A little known Non-Profit that deserves some attention!

I'm writing from Tri-State Trek and we're organizing our 7th annual 3 day bike ride to help raise money to find a cure for ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. This disease has claimed the lives of many and has destroyed families along the way. We are staying strong and supportive of those battling ALS and the families who have experienced the effects of a loved one having this disease. Join our effort to shed more light on ALS/ Lou Gehrig's disease! Visit NeedMoreCowbell.org to get more information and register for a 1 or 3 day sponsored ride.

For the month of August, I would like to highlight Free the Slaves …

For the month of August, I would like to highlight Free the Slaves (FTS), an amazing organization that literally "liberates slaves around the world, helps them rebuild their lives and researches real world solution to eradicate slavery forever" (www.freetheslaves.net).

Free the Slaves was birthed primarily in response to Kevin Bales' award winning book, Disposable People. This book introduced much of the world to modern-day slavery. Bales formed Free the Slaves shortly after the writing of the book. Recently, I had the privilege of sharing a meal with Peggy Callahan, one of the early co-founders of the organization, and talking about some of the key issues that surround such an effort including organizational methodology, government policy-making, networking, sustainable projects, use of communication mediums, and practical entry-points for participation.

I am really impressed by Free the Slaves' commitment to research. They go the extra mile to make sure that all of their public statements about the state of slavery around the world are indeed accurate (to the best of their knowledge).

Secondly, I love their posture of openness to help and partner with anyone interested in fighting slavery in our modern-day world. I have already heard from numerous organizations about their openness in sharing their research and resources. They understand that no one organization can solve the problem alone.

Thirdly, FTS does an excellent job of creating long-term and holistic solutions to this injustice. They are definitely NOT a temporary or "fly-by-night" entity. FTS deeply cares about the numerous related issues that are interconnected with slavery (e.g., poverty, economic alternatives, community development, education, etc.).

Free the Slaves is an organization that is well respected around the world. I encourage you to take the time to learn more about their efforts and join in the mission to end slavery in our lifetime.

For the month of June, I would like to highlight a non-profit …

For the month of June, I would like to highlight a non-profit organization my friend, Jeff Shinabarger, helped to establish called Giftcardgiver.com that collects unused gift cards and then redistributes them to other charities that may be able to use them for their respective works.

The following are some stats about gift cards from their website:

* The holiday gift card industry has risen to be a 45 billion dollar industry this year alone according to TowerGroup, a research firm by MasterCard International.

* The National Retail Federation states that 81% of consumers received a gift card last year.

* As reported by www.post-gazette.com, American Eagle Outfitters had more than 25 million dollars in un-used gift card value in 2003.

* According to ACS Unclaimed-Property Clearninghouse Inc., roughly 10% of gift cards are NEVER redeemed (www.wsj.com).

The theory behind this is simple... How many unused gift cards do you have in your wallet? You could benefit some great organizations by sharing your unused cards!

Organization for Feb/Mar - Change.org I love promoting creative …

Organization for Feb/Mar - Change.org

I love promoting creative collaborations that mobilize people towards embracing and serving humanity. Therefore, I would like to introduce you to Change.org, a networking organization that does just that... It connects you to hundreds of great organizations throughout the world that care for people.

I personally like their feature of setting up a personal profile which then allows you to network and more intentionally participate in the issues that you care most about. The following is a description from Change.org about their purpose:

"Change.org aims to transform social activism by serving as the central platform that connects likeminded people, whatever their interests, and enables them to exchange information, share ideas, and collectively act to address the issues they care about.

To augment the power of the grassroots networks that develop through Change.org, we help connect these networks to the many nonprofit organizations that are already working to advance worthy causes around the world - over 1 million in total. We facilitate dialogue and collaboration by creating a social network around each nonprofit, thereby allowing people to participate in ways never before possible - by posting ideas and suggestions, engaging in direct dialogue, and organizing communities of donors, volunteer events, and rallies.

What we are proposing, in short, is a fundamental change in the way people engage in social issues. We hope you'll join us in transforming this vision into reality"

Enjoy...Feel free to share your thoughts about Change.org.

Thank You for the invite to the group Charles. Hope to see you soon!

Thank You for the invite to the group Charles. Hope to see you soon!