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Good done anywhere, is good done everywhere.
- Maya Angelou
Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.
- Albert Schweitzer
Everyone has the power of greatness. Not for fame, but for greatness. Because greatness is determined by service.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Potential Acts Of Greatness
March 2010 – statistics report that Americans own approximately 73 million dogs, 90 million cats, 139 million freshwater fish, 9 million saltwater fish, 16 million birds, 18 million small animals and 11 million reptiles. With so many people devoted to animals, we can make a difference in the lives of those victimized for various human-inspired reasons. Check out The Humane Society of the United States website to review the various humane campaigns they conduct for various types of animals, and donate to the campaign of your choice. If your penchant is toward dogs, you can help rescue dogs from puppy mills. These dogs would otherwise have been shot or drowned, after their sole purpose of existence, of breeding to provide “products” for pet shops, is exhausted. Their living conditions are in filth, exposed to the extremes of weather, and fed just the minimum so they can fulfill their lives, human-imposed, objective. No More Tears Rescue is an east coast 501 (3) (C) non-profit organization. Specializing in the puppy mills of Lancaster, PA, and conducted by a young woman, she places herself in precarious situations to save the dogs she can, and has to endure emotional pain over the dogs she cannot. Even more amazing for these special dogs, they retain their capacity to be almost divine, because they continue to love humans with their unconditional love. Please review her website and the magnificent work she does, and donate to her cause if you can. Donations to these causes are tax deductible.
February 2010 - it's most needed now to help our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Click to assist the American Red Cross in their efforts to provide assistance to the survivors of the Haitian earthquake.
January 2010 - it's National Mentoring Month and an on-going and powerful option to help ourselves heal by helping others could be by mentoring a child, teen or young adult. Mentoring.org offers a variety of programs in our local areas for which anyone can match their life experience and desires with the needs of a local candidate. The relationship derived from mentoring can be caring, rewarding and life changing. One can also obtain all the guidelines for starting a program in their own locale, as well as donate to their cause.
Past months - 2009
December 2009 - with an interesting history, Wreaths Across America started because as a young 12-year old boy, Morrill Worcester, was daunted by his visit to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC. Reflecting on that as a successful businessman later in life, he recognized his achievements were mostly due to the values of this nation and the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. You can read more about Wreaths Across America's fascinating history by clicking here, and also learn how to sponsor a wreath for a veteran's grave in your own name, or in memory of a deceased loved one. You can also volunteer to lay wreaths or attend any of the wreath-laying ceremonies to be held concurrently throughout the US on Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 12:00 noon EST.
November 2009 – you can contact your local religious organization or civic group to ask how you can donate a Thanksgiving dinner to a less fortunate family. You may also volunteer or make a donation to organizations like Meals On Wheels. Or, as beloved actor/dancer Patrick Swayze shed Hollywood light on pancreatic cancer, and recently lost his battle with this most dreaded of cancers, perhaps we can help. Others in the limelight who brought pancreatic cancer to the forefront include Michael Landon and Luciano Pavarotti. With a survival rate of only 5%, 35,000 people lose their lives to pancreatic cancer each year. For over 11 years The Lustgarten Foundation has been endeavoring to advance the scientific and medical research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer. To date, the Foundation has provided more than $22 million in support of breakthrough research to find early detection methods, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure. To learn more and help, please click here.
October 2009 - All it takes is a twist of fate and anyone of us can become disabled. Among other very important causes, October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Employers can check with community organizations that serve individuals with disabilities and hire a qualified worker . In addition, October 21, is National Disability Mentoring Day and you may mentor a qualified individual at your workplace. Please also see AHRC New York City Foundation on our Charitable Links page, their Memorial Gifts section.
September 2009 - Once again it is healthy aging month. With that in mind, a wonderful endeavor could be to volunteer to visit a resident at a nursing home. Inquire at your local nursing home for residents that don't have regular visits by family, friends or volunteers. Statistics say that nursing homes have great need for volunteers, and we should keep in mind that the residents have endured many losses including their spouse, home, personal belongings, lifestyle, etc. Volunteering to visit a resident should be conducted on an ongoing basis. Please also see the Alzheimer's Association on our Charitable Links page.
August 2009 - inspired by the landmark documentary film Motherland, Project Grace is a program of the non-profit organization CorStone. Similar to the film Motherland, an assembly of mothers who have lost children, spend one week of service in communities (Mexico and Phoenix Children's Hospital thus far and Nicaragua is planned for June 2010) where they find strength in assisting others, and learn that helping is healing. Project Grace continues this life changing and empowering journey by bringing together parents, siblings and other family members grieving the loss of a child for extraordinary service trips around the world, and was created with the purpose of providing a compassionate, non-judgmental environment in which participants can offer each other support, share their own stories, provide aid to a community in need, and honor a loved one. Project Grace was created in early 2008 and has been named to honor the daughter of Anne Magill, a Motherland participant whose daughter Grace died of suicide at the age of 15. You can help by volunteering or donating to Project Grace or Motherland from their contact page.
July 2009 – a disorder that is not in the forefront of many peoples familiarity is a disease called scleroderma or systemic sclerosis. It is a chronic connective tissue disease generally classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Scleroderma can be progressive or not, may take several forms, and has much variability among patients. It is a chronic disease and can be serious. For more information, and for ways to help, the Scleroderma Foundation is in the forefront of research for a cure.
June 2009 – according to figures by the US Centers for Disease Control and the Consumer Products Safety Commission, between 350 and 400 children drown in swimming pools each year. Another 3,000 children are involved in near-drowning incidents, and about 1,500 of these children suffer permanent brain damage. We recently learned about Stew Leonard III Children’s Charity through the Heaven Cent Album created in memory of Ivy Rose who drowned at the age of 3. The Leonard family also lost a child to drowning and their Charity teaches a child to swim at a local YMCA for each $100 donated. Purchasing the Heaven Cent Album through Grief To Greatness or directly from Heaven Cent Albums assures 10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Leonard’s Charity. The album is $14.95 at both websites. Or you can donate directly to Stew Leonard III Children’s Charity.
May 2009– homage should be paid to the military every month because of their sacrifice and selflessness; however, this month we can particularly thank them for their commitment since May is Military Appreciation Month. For some excellent ideas on how you can support the military click here and see the column on the left side of the page. You can also check with your local religious or civic organizations to see if the immediate family of a living or deceased soldier could use some support. Another idea could be to send a thank you card to a recovering soldier at:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20307
April 2009 - Earth Day resides in April, on the 22nd of the month, and it seems incredible that this initiative will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year. There are wonderful organizations dedicated to the cessation of various kinds of pollutants in our earth, our waters and our atmosphere, and saving and restoring our planet. The information on such organizational links as www.earthday.net and www.nature.org offer interesting educational data about our global climate, and great and various ways of assisting with the goal of saving and improving the planet. You can also send an ecard to friends with whom you would like to spread their message. Please also see our charitable links page for information on preservation of species and habitats by Conservation International. It’s also National Autism Awareness Month. For more information about initiatives to improve the lives of people with autism please see the ASA (Autism Society of America) website.
March 2009 – Among many other important causes this month, it is Mental Retardation Awareness Month.This is a cause that is very near and dear to the grief to greatness founder’s heart because she most recently spent 16 years as a proponent for individuals with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Without organizations like The Arc , and all its chapters throughout the US, individuals with intellectual disabilities would not have the voice necessary to help them find and succeed at jobs in their communities, provide meaningful volunteer services in their communities, attend stimulating day programs, attend dedicated special education schools, live in loving and nurturing group residences or supported apartments, among many other customized services to assist these individuals to live happy, meaningful, productive, independent and integrated lives. Won’t you please consider donating or volunteering your time in the name of your deceased loved one? In addition, if you are an employer, The Arc website lists local chapters you can contact to meet a qualified and eager employment candidate. Employers anywhere in NYC please contact susanw@grieftogreatness.com for local referrals.You may also view the wonderful things AHRC New York City is doing by linking from our charitable links page. In addition, it was internationally heart wrenching when we learned about Jett, the son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston passing away suddenly. His family has established a foundation in Jett’s name to assist and provide relief to children with vision, hearing, mobility, communication, behavior learning impairments or other special medical, environmental, health or educational needs. To learn more please click the following link www.jett-travolta-foundation.org
February 2009 – We recently had the privilege of becoming acquainted with a passionate young woman whose mission is to rescue dogs from puppy mills. These dogs would otherwise have been shot or drowned, after their sole purpose of existence, of breeding to provide “products” for pet shops, is exhausted. Their living conditions are in filth, exposed to the extremes of weather, and fed just the minimum so they can fulfill their lives, human-imposed, objective. Her website is www.nomoretearsrescue.com , and it is a 501 (3) (C) non-profit organization. Specializing in the puppy mills of Lancaster , PA, she places herself in precarious situations to save the dogs she can, and has to endure emotional pain over the dogs she cannot. Even more amazing for these special dogs, they retain their capacity to be almost divine, because they continue to love human s with their unconditional love. Please review her website and the magnificent work she does, and donate to her cause if you can. It’s tax deductible.In addition, February 24th is National Spay Day .Sadly, approximately 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year which could be tremendously diminished if people protected their pets from unwanted litters by spaying or neutering.If your pet has not yet been spayed or neutered, check with your local veterinarians and SPCAs for discounts this month.
January 2009 – With corporations, small businesses and individuals feeling the crush of the current economy, non-profit charitable organizations are really hurting in this New Year. Why not donate just a few dollars to your favorite charity? A little by many could go a long way! For ideas and simplicity you can check our charitable links page and link easily to an organization of your choice. The donation can be made in memory of your deceased loved one.
Past months - 2008
December - You can visit your local post office and review letters that children have sent to Santa and within your budget you can select children for whom you would like to make their holiday dreams come true. Another idea could be to send a Holiday card to a recovering soldier at:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20307
November - Contact your local religious organization or civic group to ask how you can donate a Thanksgiving dinner to a less fortunate family. You may also volunteer or make a donation to organizations like Meal On Wheels
October - All it takes is a twist of fate and anyone of us can become disabled. Among other very important causes, October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Employers can check with community organizations that serve individuals with disabilities and hire a qualified worker . In addition, October 15, is National Disability Mentoring Day and you may mentor a qualified individual at your workplace. Please also see AHRC New York City Foundation on our Charitable Links page, their Memorial Gifts section. If you are an employer anywhere in the five boroughs of New York City, and would like to consider hiring an individual with an intellectual disability, please contact susanw@grieftogreatness.com for more information. For-profit employers may also be eligible for federal and state tax credits. As Karen Heidgerd, practice administrator of Manhattan's Animal General says, these individuals (employees) possess a purity of the human spirit, a quality you won't find among the average employee.
September - Among many other important causes, September is healthy aging month. With that in mind, a wonderful endeavor could be to volunteer to visit a resident at a nursing home. Inquire at your local nursing home for residents that don't have regular visits by family, friends or volunteers. Statistics say that nursing homes have great need for volunteers, and we should keep in mind that the residents have endured many losses including their spouse, home, personal belongings, lifestyle, etc. Volunteering to visit a resident should be conducted on an ongoing basis. Please also see the Alzheimer's Association on our Charitable Links page.
August - So many of us share our lives and homes with dogs, cats, birds, etc. This month we could reward those beautiful creatures who love us unconditionally and depend on human kindness by helping their peers that live in shelters. Even if you don't have a companion animal you can donate pet food, old towels or some money to your local animal shelter. Call first to find out which brands the shelter may prefer.You can also click here . Please also see The Humane Society of the United States on our Charitable Links page.
July - Blood donations decrease dramatically during the summer months. Become a regular blood donor. What an easy way to save a life! To become a regular blood donor, click here
June - This month we can combine a few monthly causes to help the hungry in our communities. Check with your local religious organizations or civic groups to ask how to donate a food basket to a family in need. It's Candy Month, Dairy Month, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, Ice Tea Month and Turkey Lovers Month, among many other great causes. So combine an assortment of non-perishable versions of the above and add a rose because it is also Rose Month. You can also click here . Please also see Children International and Mercy Corps on our Charitable Links page.
May - There's no better way to start our proposed acts of greatness section than honoring this particular May cause, Military Appreciation Month. For some excellent ideas on how you can support the military click here and see the column on the left side of the page. You can also check with your local religious or civic organizations to see if the immediate family of a living or deceased soldier could use some support.
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