda is as "grassroots" as it gets.

I hope you'll choose to support Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids. Send your contribution to Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids at P.O. Box 847, Hockessin DE 19707. You can read more about the nonprofit on their web site at http://healthyfoodsforhealthykids.giving.officelive.com.

My Ten Bucks matters, and so does yours.

Charity on a Budget

The reality of surviving on one part-time nonprofit director's paycheck hasn't hit me quite yet - but it's getting close. I'm looking at this measly budget thinking, "Well, I guess I could always sell pot-holders..."

No matter what, I commit to put away $20 per month to complete this blog project on time and without missing a single charitable contribution. I'll have to double up somewhere to make up for the last month's total disarray, but I'll find a way - because I am now the perfect example for people who say they can't afford to make charitable donations. If I can do it, anyone can.

I expect all of you to hold me to it.

Money? Who needs it?

Working in the nonprofit field doesn't have a lot of monetary perks. Most of us live in poverty right alongside the people for whom we advocate. I haven't had a raise since I was hired in 2008, but I've never asked for one. I've got $200 in my bank account right now, and I'm still better off than most of the people I serve. In a few months, when my divorce is finalized, I won't have health insurance, and then we'll be even.

No biggie.

There are certain benefits that my employer, the Brain Injury Association of Delaware (BIAD), couldn't buy from a health or life insurance company. They couldn't list these benefits on a job advertisement. They couldn't even say for sure that I'd receive them. That's because the benefits I'm talking about are not monetary, but they are invaluable and life-changing.

I recently sat in on a meeting with several executive directors who were talking about - among other things - employee recruitment. One man told about receiving a resume from an M.I.T. graduate who had all sorts of experience and - he thought - would expect a very high salary. Upon calling the applicant and asking her if she was sure she had meant to apply to his nonprofit, and telling her that he knew he couldn't afford to employ her, she said, "I just want to work for [your organization]. I don't care about the pay. I want to believe in my work." Flabbergasted, the executive director arranged for an interview and hired her - at an extraordinarily low rate - on the spot. She's still employed there, and is one of his best employees.

Two months ago, I took a call from an anonymous out-of-state woman who suspected she sustained a brain injury after being beaten repeatedly by her husband. I listened and cried with her, felt her fear and anguish, and begged her to have the courage to leave. Just before that, a man called me in utter confusion because he couldn't figure out how to request his military records in order to apply for a TBI reassessment. I spent ten minutes on the phone with him, filling out online forms, and talking him through the process. The challenge of trying to meet their needs makes me bust my ass, stretch myself, and ultimately, grow.

Although I am fairly certain I won't retire a wealthy woman, I'm aware that the long-term benefits of serving my community will enhance my life to the point that I won't care. I've worked for BIAD for the past three years, and I've seen myself develop beyond my own expectations. I've embraced and adopted aspects of my own character that I put to use to advocate for people who are lost or scared or hurt. And I wouldn't change it for the world. I actually feel bad for people who chase "the almighty buck" every day and don't even know what they're missing.

Money is great, but it's not the reason I'm committed to BIAD, and to valuable local nonprofits. Self-discovery and self-awareness are the payoff. And by working within this field, I've discovered a stronger, resourceful side of myself that will get me through the rest of my life just fine.

Personal Difficulties Make Hobbies Suffer

Life has been quite crazy the past few weeks... I must apologize to my faithful readers that I have not posted frequently enough. I plan on resuming my bi-weekly interview schedule next week. Thanks for hanging in there for me.

Life isn't easy... charities help.

My brother was overseas and had to get home to urgently attend to a family member. He couldn't get a flight. Guess who stepped in to help? The Red Cross. They got him a flight... for free.

Just thought that was pertinent, considering the topic.

A Day in the Life of a Part-Time Executive Director

7:40AM - Wake up
7:50AM - Shower
8:00AM - Get dressed
8:15AM - Drive to local elementary school, unload borrowed sporting goods, carry into gym
8:30AM - Drive home, swap truck with car, change shirt
8:45AM - Make copies of Primo's Prevention Pig Out flyer at library
9:00AM - Drive to Main Street in Newark, Delaware
9:30AM - Ask local businesses to sign up or help find competitors for hoagie eating contest
12:30PM - Get phone call from board member reminding me of a meeting at 2:00PM
1:00PM - Try to remember where the car was parked
1:15PM - Find car, drive to Middletown
1:30PM - Grab lunch at Wawa, gobble it down, nearly choke to death on a pickle
1:45PM - Arrive early for meeting - underdressed - begin putting together report to give at meeting
2:00PM - Meeting begins
2:45PM - Fire alarm sounds, evacuate to parking lot
3:15PM - Fire alam investigated, meeting resumes
4:00PM - Meeting ends, begin drive home to Smyrna
4:15PM - Call best friend (on hands free speakerphone in car)
4:30PM - Arrive home, lay down for "a few minutes"
6:30PM - Hubby wakes me up, says, "Can you PLEEEEEASE watch the kids so I can cut the grass?"
7:00PM - Clueless as to what to make for dinner, order pizza, send hubby to pick it up
7:15PM - Do dishes
8:00PM - Plan Dave & Nate's birthday party, reserve camp site
8:30PM - Bedtime for the kiddies!
9:00PM - Watch Tivo'd Celebrity Apprentice and read BoingBoing
9:30PM - Blog
10:30PM - Bed

"Micro-Charity"

"Micro-charity" is the term coined by one of my favorite authors A.J. Jacobs to describe my blog.

I wrote to him two weeks ago to tell him about my project and how his book "The Know-it-All" helped inspire me to do something unusual with my life this year. He replied, "Micro-charity - what a great way to inspire people."

Micro-charity, if practiced by many, will build. Donations enhance our community's culture, help those who need assistance, and build the value of our communities.

One little idea, if taken seriously and carried out, can change the world forever.

Hunters Helping Soldiers: Bringing the outdoors to veterans everywhere

Dale Proud and Scott Campbell

I can't take credit for finding this charity - my husband Dave did all the work! Thanks, honey!

Scott Campbell looks like any other Delaware outdoorsman. I can easily imagine him fishing our state's many estuaries, or hunting rabbit in the local woods. But Scott isn't just another Delaware outdoorsman. In addition to his full-time job in Loss Prevention for K-Mart, Scott is the founder of Hunters Helping Soldiers (HHS), and his compassion for veterans is shaping a new movement across the nation from right here in Delaware.

A lifelong hunter from a long line of military men (he can trace his family back to the Spanish-American War), Scott was unhappy with the way veterans were living - and dying. The suicides and homelessness bothered him immensely. Knowing his own passion for the outdoors, he decided to raise money to pay for veterans to go on hunting trips at local outfitters. Hunters Helping Soldiers is dedicated to helping wounded soldiers and combat veterans to get involved in outdoor activities. Since January 2010, Scott has worked to reach out to veterans who need their help. Scott started out on Facebook, posting notices about local hunts with local outfitters. People in Delaware began donating hunting trips. Dale, a Smyrna resident (yay, Smyrna!), was one of them.



Vice President Jason Neilson



Dale Proud, now President of HHS, works two jobs as an insurance salesman and diesel mechanic. He is an avid waterfowler. He and his wife, who are on the Board of Directors, give more than 30 hours each per week to HHS. Dale said, "She literally has to pry my cell phone out of my hands for dinner."



Jason Neilson, Vice President (with whom I had a phone interview), has been involved since the beginning. Himself a wounded veteran, medically retired, Jason was an Army MP in Baghdad in 2005 when he was shot by a sniper in his right flank. The shot hit his femoral artery and he nearly bled out. The surrounding nerve tissue was damaged, causing paralysis. Jason has been rehabilitating, but joined HHS to give back to his fellow veterans. "At first, after my injury, you'd think I'd be happy to be alive; but I wanted to get better to serve with my family [his fellow soldiers]. I had guilty feelings. It finally took an organization to get me back out hunting and fishing." Jason says, "The thrills you get from hunting helps replace the feeling of being in battle." Once he got back on his feet and began to enjoy the outdoors, "That's when you start being thankful for being alive."

Since January 2010, HHS has coordinated trips for veterans all over the United States. Their goals are big, but they're making headway.

1. Take 200 veterans a year hunting/fishing
2. Hold veteran/family camping trips
3. Open new chapters all over the U.S.
4. Open lodges all over the U.S. for veterans
5. Hold several kids' camps
6. Build handicap-accessible blinds
7. Get as many vets involved as possible



SSG. Dave "DOC" Green

One veteran, SSG. Dave Green, had numerous brain tumors. His one wish was to hunt elk. Because he couldn't travel alone, HHS made arrangements to include Dave's mother in the trip. They raised funds to fly his mom from Oregon to Dave's home in Texas, then flew them both to Colorado. During their flight, Dale and Scott got word from the Colorado outfitter that they could no longer accommodate Dave. The HHS board "scrambled" to find a new outfitter before Dave and his mom landed. After they found an outfitter, they had to figure out transportation for Dave to the site. The owner left her day job, drove two hours to pick up Dave and his mother, and took him straight to the hunting outfit. That evening, Dave shot his elk. HHS even paid to have the animal dressed and tanned, and Dave spent the rest of the trip sightseeing in Colorado with his mother. "It was a $2,500 trip," Dale said. I get the feeling that to Dave, the trip was worth much more than that.



Ssg. Levandowski



HHS's board is also their all-volunteer staff. 100% of their contributions go directly to veterans' trips. "We haven't wanted to [retain] a paid staff yet," said Dale, "because we want all of our funds to go into these trips." There are 7 people on the board. One of them, another dedicated volunteer, works three part-time jobs. "Whenever we call him, he's at work," Dale laughs, but his admiration is obvious. Two board members are veterans who have also benefitted from the group's mission. The board has even bigger plans, including paying for trained hunting dogs for veterans, paying for camps for fallen soldiers, and even hosting waterfowl retrievals with dogs and teens. They've even found a local man who obtains donated boats, fixes them, and gives them to veterans.

Here's the really cool part: HHS chapters are popping up all over the U.S. With their careful cultivation, a new chapter has opened in Pittsburgh. Others (which can't be named here because they will be announced shortly) are opening in the coming weeks. By the end of the year, Scott and Dale expect there will be 15 to 18 chapters in place. If that doesn't make you want to jump up and down, there's something wrong with you.

What has this meant for them? Scott says this is "a way to give back to those who have already given us so much." Dale says HHS has represented a real change in his life - he sees his wife and kids getting involved. "It's brought us closer together... it's great giving back." Jason says this is a way for him to feel he is able to give back to his fellow soldiers. "This pushes you past the limits of what you think you can do. For me, it worked better than physical therapy, it was emotional and physical."


Sgt. David Guzman



So, what will my ten bucks pay for? "Ten bucks could buy a local veteran a fishing license he couldn't normally afford," said Scott, "That gives him the freedom to fish for a whole year." If others gave their ten bucks, Dale said, "Hunting season's coming up. 100% of those donations will be put right back into hunting trips for veterans."

Right now, HHS is seeking raffle items, corporate sponsors and partnerships, donations of hunting supplies, hunting outfitters (to donate hunts), and volunteers. They also produce a newsletter and are developing a magazine, so they're looking for articles from veterans and people who love the outdoors. They also need people to pass the word along because they're not able to reach veterans through the military or VA hospitals. Luckily, VFW posts are happy to cooperate to get the word out. On November 20th (my anniversary), Hunters Helping Soldiers will be hosting their second "November to Remember" fundraiser, which is their largest fundraising event. They can't party too late, because goose season opens the next day, and they'll be taking 50 people out on a hunt.

Although I don't hunt (and needed Scott and Dale to define some of the terms they used), I can't argue with the therapeutic value of being outdoors. HHS is making outdoor activities possible - and fun - for hundreds of veterans each year. The benefits, as Jason says, are immense. "Just get out there and do it. It won't be the same, but you can still do it."

The best way to donate to Hunters Helping Soldiers is to donate on their website http://www.huntershelpingsoldiers.org/ or mail a check to Hunters Helping Soldiers, 32 South Main Street, Smyrna DE 19977. "Like" them on Facebook and help them spread the word! They also have an online magazine called "The Outdoor Warrior." http://www.theoutdoorwarrior.us/

My ten bucks matters, and so does yours. My guess is we are helping to fund a nationwide movement.

The emotions of My Ten Bucks

I tend to be the person that others go to when they want to talk - even when they don't know me, and I don't know them. It happens everywhere I go, especially when I tell them what I do for a living. My husband says I have a sign on my forehead that says, "Talk to me."

But now, as a "freelance writer/reporter/blogger", I am looking for these experiences so that I can pass them on to you. Sometimes it is really hard to serve as this sort of medium. I never knew how "in control" I would have to be to listen, take notes, and write, while my emotions are surging around inside me. I chose a subject so very close to my heart that it is difficult to remain objective. So I don't try. When I feel myself about to well up with tears, I have to push myself to keep listening so that I get these stories right.

Furthermore, as I continue to work through this project, I realize that the only way to produce the right piece is to let the people and their missions just shine through. I'm just a filter, a window, a duct. I have to do the best darn writing I can to make myself transparent.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that this is a heck of a project. I'm challenging my own capabilities as a writer. But this isn't the kind of challenge I intend to lose. It's the kind that makes me a better person, makes me grow, and eventually, may give me my own story to tell.

Why does my opinion count?

I really like to observe groups of people, government, or political activities. At some point, I might have realized that the deep interest I have in these topics could combine in a speciality in sociology.

Sociology
so·ci·ol·o·gy  noun /ˌsōsēˈäləjē/
1. The study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society
2. The study of social problems

In 2010, I read 52 books as part of my blog "The Ardent Reader" (http://www.theardentreader.blogspot.com/) and it was interesting how frequently I went back to the same genre in the library: social science and/or sociology. No one subject was quite as magnetic. I could nearly give up nonfiction completely, for one reason: The truth is stranger - and often more interesting - than fiction.

My Ten Bucks is a social project as much as a philanthropic one. It is a year-long study of people and organizations that actively address social issues within a very narrow demographic. Delaware is a relatively small state with a population at around 900,000 people. Of our citizens, nearly 200,000 people are Medicare/Medicaid recipients. (That means that nearly a quarter of Delaware's population is poor enough to receive government support.)

The charities profiled within this blog are filling in holes that they came across. They all, in some way, provide benefits and services that their consumers would not be able to purchase for themselves. These executive directors cultivate the resources of their communities in order to provide a necessary service or product those less fortunate. It could be artistic expression, technology, health resources, or education.

Growing up with deep roots in my Philadelphia community, I was nurtured by local charity programs. The Philadelphia Free Library and its Summer Reader's Club, Schuylkill Valley Nature Center, Galilee Baptist Church, Kendrick Recreation Center, Strawberry Mansion Art Camp, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, Roxborough Area Christian Camp, the Manayunk-Roxborough Art Center (its new name), and the various churches at which I participated... these nonprofit programs enriched my life and changed the way I look at the world forever.

Grassroots nonprofits come up with creative strategies for continued social progress and personal enrichment despite personal or economical challenges. That's why I love charities so much: they believe that people have inherent worth, and they work to enhance that worth. When quality of life is in question for their neighbors and friends, true heroes emerge.

So, why does my opinion matter? For the same reason that yours does. I am part of a free society and I believe that people can overcome enormous odds and challenge social injustice if they are provided with the opportunity to do so.

MTB Challenge: Put less distance between you and your donations

I challenge you to make the decision to donate locally, and with purpose.

There are few national charities that are able to bring in millions and millions of dollars. Most of them use it to help the people they serve. Case in point: St. Jude's Hospital for Children. According to Charity Navigator, they raise $829 million dollars a year, but their functional expenses are $787 million. http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12847  Here's their 990. http://www.stjude.org/SJFile/fy09_form990_stjude.pdf. There's nothing wrong with raising loads of money... but St. Jude's tells me what they're doing. And they aren't rubbing it in anyone's face or filing lawsuits with people who use their "terminology". They're too busy showing us pictures of kids who are receiving free medical treatment.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation is, in my opinion, on the opposite end of this spectrum. I want breast cancer to be cured,  but I have Pink Ribbon Fatigue. Check out this blog article from the New York Times in October. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/pink-ribbon-fatigue/ I want to know what this organization is doing to help breast cancer survivors. We see a lot of people running. We see "Pink Warriors" and women gathering to raise funds. Pink is fun, but pink isn't curing anything. According to this article, 40,000 women each year are still dying from breast cancer, and that number hasn't shown a decrease no matter how much "research" and "awareness" money SGK raises.* (For those who don't know why this irks me so much, 50,000 people die each year from Traumatic Brain Injury - TBI - and 130,000 people die from strokes. That adds up to 180,000 people dying from brain injury, which, in many cases, is preventable.)

*Revised 2023 - Susan G. Komen funds many grants that pay for free mammograms and breast ultrasounds for women from low income families. 

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the Susan G. Komen Foundation raised $129 million in 2007. http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content_Binaries/2007-2008_Form990GroupReturn.pdf. In 2009, they raised $172 million. http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content/AboutUs/Financial/Final%20Group%20990%20PDC.pdf. But the Susan G. Komen Foundation doesn't show a reinvestment back into my community. Have you ever heard of anyone being treated at the Susan B. Komen Free Women's Breast Cancer Clinic? I haven't either. Don't you think it's time we did?

My Challenge to Donors
Instead of donating to a gargantuan, faceless nonprofit organization, open your local newspaper. Chances are you'll see a women's auxiliary or a boy scout troop collecting cans of food for your neighbors who need them. You may see local breast cancer groups (yes, they do exist!) that provide direct programs and services to local breast cancer survivors. You'll see women teaching expectant teen moms how to diaper newborns. Pick a charity. Make an appointment to drop off a donation. You'll see the people that run the organization, and they will take your contributions with a smile and a hug, then reinvest it into programs that directly impact the overall value of your community. They may ask you to help them. You will be inspired by their energy and gratitude. And when you want to know what they did with your money, you just have to stop by, or take a look around you.

They're right under your nose. Go find them.

MTB Special Report: Students Overcome Challenges, Receive Awards at UCP's Diamond Dinner

The Diamond Dinner, even when it's held on perhaps the dreariest night of the year, makes you feel warm all over.



On Friday, April 8, my husband Dave and I traveled to the Wilmington Elks Lodge to attend the 6th Annual Diamond Dinner, hosted by United Cerebral Palsy of Delaware (UCP). The cozy main room was filled with pastel balloons, an array of colorful tablecloths, and jelly bean centerpieces. Our friend, Don Moore (Director of the Client Assistance Program of UCP, Delaware), saved us seats near the food. He invited me to cover the Diamond Dinner as a My Ten Bucks Special Report.



Tashay (middle) with Coach Gail
(left) and Betty Pinkett (right)



As I looked around the room, I watched people embrace, smile, laugh, and ask about family members. I saw a few familiar faces - some of Delaware's biggest disability advocates - and easily got caught up in the excitement. Pictures of athletes ran on a slide show at the front of the room, and a podium, emblazened with the words "Brotherly Love", seemed poignant in the context.


The Diamond Dinner is an annual event hosted by UCP to honor local high school student athletes and bestow upon them awards and (in some cases) $500 scholarships. The event costs just $25 per person. Students nominated for the Diamond Dinner receive awards for their hard work through challenging situations - whether they be related to a disability or a family tragedy - or in some cases, both. 

Bob Reed and our friend, Don Moore
(Executive Director of CAP, a UCP program)

Before the dinner, I descended upon guests at random to find out why they were there. Kenn Gardner, a gray-haired gentleman, husband to board member Trina Gardner, told me that he had been a member of UCP's board for more than 15 years. He told me that UCP "really supports people with physical disabilities" and he is proud to be a part of the event as it honors outstanding achievements.

  

UCP Executive Director (right)
Bill McCool and Kaz Sortino

I used the last two minutes of cocktail hour to talk to Betty Pinkett, whose gold scarf caught my eye. What does the Diamond Dinner meant to her? I thought I saw a tear in her eye. "This is my first time at the dinner," she said, "I'm here with my granddaughter Tashay [Shay], nominated by her coach, Gail Morris. She's had a hard past two years. In 2009, Shay lost her grandfather, then her mother within the month." Ms. Pinkett said she's been raising Shay and her younger sister. Shay has two brothers, being raised by their father. "Basketball's so important to her." I asked Shay, "Where are you going to college?" Shay's eyes lit up, "Del Tech," she said, "I'm going for nursing." I wished her good luck in her studies as I heard the master of ceremonies begin.



Mark VanderHaar of WDEL/WSTW mc'd the event. He soon introduced Donna Hopkins, President of UCP, and afterward, we were treated to the Delaware Military Academy Color Guard and a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner sung by Vernita Dorsey. Next came Kaz Sortino, himself an alumnus of the Diamond Dinner, a senior student at the Delaware Military Academy, and a counselor at UCP's Camp Monito. Kaz was an excellent speaker, especially for his age. I was jealous, having struggled with a terrible fear of public speaking since I can remember. Kaz, a cross country runner with cerebral palsy, has volunteered with UCP for more than five years. During his speech, he encouraged the nominees "to take the same drive you have for sports and pour it into something else... and the world will be a better place." He looked around the room, "You're special, you're uniqure and you have what it takes."



Five of the seven Award Winners





 Here's a list of the 2011 Award Winners. 

$500 Victory Scholarship Award

Ian Day, 12th grade, Sussex Tech HS

Amanda Gustafson, 9th grade, Christiana HS

Sarah Hoye, 11th grade, Smyrna HS

Profile in Courage Award

Zachary King, 12th grade, Appoquinimink HS
Tonisha Murray, 9th grade, Newark HS

Nichole Thomas, 12th grade, William Penn HS

Tashay Wilmore, 12th grade, Newark HS


Later, as I interviewed Kaz, I wished that I had been half as smart and intuitive at his age (18). He's been accepted to York College in PA to study early childhood and special education. He's the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship. I asked him to tell me what UCP meant to him. "I learned a lot from the campers [at Monito], I learned patience." Kaz has a big goal. "I've watched over the years how the camp is shrinking, from eight weeks to six, then to four." At 16, he sat down with the Assistant Director at UCP and started working out how they could strengthen the camp. He and his friends were able to get a heater for the camp's pool. "I have CP, [with that comes] spastic diaplegia." I wasn't sure what that meant. He said, "I get shaky when I'm cold. Imagine the kids that are worse than I am." He's working on his own personal goal: to raise $5,000 for UCP's camp.



Immaculata University's
Christian Zwickert



UCP is doing big things. They have worked to raise $1.8 million for Garrett House, which is affordable, accessible housing for people with disabilities. UCP's motto is "Life without limits for people with disabilities." They want people to live their lives fully - with or without disabilities.

 

 

Christian Zwickert and the
Immaculata Lacrosse Team



The final speaker, Christian Zwickert, is the Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse at Immaculata University. Christian had a massive showing from his team; the whole right side of the room was wearing blue pullovers with the university's emblem. Christian spoke about his experience as the father of Collin, who has cerebral palsy. He and his wife struggled to care for their child with a severe disability with very little in the way of professional advice. He began a lacrosse tournament to raise money to help pay for his child's medical care. A most memorable donation came from a boy that sent $25.00 - two weeks' allowance - to help. (You know I loved that one.) Christian received great support from the lacrosse community, and dedicated a portion of the proceeds to UCP. He's been a board member of UCP since 2008 and is working to increase the tournament's fundraising income. He knows the value of UCP.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to cover the Diamond Dinner as part of My Ten Bucks. My husband and I met amazing people who overcame really difficult obstacles. Until you hear their stories for yourself, you cannot comprehend the strength that these individuals have needed to live a life without limits.



Esther & Katherine McCool



I personally feel that this is a worthwhile organization to donate to, and was glad to pay $50 for our tickets. Dave and I will probably attend every year. The best way to make you donation is to send a check to UCP at 700A River Road, Wilmington DE 19809.

Thank you, Don Moore and Bill McCool (the coolest name ever), for inviting us to meet the people who make UCP so special.

My ten (or fifty) bucks matters, and so does yours.
 
Photos by Corey S. Burris of "Picture That". Go to http://www.picturethatfilms.com/.

The Magic Number: 501(c)(3)

You may have seen the number 501(c)(3) and wondered, "What does that really mean?"

All of the charities featured on this blog are 501(c) nonprofit agencies, which means that donations to them are tax deductible (you can claim them on your tax return). There are many types of 501(c) nonprofits, ranging from 501(c)(1) (corporations organized under act of congress) to 501(c)(28) (National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust). Most of the charities profiled on this blog are neatly categorized as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

The 501(c)(3) category denotes that the organization is based on religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, to foster national or international amateur sports competition, or prevention of cruelty to children or animals.

501(c)(3) status means that the nonprofit has been incorporated and certified with the IRS as tax-exempt, in other words, the organization does not pay taxes on the contributions it receives from the general public. Furthermore, the 501(c)(3) status also means that the nonprofit has filed a recent 990 or 990-N with the IRS, an annual filing much like your 1040 or 1040-EZ. In 2010, the IRS decided that any organization that didn't file its 990 or 990-N would lose their 501(c)(3) status. (You should have seen how many emails and phone calls I got about this. No worries: BIAD files its 990 annually without fail.) 501(c)(3) status also requires a certain level of compliance with government regulations, including proper acceptance of contributions and documentation thereof. These nonprofits are also limited in their ability to lobby government officials, as well as limiting their support of one political candidate or another. The challenge for nonprofits is to maintain its good standing with the community, its consumers, and the IRS.

For nonprofits, the 501(c)(3) status is a validation for its corporate sponsorships, foundations, and other sources of funding. Effectively, 501(c)(3) status is much like a key that opens many doors. Without this IRS determination, it would be fairly difficult for a nonprofit to conduct business at its fullest capacity. Usually, unless I can prove my charity's nonprofit status, I can't even fill out an application for funding.

More information on charity tax-exemptions can be found at http://www.irs.gov/charities/content/0,,id=125361,00.html.

Creative Expression Changes Lives at Art Therapy Express

Executive Director Lisa Bartoli
(pictured here at The Gibby Art
Center in Middletown, Delaware)

I first met Lisa Bartoli nearly three years ago at a conference in Wilmington. Lisa bustled into the room, dressed in brightly-colored clothes, wrestling an enormous bag overflowing with stuff. She had a bright smile on her face. I remember thinking, Who is this woman? She's like a burst of sunshine! I soon found out that Lisa is the Executive Director of Art Therapy Express Program, Inc. in Hockessin, Delaware. Little did I know I would have the pleasure of working with Lisa in just a few short years.

For years, Lisa worked with people with disabilities in different medical groups, using art therapy to empower them. In 2003, she established Art Therapy Express Program, Inc., feeling art needed to be accessible to everyone, especially people with disabilities. "My vision is to bring the arts - movement, music, and drama - to everyone, and to give people without verbal communication the chance to communicate with the world." Lisa's program introduces artistic expression at the most basic level, creating a step-by-step process. "It's more about a successful, creative art journey," she says. "The real joy comes when they do [art] themselves... to me, it's like hitting a home run." She loves that art can foster and reinforce personal independence.



Lisa shows an adaptive device used for
holding paintbrushes or pencils



Art changes people. "One of my students with autism has been coming to an evening art therapy class for more than ten years. Her parents are amazed at how she can concentrate on art for an entire hour." Lisa smiles broadly and says, "She is so focused for that hour, she doesn't want to leave! Art draws people in."



Lisa's daughter frequently pitches in



Another student (a TBI survivor) came to the studio after an awful day. "She is nonverbal, and was crying hysterically." The student calmed herself while Lisa started the pottery wheel across the room. "After a few minutes, she came to the wheel, sat down, and put her hands on the clay [as it spun]. Her mother and I watched with tears in our eyes as she put her thumbs into the clay and began to model a bowl," Lisa gushes. They were astounded at her ability with the potter's wheel (something I know is difficult to master), having never touched clay before. "Art is bigger than all of us," Lisa says.



Lisa also bridges communication between people with disabilities and their non-disabled peers, getting them to cooperate on projects. I couldn't help thinking, This is a great strategy to curtail discriminatory behavior at an early age. A brilliant idea, actually, one that could change the world a couple of kids at a time.



New Castle County Community Services provided the space for Lisa to create her adapted art studio at Absalom Jones Community Center. There she holds a Saturday open art studio, evening art therapy, summer art camps, educational in-services, and tours, performances, and experiential workshops. "Art Therapy Express is my canvas," she says with great pride. Lisa's photo album (which she carries with her everywhere) is filled with touching images of her students. I'm struck by the beauty of the children, their eyes lit with excitement and joy. Their smiles are so genuine that I sometimes giggle as I'm paging through the album. Students may need headgear to paint, or be placed in a swing to use their toes. It's no problem. Lisa uses adaptive technology in many different forms, sometimes using household objects like dish scrubbers or makeup brushes.

Lisa has collaborated with the Leach School, The Meadowood Program, REACH Program, Delcastle High School, the University of Delaware and the Delaware Art Museum. Starting this week, the nonprofit begins its newest venture - The BIAD Art Club - with the Brain Injury Association of Delaware (sound familiar?) and Associated Community Talents, Inc., the nonprofit behind The Gibby Art Center in Middletown, Delaware. "We're in this together," I've heard her say many times.

I ask, "So, Lisa, how has serving your community changed your life?" Lisa thinks for a moment, then smiles her one-of-a-kind smile. "I realize how fortunate I am to have a gift to give to the world... Every day's a party."

My Ten Bucks will be used to pay for art supplies: canvases, brushes, and clay. If more people donated their ten bucks, Lisa says she will use it first purchase art supplies, followed by purchasing or creating new adaptive technology. She wants more people to see the power of the program and get involved. She also needs volunteers. "More than anything, I need people to help market the program. We need to let the public know we exist."

There are two ways you can make a donation. 1) Mail it to Art Therapy Express Program, Inc., P.O. Box 1661, Hockessin, DE 19707 or 2) Drop off check at the studio or one of our community outreach programs! Lisa hopes you'll choose option 2. Call ahead to make sure she'll be there. (302) 584-4068. You can learn more about Art Therapy Express at www.arttherapyexpress.org.

My ten bucks matters, and so does yours.