“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
 

The non-profit column is back folks!  After a brief hiatus, Chapelboro is so excited to once again have a monthly column dedicated to the great and noble charities and organizations in our area that need your help.  While I’m proud to say that I will be spearheading the effort on this column and its content, YOU are the best resource we have for what our neighbors are out doing that’s worthy of recognition.  I would love to hear from you on what your passions are and what programs in the community you work with, donate to or maybe have seen signs around town for but wanted to get to know a bit better before dedicating your time and/or your hard-earned money.  We live in such an amazing country and community, and many of us are fortunate enough to have received a great education in a safe environment and have a roof over our head, food to eat and our health, so we want to highlight organizations in our community that are helping those who are not quite as fortunate right now.  As Winston Churchill stated, “[w]e make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”.   Amid all the delicious food and shiny wrapping paper, this is the perfect time of year to once again put a spotlight on those who making a living by giving back!    

“Giving Tuesday” – ever heard of it?  I certainly had not until my wife came home excited about this national day of recognition (not an official holiday) that is starting to pick up steam.  Trust me, I’m all for finding a good sale, and in this economy we need all the deals we can get, but “Giving Tuesday” is the perfect counterpoint to the tug of materialism I always feel waiting in line with the masses just 24 hours after giving thanks for all that I already have.  Just as “Black Friday”, “Small Business Saturday” and “Cyber Monday” have taken off in recent years, the goal is to generate just as much excitement and talk over “Giving Tuesday”, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and a time to donate time or money to a worthy cause or charity. “Giving Tuesday is a powerful counterpart to the massive shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” said Lesley Mansford, CEO of Razoo. “It is a great way to remind people to balance holiday shopping sprees with holiday giving sprees. And, while most people complain about the hassles of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – they actually love all the good feelings that come from giving. That’s a win-win for everyone.” (Heraldonline.com Dan Jackson) Wouldn’t it be great if tomorrow the news wasn’t about which sites or stores have the biggest sales, but about which charities generated the most money and the kids that it helped?  Or video clips were of lines that formed around the block to give blood or volunteer?   Too often we get stuck in the rut of thinking that we don’t have enough money to donate right now so there’s nothing we can do to help.  Low on cash?  Volunteer with your time!  Low on cash and time?  Repost on facebook or send out a tweet about a charity you’ve admired in the community and make it a personal goal to reach out to that charity in the coming year.  Remember, no amount is too small to donate!  If you have a set dollar amount, reach out to the organization and see how it would be used; I bet you’d be surprised how far your $10 donation can go! 

While we hope you found all the deals you were looking for over the past few days to give the people in your life that one perfect gift, don’t forget about donating to a charity or volunteering your time this holiday season – the gift of working together to build a better community, country and world is the most meaningful gift we can give our children, loved ones, friends and neighbors, and that is what my family and the Chapelboro family is going to be striving to do this holiday season!    

To start this column off here is a list of three local charities that I’m passionate about and my family works closely with at this time.  I will be working with these organizations (and those you suggest) in the near months ahead to highlight them in more detail…

 

Kids2Carolina (website)

Kids2Carolina is an organization based in Chapel Hill, NC that seeks to improve the lives of children in need by providing them with the chance to attend a UNC Tar Heels home game!  Through monetary donations and ticket donations, Kids2Carolina hopes to enrich the lives of underprivileged youth by providing access to a world-class university and state of the art athletic venues. Through attending athletic events, kids will have the opportunity to be a part of a college setting, inspiring them to be on a path to higher education and dream big!

 GO HEELS!
 

Playworks (website

Playworks (Durham) is a national nonprofit organization that transforms schools by providing play and physical activity at recess and throughout the school day. Through on-site direct service and trainer-led professional development workshops, Playworks restores valuable teaching time, reduces bullying, increases physical activity and improves the school and learning environment in today’s youth!  

 

Student Solutions, Inc. (website) & Beyond Test Prep (website)

Student Solutions, Inc. (Chapel Hill, NC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit publishing agency that develops educational children’s fiction books aligned to Common Core State Standards as well as the NC, GA, CA, and NY curriculum from grades 2 through 5. The organization seeks to creatively supplement the school curriculum, equip educators with quality instructional resources, provide site-based support that will increase student achievement and provide book grants to schools, charities and organizations that do not have the funds to make a purchase. 

 

If you are passionate about a non-profit in our local community or work for a charity that you would like to bring attention to in our column, please contact me at bchacos@chapelboro.com or (919) 240-6037.  I would love to hear from you and learn more about your cause. 

Happy Holidays!!   #GivingTuesday    www.givingtuesday.org