They spotted an announcement on the MWB website asking for dresses for the poor girls in Zambia. The site suggested a simple dress made by sewing a gathered skirt onto a regular-tshirt. Light bulbs went off in Darla and Nancy’s heads and they got started on the project. They posted flyers and contacted businesses asking for t-shirts, skirts, sewing supplies, fabric and volunteers.

Support flowed in and 200 (or so) volunteers helped stitch more than a thousand dresses. They’ve since held more sewing sessions and have sent more than 3000 dresses to the girls of Zambia.

We applaud these mothers for stepping in and getting the job done

It’s the Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City. They’re dedicated to making a difference in the lives of animals and the people who love them by providing pet food and services to low-income, home-bound and homeless senior citizens.

For many seniors their pet is their only friend. But what if you didn’t have enough money to buy pet food. Would you go without? Probably.

That’s when Pet Food Pantry comes in. They provide much needed pet food.

Pet Food Pantry works with local programs to identify those in need.

Right now, Pet Food Pantry is in start-up mode (July 1, 2010 was the date of formation as a non-profit corporation). They’re currently looking for donations of pet food (and funding). Local food can be picked up. All donations are tax-deductible.

You may reach the Pet Food Pantry at info@petfoodpantryokc.org or their website http://www.petfoodpantryokc.org.

dogfood

Some of those people will become volunteers at their favorite charity. Volunteering can be anything from cleaning animal cages, sweeping floors, walking dogs, or even something as mundane as filing.

Did you realize that volunteer charitable work will do wonders for your resume?

Having charitable work on your resume will show your new prospective employer that you’re well rounded, a respected member of your community and that you care about the welfare of others.

If you’ve got a little time on your hands, call up your favorite local charity and offer your services. You’ll get some good hands-on experience, they’ll get some much needed help. Everyone benefits.

Protecting tropical forests slows the production of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change – and every acre you protect is equal to taking 40 vehicles off the road this year.

Become a CI Evergreen Partner. It costs just $15 to protect one acre. That means for 50 cents a day, you can protect an acre of forest each and every month.

I realize this entire website is based upon ‘free’ to donate by just clicking with your mouse, no money exchanges hands, but every now and then I like to share some great causes, put on by some great charities.

This program is handled by Conservation.org, a very worthwhile organization.

The WildCare Foundation provides a place for people to bring native injured or orphaned wild animals struggling to survive with the goal of releasing health animals back to nature. Wildcare is a wildlife rehabilitation facility for any wild animal native to Oklahoma. WildCare can assess the animal’s condition and provide the needed medical care and housing until recovered and healthy enough to be released back into the wild. WildCare believes that all wild species be it sparrow or eagle, opossum or bobcat play an important role in keeping the planet healthy. For this reason we accept and treat all wild native birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

WildCare Foundation is in the running for a $250,000 grant for a new facility building. You can vote for them everyday in June! There is a link on their website… http://www.wildcareoklahoma.org/. Or go to www.refresheverything.com and search for “WildCare Oklahoma“.

Each year, 3,700 people and 4,200 animals enter WildCare’s Admissions area looking for help. WildCare’s Admission/Clinic is crowded on a small porch inside the Director’s home. We don’t have the space to treat these animals and have meaningful educational moments with the public that bring in these animals struggling to survive. A 4,000 sq.ft building would give the public an opportunity to understand how important their first step is in saving a wild animal’s life. The new Pepsi Refresh Building would allow WildCare to greatly increase our educational programs at the facility. The building would also expand our Nurseries and Clinic area. The building design would allow viewing areas into the Nurseries and Clinic without disturbing the animals. An environmentally friendly building would greatly increase our visibility in the community, advance our education programs, and foster a greater understanding and caring for the environment and the animals on the planet.
How will the 250K be Used?

Budget Notes: Land, well, and power is already available on WildCare’s 15 acres. WildCare will raise funds for educational exhibits, furnishings and landscaping.

THANKS!

$ 235,000 4,000 square foot building
$ 10,000 Earth work and parking
$ 5,000 Septic system

LEARN FROM SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTS HOW TO MAKE YOUR NONPROFIT EVENTS, GALAS AND DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND EARTH FRIENDLY.

* How to green your event, featuring an overview and examples of a “Go Green” plan
* How to green your office

ABOUT THE TRAINERS

Randy Alverado (OKC) is a photographer, author and entrepreneur. He has owned or operated six different companies and has 20+ years of executive management experience. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Alverado excels at strategic marketing, business architecture and business operations. Through his position on Oklahoma City Arts Council Green Committee, he is working to make the Oklahoma City Arts festival a green event.

Heather Pingry (Tulsa) is the executive director of Tulsa International Mayfest where she is responsible for all aspects of the production of the festival. Previously, she was with Downtown Tulsa Unlimited for six years as Vice President of Promotions and Communications. She was responsible for the production and promotion of downtown events including the PSO Parade of Lights, Music on the Square and Devour Downtown Tulsa Restaurant Week. In 2008, Pingry served as a Board Intern at the Tulsa Garden Center where she was the Entertainment and Auction Co-Chair for Wine and Roses.

Farooq Karim (OKC & Tulsa) serves as an internal board member and vice president of Rees Associates, Inc. He is also the assistant director of operations in the Oklahoma City office. He holds a bachelor’s of architecture degree from the University of Oklahoma and is a registered architect and interior designer with over 16 years experience. Mr. Karim has been with Rees for over 15 years and has been involved in over 100 statewide, national and international projects in the broadcast, healthcare, higher education, government and corporate commercial segments. In October 2008, he became a board member for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma and led the effort to donate design services for their new State of Oklahoma headquarters.

MAY 26 – TULSA

OSU-TULSA ROOM 153

700 N. GREENWOOD

8:30-11:30 AM

CENTER MEMBERS: $50

NON-MEMBERS: $80

Register here: http://icebrrg.com/Public/ViewForm.aspx?formID=49965

Trees in Trust doesn’t fall into that category BUT it sure looks like a great ‘green’ charity!

Trees in Trust allows you to buy a piece of a forest across Canada as a gift that will last forever.

Their motto: Save Our Forests, One Piece at a Time.

I encourage you to consider a gift of woodland the next time you need a gift and don’t know what to buy. It’s a ‘good green’ thing.

In 2005, Shannon Keith visited India and saw the devastation that lived on the streets and in the brothels. She saw girls sold into prostitution, orphans pimped, and women trying to feed their families. Many were held against their will while others were trapped by economics. The few that escaped the brothels frequently returned, just to survive.

Shannon then founded International Princess to give these women the opportunity to restore their lives and empower them. Her inspiration was the sari, the traditional garment of India.

International Princess began a sewing project teaching women to sew and giving them jobs so that they might have a way up out of the brothels.

Punjammies were created. Punjammies are pajamas sewn by women in India and sold in the US. The pajamas are made from Indian fabrics, by Indian women workers who are paid a decent wage. All proceeds from the sale of the pajamas go back to India where the funds are used to pay salaries, business expenses, create savings accounts and provide support and restoration to the women formerly enslaved in prostitution.

You may read more about International Princess at http://intlprincess.org/

Because it makes them money!

I too, get annoyed when I’m inundated with requests for money from seemingly every charity in the world. I too, don’t much care for the ones that send me a nickel. Gee, wouldn’t you have been better off just keeping the nickel? The whole mailed package had to cost way more than the dollar they requested.

Whenever I get one of these, I always go online to a place such as http://www.charitynavigator.com and check them out.

The mailing I got today, with the attached nickel, prompted me to visit Charity Navigator and this is what I found out.

“We don’t evaluate XXXXXXX. Why not? We only evaluate organizations granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and file a Form 990. 501(c)(3) organizations are considered public charities and all donations to them are tax-exempt.

What does this mean? It means that the charity that send me the nickel, asking for a dollar, really isn’t a tax exempt validated charity.

Now, this particular organization is a well known organization and they do provide community service, scholarships and many other civic activities, but a charity they are not.

When in doubt, always check a charities status by using one of the charity search sites available across the internet.

YES, Shelterbox.com is an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide.

Shelter Boxes are green plastic units that are similiar in size and shape to the large plastic storage containers that many people keep Christmas decorations in, only sturdier.

A bigger difference is what’s inside. Each shelter box contains enough supplies for an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless.

Inside every Shelter Box is a ten-person tent. It’s sturdy, made to withstand extreme temperatures, high winds and rain. It even has privacy partitions to allow the inside space to be divided.

For the kids, each Shelter Box also contains coloring books, crayons and pens.

Also included are essentials, blankets, insulated ground sheets, mosquito nets (where needed), a tool kit (hammer, axe, saw, shovel, hoe head, pliers and wire cutters). There’s even a small wood burning or multi-fuel stove as well as pans, utensils, bowls mugs and storage containers. Plus the Shelter Box itself is reusable from storage to seating to a baby bed.

You can read more about Shelter Box and donate on their website at http://www.shelterbox.com.

Shelter Box