Thursday, April 28, 2011

A Passion for Children's Charities

I love charities so I guess I decided to write about them in my blog today.  Being a mom I am especially drawn to charities that are helping children.  Save the Children, St. Jude's, Big Brother Big Sister and March of Dimes are my favorite charities that are helping children in our own country as well as abroad.

Save the Children not only helps children with struggles they face everyday like poverty, illness, hunger and illiteracy but they also aid in disaster relief.  They are the leading independent organization that creates a lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world.  You can read more about them at http://www.savethechildren.org/.

St. Jude's is a pediatric treatment and research facility that treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.  The children's research hospital was founded in 1962 by entertainer Danny Thomas.  Some time in the 1940's the struggling actor had prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus that if he could show him his way in life he'd one day build a shrine to him.  After becoming an internationally known entertainer Danny remembered his pledge and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital became the shrine he built for St. Jude.  You can learn more about St. Jude's at http://www.stjude.org/.

Big Brother Big Sister is a mentoring program that provides children who face adversity with the tools and self confidence necessary to achieve success in life.  This program helps children in America to avoid risky behavior, achieve educational success and learn how to have healthy relationships.  The program started in 1904 with two separate entities; Big Brothers and Catholic Big Sisters.  The two groups joined in 1977 and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.  You can read more about this organization at http://www.bbbs.org/.

March of Dimes was originally created by FDR in order to research and fight polio.  Once their research funded the invention of the polio vaccine with ended epidemic polio in the United States their mission focused to preventing birth defects and infant mortality. The March of Dimes has led the way to discover the genetic causes of birth defects, to promote newborn screening, and to educate medical professionals and the public about best practices for healthy pregnancy. 
Since 2003, the March of Dimes' fight to save babies has been strongly characterized by their Prematurity Campaign. The rising incidence of premature birth has demanded action, and the March of Dimes has responded by initiating an intensive, multi-year campaign to raise awareness and find the causes of prematurity.
The March of Dimes is especially near and dear to my heart as I have two nephews who are also brothers who were born prematurely.  One was born 6 weeks early and three years later his brother was born 8 1/2 weeks early!  I've had multiple close friends loose babies after 20 weeks gestation and a friend whose baby, born at 24 weeks gestation, survived!  He is a walking talking miracle baby whose family, like mine, have become advocates for the March of Dimes.  If you'd like to learn more please visit http://www.marchofdimes.com/.  My family and friends will be marching in the annual March of Dimes walk again this year!

There are a few other children's charities that I am learning more about and will feature them in a separate blog.

"I absolutely believe in the power of tithing and giving back. My own experience about all the blessings I've had in my life is that the more I give away, the more that comes back. That is the way life works, and that is the way energy works."Ken Blanchard

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