Nonprofits are all around us! This month our Buying Time Team Challenge, assigned by V.A. Julz, was to share our favorite nonprofits. Our goal (with your help) is to increase awareness and drive traffic to these amazing organizations.
CEO Bibi: The South Bay Business Women’s Association (SBBWA) main focus is to raise money for the purpose of awarding education scholarships to deserving South Bay women who are attending college for the first time or returning to college in pursuit of their degrees and the betterment of their lives.
COO Stephanie: I’ve personally worked in the adoption space and have witnessed many stories unfold, the good and the very, very bad, for adoptive families or hopeful adoptive parents. Infertility impacts so many families and necessary treatments aren’t always financially accessible not to mention that there is no guarantee that if treatment is undergone that it will be successful. There are many couples filled with love that want to start a family and give a child a loving home but the cost of adoption definitely doesn’t make it any more accessible. This organization gives adoption grants to help make adoption a possibility. Their mission says it all… to provide adoption assistance grants to complete the adoptions of vulnerable children – giving them permanent families and a chance to thrive. Learn More: Gift of Adoption Fund https://giftofadoption.org/
V.A. Julie: Everyone knows I love animals so I have supported Save The Animals Foundation https://www.staf.org/ by giving monthly and also sponsoring pets for a few years now. Funded entirely by donations and operated by volunteers, the no-kill shelter currently homes over 300 dogs and cats, many of whom have been abused, abandoned, or literally tossed away. I found out about this special place from my Uncle who has been a weekly volunteer for many years. Also, my newest donation is going to ANAD the leading nonprofit in the U.S. that provides free, peer support services to anyone struggling with an eating disorder, regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or background. Our nationwide network of volunteers understands first-hand the ups and downs of the recovery journey—because they, too, have lived the experience of an eating disorder. ANAD empowers volunteers to help others through their own recovery.
V.A. Carrie: I support Breast Cancer research because 1 in 8 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. This time last year, one of those statistics was my big sister. Thankfully, they caught hers early. We realize that she was one of ‘the lucky ones, still, nothing is easy or ‘lucky’ about cancer. More research needs to be done- we need to find ways to prevent this, less invasive ways to detect it, and better ways to get it out of us. https://www.komen.org/
V.A. Astrid: Everyone knows that I am a huge animal lover, having two big dogs of my own. But not everyone knows that I used to do a lot of volunteer work in high school and college for veterans. Freedom Service Dogs of America combines two things that I care passionately about: helping veterans who have given all they have to keep us safe and helping animals. They train specialty service dogs to help veterans with PTS, along with non-veterans who have a host of disabilities. What makes it extra special is that not every dog passes the test to be a service dog, so the organization helps find them a loving forever home that they call a “career change.” The attention and care they give to helping animals find great careers and the human lives they change warms my heart. https://freedomservicedogs.org/
V.A. Kayla: I’ve experienced the effects of addiction firsthand as my dad and brother are both recovering addicts/alcoholics. This is why one of my favorite non-profits is Shatterproof. They’re a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping end the addiction crisis in the United States through education, treatment, and ending the stigma around addiction. https://www.shatterproof.org/
V.A. Tami: I have 2 fave non-profits:
1st up is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/ I donate to them monthly as I want to help children. They advance cures and try to prevent catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. No child is denied treatment.
2nd up is Pancreatic Cancer Action Network https://www.pancan.org/ In 2007 my father passed away from pancreatic cancer. I want to find a cure for this terrible disease that took my father. Their vision is to create a world in which all patients with pancreatic cancer will thrive.
V.A. Tamara: My favorite Non-Profit is Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii https://www.sustainablecoastlineshawaii.org/
I love them, they coordinate beach clean-ups all over the islands of Hawaii to remove trash (mostly plastic) from the shores of Hawaii! Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific, so all kinds of trash wash up on the beach. The majority of trash found among the sand are microplastics, which pose a threat to native wildlife. Growing up in Hawaii I have memories of pristine beaches from my childhood, but when I go back home to visit it’s disturbing to see just how much plastic is plaguing the environment there, especially discarded fishing nets. Discarded fishing nets kill countless marine animals, including the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal. Very sad, so I’m glad this nonprofit exists!
V.A. David: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society https://seashepherd.org/
As seen on the documentary Seaspiracy, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is an international, non-profit marine conservation organization. They detain illegal fishing vessels out at sea who are using illegal fishing methods that kill marine life such as dolphins and whales, Crewed mainly by volunteers, members help to defend wildlife and conserve and protect the world’s oceans from illegal exploitation and environmental destruction.
V.A. Jessica: Richstone Family https://www.richstonefamily.org/
I support Richstone Family because it is a healing, education, and prevention for child abuse and building resilient families. Growing up and being able to volunteer with these families and children and seeing the impact it made will always hold a place in my heart. I believe everyone should have a “safe place” and knowing that Richstone is able to provide this is very rewarding.
V.A. Julz: Girl Scouts of America https://www.girlscouts.org/en/support-us/invest/donate.html
As a former Girl Scout myself I can’t say enough about how they shaped me into the woman I am today! Girl Scouts of the USA funds research, program, and technology innovation, benefitting Girl Scouts nationally. Girl Scout alums are unequivocally more ambitious, confident, and prepared to take on life’s challenges.