Children’s Cancer Research Fund

by Domenick on April 13, 2013

I just had a baby and have not had the opportunity to write an article for Vote With It this month. However, a coworker of mine has a nephew who was diagnosed with solid tumor cancer when we was 6 years old. This year her family and friends have formed a team for the Kids 4 Kids 5K & 10K RUN/WALK  to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund.

You can donate to their team by clicking on the link below.
http://www.active.com/donate/ccrf2013/almightybrains

Children’s Cancer Research Fund

Kids 4 Kids 5K & 10K RUN/WALK

Sunday, April 28th 2013

Founded in 1987 by Contopulos, Children’s Cancer  Research Fund (CCRF) is a  non- profit organization dedicated  to two important goals: to  provide  support on a national level  for clinical research in pediatric cancer and to improve the  medical environment for all children.

Below is a link to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund’s homepage.  Learn about the organization, history, efforts, success and partners. You can make a general donation through this link as well.

http://www.ccrf-kids.org/index.html

 

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Homeboy Industries

by Domenick on March 1, 2013

Homeboy Industries is a nonprofit group that started out as a basic job program and grew into a multi layered organization, with its eyes on a comprehensive solution to the gang problem. Realized that former gang members and at risk youth need more than job placement to succeed, Homeboy Industries offers a variety of programs, as well as actual jobs, to help people not only get back on their feet, but make sure they stay standing tall for the rest of their lives.

The Services

Homeboy offers a variety of different services and programs to help people transition from their criminal past, to productive members of the community.

Tattoo Removal: Gang tattoos or even large visible tattoos with no affiliation can be a huge physical roadblock to many possible job opportunities. Volunteer physicians and a medical director perform 4,000 tattoo removal treatments annually.  This free clinic not only allows former gang members to take a step toward a new life, but can be where they first learn about Homebody and all the different services they offer.

Case Manager: Everybody needs a little help and individual attention. Every job trainee works with a case manager, who help them create short and long term goals. The case manager then follows their progress, making sure they are getting the opportunities and tools they need to succeed.

Twelve Step Meetings: Substance abuse is a major problem that oftentimes accompanies people who are involved with gangs and other violent activities. If somebody is going to have any control over their personal destiny, then they must also have control over their substance abuse. Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Criminal/Gang Members Anonymous all hold meetings in Homeboy’s facilities.

Mental Health: The life of a gang member and in the neighborhoods they are prevalent can leave long lasting emotional scars. Mental health therapist are used to help individuals and groups with their new life.  They offer a place for people to work through and learn about many of the challenges brought on by their former lifestyle; Relationship building, parenting classes, grief and loss counseling, and help dealing with domestic violence. These therapist also help with substance abuse and relapse prevention.

Legal Services: Just because somebody decides to put their criminal past behind them, does not mean their legal problems are behind them as well. They may still be facing warrants, child custody issues and a myriad of other legal matters. Expungment of past criminal records could be invaluable for future job opportunities and a fresh start.  A full time lawyer is on staff and ready to offer workshops, personal support and referrals for legal help.

Education: Although many people who come to Homeboy for help lack a formal education, the curriculum they can receive goes beyond reading, math and the other academic subjects needed to attain a G.E.D. Homeboys offers classes in life skills, parenting, personal development, finance, budgeting and household management. They offer a variety of art enrichment classes such as creative writing and music. Sticking with their original roots, Homeboys offer many technical job classes.  They work with the East LA Skills Center where their clients earn a certificate and learn the skills of solar power installation.

Employment Services: Learning all the skills in the world are going to be of little use if you don’t get the opportunity to use them. Homeboys has counselors that help with building a resume and fine tuning interview skills. These counselors actively hunt for jobs that would be a good fit for their clients. Rather than just pointing them in the right direction, these counselors will take a hands on role and talk to the companies about the challenges and benefits of hiring their clients.

The Businesses

One of Homeboys, and now Homegirls, strongest components are its small businesses.  These shops allow them to directly hire hard to place candidates. This in turn allows the person being hired to learn invaluable job skills and build a resume at the same time. These jobs force former game rivals to work together in order to succeed.

*The names are links to the individual businesses website. Click on them to learn more or perhaps make purchase.

Homeboy Silkscreen and Embroidery: With personal printing and embroidery on clothing, bags, towels and more, this company is one of their most profitable branches. It is able to employ hundreds of former gang members and help raise funds for their programs. This can be a great way for you to create personal items for yourself and friends, or create large orders for your business.

Homeboy Bakery: This was their first successful business and proof that their idea works. The bakery sells fresh breads, bagels, scones, pastries and croissants.  For the customers with a sweet tooth they offer cookies, brownies, lemon bars or cupcakes. Bakers require a particular set of skills, that can open up more specialized job opportunities.

Homegirl Cafe & Catering: The obvious benefits of running a restaurant and catering business is that it creates a variety of job skills. Chefs need to prepare the food, hostesses practice their people skills, and waiters have to balance communication and executive functioning skills. When clients are placed in this business, they must cycle through all three aspects of the business. These include the café and catering, as well as garden & maintenance

Homeboy and Homegirl Merchandise: Any company and non profit is going to sell merchandise. It is a great way to bring awareness to your cause, by getting your logo out into the world, and raise money. This was a natural step to creating more jobs for their clients that train them for the plethora of retail jobs available.

Homeboy Grocery: Homeboy’s head chef created tortilla strips and salsa recipes that are packaged and sold in many Ralphs, Food 4 Less and other Southern California grocery store. Keep your eyes out for these products on your next shopping trip, because 100% of the profits go back to Homeboy Industries.

*If you wish to learn more about Homeboy industries you can follow the link below.
http://homeboyindustries.org/

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Awareness Brings Action: Know The Laws and Regulations

by Domenick on February 7, 2013

As some readers may have gathered from a few of my past articles for Vote With It, I am a huge fan of Colbert and Stewart. They are not only fabulous comedians but make great social commentary. Although I would not use these comedians as my main source of news information, they do weave a lot of useful facts into their humor. Many time when watching the Daily Show or Colbert Report I have discovered topics to explore further.  The week of January 14th through 17th, I actually became disgusted with the state of our political system.  Jon Stewart had been using the week to discuss gun control in response to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conneticut.  Stephen Colbert had a brief interview with Matt Taibbi about the scandal with HSBC, in which they were fined instead of imprisoned over working with drug dealers, terrorist and other felony acts.

After getting over my disgust, I started to contemplate how we can make a difference with an uneven playing field.  Once again it comes down to knowledge.  If the public knows what is going on, we can make a difference. No business should be above the law! Personal safety should never be used as a political tool! By allowing business to become too big to fail, we have failed the people that governments are designed to protect.

Below are the clips from the Daily Show and Colbert Report that got me thinking.  Although future articles will still focus on companies, nonprofit groups and how we as consumers can use our money to make a difference, I wanted to use this post to hopefully inspire others to educate themselves more about what is happening within our government.

 

 

* Don’t let companies like AIG manipulate the public by running ads thanking us for saving them with our tax dollars and then trying to sue the government for their bailout contracts. I highly recommend the Rolling Stone article “Secret and Lies of the Bailout” by Matt Taibbi, it was eye opening.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/secret-and-lies-of-the-bailout-20130104

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New Year’s Resolutions

by Domenick on January 9, 2013

It has been a while since my last post.  I wanted to leave the Shopping List for the Holidays up through the “shopping” season. With the New Year, I had no idea how to start.  Then it hit me, follow the Holiday Shopping List with a New Year’s Resolution List. This time rather than giving you alternatives to the usual resolutions, we will look at how a few of the more popular resolutions go far beyond yourself and help the world around you.  It will also look at ways to twist that resolution to make a difference in your community.  Maybe it will help give you that extra kick to stick with your resolution all year long!

Lose Weight/Get Fit

I think we all knew this one was going to be on the list. It was on the top of almost every resolution list I looked up.  Getting in shape and losing weight are great; It helps us feel more confident about our image, we feel more energetic, and many of our health problems can be eliminated or reduced.

  • Eating less processed food saves energy and resources. A lot goes into the manufacturing, packaging and transporting of these items.
  • Cutting back on meat also cuts back on the amount of pesticides, fertilizer, fuel, feed and water needed to raise livestock.
  • The physical stress of being overweight not only taxes the body leading to diabetes, heart disease and a number of other physical ailments but it also burdens our healthcare system.

 

Quit Smoking

Smoking is the number one killer associated with preventable disease. When you stop smoking your health improves dramatically and your wallet is a lot more full. Not to mention you and your possessions will stop reeking of smoke. (I used to smoke.)

  • The 14,826,322 acres of farmland used to grow tobacco could feed about 20 million people.
  • Cigarette butts filter/absorb many of the toxins burnt while smoking, which are then released into the environment when they “biodegrade”. (Smoke Free Oregon linked tumors in turtles, to cigarette butt pollution in Hawaii.)
  • Smoking in the United States alone cost the healthcare industry $96,000,000,0000.00 dollars.

 

Travel to New Places

To quote the Lion King song, Circle of Life

“There’s more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There’s far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found”

Traveling to new places can be a fun and exciting journey, filled with the discovery of new experiences and knowledge.  However, traveling to new places does not have to only entail traveling to distant lands on a whirlwind vacation. How about checking out some of your local community? Keep 43% to 68% of that money you spend in your neighborhood. Maybe you can help support nearby museums, parks, or restaurants.

 

Spend More Time With Family

In our society it is very easy to get sucked into work and miss out on a lot of family time. There is a mentality of I will work hard and provide for my family, but at what point are you working so hard that you are not enjoying your family.  Perhaps you could use some of this family time to help your community. Working at a soup kitchen, cleaning up a park, building houses, or participating in a charity walk can be a wonderful way to spend times with your family and friends.

Volunteer More

A lot of people want to find ways to help those less fortunate in the new year.  Perhaps more than the soup kitchen on Thanksgiving or donating presents to needy children for Christmas. The following links can help in your search for charities to help in the new year.

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Shopping List For The Holidays

by Domenick on November 5, 2012

After surviving a flood of birthdays, at times it feels like my entire family was born between March and June, I started thinking how holidays have had shopping crammed into part of their traditions. From there, as usual, my mind started branching out into a thousand different directions. My last thought settled on writing a blog about how people can make donations that are appropriate for these different holidays and celebrations. Of course, that does not mean you can’t mix up your charities for the different holidays. I think it is safe to say, they could all use a little help all year round.

Birthdays

Birthdays are a time to celebrate the day we were born. For many of us, gone are the days of wanting half the Toy’s “Я” Us Catalogue. If you are like me, many of the things you “want” that are affordable you go out and buy and the things that you have not gotten are too expensive for a gift. So rather than telling people about the things that you want for your birthday, why not have a list of charities that help causes you are passionate about.

http://www.charitynavigator.org: Charity Navigator can help you find those smaller non-profit organizations that might not be as recognizable as The Red Cross or World Wildlife Fund, but are just as vital to improving the world we live in. It breaks down expenditures and rates how effective charities utilize their donations.

Chanukah

Hanukkah was not originally a “gift giving” holiday.  That came about because of influences from the Christmas Holiday. A gelt (coin) was given for correctly answering history questions related to Chanukah. This tradition reminded the Jews of their freedom from Syrian rule and to share with people in need.  It  also allowed poor families to have enough money to burn candles during Hanukkah.

March of Dimes: Dedicated to preventing birth defects and infant mortality.  It seemed like an appropriate charity to add here, since it has become associated with and named after their annual fundraising event that asked children to donate a dime. Gold Coin / 10¢ Coin. Let’s just go with it.

Christmas

Christmas has become the biggest consumer holiday. Most retail stores do the majority of their business around Christmas. Black Friday has become a tradition in itself and the only reason it exists is because people are looking for a great deal on their holiday shopping.

Gift giving comes from the three Magi presenting the baby Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh. By giving presents to our loved ones we are showing these people how much we care for them.

Toys for Tots: The U.S. Marines collect toys from October to December and then distributes them to disadvantaged children, so they can experience the joys of Christmas. I am sure many adults would appreciate a child getting a gift instead of them.

Prison Fellowship: Their goal is to restore prisoners to the community and church as contributing members. During Christmas they provide gifts for prisoners’ children who are in financial need. Children should not suffer for the sins of their father/mother.

Make A Wish Foundation: Since 1980 their mission has been to enrich the lives of children with life threatening diseases. What better gift than to grant the wishes of children fighting for their lives.

Easter

Easter has become a very colorful Holiday. Fusing the resurrection of Jesus with the pagan springtime festival, we ended up with a large bunny leaving children chocolate eggs and baskets full of goodies.

House Rabbit Society: Bunnies made it into the Easter tradition because of their association with fertility.  We all know rabbits breed like….rabbits. This organization rescues abandoned rabbits and educates the public on rabbit care.

Father’s Day

After hearing about Mother’s Day, Sonora Smart Dodd first started celebrating Father’s day in 1910 at a YMCA in Spokane, Washington. Because of several factors, including the fear of commercialization it would not become a permanent national holiday in the United States until 1972. It is now celebrated around the world as an appreciation for the wonderful things our dads have done for the family all year long.

FIGS: If you must get your dad the traditional tie, why not get it from FIGS.  FIGS donates school uniforms to impoverished kids in Kenya, Tanzania and Nepal.

Mother’s Day

In 1908 Anna Jarvis chose a day to celebrate her mother and was able to make Mother’s Day a national Holiday, in the United States by 1914. It only took till 1920 for it to be commercialized. Despite Anna’s disappointment in this turn of events, Mother’s Day is now celebrated around the world to show appreciation for all the wonderful things our moms have done for the family all year long.

Arborday.org:  Rather than getting flowers, plant a tree in celebration for what they have done.  It cost less and last longer than a bouquet of flowers.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving traces it roots to a 1623 harvest in Plymouth, Massachusetts. In 1777 Congress made it a national holiday. The history of Thanksgiving gets a little muddled, as we grow older and learn more about its origins. However, when we all gather around the dinner table it is a time to be grateful for all that we have, just as the original pioneers were grateful for their bountiful harvest.

Gift Exchanges are not a common practice at Thanksgiving. However, overindulgence and eating way too much food is. Not only do we gorge ourselves the day of but then despite our best efforts eating leftovers for days we still end up throwing out tons of food. Perhaps we can take some of that food money and spread it around for those who are not as fortunate.

Heifer International: Donate livestock to communities in need to help fight hunger, poverty and environmental degradation. This fits perfectly with the tradition of celebrating a bountiful harvest.

Feeding America: Donate money to help feed the hungry or volunteer at your local soup kitchen. (The link takes you to their Food Bank Locator page in order to help you find a soup kitchen in your area.)

Meals On Wheels: Providing meals to hungry seniors in their homes and at congregated locations.

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day was originally a celebration of the saint (possibly saints) named Valentinus. Today it is a time when we express our love by giving people flowers, candy, cards and a variety of other tokens of our affection.

Red Cross: Donating blood is a wonderful way to directly touch another person’s life. With over 38,000 blood donations needed daily and less than 38% of the population eligible to donate this is a vital service and need.

American Heart Association: Heart disease and stroke are the top causes of deaths. Rather than send a card shaped heart or box of chocolates what about  helping save a real heart.

National Holidays (Memorial Day, 4th of July, etc..)

National Holidays are not typically associated with gift giving.  However, it is a time when we gather with friends and celebrate through big meals, fireworks, and lots of decorations. Perhaps it could be a time to “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” JFK

VA Hospital: Help the veterans that served their country more than most citizens ever will. If you think Jury Duty is bad, imagine what these men and women have sacrificed.

National Forest Foundation: Help preserve our natural resources, so future generations can enjoy the diverse geography and natural beauties unique to where you live.

Firefighters / Police Officer: Police and Firefighters put their lives in danger, so that we can be safe.  When they are killed in the line of duty they leave behind families. This might be the perfect time to show those families we appreciate the sacrifice they made by helping them. Contact your local fire or police department.

*I am sure there are people who would prefer a gift for the holidays but whenever you get asked, “What do you want for..?” maybe you can have a list ready to go that is both personal and befitting of the holiday being celebrated. If Amazon can have a “Wish List”, why can’t we have a “Donate List” of charities we would like to support?

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Dog Ear Cropping

by Domenick on September 12, 2012

Ear cropping is an all too common practice with dogs. This is especially true for Boxers, Great Danes, Schnauzers, Doberman Pinschers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Pit Bull Terriers, Miniature Pinscher, Manchester Terriers, Bouvier des Flanders, Neapolitan Mastiffs and Affenpinschers.

Many people debate whether this procedure is right for their dog and will use the internet to help make their decision. This article is to sway people against ear cropping.

Despite what some people believe, cropping the ears does not reduce a dog’s chances of getting ear infections.The floppy ears of a dog are natures way of protecting the ear from insects, water, and dirt. A dog’s hearing will not be improved by cropping the ears. Barring an injury, there is no medical reason for ear cropping. It is a cosmetic procedure for people who want to change their pet’s natural appearance.

Some people feel it gives the breed its “standard” look. This standard look is not natural at all. We debate the “standard” look all the time in our human lives. People who are having plastic surgery to stay younger and only end up looking alien in appearance. Then there are those who augment their body parts, only to have people mock how “unnatural” they look. We humans put ourselves through these painful procedures in order to reach these standards of beauty and then as a society we debate the morality of forcing these narrow notions of beauty on others. Why should we force our perceived views of beauty on our pets who have no voice.

Would you want somebody to force you into plastic surgery because you didn’t meet their standards of beauty?

Just how plastic surgery can go horribly wrong in humans, the same is true for animals. In any type of procedure there is the potential for complications. Just because you want to achieve the standard look in your pet does not mean you are guaranteed it. Look at those hollywood stars who spend millions of dollars, only to have their lips get a little too big,  their facial features become uneven or their skin no longer fits on their face. If the dogs cartilage in the pinna is too thin to support the weight of the ear or the ear is set too low on the head the procedure will not work. If the ear crop was too long or scar tissue forms along the ear margin the standard look you were hoping for will not happen and the pain the animal endures from surgery will have been for nothing. In some cases more serious side effects, like gangrene, may occur.

Would you still love your dog if the procedure doesn’t take? Why are you doing it then?

Beyond the physical pain, there is the emotional trauma that animals go through. Many dogs undergo a dramatic change in their personality.  They can become more aggressive or overly timid. This can be especially true when people approach their head or ears. Think of all the dogs you have seen getting a good scratch behind the ears. Not only are the dogs loving it but you can see the joy in the person sharing this tender moment with their furry companion.

Would you rather have a dog with ears sticking up, or a dog you can scratch behind the ears as it leans up against you?

As any animal behaviorist or even human communication expert will tell you, body language is extremely important in communication. This is particularly true in animals that do not posses the complex verbal language skills of humans. A dog can communicate a lot of information to other animals and people by using their ears. When dogs stick their ears up, down, forward or in any combination they are telling us something. By cropping a dog’s ear, you are crippling one of their communication methods.

Would you limit your ability to communicate for beauty?

Before The Surgery
When done professionally this is a surgery. (I am assuming nobody reading this article would ever consider disfiguring their pet through illegal cropping methods.) As with any procedure the patient will not be allowed to eat for 12 hours before the operation. This is done to prevent vomiting or aspiration while while the patient is under sedation.

A dog will not understand why he/she is being starved.

The Surgery
Once the patient has been sedated an incision will be made from the top of the ear and move down till it reaches close to the head. The ear is then stitched together and disinfected. A firm piece of material is then secured around the head and ears.

The dog may be under for the procedure, but if you sliced your ear off would it stop hurting the moment they stop cutting or continue hurting well after surgery?

 Recovery After The Surgery

The dog’s ears will hurt, they will bleed for a few days, and the dog will continually try and remove the brace and bandages. The brace will have to stay on for 21 days as you disinfect and clean the wounds on the ears twice a day. After 7 days you will return to the vet, so that the stitches can be removed. If adequate care at the proper times is not met, chances are the surgery will not be successful.

 Are you willing to put your beloved pet through all that pain? Are you able to be vigilant for 3 weeks as your pet recovers?

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Bridesmaid Dress to Prom Dress

August 1, 2012

As Summer comes to an end, so does wedding season. For those of you who were in one of them, it is time to put that bridesmaid’s dress in the closet. Perhaps you are one of those people who have a couple dresses already hanging up. I know that the bride told you that “It’s [...]

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The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword!

July 3, 2012

“The pen is mightier than the sword” is a phrase we have all heard a thousand times. Author Edward Bulwer-Lytton first coined the phrase in 1839 but variations of this saying go back to 406 B.C., possibly even further. Many successful authors often put this saying into action. Using their popularity and gift with words [...]

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SignOn.org / Create Your Own Petition

April 13, 2012

Vote With It: The Movement has sent out several post and many tweets letting people know of SignOn petitions that are in line with the Vote With It ideals. It seems appropriate that we should spend the time to talk about this service. SingOn.org is a service provided by MoveOn.org. It allows anyone to set [...]

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Mega Million Lotto

March 30, 2012

The Mega Million Lotto has reached record levels. After the previous drawing, in which nobody won, it was at $500 million. On the Friday of the drawing it was up to $640 million. It was estimated that 1 million lotto tickets were being sold every hour. The odds of winning are 175,711,356 to 1. People [...]

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