Join me for my Mother’s Day Walk!

May 9, 3 PM.

Join mothers and their families throughout the community as we walk for the prevention of mother-child transfer of AIDS.
Brooksville is a small town, but it has a lot of passion. People come together to rally behind causes and they support eachother. This walk is to raise awareness about supporting the world by taking action. The walk will start in Hernando County Park behind the library (by the bandshell) and move through Brooksville to alert others why we are walking.
On Mother’s Day, we are grateful for our mothers who have nurtured us and for our healthy, carefree children. Let’s remember mothers across the world who have to face passing a deadly illness to their children. Lets support those women who face having to put their babies in a little box and lower them into the ground. Let’s help them prevent all this needless sorrow! HIV/AIDS is an issue that extends beyond our community, but the citizens are willing and ready to help in any way possible. There are 2.3 million children currently living with HIV and each day another mother faces having to pass it to her healthy unborn baby. Across the world, I lull my healthy baby to sleep, urging her to let go, because I know she will wake bright-eyed and alert in a few hours. But what if I didn’t know that? What if I had to wonder, every time, if she would ever wake up again.

There are a whole generation of mothers out there who face this terrifying reality. But it doesn’t have to be this way, with your help, they can have a choice to save their children. A pregnant mother who is HIV positive can get access to medication and take part in a program that reduces the risk of her passing HIV to her child to just 2%. This treatment, provided by HIVSA, located at the world’s largest hospital in Soweto, South Africa, costs just $1.50 per day, and mothers need to take part in the program for just one month before the birth of their child. The people of Brooksville are walking with action, with passion, with purpose and saving innocent young lives.

 

 
Join US!
So, how does it work?
For every person that shows up and fills out a registration card, Hanson will donate $1 to HIVSA. It will cost you nothing but your time!
You can do more:
Donate funds directly and provide AIDS meds through Takethewalk.net. Or, purchase the song the Great Divide or the Music Video to raise funds for HIV/AIDS Medication.

Visit my walk details on takethewalk.net.

Visit the site for the Brooksville Walk.

 

Humane Society Needs Your Vote

Humane Society of the Nature Coast Needs Your Help (your vote)

The Humane Society of the Nature Coast has placed 5th in the nation in a contest for a million dollar make-over of a shelter. There will be another vote from 4/13 to 4/19 and everyone in America can vote. The shelter was the only one in Florida to place.

 

Take The Walk Update

Shamefully, I must admit, I have let this site fall to the backdrop of my thoughts as I have been preoccupied with my pregnancy and then new baby (who is currently asleep on my chest). I wanted to share a quick update on Hanson and their actions through takethewalk.net.

Through this site and their current Walk Around The World Tour, the Hanson boys (along with their friends and fans) are attacking the problems in Africa on six different fronts. You can buy SMS credits through Docvia to help pregnant women with AIDS keep in touch with their doctors via cell phones. You can purchase the song “The Great Divide” in order to provide AIDS treatment and research through HIVSA. You can provide shoes to children in poverty by purchasing TOMS SHOES (pair for pair). You can make a donation to Free The Children, an organization which builds schools for kids in impoverished areas of Africa. You can help drill water wells in sub-Saharan Africa with the Blood Water Mission and provide clean water, the basis of life (make an outright donation or purchase merch). You can Take the Walk, a barefoot mile, with Hanson or a fan-organizer to raise awareness about all of these issues. Basically, you can take action, in any capacity you like. Hanson, I’ll follow your lead.

My favorite way to help is to buy Take The Walk, a book, authored by Hanson, which tells the story of individuals taking action to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa. The sale of each book will raise funds to benefit all five causes on takethewalk.net. You also get the Take The Walk EP, preview it here.

In October, I went to see Hanson in concert (baby was with my mother for just an hour and a half), and cried when I heard Taylor’s speech and the song that followed. It had an even more powerful affect on me given my new motherhood. I wish I could quote the speech in it’s entirety, but as I cannot, I will paraphrase as best I can. While visiting Africa, the brothers were shown cemetery with an entire section devoted to children. They saw tiny coffins “this big, [Taylor holds his hand about a foot apart]” made for children who died of AIDS. Taylor says that many people ask Hanson why they do what they do, people ask what the ultimate goal is. Taylor answers, they want to make sure that the industry of tiny coffins is no more. Then, Hanson forces us to face a dismal, horrifying reality, and my greatest fear, having to bury your own child. This song, so heart wrenching and difficult to endure, barely scrapes the surface of the grief that hundreds of thousands of parents in Africa are faced with. Having to bury at least one of their children lingers as not only a real possibility to these people, but an almost certainty. Listen, if you can bear it. Buy the Walk Book and get free instant downloads.

 

Invisible Children

Update: Buy the Blue Bracelet for Rosaline’s story. Trailer.

Let me preface by saying this is not an article and not my work. It is copied from the Invisible Children website. I don’t have the time but I just thought it should be on here. I have the bracelets and the DVD’s, those kids are truly inspiring. The adversity they weather kind of makes life seem easy.

THE VISIBLE CHILD SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
One of the greatest needs in northern Uganda and one of the largest gaps in development comes in the region’s access to secondary education. To address this problem we created the Visible Child Scholarship Program, an initiative that develops the leadership and life skill capacities of promising students. Pioneered by Uganda’s Country Director Jolly Grace Okot, the program focuses on increased access to post-primary education, improved learning environments, and mentoring from local leaders. When the pilot program launched in 2005, we started by sponsoring 100 students. In only two years, the program has grown immensely, and to date we have 662* scholarship students located throughout the Gulu, Amuru, and Pader districts.The program itself is currently the only one within Invisible Children that is managed and operated entirely by Ugandan nationals, a model IC is continually striving for in Uganda – empowering and supporting local leaders to create positive change in their own country.

 

2007 Thanks and Giving Campaign

Last year, while at Chili’s, I learned of their Create-A-Pepper to Fight Childhood Cancer program that Chilis does year round. I also learned that for one day in September, Chili’s would give all of their profits to St. Jude’s Children’s hospital. I thought this was brilliant because it was a way for people to do good without having to give a donation. They could go to a restaurant and eat lunch or dinner just like they would any other time. I immediately started getting the word out. I posted bulletins on myspace, told all of my friends in person, and sent personal messages to family members and friends that I didn’t see.

To help you can still create a pepper or buy a gift card with Chili’s fun. Chili’s also has merchandise for sale.

However, St. Jude’s and Chili’s are onto a new campaign of Thanks and Giving. The 2007 Thanks and Giving Campaign is hosted by Marlo Thomas and endorsed by Jennifer Aniston, Robin Williams, Antonio Banderas, Bernie Mac, Ray Romano, Reggie Bush, and many other celebrities. Jennifer Aniston is shown below wearing the Give Thanks t-shirt.

Your support can help find cures for pediatric cancers and other deadly diseases. To help visit Thanks and Giving. You can buy items from the gift shop such as the shirt above or click on other ways to help and browse St. Jude’s partners. Many have unique ways of helping St. Jude’s through specific programs and gifts and many others have a quick and easy donation available at the register. You may already be a customer of these places so find out how you can help and keep a lookout for St. Jude’s boxes and posters at check-out.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is the only pediatric cancer research center that pays for all treatment not covered by insurance, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Every breakthrough made at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is immediately and freely shared with the scientific community worldwide. That’s why St. Jude is often referred to as the “hospital without walls.” St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital pays for the cost of travel, food, and lodging for every patient and a parent. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital follows the progress of its patients long after they leave the hospital, providing certain follow-up services, advice and assistance at no charge to the patients. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital works to find cures for some rare life-threatening childhood diseases that require very specialized treatments. More about St. Jude’s.

Thousands of dollars raised locally, millions nationwide: More about 2006 and 2007 Chili’s Campaigns.

 

I find hope in a beating chest

Great Divide

 

Sponsor a Child at DD Dilwayo School

A facebook site is currently on its way to making it possible for us to either sponsor a child at the DD Dliwayo school in Soweto, South Africa or make an independent donation to the school. Although we can’t sponsor yet, we can join the cause. The more people that join, the more incentive to make a sponsorship program available. When it is available, I Find Hope will most certainly be sponsoring a child.

Sponsor A Child at DD Dilwayo School cause facebook

Steps toward a beneficial alliance:

“We are so excited that you are getting people together to support the school! I can’t wait to see what you are able to do for them. I just wanted to let you know that we have sent your email to the administration of the DD Dilwayo School. So, we are going to let them get in touch with you when they are able to. Keep up the great work, and I hope you have a great day!

Josh Hausen
A Bryan Photo”

“I received an email from Josh Hausen with regards to helping our school. Either through sponsouring a child or through supplies for the new school year. This is phenomenal and your contribution will create meaning in the lives of children who have given up hope.

We are greatly in need of any help we can get and are very excited to be in contact with people that genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of little children.

I will be speaking to the school this week and we will discuss and make a list of things that are needed and different ways in which people like yourselves can get involved. I’ll make further contact with you and we can speak more then.

Thanking you, all the way from Africa

Ella Bella
D.D.Dliwayo Liason
Orlando East, Soweto, South Africa”

 

Walk in Syracuse

There is a walk scheduled for January 11th at 3PM in Syracuse, New York. Message C.A.L.M. for more details or visit Take The Walk for more information on walks.

 

The Pink Project

Much has been heard about Brad Pitt’s new project which is rebuilding some of the area in New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina.

This is just a short blurb for those that haven’t heard. More information available on the official site: Make It Right New Orleans. Visit the site to buy cool merchandise or make a donation of any amount. I donated a small sum today. When you donate, Make It Right will send you a confirmation email that can be used as a tax receipt.

For now, the official word on The Pink Project:

The rich cultural community of the Lower 9th Ward was devastated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Although prayers poured out for the fallen victims of the storm, unfortunately the initiatives to rebuild this once vibrant area have fallen short. As a catalyst for positive change and the inaugural event for the Make It Right initiative, the Pink Project represents opportunities hidden within this tragedy and focuses attention on the plight of the Lower 9th.

 

My Christmas Gifts

Of course, this year, I tried to give as many gifts from TOMS and their affiliates as possible. But for anyone strapped for cash (as I am), this may not always be possible. What I did do for everyone though was include with their gift a little note about TOMS and what they do.