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  • Promising Youth, Inc

    Mission
    Promising Youth‘s mission is to “support healthy growth in children and adolescents, reduce homeless and institutional living for children, educate and train parents to properly and effectively care for children in need of families and homes, help put a stop to child abuse, neglect and exploitation, as well as to protect children from cruelty and inhumane living and encourage unity and trust” by “offering stability and commitment.”
    Why You Should Support Them
    I don’t know how many times I can say it, but children are our future.  They’re going to be our future presidents, congress leaders, teachers, and even caregivers.  So, it is imperative that we as parents make sure we are raising our children correctly and treating them like human beings instead of nuances.  After all they didn’t ask to be here. That was a choice that we as the parents made to create them.
    However, let’s be real.  Some parents do not and are not going to treat their children well.  They are too busy being mad at the world for a deed they willing participated in.  Thus, the children in those homes often times act in school, their community, etc in search of attention and as a cry for help and real affection.  Thankfully, we have organizations like Promising Youth who steps in to place these children with foster families that will take the time to show them that they too are important and aren’t a bother but a gift of life.
    Promising Youth uses various methods of therapeutic treatment to help improve these children’s self-esteem, self-love, self-respect and more.  They strive to make sure that each child is treated with dignity and the respect they deserve.  Most importantly they give these children, who are often labeled as troublemakers, hope and a second chance to prove the naysayers wrong about who they are.
    For more information on Promising Youth visit their website here.
    How You Can Help
    Promising Youth is always accepting monetary donations to help them with operation costs and more.  I encourage you please donate to this wonderful organization.  They are working so hard to save and change the lives so many children!
    For more information on how you can make a donation click here.
    More 411
    Website
    Facebook
    Twitter 
    Or Write:
    Promising Youth, Inc
    2750 E. WT Harris Blvd Ste 105
    Charlotte, NC 28213
    Or Call:
    (704) 509-0009



    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

  • Angel Canines for Wounded Warriors

    Mission
    The mission of Angel Canines for Wounded Warriors is “to insure that all wounded warriors in need of assistance from a service dog will receive free air transportation to a vetted Service Dog organization.”

    Why You Should Support Them
    Let me just say that we are all indebted to the thousands of women and men who have and still put their lives on the line to maintain our freedom.  And often times in the line of duty some of those military men and women get injured.  Thus, Angel Canines for Wounded Warriors know the profound affect that trained service dogs can have on injured veterans’ lives.
    Just imagined that you were injured and lost the use of one of your legs.  How depressed and down would you be?  What would be your motivation for getting out of the house or even getting out of bed for that matter?  Well, for some veterans that motivation to keep going and get up everyday is their specially trained service dog.
    Having a service dog gives veterans a continued sense of responsibility and importance.  They have feed their dog, make sure they get proper exercise and everything.  In return, these canines assist them with the daily task of getting around on their own.  
    Angel Canines for Wounded Warriors works to make sure that these veterans have free air transportation to and from their service dog facility.  We all know that air travel can be kind of expensive and most wounded vets live on a fixed budget that would otherwise not allow them to afford transportation to a service dog facility.  I think that by helping these vets get a second lease on life is the perfect way to say thank you for all that they have done as well as for having risked their lives for mine and yours.
    For more information on Angel Canines for Wounded Warriors click here.
    How You Can Help
    You can help Angel Canines for Wounded Warriors by making a donation to their organization.  Remember that the funds you donate will go towards covering the transportation costs of vets to service dog facilities where they will be matched up with a service dog trained to cater to their specific injury.
    Click here for info on where & how to donate. 
    More 411
    Or Write:
    Angel Canines for Wounded Warriors
    4620 Haygood Rd Ste 1
    Virginia Beach, VA 23455
    Or Call:
    (757) 644-5791
    Or Email:
    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

  • FFAWN

    Mission
    FFAWN‘s mission is “to inspire women from all walks of life to gain the confidence and skills they need to reach their individual potential.”
    Why You Should Support Them
    As women, we have had to fight to gain the same rights and respect as our male counterparts.  And although, we have come a long way, there are still many challenges facing us today no matter what walk or station in life we come from.  And often times those challenges can be and are extremely discouraging, preventing us from reaching our dreams and achieving our fullest potential in life.
    Well, nobody knows more about overcoming challenges and obstacles than R&B singer Mary J Blige.  I’m sure many of you are familiar with her story and how she went from having nothing to becoming one of the best female artists and performers ever!!  In 2007, she decided to partner with music executive and marketing professional Steve Stoute to create a foundation that would serve as a source of motivation, encouragement and knowledge for women and young girls seeking to make something of themselves.
    Since then, FFAWN has been helping young girls and women through programs offered at the Mary J Blige Center for Women, the 3E workshop series and the FFAWN Scholarship Fund.  FFAWN works to educate their participants on the importance of education, family, finances, how to live a healthy lifestyle and much more.  FFAWN also offers assistance with financial aid, job placement and learning life skills.
    For more information on how this wonderful organization is making an impact on the lives of our young girls and women visit their website here.
    How You Can Help
    Because FFAWN works to help so many there are many ways that you can get involved with this amazing foundation.  You can make a financial donation to help keep the MJB Center for Women going or even make a donation to their scholarship fund and help a woman go to college.  FFAWN is always seeking volunteers to help them with their cause.  They also accept college interns.
    For more information and other ways that you can get involved with FFAWN click here.
    More 411
    Or Write:
    FFAWN
    145 W 45th Street
    New York, NY 10036
    Or Call:
    (212) 299-5306
    Or Email:
    info@ffawn.org
    Samantha Frank, Director
    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

  • Levine Children’s Hospital

    Mission
    Levine Children’s Hospital‘s mission is “to ensure excellent children’s healthcare by building partnerships between caregivers and families.” 
    Why You Should Support Them
    If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, you would know that we have been having a rough couple of days with Moo’s health starting with a trip to the emergency room last Friday.  As a parent ending up in the emergency room with your child who has a mystery illness is always a worst nightmare.  For me it was the scariest moment in my life as a mom by far.  I felt completely helpless and worried that whatever Moo had was a result of something I did.

    Thankfully, the medical staff at the Levine Children’s Hospital was awesome and reassured me that she was going to be fine.  They called in the best of the best to attend to her care.  For a moment, it felt like we were celebrities getting the star treatment.  They made sure that no stone was left unturned before officially diagnosing her.

    When it comes to children’s healthcare and making sure that your child is well taken care of, I can truly say that I would recommend Levine Children’s Hospital to any and all parents in the Queen City and surrounding areas.  They have doctors that are board certified in over 30 different areas of expertise or specialties.  They have a 24 hour, 7 days a week emergency room just for children.  So, you know that your child is being seen and attended to by a physician who specializes in pediatrics.

    They are also very involved in the Charlotte, NC community and are well known for giving back to those in need in this area.  Honestly, I could go on and on about how great Levine Children’s Hospital is.  They are simply amazing and the care you get at their facility is truly top notch!

    For more information on the Levine Children’s Hospital click here.   

    How You Can Help
    You can help the Levine Children’s Hospital continue to provide excellent care and services for families like mine by becoming a volunteer or assisting them in their many fundraising efforts.   Trust me that lives you touch will be more than reward enough for getting involved with this wonderful organization.

    For information on how you can make a donation or sign up to volunteer click here.

    More 411
    Or Call:
    (704) 381-2092
    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!







  • Rocky Road

    Let me just say that the past 7 days has been a very rocky road for me as mom.  I feel completely drained physically, emotionally and mentally.  It all started with a trip to the emergency room with Moo on last Friday while vising with my mom.  Since, then we have been in and out of the hospital and pediatrician’s office.  We started out with a mis-diagnosis at the first emergency room.

    That then led to an almost 48 stay at another two hospitals.  Sunday we found ourselves in the emergency room yet again when Moo developed this funky cough and still had a high fever.  Well, Monday it was discovered that she had an ear infection.  Tuesday and Wednesday the vomiting started and yesterday we stopped eating what little bit we were already eating.  And today we found out that her cough has turned into viral pneumonia.

    As if that’s not enough, her wheezing is back and her oxygen level is on the low side.  I feel like neither of us can get a break.  I even missed my scheduled OB appointment this week because I overslept!!  It feels horrible knowing that there’s not much we can do expect wait for Moo to get better.  No mother wants to see her child in pain.

    It seems like we have these spells where she feels ok for a little while then she’s back to feeling down right horrible.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed and praying that this mini pharmacy I now have in my purse works to help her get well really soon because we can’t take another stay in the hospital.

    Oh and the icing on the this awful cake is that her allergy test results came back and it turns out she’s allergic to foods we didn’t even know she was allergic too.  So, it’s no wonder she’s been having these completely random eczema and hive outbreaks.  Plus, we’ll pretty much never be able to have carpet because the allergens and dust mites that live in carpet and other upholstery is very bad for her. In fact, that was her number one allergy.

    This means that we will be looking for new couches soon, putting allergen covers on all our pillows and mattresses.  It also means a higher water bill because her clothes and the bedcovers have to be washed in hot water now and we need to switch laundry detergents.  Also, we’re looking into buying a steam vac so that we can steam the mattresses and throw pillows at least once a month.

    It’s curve balls like these that you won’t read about in those glossy mom magazines or what to expect pregnancy books.  Just know that with children anything can happen.  You really have to be dedicated and serious about your dive into parenthood!!  It is not for the faint of heart or easily discouraged.

    Thanks again to everyone who has been sending prayers and words or encouragement.  They have meant a lot!  Hope that you all have been having a much better week than we have!

  • Ducks Unlimited

    Mission
    Ducks Unlimited‘s mission is “to fulfill the annual life cycle needs of North American waterfowl by protecting, enhancing, restoring and managing important wetlands and associated uplands.”
    Why You Should Support Them
    I know that when most people think of nonprofits or charities, they think that these organizations just help people.  However, there are several nonprofit and charitable organizations out there that assist animals.  Animals aren’t really capable of telling us what their needs are or asking us for help if they need it.  Thankfully, that’s where organizations like Ducks Unlimited comes in.
    While we’re the same people coming to these animals rescue, some of are the ones sometimes who cause them harm.  We tear down, invade and destroy their natural habitats.  Some us over hunt and kill them just for the sake of trying to win trophies and other materialistic gains.  However, the reality is that all animals play a role on this Earth no matter how big or small we as humans deem it.
    Ducks Unlimited, started in 1937, works to make sure that waterfowl and animals living in the wetlands are safe from extinction.  They focus on restoring damaged areas, conserving areas that haven’t been severely damaged by humans and conduct research to make sure waterfowl species are thriving.
    For more information on Ducks Unlimited visit their website.  
    How You Can Help
    There are several ways that we can get involved with Ducks Unlimited and help to reverse as well as prevent  future damage to the wetlands and waterfowl species in North America.  Ducks Unlimited is always seeking dedicated people to become a member of their organization.  You can also volunteer and get hands on with the very wildlife you are fighting to protect.  They also host a variety of awareness and fundraising events throughout the year.
    For a complete list of ways to get involved with Ducks Unlimited click here.
    More 411
    Or Write:
    Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
    One Waterfowl Way
    Memphis, TN 38120
    Or Call:
    (901) 758-3825
    (800) 453-8257
    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

  • Drums For Cures

    Mission
    Drums For Cures‘ mission is “to provide a vehicle for health entities and cancer societies to show communities the resources at hand to assist in directing and easing cancer concerns.”
    Why You Should Support Them
    Unfortunately, thanks to cancer I never got to know my father’s mom (my grandmother).  And sadly he never really got to know her that well either because she died when he was still really young.  However, my grandmother isn’t the only one in our family that cancer has attacked.   Some of you might remember last month, I wrote about how three people in my family were recently diagnosed with different forms of cancer.  Thankfully, one of those persons went in for a second opinion and miraculously the lumps and everything were gone.
    For the other two, their cancer treatment is well under way and they are doing as well as can be expected.  The cancer is responding to the meds and other treatments they are taking.  Sometimes, I wonder if those in my family had been more proactive and more informed about the history of cancer in our family if they would have gotten tested annually so that their cancer could have gotten detected sooner?
    Thank goodness for organizations like Drums For Cures that are focusing on community awareness when it comes to cancer.  Started by Scott Swimmer, a cancer survivor, believes “that research, education and support needs to be fortified through community and government efforts.”   By making sure that we are all well informed on the different cancer prevention methods, early detection, alternative treatments and therapies, and more we can not only help ourselves but our loved ones.
    And to make sure that communities know how important it is be well informed, Drums For Cures hosts Drum Strong,  “multicultural, musical, charity events  showcasing available resources that support people with cancer and those that love them.”  During Drum Strong, individual drumming teams take turns playing their drums.  Funds are raised via sponsorship and then those monies are divided up and sent off to different cancer charities and foundations.
    For more information on Drums For Cures click here.
    How You Can Help
    There are many ways you can help Drums For Cures.   You can make a monetary donation, by becoming a sponsor or even by forming your own drum team!  For other ways that you can assist this organization in fighting cancer click here.
    More 411
    Or Write:
    Drums For Cures, Inc.
    725 Providence Rd #210
    Charlotte, NC 28207
    Or Call:
    (704) 375-7177
    Or Email:
    Scott Swimmer
    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

  • Drums For Cures

    Mission
    Drums For Cures‘ mission is “to provide a vehicle for health entities and cancer societies to show communities the resources at hand to assist in directing and easing cancer concerns.”
    Why You Should Support Them
    Unfortunately, thanks to cancer I never got to know my father’s mom (my grandmother).  And sadly he never really got to know her that well either because she died when he was still really young.  However, my grandmother isn’t the only one in our family that cancer has attacked.   Some of you might remember last month, I wrote about how three people in my family were recently diagnosed with different forms of cancer.  Thankfully, one of those persons went in for a second opinion and miraculously the lumps and everything were gone.
    For the other two, their cancer treatment is well under way and they are doing as well as can be expected.  The cancer is responding to the meds and other treatments they are taking.  Sometimes, I wonder if those in my family had been more proactive and more informed about the history of cancer in our family if they would have gotten tested annually so that their cancer could have gotten detected sooner?
    Thank goodness for organizations like Drums For Cures that are focusing on community awareness when it comes to cancer.  Started by Scott Swimmer, a cancer survivor, believes “that research, education and support needs to be fortified through community and government efforts.”   By making sure that we are all well informed on the different cancer prevention methods, early detection, alternative treatments and therapies, and more we can not only help ourselves but our loved ones.
    And to make sure that communities know how important it is be well informed, Drums For Cures hosts Drum Strong,  “multicultural, musical, charity events  showcasing available resources that support people with cancer and those that love them.”  During Drum Strong, individual drumming teams take turns playing their drums.  Funds are raised via sponsorship and then those monies are divided up and sent off to different cancer charities and foundations.
    For more information on Drums For Cures click here.
    How You Can Help
    There are many ways you can help Drums For Cures.   You can make a monetary donation, by becoming a sponsor or even by forming your own drum team!  For other ways that you can assist this organization in fighting cancer click here.
    More 411
    Or Write:
    Drums For Cures, Inc.
    725 Providence Rd #210
    Charlotte, NC 28207
    Or Call:
    (704) 375-7177
    Or Email:
    Scott Swimmer
    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

  • March For Charity Raffle Prizes

    In case you missed it or are new to my blog, every day this month I am highlighting a charity or nonprofit organization here on my blog.  The post includes information on what the organization does, their mission, ways you can help them and how to find out more information on them.  By writing about these organizations I am hoping to raise awareness about the causes they are advocating–education, homeliness, Autism, etc.
    To raise funds I have asked brands and businesses to donate products to be raffled off in exchange for donations.  Donations can be made using the ChipIn widget. (Update: ChipIn no longer exists. Click here for more info.)  
    100% of the proceeds will be donated to one of the charities highlighted during March For Charity.  I will be posting a poll up with the names of all the charities that were written about this month beginning April 1st and readers will have a week to vote for their favorite.  At the end of the week, the winner will be announced and a check will be sent to them.
    Without further ado, here are the wonderful prizes up for raffle:
    Wonder Bumpers (excludes Wishes of Windsor) from Go Mama Go Designs

    ReUsies Sandwich/Snack bag from ReUsies (2 winners)

    Ruffle Leggings from Kangacoo Designs

    Decorative Wall Vinyl Decal from Trading Phrases (3 winners)
    Also, those who donate at least $5.00 will be entered into the raffle to win our grand prize
    7-8.0mm Freshwater Pearl Stud Earrings from Pure Pearls 
    You can get an extra entry for every $1 you donate by:
    1-Adding the March For Charity button to your blog (see top right sidebar)
    2-Post about March For Charity on your blog
    3-Tweet Help @yummommies raise money for #MarchForCharity http://goo.gl/eAew0

    Don’t forget to comeback and leave a comment letting me know that you donated and which extra entry you completed.

  • Room to Read

    Mission
    The mission of Room to Read is “to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.”
    Why You Should Support Them
    We live in a day and time where having an education is quintessential to having a decent livelihood.  And unlike the United States, many severely economically challenged countries can’t afford to build schools to make sure that all their children can get the proper education they need to better themselves.  And even worse many of those companies often isolate girls from getting an education at all.
    Thankfully, Room to Read is working to change these conditions.  They work with the government, the local communities and their partners to build libraries, schools, publish books in their native languages and make sure that girls have a chance at receiving an equal education like their male counterparts.  With these facilities and programs many of the children in countries like South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia will have a chance at bringing their families out of extreme poverty using their educations.
    For more information on how Room to Read is assisting underprivileged countries click here. 
    How You Can Help
    You can assist Room to Read with their mission by joining one of their chapter locations, becoming a partner, making a donation and much more.  For more information on these and other opportunities to support this organization click here.
    More 411
    Or Write:
    Room to Read
    111 Sutter Street
    16th Floor
    San Francisco, CA 94104
    Or Call:
    (415) 561-3331
    Or Email:
    Don’t forget to donate $1 to help raise funds for one of the highlighted charities and be entered to win one of our amazing prizes.  The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!