Better To Give
There is no greater feeling that the feeling of giving! Be it to a family member, lifelong friend or new found love, the emotion you get from handing that present over, can't be beat. Unfortunately, sometimes it's not so easy to find that great gift! We're here to help you find that perfect gift! Maybe it's your community or world you'd like to give back to, instead. If that's the case, we'll help you find those volunteer opportunities and charities when you aren't sure where to start!
Soldier's Angels
Soldier's Angels is an organization that was started by one soldier's mother after she realized that many of her son’s fellow soldiers weren’t getting the support that they needed and deserved. The purpose of the organization is to provide aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and their families. This goal is achieved by the nearly 200,000 volunteers across the United States that dedicate countless hours to veterans, the wounded, deployed service members and their families. There are over 30 different teams working on separate projects to help these people, each with a unique name and goal, all joined under the name Soldier’s Angels.
Through this organization people are able to “Adopt a Soldier”. What this means is that you sign up to send one card or letter each week, and one or two care packages each month. On average, adoption lasts from six months to one year. The purpose of these programs is to provide support to soldiers who may not receive it from anyone else. The letters and packages that are sent truly help to bring a smile to a hard working soldiers face. Also, the care packages provide items to the soldiers that are much needed on a daily basis. Click here to see the list of items that are recommended by Soldier’s Angels to send your soldier. You are also able to donate money through the website if you cannot afford to send packages, or do not have the time to prepare them yourself. To Adopt a Soldier, please go here and fill out the application. You must be over the age of 18, so talk to your parents or guardians about it! As of today, there are 471 soldiers wanting to be adopted, so you have no time to waste!
Through this organization people are able to “Adopt a Soldier”. What this means is that you sign up to send one card or letter each week, and one or two care packages each month. On average, adoption lasts from six months to one year. The purpose of these programs is to provide support to soldiers who may not receive it from anyone else. The letters and packages that are sent truly help to bring a smile to a hard working soldiers face. Also, the care packages provide items to the soldiers that are much needed on a daily basis. Click here to see the list of items that are recommended by Soldier’s Angels to send your soldier. You are also able to donate money through the website if you cannot afford to send packages, or do not have the time to prepare them yourself. To Adopt a Soldier, please go here and fill out the application. You must be over the age of 18, so talk to your parents or guardians about it! As of today, there are 471 soldiers wanting to be adopted, so you have no time to waste!
The SPCA
The SPCA, or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is an organization dedicated to animals across the globe. The mission of SPCA International is to raise awareness of the abuse of animals to a global level, to teach and foster good pet parenting practices, and to promote spay and neuter programs around the world with the goal of eradicating the need to euthanize healthy and adoptable companion animals. There is most likely an SPCA near you that shelters abused or abandoned animals that do not have a loving family, and has those animals available for adoption. Perhaps you or someone you know has even adopted a pet from the SPCA.
The SPCA runs many different programs, like the Shelter Emergency Response which assists shelters in response to an emergency crisis like natural disasters, the Spay and Neuter Program which aims at spaying and neutering pets to reduce the number of healthy animals that have to be euthanized, and Operation Baghdad Pups which rescues dogs from the war-torn Middle East. On the SPCA website, found here http://www.spca.com/ you can also find tips on pet care, pet wellness, pet behavior, and information on pet insurance. To help out this organization, you may want to consider volunteering at your local branch. Most branches will be ecstatic to accommodate your willingness to volunteer and set you up with jobs such as dog walking or kitty socializing. To find a shelter near you, donate money, or learn more about this fabulous organization, please visit The SPCA.
The SPCA runs many different programs, like the Shelter Emergency Response which assists shelters in response to an emergency crisis like natural disasters, the Spay and Neuter Program which aims at spaying and neutering pets to reduce the number of healthy animals that have to be euthanized, and Operation Baghdad Pups which rescues dogs from the war-torn Middle East. On the SPCA website, found here http://www.spca.com/ you can also find tips on pet care, pet wellness, pet behavior, and information on pet insurance. To help out this organization, you may want to consider volunteering at your local branch. Most branches will be ecstatic to accommodate your willingness to volunteer and set you up with jobs such as dog walking or kitty socializing. To find a shelter near you, donate money, or learn more about this fabulous organization, please visit The SPCA.
Next Time on Better to Give...
Next week on Better to Give I will be giving out tips on how to make smart charity choices when deciding which organization to donate your money or time to. Stay tuned, and as always submit any questions, comments, or stories you may have!