National Adoption Month. #FlipTheScript

Honoring and listening to the most underserved  voices in adoption and foster care. About the author: Katie Stickles-Wynen, MSW, a Colombian adoptee, has a Masters in Social Work. After college, Katie worked at Hyde School in CT where she helped design a program for adopted youth and parents. Katie studied under Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao in …

5 Easy Ways to Help the Homeless

Many of us could be steps away from homelessness. The loss of a job, sudden illness, or family death could be the route to total despair. People on the streets and in shelters across America have lost their homes and been deserted by family and friends. Here are 5 super easy ways to make a …

Are People in Your Neighborhood Going Hungry?

43 million Americans are going hungry. Can you tell who in your neighborhood is going without food? 1 in every 8 people you pass by on the street could be missing meals. The latest statistics on hunger from Feeding America tell us: 1 in 8 Americans go hungry every day. 1 in 6 children in the …

Contributions pour in for victims of the Orlando shootings; here’s how you can help

In the early hours of Sunday, June 12, a gunman, who has now been identified as Omar Mateen, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in an attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The nightclub is one of the most popular LGBTQ clubs in the city. As authorities comb through evidence and Matten’s …

High Magnitude Earthquakes Hit Ecuador and Japan

It’s Monday morning and rescuers are searching for survivors and missing people in Ecuador and Japan. Over the last few days both countries have experienced high magnitude earthquakes resulting destruction, death and injury. The island of Kyushu, Japan has been experiencing powerful earthquakes and hundreds of aftershocks since April 14, 2016 when a 6.2-magnitude quake …

Giving From Your Heart

Follow your heart. Listen to your heart. Your heart knows the way. There are a lot of clichés that encourage you to be guided by what you feel and take action based on what you believe in your heart. And in this National Heart Month, rather than focus on physical heart health, let’s talk about …

Real Help for the Homeless

Living in California for the last 20+ years, I see people who are homeless more than I ever have in my life.  As the weather gets bitter, I shudder when I think about men and women sleeping on cardboard in San Francisco. I’m also haunted by the growing number of homeless teens I see hanging …

Help the Hungry in 5 Ways

It’s the season when get-togethers and festivities revolve around food. Many of us worry about eating too much at our Thanksgiving or holiday meals, or indulging in extra treats. But there are so many children and families who can’t even relate to that thought. Sadly, the latest hunger stats tell us: 1 in 7 Americans go …

Three Ways You Can Save Animals

The Minnesota dentist who killed Cecil the lion on a hunting trip in July sparked a media flurry and got people clamoring about protection for animals. Americans are animal lovers. In a recent Gallup poll, 32% of us said we believe animals should have the same rights as humans, and 62% believe they deserve some protection. …

10 Ways to Prevent Crime in Your Community

We used to keep our porch lights on and open the door when the doorbell rang, even if we didn’t know who was there. We don’t do that in the world we live in now. But there are many ways to take back control and prevent crime in your community. It just takes communication, commitment …