There is too much to do in our lives. What is $10? $10 is a grande cafe’ mocha and muffin. $10 is a cab ride or 3 gallons of gasoline. $10 is lunch. But to many organizations here in the United States, $10 is 19 pounds of food at a food bank, $10 provides vitamins to 40 children, or provides a box of nails to build specially adapted homes for injured war veterans. $10 can make a difference and so can you. Join in giving $10 to the organizations profiled each day and help them with their quest to do something for those individuals and communities in need.
Over 15% of Maine’s population is over the age of 65.
Eastern Area Agency on Aging is a one stop shop of information, options and services for seniors, adults with disabilities and caregivers. They provide many critical services such as: transportation services, their nutrition program provides good nutrition to seniors who otherwise might not eat a balanced diet, money management programs, free legal civil services and assistance in navigating Medicare or state health insurance programs. They also provide programs like the Aging and Disability Resource Center that provides information and referrals to formal and informal supports systems that can help the elderly and disabled who are seeking long-term care so that they may live as independently as possible for as long as possible. Their Partners in Caring respite program helps people who are caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias. EAAA has a minor home repair program for seniors called EAA-Z Fix It which helps seniors remain in their own homes, safely, for as long as possible by providing volunteer handyman when needed. And their Furry Friends Food Bank is dedicated to preserving the special bond between the elderly and their pets by providing pet food and basic pet care supplies to those in need.
Massachusetts has the lowest percentage of uninsured
Nearly 44 Million in United States are without health insurance and Massachusetts has the lowest percentage of uninsured individuals under age 65.
Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) is the face of health care for Bostonians without healthcare. BHCHP offers comprehensive health care, behavioral and oral health care, HIV counseling, pharmaceutical assistance, and podiatry services. BHCHP makes these services available through their own free standing clinic, through numerous homeless shelters throughout the area, hospitals and has a facility that offers short-term medical and recuperative services for homeless people far too ill for life in shelters but not sick enough to warrant a hospital stay. They even have a Street Team that services those chronically homeless who live on the street.
17% of our nation’s capital is below poverty.
The District of Columbia leads the country in percentage of population that lives below poverty. Washington, DC is 61 square miles and has more people living below poverty than California, which is 155,000 square miles, or New Mexico and it’s 122,000 square miles.
So Others Might Eat is a community-based organization that exists to help the poor and homeless of our nation’s capital. They provide emergency services such as meals, clothing and health care, they formulate recovery plans for individuals who are ready to transform their lives through job training, addiction treatment and counseling, and then provide a safe, dignified, stable home so that clients can stay clean and sober, build the confidence they need to re-enter the community, secure jobs, and care for their families.
Less than 4% of American Indians hold college degrees.
New Mexico graduation rate is only 54.1%. Native Americans are 11% of New Mexico’s population but unfortunately, less than 4% of American Indians hold college degrees. American Indian children miss out, schools on American Indian reservations have the highest teacher turnover and resources are severely limited.
Futures for Children improves the quality of education for American Indian children through mentoring and training. Futures for Children hope every American Indian student has the self-confidence to realize their dreams and providess the resources to tribal communities to make this possible. Their programs include: Self-confidence and empowerment, cultural values and learning, leadership and teamwork, goal-setting, integrating native and mainstream life, improving one’s community, family support and involvement, community mentoring and support from mentors who live outside of the reservation.
1 in 4 soldiers returns with a service-related disability
The unemployment rate among the nation’s 2.5 million service-disabled men and women is 15.8% – three times that of the general population.
Hire Heroes USA mission is to provide career placement assistance to all of our returning service men and women. The program focuses on the career placement of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans, specializing in the placement of those injured or with any level of disability. HHUSA serves veterans from all branches of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, Reservists and Coast Guard. Hire Heroes USA assists Veterans with how to build the best possible resume, how to help ace interviews and be fully prepared for any questions they may face, they help identify resources-Veteran Service Organizations that are available, and they analyze skills and preferences to identify potential career matches for each Veteran.
Nearly 17 million kids are living at risk of hunger.
Tonight nearly one in four children will go to bed uncertain of where their next meal will come from. Hunger can impair a child’s health, can predispose them to behavioral difficulties and impact their ability to learn and perform academically.
Share our Strength is working to end childhood hunger in America. They help organizations who provide free or reduced price school breakfast so that they get healthy starts to their day, support courses that teach practical nutrition information, cooking skills and food budgeting help families. Share our Strength also helps eligible families get access to food stamps, they support healthy snacking programs at afterschool programs, and are working to expand the reach of summer meals programs. $25 can help feed a child three healthy meals every day for a month.
Alabama is 1 of 5 states with disability population at 20%
4% of Alabama’s disabled needs assistance with one or more activities of daily living (such as taking a bath or shower) or instrumental activities of daily living (such as using the telephone).
Special Equestrians, Inc works to increase independence and quality of life to those with physical, mental, and developmentally disabled by providing high quality therapeutic horseback riding and equine assisted activities. On horseback, individuals with disabilities often experience the freedom of motion their body denies them and provides physical benefits such as stimulating dormant nerves and muscles, increasing strength, and stimulating vocal chords. There is also an increase in confidence and self-esteem through learning to master the horse and interacting with and controlling the horse enhances focus, decision-making skills, and effective verbal and nonverbal communication. $10 donation helps provide vitamins and treats for the horses.
1 in 7 adults can only read a children’s book.
California has the highest rate of adult illiteracy and that means that they also lack the ability to carry out simply tasks like balancing check books.
The Los Angeles Public Library Adult Literacy Services consists of 20 literacy center that offer programs to help the 23% of California that can not read by offering books, videos, audiocassettes and interactive computer based tutorials programs. Twice a week for six months, tutors work one on one with adult students to improve their reading and literacy skills…all for free. The Literacy Services also offers assistance for adults with limited English skills. Parents of children under the age of five who are enrolled in our Adult Literacy or Limited English Proficiency program are eligible for free children’s books so that the parent can eventually read to their child.
Elderly population will double in PA by 2020.
With the second largest elderly population in the U.S., Pennsylvania (over 15%) and its residents deal with many of the geriatric health care problems facing America today. These issues will become increasingly important to address as the number of elderly is expected to double by the year 2020.
Little Brother friend of the elderly is nonprofit volunteer-based organizations devoted to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly. Volunteers commit themselves to meeting the needs of the lonely and isolated elderly women and men of their communities through their personal support program. In this program, Volunteers are assigned on a one-to-one basis with the elderly and offer help with activities like grocery shopping, medical transportation, household chores, holiday celebrations, and social activities for birthdays. Because isolated elderly are at high risk for depression, Little Brothers keeps a mindful eye on those elderly at risk for mental health problems and refers those identified to mental health agencies for diagnosis and treatment.
114 students in Nevada drop out every day.
Only 45% of school aged students in the state of Nevada graduate, making it the state with the 3rd highest drop out rate. Nearly 57 % of dropouts are not employed.
Communities in Schools Nevada help young people successfully learn, stay in school and prepare for life. Communities In Schools helps students stay in school and make right choices by connecting schools with needed community resources. They are able to provide basic welfare (clothing, food and school supplies), health and wellness (dental and medical care), skills for the future (career clubs and summer job programs), and community strengthening (parental education and child care).
