#PurpleStateChallenge

 

Zebra Coalition

Mission: 

“The mission of Zebra Coalition® is to foster hope, dignity and self-respect in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and all youth (LGBT+), and to provide them an opportunity to grow up in a safe, healthy and supportive environment.”

Why I choose this group:

June is Pride Month. I’ve been celebrating by covering everything with rainbows – my Facebook feed, my food, my eye shadow – rainbow everything. I am part of the LGBTQA community year round but in June it’s time to celebrate and shout it from the rooftop. The last two years I was able to participate in my local Pride Parade.

This year Pride seems to be more somber. It was only a year ago that I woke up to go to the Pride Parade and heard the news about the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando. 49 people went out with friends to enjoy their night, celebrate, and shout out loud and didn’t come home. It’s terrifying to have a safe space invaded in that way, an LGBTQA club on Latin night. It makes my heart hurt and Monday marked the one year anniversary. It has been amazing to see how Orlando and the world came together to stand with the community. Below is a wonderful list that asked the parents of the those lost how to mark the occasion and they answered with ways to show kindness and love.

So for this month and week I knew that I wanted to find a great LGBTQA organization in Florida and that’s what I found in the Zebra Coalition. It’s a great organization that helps youth in Orlando who are in need find support, resources, and housing. They have all sorts of programs from mental health services, to bullying prevention, to mentoring and education resources, to simply providing a safe space for youth to walk into and find a place where they’re accepted. It’s so so important to build a strong community where people are connected and feel safe and Zebra Coalition is doing that in Orlando.

Check them out:

You can donate here –

Website |Zebra Coalition

Facebook |@zebracoalition Twitter | @zebracoaliton

 

#PurpleStateChallenge

Up With Trees

Mission: 

“To beautify greater Tulsa by planting trees and to create urban forestry awareness through education.”

Why I choose this group:

 

Sometimes we think that planting a tree is frivolous, that it doesn’t really have a huge impact when we turn on the news and see so many upsetting things. But Up With Trees knows better. Planting trees grows communities. It helps with physical and mental health. It helps people and nature. And there are dozens of studies to prove it. Spending time in nature – even just a walk down a tree lined street – can dramatically improve your well being. It isn’t frivolous, it’s vital.

I like that Up With Trees focuses on urban areas and education. You can see the passion and joy in the people of this organization. I also wanted to choose a nature related organization for Oklahoma because of it’s natural beauty that has been lost to industry and development. The environment is vital to progress and society, it’s not something we can ignore for short term gains.

Check them out:

You can donate here –

Website |Up With Trees

Facebook |@up.with.trees Twitter | @upwithtrees

 

Watch this great video:

#PurpleStateChallenge

Angel Flight MidAtlantic

Mission: 

“Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic (AFMA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization utilizing over 550 volunteer pilots to transport patients to specialized medical care. We are a coordinating service matching volunteer pilots willing to donate their time and aircraft to the individuals in need.”

Why I choose this group:

 

There are a couple of things that have been in the news lately – air travel and healthcare – so I thought this was pretty topical. Jimmy Kimmel is trending with the story of his newborn son and his statements that money shouldn’t effect care. I completely agree and I know most people do, it’s just hard to navigate the politics of making that happen. I know we can all feel powerless and unable to help sometimes. And that’s why I picked Angel Flight MA – it’s about people sharing their skills to help just a little bit. These pilots volunteer their time to get people to the care they need. It’s everyday people sharing their skills to make a big impact in someone else’s life.

We all have unique skills that we can use to make our communities better. These pilots are taking action with their skills and that is so inspiring to me. You don’t have to be a doctor or a lawyer to help. Everyone can contribute.

 

Check them out:

You can donate here –

Website |Angel Flight MidAtlantic

Facebook |@Angelflightma Twitter | @AngelFlightMA

#PurpleStateChallenge

 

Orange Duffel Bag Initiative

Mission: 

“Orange Duffel Bag Initiative, a 501c3, provides at-risk teens and young adults programs proven to improve their education success, ongoing advocacy, support to their guardians and caring adults, and service to the community in a spirit of offering hope and positive systemic change.”

Why I choose this group:

This comes from another search of my company’s internal website. What drew me to it was that it’s another example of a single person who rally’s people together to change their community from within.

I have worked with At-risk youth in my own community and one thing I’ve learned is that they don’t need pity or help, they need to be engaged and empowered. These are very powerful people who’ve had that power pushed down or brushed aside. I appreciate that The Orange Duffel Initiative sees that as well and addresses the real needs of those they serve.

 

Check them out:

You can donate here –

Website |Orange Duffel Bag Initiative

Facebook |@OrangeDuffelBagInitiative Twitter | @ODBInitiative

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I found this organization by doing a search of my company’s matching donation portal. Someone along the way discovered this and went through the steps to have it approved for matching by our company. A great way to discover things.

Neighborhood Outreach Connection

Mission: 

“To help all individuals in the community achieve the “American Dream” – economic independence, and personal fulfillment.”

Why I choose this group:

 

What I love about this group is that it started with just one person noticing a problem in his own community and taking action. They saw the poverty right along side the wealth in Hilton Head Island, a resort town that I used to vacation in with my family, and they did something about it.

I also appreciate that they are working towards eliminating poverty at it’s roots. They are looking at the causes and trying to heal and improve the community at the base. It’s a smart and thoughtful approach.

Check them out:

You can donate here –

Website |Neighborhood Outreach Connection

Facebook |@NeighborhoodOutreachConnection Twitter | @noc_sc

#PurpleStateChallenge

A friend of a friend wrote a wonderful note to me letting me know about this great organization. I want to hear from you too! Let me know about local organizations that are doing amazing things.

The Firecracker Foundation

Mission: 

“Honoring the bravery of children who have survived sexual trauma by building a community invested in the healing of their whole being.”

Why I choose this group:

What really excites me about this group is the way they look at everything; the whole person and the many paths to healing. They start with a strong foundation of therapy but don’t stop there. They include exercise, community, and arts programs to address the whole person and multiple the healing power.

The reason it was suggested to me was in part due to the relentless work ethic of Tashmica Torok the Executive Director. After reading her profile on the Firecracker site I can see why. She seems wonderful and a real warrior for her community. These are the people I want to support as we can sometimes get lost in national and international politics and forget that there are so many people to support if we just look around our community. And if you don’t find someone, be that someone. You can make huge impacts to the people around you. Be a firecracker for good!

 

Check them out:

You can donate here –

Website |thefirecrackerfoundation.org  Facebook |@TheFirecrackerFoundation Twitter | @FirecrackerFdn

#PurpleStateChallenge

A friend let me know about this great organization and I’m glad to share it with you.

International Institute of Minnesota

Mission: 

“Helping New Americans achieve self-sufficiency and full membership in American life.

The Institute supports this mission by providing linguistically and culturally accessible services that enable every New American to work toward achieving full community participation and self-sufficiency.”

Why I choose this group:

I feel fortunate to have been born in America and I know that for a lot of people it’s been a hard long road to get here. I have a New American in my own family and I know how every kindness matters. The Institute knows that too. They provide programs created with empathy not pity. They give New Americans tools to succeed – classes, community. Because they know that if New American’s succeed then all Americans succeed. Success isn’t limited, we’re not going to run out.

 

Check them out:

You can donate here –

Website | iimn.org  Facebook | @IIMN.COMO

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Don’t forget to let me know of awesome organizations in your state.

These past months in American have been rough.

We are divided, hurt, and angry. What has struck me the most is how divided we are, what an unemphatic state we are in. So as I sat down and thought about what I could do, I came up with the Purple State Challenge. I’ve decided to reach out and pop some of these bubbles we keep hearing about and hopefully I can blur the lines a little bit between the red and blue states.

There are 52 states (plus a district and territory) and there are 52 weeks in a year. In this challenge I will find, write about, and donate to 52 local organizations across America. The goal is to find an organization helping with a local issue, let people know that I care about their issues, and try to help. I want to acknowledge why people are hurt and angry, I want to listen. It’s going to take a lot of research, hopefully you can help, but I think it’s going to be an incredibly rewarding journey. I already know and support wonderful local to me and national organizations but it’s time to pop my California bubble and see how I can help everywhere.

I hope you’ll join me. I need input from you! Tell me what means the most to you locally. Tell me about the superhero organizations that I know are out there. Comment and follow along. I’ll be starting a monthly newsletter to track my process through the Purple State Challenge.