Donation #5 - Food

As we start going into the fall months here in Western Washington there are many things that we begin to notice.

- The coloring of the leaves are going from green to red, orange or even a 'burnt umber' color.
- There is ALOT more rain.
- It's starting to get chilly.

With the drop in temperatures, and the recent torrents of rain, Washington is starting to get into it's 'wet season'. Which means that this weather is here to stay until late May to June.

Which then brings up the subject that I'm donating to today; Food.

Food is necessary for our survival, that much is true. But for many people food isn't readily available, which becomes an ever growing concern. Nationwide, worldwide hunger is a force that has each and every species in it's grip. Locally, Washington is the 15th hungriest state in the nation, and #1 in the northwest at a 15.4% in food insecurity.

Worldwide though nearly 870 million people live without enough food to eat. While severe malnutrition threatens the lives of 19 million children. Every year at least 3.5 million children die from malnutrition-related causes.

It's because of statistics like this I feel that those that are most vulnerable to hunger this time of year are in the greatest need of assistance. But it also reminds me of a time when I was in High School.

It was around Thanksgiving, and my school in Sedro was doing their yearly 'can-ival' a canned food drive to support local families that were affected by a flood earlier that year. I remember going through my families pantries trying to gather as many cans as possible. But it wasn't because of my giving nature, it was because we were having class competitions and I wanted to be #1. Because of my competitive nature I brought in 74 cans booming my class to #1 in the whole school. I cheered, and laughed as I remember dragging in 2 boxes, a milk crate, and a garbage bag of cans just so I can gloat.

I look back on that time with a little annoyance at myself, that I didn't see that time of year as an opportunity to spread some goodwill. But to instead inflate my own ego and win some tickets to dunk tank my schools vice principal.

Why I'm donating to these organizations now, are for completely different reasons then I had in the past.

Because food is important, and deep down inside I have a weakness for helping children. Even though I am scared of most of them, I do love kids and feel that they need the best opportunities to ensure and secure a future.

The organization that I'm donating to is Food Lifeline.

Food Lifeline is a Shoreline,WA group that provides food for over 745,000 people through their network of nearly 300 food banks, meal programs and shelters in Western Washington.  Last year they distributed more than 35 million pounds of food, enough food to equal more than 27 million meals.

But why Food Lifeline?

The answers are simple, this organization is cemented in over 17 counties in Washington alone, including some Skagit food banks that myself and my family know. They've created innovative solutions to help provide food that would otherwise be unsold in markets. Programs such as Seattle's Table, Grocery Rescue, and Produce for the People. All programs that recover, and distributes donated food to food banks, providing much needed food for people.

Food Lifeline is also an affiliate with Feeding America a parent group that works with numerous other affiliates to ensure that hunger, as an issue is tackled effectively. By providing programs and services to all situations.

Food Lifeline is also a partner with The United Way of King County. A group that focuses on several key areas important to King county. Meeting people's basic needs, ending homelessness, bolstering human services and giving kids equal chances. The United Way is a group that I donate 50$ to every year 1/2 goes to homelessness and the other goes to keeping kids safe from abuse and neglect.

This is why I chose to donate to Food Lifeline. Because they're looking to ensure that those most vulnerable are given food. As well as ensuring that everyone is given the opportunity to have a nutritious meal.

Food Lifeline's Mission is:

To end hunger in Western Washington by engaging communities and mobilizing resources. 

Through Food Lifelines system they take donations, repack them into family sized portions, distribute, and then deliver. Thus ensuring that the 51% of adults, 35% of children and 14% of seniors get their much needed food.

There are many ways that you can help Food Lifeline. Here's a list of all the options available.

- Online donating, any amount of money is good, Each dollar in donation provides a full day of meals for an individual.

- Virtual food drive, It's actually as cool as it sounds. And you can buy large amounts of food to supply to a food bank.

- You can donate food to Food Lifelines food drives, or Events.

- If you live in the Western Washington area you can also Volunteer in several different areas. Either as volunteer groups or individuals.

- Or you can Advocate to ensure that hunger and these programs are in the forefront of most politicians minds.

With this group I will be donating 20$. Enough to ensure that 20 people can get food for a day. One person get food for 20 days, or 48 cans of fruit and vegetables to be distributed to families.

All in all, I implore people to become more involved with their communities. This includes either donating a small amount of money, or even your time. Each state in our nation is trying to fight the problems associated with hunger.

Especially in recent light of the Colorado floods, you can find wonderful and reliable charities on Charity Navigator. A site dedicated to ensuring that the charities you want to donate to are on the 'up and up.'

Which through this site, I learned about Food Lifeline and many other wonderful food suppliers in WA.

If you wish to donate to a food charity in your area, research through charity navigator. The higher the rating, the better the charity is.

So with the warm temps coming to an end, and the umbrellas coming out, I wish you all the best and I hope that we can all make the coming months better for others. For I know I'm donating my companies holiday turkey to a homeless shelter again. Also, because I don't know how to cook a turkey.

Much hope, to all mankind.

- <3 Amanda.

Why I Donate

Recently people have been curious about what I'm trying to accomplish with this blog. Why I choose to blog about the donations I've made and why I talk about the non-profits that I support. So I figure to give you an idea of why I do what I do.

When I was a kid, we didn't have much, and often relied upon the kindness of random people and my grandparents. Although we didn't have much I will always applaud my parents for doing all they could with what they had.

When we moved to Washington we lived in a tiny trailer between 5 people. My older sister and I slept in a bunk bed that I remember frequently falling out of. My Eldest sister slept on an overhang below our bed while my parents slept on a converted table. It was less than 200 sq ft split between 5 people. We soon had a home that my father built, a two room, two floor house. We had bunk beds built into the walls, a ladder that went upstairs and a wood stove. We commuted between the house and the trailer to get water, food or use the bathroom. It was only bad at night since I was afraid of the dark, but I remember it.

When I was a kid I remember wanting to help those children on the commercials that were
without food or water. I wanted to give my money away, go abroad and help build things, I wanted to do so much for others.

I brought in the usual can or two for can drives at my school. But never really learned about the impact donations had on lives until I got older, and supposedly wiser.

I learned about the joys and fun of donating and volunteering from my grandmother. Who regularly volunteered at the food bank. And every year would go through Heifer International, looking for gifts to give people. 

So when people ask me why I do this my answer isn't because I had a crappy childhood, or that I'm trying to prove something. But it's far more simple then that.

I want to help people.

I lived so much of my life trying to break away from other people and to isolate myself from them that it's made me realize how small I try to be. I spent so much of my life wanting to stay in the shadows, wanting to stay quiet and keep to myself that it's made my life difficult. I've had a hard time making lasting, emotional connections with people and keeping thriving, lasting friendships. Which is one reason why I donate. I donate to these groups because I feel an emotional connection with them, that they represent something that I feel very strongly for and cal support wholeheartedly.

The Other Reasons Why I Donate:

These are my grandparents, Wayne and Mary. My Grandmother Mary for as long as I've known has always been trying to help people. She'd volunteer at the food bank, help us when we needed it, and even help other veterans like my grandfather.

My grandmother just recently fought breast cancer, and after radiation and a mastectomy, is finally seeing recovery. My grandmother is also who I learned to much of my empathy from. Which is why I hold health care so highly in my life, and why I'm supportive to all cancer treatments.

My grandfather is a Vietnam veteran. I've seen his photos from around the world and heard his story time and again. We all know what plagues most veterans from that era to now. Which is why I feel so strongly for Veterans and their continued and much needed support.

This is my other Grandmother, I never had the chance to know her. She died before I could know her, but I've heard so many things about her. I look at this picture of her and she looks and reminds me of my mother so much, and how much I wish I had known her.

She is another reason why I take health care so seriously. Also why I hold the traditions of family, loyalty and love so seriously. I may have never knew her, but I feel I can honor her memory by helping others that are in the same situation that she was.

My aunt Laura, who is also fighting breast cancer. When I was a child I remember her being apart of her children's lives, always. She was supportive, but strict at times. She'd feed us if we didn't have a meal, would be there when we needed the help.

She's support her children through thick and thin, and now more then anything needs support.

From her I learned my love for cooking, baking, and supporting the needs of others.

My parents, they tried to everything they could to provide a good home and a good future for us. Because of that I will always be grateful to my parents. They taught me from a young age the need and importance of being independent. To have faith in yourself, and importantly how to connect with people.

My parents have always been the foundation in which I base myself upon. They are both head strong, and unyielding people with odd senses of humor. I take so much from both of my parents, and their dedication to one another, and to their family is what drives me.

Because of them I take so many things in both life and causes seriously. I love animals because of them, I find family so important because of them. I find loyalty, honor, strength and love to be solely important because of them. I learned my opinions from them, and how to defend it well from others scrutiny.

From my father I learned how to defend my views and opinions with intelligence instead of blind idealism. The importance of being introspective, as well as the joy of a job well done, and the meaning of true independence. I donate because of the things he taught me about loyalty to others, and achieving a common goal.

From my mother I learned to be social, charismatic, and funny. To love unconditionally, and fully. She has taught me the overwhelming love of family, and the need for that unconditional love.

The final reason why I donate is for me.

At the age of 24 I'm well into my adulthood. I'm independent, I have a home, a job, a car. I have all of these things in my life that I've been grateful and blessed to have. Things and blessings that I'm willing to give to other people.

I don't expect to change the world, I don't expect to hand out to people money and hope they do good with it. I give to these people, these organizations because I have faith in what they're doing. Because I believe in the common goal of helping others and this world. Because by helping others in this world, in turn I also feel like I'm helping myself. By making meaningful, and lasting connections with organizations and the people working there as well as the people that read this blog, and believe in the message it provides.

I only wish the best for the world, and for it's people. I hope for clean water, education, medical availability, animal protection and rights, food, homes and basic human rights for all people. If everyone of us can believe in one of those things and go out of our way to fulfill that belief, then the world would be better off.

Which is why I donate. To try to help the world, and this is why I blog about it. To address this issue and these ideas to the world. To keep you and myself knowledgeable about what kinds of organizations are out there, and what kind of problems we are facing. What kind of animals we are endangering, what resources are low, and what people need help. Call it being idealistic. But I do hope someday, someone will come across this and agree that all life, in all aspects is important and needs our protection and support.

Someday I hope, we can all make a difference.

To that, I say thank you.

Sincerely, Amanda

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Donation #4 - Water

As I continue on to figure out what is important in life there are a number of things that I think are important, or are necessities.

In my previous blog (Here) I felt that education was a necessity for all people. That education was a cornerstone to any civilization, and enriches not only our own lives but the world. But there are other things in this world that I believe are necessities. Like.

Food

Healthcare

And Water

Water is one of those essentials. It is something that we are made of, something that we cannot live without. A person can live for 30 days or more without food, but without water you are lucky if you live a week.

In my apartment here in Seattle I have rusty pipes, I know it's rust because when I haven't used my taps in a day or more it comes out a rusty orange. Luckily for me my water clears up, safe to drink, bathe in, and use. But for many people around the world, they aren't as lucky. They live with brown water, often smelly and filled with bacteria that causes intestinal distress.

These kinds of problems can be caused by a number of things. Protozoal Infections, Parasitic Infections,  Bacterial Infections, or Viral Infections, all of these things that can thrive in water that isn't properly filtered, or safe for consumption. Here's some figures reflecting why clean water is a necessity for all people.

Almost 1 billion people lack access to an improved supply of water.
2 million annual deaths are caused by unsafe water, hygiene and sanitation.
More than 50 countries are still reporting Cholera.
An estimated 260 million people are infected with Schistosoma.

With numbers like those it's important to reflect on the importance of clean water. These problems are more prevalent in developing countries, where public utilities are still in development as well as the regions economy. This knowledge has lead me to these current non profits and their work and effect on a regions water source.

The first group that I'm going to discuss is Splash, previously known as A Child's Right.  Splash is a Seattle based group that focuses on a few things. One is the availability of water, two is promoting good hygiene, three is to provide long term monitoring and service.

By doing all of this Splash has created strong partnerships with other organizations and serving those with the greatest needs. This provides people with reliable, clean water. Not just any clean either, safe and purified water that meets both local standards and the annual WHO (World Health Organization's) quality parameters.

At the same time they're filtration system drives on both quality and quantity, providing people with anywhere between 5-10 gallons a minute. When installation is complete Splash also stays to ensure that their water system is providing clean water for 10 years, as well as training a local site leadership to steward the system beginning the 11th year. With this Splash hopes to help provide 1 million children in 16 countries by 2020.

Which leads me to the mission of Splash, which is,

"To change the live of vulnerable children in impoverished urban areas be providing clean, safe drinking water to orphanages, schools, children's hospitals, street shelters and rescue homes."

You can see Splash's progress here where they've provided 248,254 children with clean, safe, and available water.

Splash currently works in several areas across the globe, this includes.

Cambodia (Est. 2007.)
China (Est. 2007.)
Ethiopia (Est. 2008.)
Nepal (Est. 2007.)
Thailand (Est. 2011.)
Vietnam (Est. 2011.)

Each of these areas they have offices set up, as well as their headquarters being here in Seattle, WA. If you wish to contact any of them just go to the bottom of the page. Contact information is available there.

If you wish to Donate to this group you can go Here. You can donate any amount you feel is appropriate, and how often you wish to make your donation.

For this group I donated 30$ to help fund efforts in Thailand. Where only an estimated 3,632 children have been helped. With this donation I hope that the group can continue their expansion into Thailand, and aiding those in need for clean water.

The second organization that I'm going to talk about it is Charity: Water.

A larger then life New York based group that found it's beginning in the eyes and life of founder, Scott Harrison.

An ex promoter of top clubs and fashion events located in NYC, Scott took up the idea of volunteering aboard Mercy Ships. A humanitarian group that provides free medical care to the worlds poorest nations.
After having first hand experience with poverty and the amazing amount of courage from people he saw everyday he took it upon himself to revise the word, charity.

From that the organization, Charity: Water began.

The groups mission is simple: To provide clean drinking water to people in developing nations.

If you're wondering why water? Then this should be able to sum it up rather easily. If not it's as simple as this.

Water is a necessity of life, but when unsafe to consume it can be very dangerous to your health. Water can be teeming with bacteria, kinds that can cause unspeakable damage to your body. But water is the building blocks of life, of all life. So with the ability to have clean, safe water people are more likely to go to school, grow a garden, all around better their lives and the lives of their community.

From this it's easy to see how much clean water has an effect on us. As individuals, as a country, and as an economy. Which is why I'm supporting Clean Water.

This group lists all their financials, giving them transparency as a non-profit. One that has been awarded 4 stars by Charity Navigator.

Charity: Water works with a 100% model, which means that 100% of your donation goes towards water projects. They cover the operating costs, and you help fund the projects.

Speaking of which, Charity: Water's projects are many. They work in 20 countries around the world, in Africa, Asia, Central and South America. So far they've provided clean water for over 3 million people world wide funded 9,015 water projects with 22 local partners in 20 countries. For completed projects go here.

Every year Charity: Water makes a campaign for a region of the world. This years campaign is in India, you can watch the expansion of the 2 million dollar goal throughout September, of you can donate directly to the campaign, or even create your own.

If you wish to help Charity: Water

You can Donate your birthday and begin campaigning for this group.
Or you can Donate to either the left side, which is the Sept Campaign. Or to the right to whichever the donation is needed most.

For this group I donated 30$ towards the Sept. Campaign. If you wish to match my donation or donate anything to Splash, you can donate Here. If you wish to donate to Charity: Water, donate Here.

Both organizations have big plans, and big goals. As well as big hearts, but both have a common mission; to provide water for those with the deepest need. So please, support these wonderful charities that are slowly helping the world with clean, safe water.

- <3 Amanda.

Splash's Website.
Charity: Water's Website.