Category Archives: 12 Days of Charity

Here’s the complete list of information for the charities I featured on Twitter this year. 🙂

12 Days of Charity Day 1: International Rescue Committee (@RESCUEorg) helps people affected by war, conflict and natural disasters worldwide. rescue.org

12 Days of Charity Day 2: @ReadtoaChild fosters a love of reading among underserved children by inspiring adults to read to them regularly. readtoachild.org

12 Days of Charity Day 3: @TheYoungCenter for Immigrant Children’s Rights protects and advances the rights and best interests of immigrant children. theyoungcenter.org

12 Days of Charity Day 4: @RIPMedicalDebt works to locate, buy, and forgive medical debt. ripmedicaldebt.org

12 Days of Charity Day 5: @SpreadtheVoteUS targets voter turnout through education and by helping voters obtaining IDs. spreadthevote.org

12 Days of Charity Day 6: Kids in Need of Defense (@SupportKIND) represents unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children in deportation proceedings. supportkind.org

12 Days of Charity Day 7: @Innocence Project works to exonerate the innocent through DNA testing and to reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. innocenceproject.org

12 Days of Charity Day 8: National Search Dog Foundation (@searchdogfdn) partners dogs with first responders to search for people after disasters. searchdogfoundation.org

12 Days of Charity Day 9: Fair Fight (@fairfightaction) promotes fair elections, encourages voter participation, and educates voters about elections and voting rights. fairfight.com

12 Days of Charity Day 10: The Mission Continues (@missioncontinue) connects veterans with volunteer opportunities to help in under-resourced communities. missioncontinues.org

12 Days of Charity Day 11: @Waterkeeper Alliance works to preserve and protect water with a goal of drinkable, fishable, swimmable water everywhere. waterkeeper.org

12 Days of Charity Day 12: My perennial favorite: @StJude. World-class treatment and research to save the lives of critically ill children. stjude.org

Every year, I highlight a dozen (or more) charities during the first 12 days of December, both here and on Twitter. I usually choose a range of different organizations to feature, but as a result of the events of the past month, my list of charities for 2016 is a bit different.

This time, I’ve deliberately focused on organizations in the United States (though some are also international) that are working for social justice and civil rights, as well as those supporting marginalized groups. If anyone’s going to need the help the next few years, it’s going to be them.

With that in mind, I’ve already made my donations to each group. It might not be much, but every bit helps. I haven’t gone into my usual detail on each group, but there are links so you can check them out and donate as you’re able.

Day 1: The American Civil Liberties Union

Day 2: The Southern Poverty Law Center

Day 3: Trans Lifeline

Day 4: Bills of Rights Defense Committee & Defending Dissent Foundation

Day 5: National Immigration Law Center

Day 6: The Center for Media Justice

Day 7: League of Women Voters and Rock the Vote

Day 8: Transgender Law Center

Day 9: Electronic Frontier Foundation and Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)

Day 10: Lambda Legal

Day 11: Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP)

Day 12: Brennan Center for Justice

It’s charity time again! For those who don’t know, every year I kick off December with a dozen days of spotlighting various charitable organizations for your holiday giving consideration. I’ll be tweeting each day and updating this post with the additional charities as I go (or as soon as possible).

Diving right in this year…

Day 1, World AIDS Day

As always, I feature an HIV/AIDS-related charity for December 1, which is World AIDS Day. This year, I’m highlighting amfAR: the American Foundation for AIDS Research (Twitter: @amfar), which focuses its funding primarily on finding a cure. The organization also provides prevention and treatment services, works toward developing stronger policies to support research and care, and increase awareness.

Day 2

Lakota Children’s Enrichment (Twitter: @Lakota_Children) was suggested by my author friend Sarah M. Anderson. The organization provides opportunities in the arts, education, sports, leadership and mentorship for children of the Lakota tribe in South Dakota and beyond. Their focus is on the Pine Ridge Reservation, where is around 80%, dropout rates above 60%, and the average reading level is fifth grade.

Day 3

The International Rescue Committee (Twitter: @theIRC) focuses on refugees caught in humanitarian crises worldwide. Founded in 1933, the organization’s services include health care as well as economic and educational support for people in more than 40 countries. The IRC also helps resettle thousands of refugees each year in the United States.

Day 4

The goal of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry network (Twitter: @nokidhungry) is right there in the name: fighting hunger among children. Their goal for the 2015 holiday season is to provide 10 million meals to kids in need. The organization works through various partnerships to connect children and families with school breakfast programs, summer meal programs, and assistance with food purchases. Their Cooking Matters program is designed to teach low-income families to stretch their food budgets and prepare healthy, low-cost meals.

Day 5

My day job involves reading a lot about infectious diseases, and one of the most serious and widespread of those is malaria, which kills more than 1 million people a year worldwide. The Against Malaria Foundation (Twitter: @againstmalaria) is one of the organizations working to fight malaria by combating the source: mosquito bites. AMF buys bed nets impregnated with insecticide, which are proven to be effective in preventing mosquito bites and thus infections carried by those mosquitoes, including malaria. Each net costs less than $3 and can protect two people while they sleep for up to 4 years.

Day 6

Children in the foster care system often own nothing more than the clothes on their backs. A relatively new organization, Comfort Cases (Twitter: @comfortcase) was founded to provide basic necessities to these kids in the Washington, DC area, providing them with things like a bag for their belongings, clothing, toiletries, stuffed animals, and other items, including both necessities and comforts. (You might recognize the founder; his daughter with his partner was the focus of a recent story in American Girl magazine that drew some controversy.)

Day 7

A good friend lost his father to Alzheimer’s recently, so I wanted to highlight a charity that works both for support and research into the disease. There are a number of good organizations, but considering said friend is also a comedy writer, I thought Hilarity for Charity (Twitter @Hilar4Charity) would be the perfect fit. Led by comedian Seth Rogen, Hilarity for Charity organizes variety shows in Los Angeles that have raised more than $4 million to go toward care for patients, support for their families and caregivers, and research toward a cure. A newer initiative, HFC U, aims to help colleges organize their own events.

Day 8

For an author, it goes without saying that literacy is always an important issue. Room to Read (Twitter: @RoomtoRead) is a triple bonus because it works to increase literacy among children in developing nations, provides books directly, and supports girls in particular. Room to Read teams work within each country to tailor services to fit local context so they have the biggest effects. The organization currently works in ten countries in Asia and Africa and is working to expand to a reach of 15 million children by 2020.

Day 9

The You Will Rise Project (Twitter: @UWillRise) offers victims of bullying a venue to express themselves and tell their stories through multimedia art. Founded by Paul Richmond and Linda Regula, You Will Rise accepts submissions ranging from paintings to poems to videos. The goal is to foster creativity and pride through positive feedback and support.

Day 10

The Fisher House Foundation (Twitter: @FisherHouseFdtn) provides lodging and travel help to families of injured military members and veterans. Built on a network of “comfort homes,” Fisher Houses provide suites for families to stay at no cost near their loved ones while they receive treatment. The organization also operates programs through which people can donate unused airline and hotel points to help provide travel support and additional lodging as needed, as well as grant and scholarship programs for families of military members and veterans.

Day 11

Possibly the most adorable charity on this year’s list, Deaf Dogs Rock (Twitter: @DeafDogsRock) finds safe shelter and permanent homes for dogs who are deaf. These dogs can be particularly difficult to place, so this organization works to educate the public about adopting, caring for, and training deaf dogs, as well as finding permanent homes for dogs in foster homes and shelters. They also financially support shelter, transportation, and medical care for these dogs.

Day 12

The final entry isn’t a charity but a way to easily support a charity that you choose. Amazon Smile (Twitter: @AmazonSmile) automatically donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. Once you sign up to support an organization, all you have to do is go to smile.amazon.com each time you place an order. My Amazon Smile is set up to donate to Lost-N-Found Youth, but there are many great charities you can support.

It’s charity time again! For those who don’t know, every year I kick off December by spotlighting a dozen (or more) charitable organizations for your holiday giving consideration. I’ll be tweeting each day and updating this post with the additional charities as they pop up. (Okay, well, I often fall behind in updating, but they’ll get here eventually!)

This year, I decided to mix in several Atlanta-area and other local charities along with national/international organizations. Larger groups often get much more attention than smaller ones that can often make an even bigger difference locally. You’ll notice a theme emerging: several of the groups I’m highlighting are focused on helping the large number of homeless LGBT+ youth, which is a big area of concern for me, and for a lot of you, too.

Day 1: The Armorettes

I always select an AIDS-related charity for December 1, World AIDS Day. This year I’m highlighting The Armorettes, also known as the Infamous Camp Drag Queens of the South, a drag troupe based in Atlanta that has raised more than $2 million over the past 35 years to support people living with HIV/AIDS. The troupe performs twice a week and conducts various other fundraisers throughout the year. (They also inspired the drag troupe in my upcoming novel, Unfortunate Son.)

Day 2: Médecins Sans Frontières

Doctors Without Borders needs no introduction. This international humanitarian organization provides emergency medical aid wherever it’s needed, anywhere in the world. Its medical volunteers provide quality care to people in crisis, regardless of race, religion, or politics, often in dangerous areas and situations. Simply put, MSF saves lives.

Day 3: Dream Power Therapeutic Equestrian Center

My friend Alicia clued me in about this group. Dream Power offers therapeutic, sport, and recreational horseback riding to physically and mentally challenged clients of all ages. Around since 1993, the center serves metro Atlanta and nearby communities and is a member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International.

Day 4: Partners In Health

Suggested by my friend Amy Jo, Partners In Health works to bring modern health care to the poor throughout the world. The organization started its work in Haiti in 1987 but has expanded to efforts in far-flung locations including Peru, Mexico, Rwanda, the Dominican Republic, Lesotho, and even the Navajo Nation in the United States. Partnerships organizations include PACT (USA), Possible (Nepal), Project Muso (Mali), Last Mile Health (Liberia), Village Health Works (Burundi), and Wellbody Alliance (Sierra Leone).

Day 5: Lost-n-Found Youth

Lost-n-Found Youth is a relatively new organization, in existence only since 2011, that’s done a huge amount of work already and has a set of ambitious goals yet to go. The organization’s goal is to get homeless LGBT+ youth in the Atlanta area off the streets and transitioned into permanent housing. LNFY operates a help hotline, a six-bed housing facility, and a host home program and is working to renovate a new location to expand its housing options.

Day 6: Reach Out and Read

My friend Ariel suggested Reach Out and Read, which works to promote literacy among young children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The organization is made up of medical providers who integrate literacy into pediatric practice by promoting children’s books and providing advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud. Founded in 1989, the organization now offers nearly 5,000 program sites nationwide that serve more than 4 million children.

Day 7: Pridelines Youth Services and the Alliance for GLBTQ Youth

My friend Lori suggested these Miami-area organizations. Pridelines was created by gay youth for gay youth and works to support and empower LGBT+ youth in South Florida. The Alliance for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth offers programs coordinated with service organizations throughout the Miami-Dade County area.

Day 8: The Wounded Warrior Project 

The Wounded Warrior Project’s mission statement is simple and straightforward: “To honor and empower Wounded Warriors.” The organization works to provide assistance to military service members and veterans who have suffered physical or mental injuries and to help them recover and adjust to life off the front lines. Founded after 9/11, WWP has served tens of thousands of service members and their families and continues to provide ongoing support.

Day 9: Project Fierce Chicago 

Founded in 2013, Project Fierce Chicago is working to provide identity-affirming transitional housing and other support services to homeless LGBT youth in the Chicago area. After a successful initial fundraising campaign, the organization is currently shopping for a location to set up housing for up to a dozen youth. (Also check out the Less Than Three Press anthology that’s raising funds to help!)

Day 10: SAGE

SAGE (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders) focuses on assistance for older GLBT adults in the  United States. The organization works on many fronts, ranging from political advocacy to service provider training to direct services related to health and wellness, arts and culture, and more. Founded in 1978 as Senior Action in a Gay Environment, SAGE offers its programs at national and local levels, including 27 local affiliate groups in 20 states.

Day 11: Ali Forney Center

The Ali Forney Center offers housing and support services for LGBTQ youth in New York City. Founded in 2002, the organization provides medical and mental health services and career and educational counseling, as well as basic necessities like hot meals, showers, and clean clothing. A drop-in center and both short-term emergency housing and longer-term transitional housing are available.

Day 12: Forty to None Project

Last but certainly not least, and tying together a theme, is this organization that my friend Jeff pointed me toward. The Forty to None Project, part of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund, works to bring an end to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth homelessness nationwide. The name comes from the 40% of homeless youth who are LGBT+, with a goal of bringing that number down to zero.

For the past several years, starting on December 1, I’ve posted a list of 12 charitable organizations I support, which I’ve taken to calling The 12 Days of Charity. The list varies from year to year, though there are some perennials. I’ll be adding to this post with each charity as the 12 days progress; my goal is to update each day, if life doesn’t interfere too much.

12 Days of Charity Day 1

Today is World AIDS Day, and I’m sticking close to home this year by focusing on AID Atlanta (Twitter: @AIDAtlanta). Founded in 1982, AID Atlanta works to reduce new HIV infections, including providing testing, medical services, and an infoline, as well as case management and medical services for those living with HIV and AIDS in the Atlanta metro area. AID Atlanta produces the annual AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run (@AIDSWalkAtlanta) and the Atlanta Cotillion, a gala fundraiser that’s resulted in donations of more than $1.1 million over 11 years.

12 Days of Charity Day 2

In memory of actor Paul Walker, who died in a car accident over the weekend: Reach Out Worldwide (@ReachOutWW), which Walker founded in 2010 after serving as part of a relief team responding to the Haiti earthquake. Through ROWW, volunteers with first-responder skills provide support after disasters to supplement local resources and speed up relief efforts. Recent deployments have included helping with cleanup after the recent Illinois tornadoes and sending a medical team to help in the devastation after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

12 Days of Charity Day 3 

With my friend Eugie Foster going through lymphoma treatment right now, this one hits particularly close to home. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (@llsusa) supports people with blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma) by raising funds for research, delivering patient services and information, and providing public advocacy for funding and support. LLS also runs the Team in Training program, which offers coaching and training for endurance sports such as marathons and triathlons while raising funds for research.

12 Days of Charity Day 4

You Can Play (@YouCanPlayTeam) fights homophobia not just among players but also among fans and is “dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation.” YCP was co-founded by Patrick Burke, son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, who serves on the organization’s advisory board. Patrick’s youngest brother (Brian’s son), Brendan, was an openly gay college hockey player who was outspoken against homophobia in sports. He died in a car accident in 2010, and YCP was founded in March 2012 his memory.

12 Days of Charity Day 5

Based in New York City, City Harvest (@CityHarvest) is a 30-year-old food rescue program that fights hunger and reduces food waste by collecting leftovers from restaurants and delivering them to more than 500 community food programs in the city. The organization also runs food drives and supports affordable access to food to help reduce food insecurity. City Harvest delivers an average of nearly 126,000 pounds of food every day, at a cost of only 24 cents per pound, and has distributed a total of more than 465 million pounds of food.

12 Days of Charity Day 6

Médecins Sans Frontières (@MSF_USA), or Doctors Without Borders, is committed to providing medical care to those who need it most, anywhere in the world. Created in France in 1971, MSF works independently in over 70 countries to treat people who are facing war, famine, and disease. MSF’s field staff includes thousands of doctors, nurses, logistics experts, administrators, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians, mental health professionals, and others from dozens of countries. MSF USA was founded in 1990.

12 Days of Charity Day 7

Founded in 2011 after the tornado that devastated Joplin, Missouri, Operation BBQ Relief (@OpBBQRelief) is made up of groups of competition barbecue cooking teams that provide food to displaced families and rescue workers helping with recovery after disasters. The organization has deployed its services after 13 disasters in the past two years, including Hurricane Sandy and the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, and has served more than half a million meals since its inception.

12 Days of Charity Day 8

charity: water (@charitywater) works to improve water infrastructure and bring clean, safe water and sanitation services to the 800 million people in developing countries who don’t have clean water. The organization provides water filtration, piping, and well services, as well as hygiene education and sanitary latrines to protect against water contamination. With operations funded by private donors, 100% of public donations goes toward services.

12 Days of Charity Day 9

I’d never heard of spinal muscular atrophy until a few years ago, when a friend did a fundraiser for the SMA Foundation (@smafoundation). SMA, the leading genetic cause of death in infants and toddlers, is a progressive neuromuscular disease that results in gradually increasing muscle weakness and loss of motor control. Respiratory problems are a primary cause of illness in children with SMA, and most of those with the earliest onset type of the disease die in the first few years of life. The SMA Foundation is the leading funder of research into the disease.

12 Days of Charity Day 10

Some years ago, I gave my sister a water buffalo for Christmas. (Veggie Tales fans will get the reference.) Heifer International (@heifer) made that possible. Donors can select from a long list of animals (partial shares available) that are then provided to people in developing countries, who raise them to use for food, to sell, or to help with farming and gardening. The organization’s expanding line of gift products also includes irrigation pumps, stoves, and other items, plus training and education to teach people how to use their gifts.

12 Days of Charity Day 11

Malaria is a leading cause of death among children in Africa, and it’s transmitted by a simple mosquito bite. Nothing But Nets (@NothingButNets) provides mosquito nets to help guard against this disease. Founded in 2006, the organization works with the United Nations and other partners toward a goal of ending malaria deaths.  Just $10 pays for a bed net impregnated with insecticide, including distribution to those in need and education on its use, and Nothing But Nets has provided more than 7 million nets to sub-Saharan Africa so far.

12 Days of Charity Day 12

A charity classic, Meals On Wheels (@_mealsonwheels) is dedicating to ending senior hunger. Started during World War II and formally organized in 1954, MOW provides a million meals to the elderly every day in the United States through more than 5,000 local nutrition programs for senior citizens. The program has more than 2 million volunteers who work to serve meals at community senior centers and to deliver meals to those who are homebound.

Image courtesy of posterize / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For the past several years, starting on December 1, I’ve done an annual Twitter posting of a list of 12 charitable organizations I support, which I’ve taken to calling the 12 Days of Charity. The list varies from year to year, though there are some perennials.

This year, I decided to add a blog post to the project, so I can give more information about the organizations than the Twitter 140-character limit allows. I’ll be adding to this post with each charity as the 12 days progress; my goal is to update each day, if life doesn’t interfere too much.

Be sure to check back for details! 🙂

12 Days of Charity Day 1

Today is World AIDS Day, and I’m highlighting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (Twitter: @BCEFA). BC/EFA provides essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses throughout the United States through The Actors Fund, which supports programs including HIV/AIDS Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, The Actors Fund Work Program, The Dancers’ Resource, and supportive housing residences. Broadway performers participate in regular fund-raising activities, ranging from requests for donations from audience members after show performances, both on and off Broadway, to full-scale gala events like Broadway Bares.

12 Days of Charity Day 2

An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy Sandy (Twitter: @OccupySandy) has been working to provide relief for victims of Superstorm Sandy. One of the primary methods has been by using Amazon wishlists, for NYC and Newark, so people can send specific items needed for relief or cleanup directly to the area. Occupy Sandy is also working to coordinate volunteers to help provide services to people in the hardest-hit areas, in particular Staten Island and Rockaway/Breezy Point, where a fire during the storm destroyed dozens of homes. Sadly, the need for help in these areas isn’t going away anytime soon.

12 Days of Charity Day 3

Lost-n-Found Youth (Twitter: @LostNFoundYouth) is an Atlanta organization providing housing for homeless LGBTQ youth. They offer a 24/7 hotline for help at (678) 8-Lost-25 and a six-bed housing facility. Lost-n-Found is the outgrowth of Saint Lost and Found, an LGBT homeless youth fund project of the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The program is supported by a number of fund-raising events, including a monthly Big Gay Game Show.

12 Days of Charity Day 4

When a pretty darn cool actor and a pretty darn cool author combine their collective powers, you nearly always get something awesome. That’s how Kids Need to Read (Twitter: @kidsneedtoread) came to be, as the brainchild of Nathan Fillion and P.J. Haarsma. Working with a book buyer, the charity selects quality, age-appropriate books and gives them to school and public libraries and literacy programs in underserviced areas. Simply put: KNTR puts books in the hands of kids who want to read them.

12 Days of Charity Day 5

ShelterBox (Twitter: @ShelterBox) is a rapid-response organization that provides shelter and supplies where they’re needed after disasters around the world. Inside a big  green box will be basic living supplies tailored for the needs in the area. Some examples might include simple tools, a camp stove, dishes and utensils, blankets or tents, water purification materials, or even crayons for kids. Recent deployments including Haiti, Cuba, and the United States during Hurricane Sandy.

12 Days of Charity Day 6

The Ali Forney Center (Twitter: @AliForneyCenter) has provided housing support services for homeless LGBTQ youth in New York City for a decade. Named for a transgender advocate for homeless LGBTQ youth who was killed in 1997, the center gets kids off the streets and works to move them toward permanent housing. Sadly, their drop-in center in Chelsea, the entry point for most of their services, was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Thanks to an amazing outpouring of support, the center will be reopened and will be able to offer expanded hours to help even more youth, but having enough shelter beds for temporary housing remains an ongoing challenge.

12 Days of Charity Day 7

Feeding America (Twitter: @FeedingAmerica) is a nationwide network of member food banks working to fight hunger at every level. Programs provide “nutritious, fresh foods to Americans struggling with hunger; safe and nurturing places for children to have a meal; emergency assistance for disaster victims; as well as a chance at self-sufficiency for adults trying to break the cycle of poverty and hunger.” The organization also works to educate the public and public officials about hunger and advocates for public policies to help end food insecurity.

12 Days of Charity Day 8

Earthjustice (@Earthjustice) boasts one of my favorite slogans ever: “Because the Earth needs a good lawyer.” Earthjustice is an environmental law organization founded shortly after the first Earth Day celebration as the legal arm of the Sierra Club. It works through the courts and government to protect natural resources and wildlife throughout the United States.

12 Days of Charity Day 9

The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) provides crisis intervention and
suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Headlined by The Trevor Lifeline (1-866-488-7386), the organization also offers safe digital spaces, including counseling via instant message and the largest online social network specifically for young LGBTQ people.

12 Days of Charity Day 10

Clean water is a critical public health issue. The Water Project (Twitter: @TheWaterProject) is dedicated providing access to clean water and proper sanitation for communities around the world. The organization works with local groups to help dig wells, build small dams, collect rainwater in large tanks, and filter dirty water.

12 Days of Charity Day 11

Equality Now (@equalitynow) works to end violence against women and children.

12 Days of Charity Day 12

Community Servings (@communityserv) provides meals for the homebound in the Boston area.

Image courtesy of posterize / FreeDigitalPhotos.net