Posts Tagged ‘Make A Difference Day’

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7 Tips for First Time Volunteers

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Make a Difference Day logo.Make A Difference Day is just a few weeks away! If you know how you’re going to make a difference on October 27, awesome!

You might say “But I’ve never volunteered before? How can I make a difference? I don’t even know where to start”

Today is your lucky day! We have seven tips to help make sure your first volunteer experience is a great one!

Find a cause you care about.

Is there something that you really care about? Does your local school system need a little help? Are there a lot of stray animals in your neighborhood? Do you love the way your library smells and want everyone to be as excited about books as you are?

Once you’ve found something in your community you’d like to make better, then…

Find a project in the DAYta Bank.

Once you’ve decided on a cause you’d like to support, you can find a project near you in the Make A Difference Day DAYta Bank! As long as you’re looking, why not find a few different projects that sound like they could be fun and…

Do a little research.

Spend a bit of time on the websites of the nonprofits that are hosting the projects you’re interested in. Find out how they support the causes you’re interested in and the work they do in your community. If you find a nonprofit you’d like to support you can…

Sign up for a project!

The DAYta Bank makes it easy to sign up for a project! Once you find a project with an organization you like you’ll be taken to the signup page for that project. Sign up and you’ll be all set to volunteer on Make A Difference Day!

Remember it’s OK to ask questions.

It’s alright to ask questions about the project before you show up. Project listings should have a person to contact if you have any questions about what the project is about and how you need to prepare. A lot of questions are answered in the project descriptions, but if your question isn’t it’s alright to get in touch with the event organizer so you’re ready for the day when you show up!

Show up ready to have fun.

You’re volunteering because there’s a cause you care about, right? That doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time! The best way to make sure you’ll have fun at your first volunteer experience is to go in with an open mind. You might be asked to do something different than what you signed up for, or you might be asked to something you don’t know how to do. Keep an open mind and try it out, you might learn a thing or two, or find something you never thought you’d love to do! Volunteering can be serious business, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.

Take time to reflect on your experience.

A lot of volunteer projects have some time set aside at the end of the project to think critically about the work that you just did. Reflecting on how working in a community garden can have an impact on the health of the local watershed or how it can influence kids to eat better is an important part of the volunteer experience. It doesn’t just give you a definite stopping point for a project, but it helps volunteers to better understand how their work has multiple effects in their community.

Keep making a difference!

Did you have a great time volunteering? Awesome! Tell us about it on the or Did you not quite fit with the project or organization? That’s alright! There are a lot more organizations out there that need your help! Try finding another project in the DAYta Bank or with HandsOn Network!

Was your first volunteer experience great? Did you decide to find a different way to volunteer? Let us know in the comments!

SUPER BONUS TIP!

Did you have a great time volunteering? Why not bring a friend along with you next time? Not only will it make sure you know someone at the project, but you’ll be involving your friend in something you care about and making your community better! Plus there’s a great opportunity to take cheesy pictures to share on Facebook!

 

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Kids and Adults in Fairfax County Help Make A Difference for the Military

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Today’s blog post come from Gabrielle Levy, co-founder of . Caring Kids Card participated in an Adopt A Soldier Make A Difference Day event.

On October 22, people came out and volunteered for the Hands On Network “Make A Difference Day“, stuffing backpacks, making cards, care packages, helping soldiers, and lots more.  There were 2,000 volunteer positions around Fairfax County.

“Supervisor Cook is all about volunteering and he is in our community.  And celebrating our community and the soldiers that have to be deployed.  I have gotten packages.  Being tired and receiving care packages it is really exciting.  Anyone can send cards or pictures.” said Ryan Kelly, Supervisor Cook Chief of Staff.

Jim Tragakis, Past President and current board member of Volunteer Fairfax said, “I hope it teaches kids the importance of the community.”

At Lake Braddock Secondary School, here is what they were doing.  Many people were putting together boxes, stuffing boxes, taping boxes, making cards, writing addresses, stuffing packpacks, and writing shipping labels.

Ainsley, age 9 from Lorton, her dad is in the Air Force and she is in a military family.  She was here “helping people and troops and having fun.”  Everyone was having fun and helping the community.  Ruby, age 3 1/2, said she is “having fun” and likes “to be with my mommy.”

Gabrielle (9), Aiden (6), co-founders of Caring Kids Cards participating in an Adopt A Soldier Make A Difference Day event.


“I want kids to understand that kids are part of their community and help their community.  What we’re doing is helping your neighbors and celebrating the people who leave home and help them because we all have a community.  I am a retired soldier and my whole family is in the military.”  said Mary Keeser, Founder of America’s Adopt A Soldier.
All of the care packages and cards made at Lake Braddock during “Make A Difference Day” will go to people in the military overseas.  Lt. Colonel Mike was volunteering with his family.  He said “I think it is great and a great way to give back.  I am now on the other end of receiving care packages.  I was in Kuwait for a year, so I know how it feels to get care packages.”

Lt. Colonel Mike and his family made care packages on Make A Difference Day


The backpacks will go to children with parents in the military.  “We are supporting the troops and getting stuff because they’re fighting and need them” said Connor, age 11, from Lorton.

Everyone was making a difference and having a good time.  was proud to be a part of this great event.

 

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Helping the Less Fortunate Help the Less Fortunate

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Today’s post comes from Alex El Sehamy, a Make A Difference Day honoree in 2010.

Whether it is a service project helping the homeless, the hungry, or cleaning up the environment, there is clearly a constant call to action for people to volunteer in one way or another. Be that as it may, there are many of us who decide not to volunteer, and unfortunately, are perfectly fine with that.

I say, why bother with them when there are plenty of people out there who want to help others and will get so much more out of it? And no, I’m not necessarily talking about you and me.

I’m talking about those who are often pegged as “disabled”, “incapable”, or “challenged”. I’m talking about those with developmental disabilities.

There is a broad spectrum of chronic mental or physical conditions that lead to a developmental delay but regardless, the idea here is that these people can do just as much as we can to help others, and may even get more out of it than we can even know.

This is an idea that has been proven to the world through organizations such as the Special Olympics and other advocacy groups. As far as I’m concerned, there is still much more that can be done to show that this group of people is just as “handicapable” as anyone else.

My mother and I began planning service projects to feed the homeless several years ago, and have been doing so regularly ever since. Being recognized by HandsOn Network for our project in 2009 made us never want to stop.

Based on my general interest in mental health, I was very excited to hatch a new plan with the help of my fraternity brother Guy Blelloch. My fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, decided to partner with Best Buddies, an organization that pairs students with developmentally disabled people in order to nurture a positive, constant relationship that will be rewarding for them both.

To take our service initiative one step forward, we’ve decided to spread the concept of helping others to a group of people with hearts of gold that may not have any idea that there are people out there who even need to be helped.

This Make a Difference Day, we will be making peanut butter & jelly sandwiches with the residents of the AHRC Fineson Facility group home and putting them into meal packages to feed the homeless, all the while, celebrating Halloween with music, dancing, and decorations.

People with developmental disabilities are ecstatic to interact with people in any capacity. They are the most grateful people I have ever encountered, and are not bothered by the everyday matters that may hinder you and me from helping others.

Share the spirit of volunteering by reaching out today and invite some new faces to your next service project!

Please visit Best Buddies and sign up to be a buddy today!

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Volunteering as a Family

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Today’s post comes from Kate Hannigan Issa, co-author of The Good Fun! Book: 12 Months of Parties That Celebrate Service.

“What’s this stuff called again?”

“Mulch.”

“Mulsh? Well, I love it.”

That was an exchange I had a few times with my kindergartner last month as we worked together on a playground build with KaBoom, a nonprofit that provides play spaces in underserved communities around the country.

My kindergartner was beside himself with joy that he got to use a shovel and tackle an enormous pile of woodchips.  To him, the hard work of moving a 6-foot pile of mulch and spreading it under the bright red play equipment was all fun.  And he happily worked on that mulch pile for 90 minutes without a single complaint.

For his dad and me, we took joy in his excitement in wanting to help out.  His big brother and sister, a third-grader and fifth-grader, were delighted to grab some equipment and get to work too – showing enthusiasm unlike anything we see at home when it’s time to make the beds or pick up the abandoned Legos.

What made the Kaboom service day special was that our kids immediately recognized they were part of something bigger than themselves.  More than 400 volunteers had turned out – the build took place on Make a Difference Day – and there was a spirit in the air that was palpable, even for the youngest volunteers.

“This is so fun,” my daughter said as she tossed scoop after scoop of woodchips onto bright blue tarps. “I wish we could do this again next weekend.”

That sentiment rang true with me too, and I wondered about our typical Saturday schedule of soccer games and ballet lessons and puppy training classes. Sometimes life feels too busy for activities like this.

But once per month?  Or once each season?  That feels more realistic.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and his daughter, Claire, work together at a KaBoom playground build on Oct. 23 in Washington, D.C.By volunteering as a family to work together on the Kaboom build, we offered our kids a break from the routine, showing them that a service activity was important enough that all five of us should be involved.  And we shared a day together as a family.  With our hectic schedules, that felt priceless.

As parents, working side by side with our kids on a volunteer project provided a rare opportunity to cultivate the intangibles in life: empathy, compassion, social justice, the power of the group, pride in a job well-done.

And for the kids, they took obvious pride in what they’d helped accomplish. In one afternoon, they saw an empty field transform into an enormous playground with tempting equipment.  It was clear in their comments and in their faces that they were genuinely happy for the kids who were going to get to enjoy this incredible new space. They were connecting the dots.

“These kids are so lucky,” my third-grade son said as he surveyed the shiny new slides and monkey bars.

And as I stood there beside my three kids, I thought, Yes, but they’re not the only lucky ones. With volunteering, the good goes both ways.

We headed for the parking lot after a long day of physical work, and the aches in our shoulders were satisfying in a way. All of us were still marveling at the playground we were leaving behind.

“What’s this stuff called?” my often forgetful kindergartner asked me again as we turned in our equipment.

“Mulch.”

“Right, mulsh. Can I keep the shovel?”

Kate Hannigan Issa is the co-author of “The Good Fun! Book: 12 Months of Parties That Celebrate Service” (Blue Marlin, 2010) along with Karen Duncan.  Learn more about the book at www.thegoodfunbook.com.

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Get HandsOn Tag Challenge Update!

Yesterday’s Get HandsOn Tag Master was Mei Zheng!  Mei has won a pair of round trip tickets on JetBlue, $25 for themself, and $100 for their favorite charity!

Today’s Celebrity Tag is !  Tag will.i.am for swag!

Are YOU up to the challenge?

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C&S Wholesale Grocers Makes A Difference

Saturday, November 6th, 2010

Gina Goff, C&S Wholesale GroceryToday’s post about a Make A Difference Day project comes from , Director of Community Involvement – C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc.

With so many pressing needs in our communities, can one day of volunteering really make a difference? You bet it can. And C&S volunteers are living proof. Each year, hundreds of our employees take action on “Make a Difference Day.” They pack groceries at food banks, clean up parks, paint recreation centers, stock shelves at a community kitchen, and more. And at the end of the day, the world is a just a little better.

C&S Wholesale Grocery Volunteers in Hawaii, 2010I’ve rolled up my sleeves alongside my colleagues on Make A Difference Day since 2003 and have seen the connections and have felt the celebration that happens when neighbors help neighbors.  Some of our projects have been small, some of them have been transformative.  All of them have brought us closer as a team, and given us the sense of accomplishment that comes when a group of people lend a hand together and get things done.  Our projects have involved sweat, concentration, laughter and purpose.

This year we tackled 19 different projects at community-based organizations where we do business.  To name a few of the organizations we partnered with:  Habitat for Humanity in New York, a homeless shelter in Hawaii, a children’s hospital in Alabama, food banks in Maryland, Pennsylvania and California, and a Ronald McDonald House in South Carolina.

C&S Newburgh, NY and Habitat for HumanityAnother wonderful aspect of our participation in Make A Difference Day is that our company covers the cost of all supplies needed to accomplish projects….it wouldn’t be right if the nonprofit groups were impacted financially, now would it?  So we reimburse for items like paint and rollers, bushes and flowers, lumber or whatever was needed to make the project happen.

While it means a lot to me to give back on this special day of service I know we are also having a business impact.  Our volunteerism initiatives like Make A Difference Day and Dollars for Doers offer the following business benefits:

  • Create healthier communities
  • Attract talented employees to C&S
  • Strengthen relationships with regulatory officials
  • Improve employee morale and satisfaction level
  • Enhance pubic image of C&S
  • Provide training and teamwork opportunities for employees
  • Align with C&S brand and values
  • Establish community networks

C&S Grocery, Maudlin, South Carolina Make A Difference DayWe all have talents, skills and time to give. I believe we have the opportunity to make a difference by volunteering and getting involved whether in groups, as families or as individuals.  Let’s keep the momentum going to make a difference, to serve, and to be hands on!

Gina Goff has the wonderful job of creating the vision, strategic direction and alignment of community involvement initiatives across C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest wholesale food distributor in the United States. She leads pro-active philanthropic investments including financial, in-kind and service-based in four core focus areas: HUNGER, Children & Community, Environment, and Volunteerism-Civic Action.

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HandsOn West Central Ohio Makes A Difference

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Nikki WinnerToday’s story about Make A Difference Day activities comes from Nicolette Winner, HandsOn West Central Ohio’s Director.

I have a new favorite number, and it’s more impressive than you might think.

As a relatively new HandsOn Action Center that has grown out of a longtime Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, the HandsOn Network motto “Be the Change.” has presented its fair share of challenges in our region over the past two years.  Whereas many have deemed our primary volunteer, the older adult, as one that typically resists change, we’re finding some unexpected new opportunities to make a bigger difference in our four rural counties north of Dayton, Ohio.

There’s no question that this year’s Make a Difference Day was an incredible success.  We saw five times the number of volunteers at twice as many projects during our second year of hosting this event, bringing our total to more than 700 volunteers completing 40 service projects.  We saw children make 1,000 pieces of artwork for homebound seniors, groups collect thousands of pounds of food for local food pantries, two groups collect nearly 1,700 pounds of pet food and supplies for two animal shelters, and three local salons hand out 200 free haircuts to children in Head Start programs.  The diversity of our volunteers was impressive too.  Infants through our most seasoned RSVP volunteers participated in service projects, and companies signed up to give back along with partners from local churches and schools.  That’s huge in our rural four-county region of just 200,000 people, especially when you consider my biggest driving challenges regionally seem to be following either a tractor or a horse and buggy!

What melts my heart the most in the midst of so much success?  19.

With all of those amazing stats, you might wonder why I’m stuck on the number 19?  It’s certainly not a big number.  It’s probably not something that would be media-worthy.  Heck, it’s not even one of those milestone birthdays or the number of people our tiny HandsOn Action Center has on staff.  So what is it about the number 19 that drives me wild?

We had 19 RSVP volunteers participate in Make a Difference Day this year.  NINETEEN!  What did they do that was so different from their everyday volunteering?  They tried something new, something so unlike their usual activities that it actually made my heart skip a little beat!  And they loved it!  Kay, a CASA/GAL volunteer and long term care ombudsman, was thrilled to work side-by-side with her granddaughter as they sorted art supplies.  Sandra, a former dental hygienist who educates Head Start parents about good oral hygiene, guided guests through a scare crow walk featuring handmade scarecrows made of recycled materials at a local nursing facility.  Elsie, who delivers posters for upcoming art shows and visits residents at a nursing facility, lent her hands to a two week art project that helped 450 elementary school students create 1,000 pieces of artwork for homebound seniors.

The success in these 19 amazing volunteers isn’t that they took on new roles.  It’s that they tried out something new in addition to their regular activities, and they appreciated being asked to help.  So many times we as professionals secretly harbor a fear of rejection, or worse yet a fear or asking a volunteer to take on too much too fast, but these volunteers thanked us for personally calling them to invite them to participate.  How different would our work be if we viewed every opportunity to volunteer as just that…  an opportunity, instead of an obligation?

Nicolette Winner serves as HandsOn West Central Ohio Director for Council on Rural Services.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and is currently pursuing her CVA (Certified Volunteer Administrator) credential.  President of the Ohio Volunteer Center Association, she was named Outstanding Volunteer Administrator by the Miami Valley Association of Volunteer Administrators in 2008 and one of Dayton’s Forty Under 40 by Dayton Business Journal in 2009.

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Get HandsOn Tag Challenge Update!

Yesterday’s Get HandsOn Tag Master was Dana Friedman!  Dana has won a pair of round trip tickets on JetBlue, $25 for herself, and $100 for his favorite charity!

Today’s Celebrity Tag is Johnny Depp!  Tag Johnny for swag!

Are YOU up to the challenge?

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Berry College Makes A Difference

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Today’s post comes from Berry College Volunteer Services.

When I first heard about Make A Difference Day, I pictured maybe 50 to 75 students going out to participate in one or two service projects.  It didn’t take long to figure out that the numbers would be far larger than I had imagined.

At 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday, I watched over 200 students of different races, religions, and interests file in with the united purpose to “make a difference.”  As they headed out for their various locations, I couldn’t help but wonder how many of them have ever actually made a connection with someone outside of the “Berry bubble.”

So many students go all four years without ever knowing that there are countless people with needs that often go unmet just outside our doors.  Nevertheless, on this cool October morning they were ready to do something for others.

Besides the free kids carnival we put together on behalf of an after school community program, we also sent teams out to help the organizations we call our “community partners,” including local schools, food pantries, parks, and a number of others. We also had one group help an individual move; another did construction, while another helped out at a local arts festival.

The feedback was incredible!  The local organizations were more than thrilled by the overall volunteer enthusiasm, and it seemed as if every student that came back had some sort of positive story to tell.

I was personally privileged enough to experience the carnival, a room lined with tables where games like “knock down the cans” and “go fishin’” practically begged kids to come play.

For those who wanted to add a little color to the day, we had booths with face painting, hair coloring, fake tattoos, cookie decorating, and even good old-fashioned picture coloring.

And for the ones that just needed to let loose some energy, there were games like football toss and mini-baseball, as well as the ever-famous inflatable jump house just outside.

While it wasn’t the fanciest or most high tech carnival one has ever seen, it held enough enthusiasm to really engage the children that came.  Even if it took a handful of college students doing the Electric Slide in the middle of the carnival arena (some of us not so well), we were determined to make the most out of limited resources.

After the festivities had ended and the projects were done, my peers and I gathered for lunch to reflect on the day: Was it a success?  Were there enough kids at the carnival?  Did everyone get to serve enough?  Just as these questions began to shape some disappointments at what we wish could have been better, one of my friends said something that struck me.

“Today wasn’t about what we could do or how much service we could give, it was about doing the best we could with the goal that somehow, we made a difference to someone.”

Did everything turn out just right?  No.  Was there something we could have done better?  Probably.  Did we make a difference?  Yes, I think we did.

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Get HandsOn Tag Challenge Update!

Yesterday’s Get HandsOn Tag Master was Laura Urbie!  Laura has won a pair of round trip tickets on JetBlue, $25 for herself, and $100 for his favorite charity!

Today’s Celebrity Tag is ! Tag Christina for swag!


Are YOU up to the challenge?

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Photos, Video from generationOn launch and Make A Difference Day

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

Friends,

I thought you might enjoy some great photos from the launch of generationOn and also photos and video highlights from Make A Difference Day on October 23.  generationOn is our global youth movement that encourages all kids to discover their power to solve real world problems through service.  Make A Difference Day harnessed the efforts of an estimated 3 million people nationwide this year to make a difference in their communities.  Volunteers refurbished schools, packed supplies for the homeless, and included three Cabinet Secretaries who built a KaBOOM playground in DC.

generationOn:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/handsonnetwork1/sets/72157624805537964

Make A Difference Day:

http://www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/signatureevents/MakeADifferenceDay

(Scroll down to access the photos and videos.)

In service,

Michelle Nunn
CEO, Points of Light Institute, and Co-Founder, HandsOn Network

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Make A Difference Day 2010

Monday, November 1st, 2010

Saxon SeayMake A Difference Day 2010 was Saturday, October 23.  We’ve heard a lot of great stories about different service projects around the nation, and we wanted to share them with you!  Today’s  post comes from Saxon Seay, a member of our Marketing and Events team at HandsOn Network.


As I was driving through the north Georgia “mountains,” I felt incredibly inspired and renewed.  Each fall as the leaves on the trees change and surround my neighborhood with color, I think about the ways that change is good and can bring beauty, hope and transformation to the world.

True transformation is powerful.  Witnessing such powerful change is one of the greatest things about being a part of the staff at HandsOn Network as we have a unique opportunity to bring change to communities around the country and world as we mobilize others in service.

For me, this fall kicked off with Make a Difference Day: the “National Day of Doing Good” on Saturday, October 23.

For 20 years, we (HandsOn Network) and USA Weekend magazine have partnered to sponsor Make A Difference Day. This effort has grown over the years to include over 3 million volunteers young and old, individuals and families, and people from every walk of life, in cities and communities large and small.

Two weeks ago we heard from Kienan Lacey of generationOn as she and a team from generationOn and Points of Light Institute traveled to Washington D.C. to lead the amazing generationOn launch. Hundreds of kids participated in a service walk at the Extra Mile – the only national monument recognizing important civic and service leaders in our nation. They learned about the heroes of the volunteering and service movement and then participated in service projects to “Make Their Mark” on the world.

Many of our 250 affiliates also lead service projects in celebration of Make A Difference Day.  Their work was powered by Citi Group who aligned its fifth annual Global Community Day with Make A Difference Day to engage 47,000 volunteers in more than 100 countries in service projects!

From kids in D.C. to volunteers around the world, stories like these reinforce to me the potential and power of individuals to make real change. It’s clear that the thousands of projects planned in celebration of Make A Difference Day contributed to a greater national effort to build more robust education systems, protect green spaces and renovate public spaces among many other works.

Many, many thanks to all of you – our corporate and non-profit partners and our special volunteers – for getting HandsOn! and making a big difference in the lives of millions of your friends and neighbors this Make A Difference Day.

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Get HandsOn Tag Challenge Update!

Yesterday’s Get HandsOn Tag Master was Jake Loggins!  Jake has won a pair of round trip tickets on JetBlue, $25 for himself, and $100 for his favorite charity!

Today’s Celebrity Tag is ! Tag Craig for swag!


Are YOU up to the challenge?

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On Taking Initiative

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

by Melissa Garber, Gulf Response VISTA, HandsOn New Orleans

Walking into the Community Center of St. Bernard Parish it was immediately clear that it is an invaluable resource to the community. St. Bernard Parish was decimated after Hurricane Katrina and Rita. Every single house in the parish received water damage, and it is the only county in the United States to ever be completely inundated in water.

I was visiting the center as a representative of HandsOn New Orleans, to check out what they are doing for the community. I joined HandsOn at the beginning of September as their Gulf Response VISTA. St. Bernard was doubly hit by the oil spill, many of the parish’s residents were fishermen and shrimpers, and the need for resources has increased.

The Community Center officially opened in January 2007 as a direct response to the devastation that is still wholly visible five years after Katrina. Iray Nabatoff, the center’s volunteer Executive Director since its inception, manages a staff made up entirely of volunteers. They provide residents with badly needed services like a media center with Internet, printers and phones, the Mustard Seed Clothing Bank, the Mustard Seed Food Pantry, Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Training, legal aid and so much more. The center even serves as a temporary location for the Office of Family Support, because even five years later the parish still does not have a permanent OFS office.

With Make a Difference Day right around the corner, I knew HandsOn could do something, anything, to help the community center and the people of St. Bernard Parish. I decided on a food drive that could span across HandsOn New Orleans network of community partners, businesses, non-profits and schools. My food drive has hit the ground running, and, come October 23, we’ll have positively impacted a keystone institution that truly supports the residents of St. Bernard Parish.

So whether you’re in the Greater New Orleans area or not, take an opportunity to check out your local community center, donate to your local food bank, and look for a way to give back this Make a Difference Day.

Melissa Garber is the Gulf Response VISTA for HandsOn New Orleans. This is her second term with AmeriCorps and her second year in Louisiana. She couldn’t imagine living and serving anywhere but New Orleans.

For more information about the Community Center of St. Bernard Parish go to http://www.ccstb.org/.  For more information about HandsOn New Orleans go to http://www.handsonneworleans.org/. And finally if you’d like to know more about the food drive I’m organizing for National Make a Difference Day please contact her at .

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