Charitable Giving
Charitable giving has been a priority of mine for as long as I can remember.
When I was in first grade, my mom, who was a CNA in oncology, taught my sister and me about cancer and the impact it has on families. My heart ached for these families, and I approached my mom with an idea: a club where my friends and I could make gifts for cancer patients. My mom reached out to my school, and together we established Kids for Cancer Patients. Through this club, we wrote letters and created gifts for patients, learned more about cancer through monthly guest speakers, and fundraised for the American Cancer Society. Our efforts ultimately raised $10,000 for Relay for Life.
We continued this work for years. Then, many years later, when I received my own blood cancer diagnosis, I formed a Relay for Life team called Kindred Spirits. Each year, we continue to find ways to participate in and support Relay.
Meanwhile, in 2014, my family established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called The Dare to Love Project, with a mission to empower others to shine by providing respite and encouragement for caregivers. We do this both locally through our Respite Haven and globally through outreach trips. I've had the privilege of participating in local, national, and international trips with The Dare to Love Project.
Today, as a writer covering our local arts scene, I also encourage others to give to artistic organizations and individual artists to help keep them afloat. Artistic organizations cannot thrive on ticket sales alone! There are so many other needs that deserve support, and I encourage you to consider giving toward those as well.
With all of this in mind, I continue to encourage charitable giving through my writing, while personally directing much of my own charitable giving toward The Dare to Love Project. I contribute through financial support, volunteer hours in my role as Director of Web Design & Marketing, and collaborative events such as Intentional Vinyl, where I encourage caregivers to find respite and encouragement through the arts.
If you represent a charitable organization, please know that you are always welcome to reach out. If you're hosting a community event, I may be able to contribute by writing about it and helping spread the word! And if I'm personally unable to assist, I'm always happy to point you toward others who may have the resources you're looking for.
The Dare to Love Project is always doing incredible things! I encourage you to visit their website, learn more about their work, and give whenever you're able!