Feel Good Friday - Leilani Farm Sanctuary

Aloha! I'm heading to Haiku, Hawaii for a few days so I did a quick search to see what's going on there and found a perfect Feel Good Friday organization - Leilani Farm Sanctuary!

Founded by Laurelee Blanchard, Leilani Farm Sanctuary is an all-volunteer run refuge for rescued animals. There are cows, chickens, cats, goats, rabbits, donkeys, peahens, pigs, deer and ducks living together on the 8-acre farm in Maui.

At the sanctuary, they host at-risk youth programs, school field trips, special needs children, elder activities and farm tours for the general public. Their overall goal is to educate people about the animals and give them a new perspective.

They also run humane education and therapeutic programs. As explained on their website, "most of the animals at Leilani Farm Sanctuary were orphaned, neglected, or abused. Through interaction with these animals, children from troubled homes learn forgiveness, courage, strength, leadership skills, trust, empathy, and kindness. The animals become role models, helping children learn to forgive, overcome their pasts, and reach toward a hopeful future."

You can learn more and see many of the animals in this introductory video and then explore their entire video library.

If you're visiting Maui, you can take a tour of the farm. If you live there you can volunteer. No matter where you are you can support the ongoing work of Leilani Farm Sanctuary by sponsoring an animal, liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @LeilaniFS

Feel Good Friday - Bay Area Girls Rock Camp

Happy Feel Good Friday! Summer is upon us, time to sign up for a program with Bay Area Girls Rock Camp.

Founded in 2008 and inspired by a camp in Portland, Bay Area Girls Rock Camp (BAGRC) is a "non profit organization that empowers young people through music, promoting an environment that fosters self-confidence, creativity and teamwork."

The camp is open to self-identified girls and trans youth ages 8 to 18.  Campers participate in music lessons, workshops, group activities and performances.

Specific programs include: GRASP (Girls Rock After School Program) a 10-week course where girls learn an instrument, form a band, write a song and perform it; Summer Camp, a one-week version of GRASP; and Women's Rock Camp, a one-day version of these programs for those of us 19 and older. All tuition from the Women's Rock Camp goes into the financial aid fund for the other programs.

BAGRC serves hundreds of youth each year thanks to the support of, that's right, people like you. If you live in the Bay Area you can volunteer and anyone can make a donation of money or gear.
You can also share the social media love by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @BAGRC. Rock on!

Feel Good Friday - True Colors

Happy Feel Good Friday and Happy Pride! San Francisco celebrates with a parade on Sunday, we're celebrating with a story about True Colors today.

True Colors was founded in 1994 and is based in Connecticut. As explained on their website, they are "a non-profit organization that works with other social service agencies, schools, organizations, and within communities to ensure that the needs of sexual and gender minority youth are both recognized and competently met."

They provide cultural competency and skill-building training to over 6,000 professionals each year. Programs for youth are held in their Connecticut locations. This includes Friday night activities such as games, movies or crafts, and a six-week summer program called Queer Academy, which empowers youth to become community leaders and social justice activists.

True Colors also manages the state's only LGBTIQ mentoring program and they organize an annual conference which draws over 3,000 attendees. On top of all this, their website has an extensive list of resources to help you find reading materials, community centers and hotline numbers.

If you'd like to support the work of True Colors you can become a mentor, volunteer or make a donation. As always, stay in the know by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @TrueColorsCT. Happy Pride! Let your true colors shine.