Feel Good Friday - Redhawk Native American Arts Council

November is Native American Heritage Month and this is a great time to learn more about Redhawk Native American Arts Council.

Founded in 1994 and headquartered in New York City, the mission of Redhawk Native American Arts Council is “educating the general public about Native American heritage through song, dance, theater, works of art and other cultural forms of expression.”

Created and maintained by Indigenous American artists, performers, and educators residing in New York and New Jersey, Redhawk Native American Arts Council produces some of the largest Indigenous and Indigenous heritage celebrations in the Northeast, including the Raritan Native American Heritage Celebration & PowWow, the Bear Mountain PowWow and the Indigenous Peoples’ Day event in New York City.

In addition to these events, there are several programs that Redhawk runs. Educational workshops include Indigenous dance, music, storytelling and traditional arts programs for students from pre-k to university levels, corporate employee diversity programs that help people better understand Native American cultures, and workshops that focus on the relationship between Indigenous cultures and Mother Earth.

The social justice work they do focusdes on topics such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and the harm that is being done by the use of Native American mascots. There are also a series of online programs accessible to people in and outside of the tristate area which include social justice and activism from an Indigenous perspective, Native American dancing and Pow Wow history, cultural sensitivity training, and classes in music, art and dance.

If you’d like to support Redhawk Native American Arts Council and the work they do give people a better understanding of Indigenous American history and of the diverse cultures represented within Indigenous America you can. Make a general donation to the organization or target the scholarship fund for First Nations college students who reside or attend a college in the New York City area. You can also amplify their message on social media by following Redhawk Native American Arts Council on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - U.S. Hunger

With Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on hold and a variety of holidays coming up, it seems like a great time to highlight the work being done by U.S. Hunger.

Founded as Feeding Children Everywhere in 2010 and headquartered in Longwood, Florida, the first project of U.S. Hunger was sending food to Haiti in response to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake, which displaced 1.3 million people. 

Recognizing that 1 in 10 households struggle with food insecurity, now the mission of U.S. Hunger is “feeding families today and uniting them to a healthier tomorrow. Here’s how they do it. 

The Full Cart program is a virtual food drive. Individuals and corporations make a monetary donation and U.S. Hunger partners with community-based organizations to provide individuals and families boxes with shelf-stable food and fresh produce. Hunger Projects are high-energy meal packing events good for groups who want to make a difference in the fight against hunger. This video is a glimpse into what it looks like - hairnets and confetti together at last!

U.S. Hunger also ships containers packed with meals and supplies to partners in 53 countries around the world and provides disaster relief where it’s needed whether that means mobilizing volunteers or raising funds to ship food.

Since they began, U.S. Hunger has distributed over 191 million meals and more than 157,000 food carts to hungry people across the globe thanks to the help of over 800,000 volunteers Looking at this 2024 impact video, you can see some of the 88,414 volunteers who participated in 281 hunger projects and packaged over 18 million meals last year. You can read individual impact stories here.

If you’d like to help U.S. Hunger provide healthy meals to those in need there are many ways you can get involved. Volunteer your time, donate your money, shop for merch and raise awareness on social media. Follow U.S. Hunger on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - 10/31 Consortium

Happy Halloween! Today we’re profiling a krewe that’s been organizing Halloween events for children for the last 15 years, 10/31 Consortium.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 10/31 Consortium was started by a group of friends who love Halloween and wanted to find ways for the children in their area to have a safe an happy Halloween. You can watch this 2-minute explainer video to hear the origin story from one of the founders.

The goals of 10/31 Consortium include revitalizing the neighborhood tradition of trick-or-treating, providing comfort and support to children who are hospitalized, and creating outlets for the community to express its Halloween creativity. There are several programs that support these goals.

Trick or Treat assistance helps neighborhoods who want to encourage trick-or-treating by proving costumes for children, candy for neighbors to hand out, flashlights, street closures and security. Free costumes, both new and gently used, are collected during a costume and candy drive that runs from from September 1st through the costume giveaway day in mid-October.

In partnership with Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, 10/31 Consortium provides goodie bags for hospitalized children that can include art supplies, Halloween crafts and gift cards. There is also a Kids’ Court Youth Leadership and Volunteer Program that was created in 2018 to teach children ages 6-18 about organization, compassion and public speaking.

In addition to all of this, 10/31 Consortium organizes the Fifolet Halloween Festival every year. It is Baton Rouge’s largest free Halloween event and the 4-day festival culminates with a Halloween parade and food drive. The 2025 Festival took place earlier this month but now you know so you can plan your visit for next year. 

Since they began, 10/31 Consortium has collected more than 12,000 pounds of food, donated $25,000 to OLOL Children’s Hospital, and given away 6,409 Halloween costumes for a total financial impact of $335,247!

If you’d like to support their work you can volunteer your time, donate your money and shop for merch. You can also raise awareness on social media by following 10/31 Consortium on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribing to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Filipino Community Center

October is Filipino American History Month and we’ve still got time to celebrate organizations like the Filipino Community Center.

Founded in 2004, and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the Filipino Community Center (FCC) is “dedicated to providing a safe space where Filipino families can access services, receive support, and build community.”

The programs run by FCC are designed to develop community empowerment, grassroots leadership, advocacy, and organizing while providing free and low-cost services to community members that address both immediate and long term issues.

General services offered by FCC include free case management and referrals that connect people with employment support, such as job search and resume writing; immigration education on topics like citizenship, family petitions and immigrants rights; and resources related to housing, domestic violence and services for the elderly.

There are also specific programs. One focuses on worker’s rights advocacy and preventing wage theft for low-income, recent immigrants with limited English proficiency. Another, the Kabataan Youth Leadership Program, provides educational and skill building workshops for Filipino high school students. Finally, the Healthy Relationships Program provides culturally appropriate community education on domestic violence and yes, healthy relationships.

If you’d like help FCC build civic participation and grassroots leadership to strengthen the Filipino community and the larger society you can! Make a donation and amplify their work on social media. Follow the Filipino Community Center on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Feel Good Friday - International Menopause Society

Did you know tomorrow is World Menopause Day? Neither did I. Now that we do, let’s learn more about the organization that founded it, the International Menopause Society.

Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Truro, England, the mission of International Menopause Society (IMS) is “to work globally to promote and support access to best practice health care for women through their menopause transition and post-reproductive years, enabling them to achieve optimal health and well-being.”

Given that the vision of IMS is, in part, “that all women across the world will have easy and equitable access to evidence-based knowledge and health care”, it’s no surprise that the menopause info section of the website is extensive. 

For people who want to learn more about menopause, there are fact sheets on topics such as symptoms, sleep and hormone therapy provided in multiple languages. The fact sheet on cardiovascular disease is available in English, Bangla, Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, French, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Malaysian, Mongolian, Portuguese, Spanish, Taiwanese and Turkish! If you don’t feel like reading you can check out the selection of videos and podcasts with leading experts from around the world.

These experts make up a network of IMS members who collaborate and share knowledge about all aspects of aging in women and advocate evidence-based treatment options that optimize mid-life women’s health and promote best practice in women’s health care. The professional resources section of the website has information to help healthcare providers maintain these high standards.

In addition, IMS founded World Menopause Day in 2009 to raise awareness of menopause and improve the experience of women around the world. Each year on October 18th, IMS highlights challenges faced by women during menopause and advancements in research, education and support. In 2025, the focus is on how lifestyle medicine, such as healthy eating, physical activity and healthy relationships, can ease menopausal symptoms, reduce chronic-disease risk and support women’s long-term health. You can view and download as many of the lifestyle medicine fact sheets as you’d like as well as register for online educational events.

If you work in this field, you can find and join your local affiliated menopause society. If you’d like to support the work of IMS you can make a donation to the Endowment for Education and Research. To help the women in your life learn about this valuable resource, spread the word on social media. Follow the International Menopause Society on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - NDN Collective

Monday is Indigenous Peoples' Day in the United States and a perfect time to learn about today’s Feel Good Friday organization, NDN Collective.

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota on Oceti Sakowin Territory, NDN Collective is “an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power.” Their mission is to “build the collective power of Indigenous Peoples, communities, and Nations to exercise our inherent right to self-determination, while fostering a world that is built on a foundation of justice and equity for all people and Mother Earth.” 

The actions they take to create sustainable solutions include “organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building and narrative change.” This one-minute video manifesto encourages people to come not from a place of fear, but from a place of power to do this work.

Grants are awarded to Indigenous-led organizations, Tribes, groups, projects and individuals whose work, goals and intentions align with the NDN mission, values, core principles and strategies. Examples include the Radical Imagination Arts Grant which provides resources to visual and performance artists, filmmakers, writers and storytellers; the Community Action Fund which supports direct actions and organizing efforts; and the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities grant which will deploy $600 Million to disadvantaged communities across the country.

NDN Collective also has a lending an impact investing arm called NDN Fund which works to increase Indigenous Peoples’ access to capital by providing loans to Native Nations, Tribal Enterprises, Native nonprofits, and Native-owned businesses.

Other work being done by NDN includes leading campaigns such as stopping mining in the Black Hills, returning public lands back to the Lakota, and freeing Native American activist Leonard Peltier, and community development projects to build affordable housing and share know your rights information.

If you’d like to help NDN Collective achieve their mission, there are many ways to do so. Take an action like joining a campaign, or getting involved in creative resistance. You can also show your support by shopping for merch, making a donation and spreading the word on social media. Follow NDN Collective on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Roots & Shoots

As you’ve likely heard, Dr. Jane Goodall passed away this week at the age of 91. To honor her memory, today’s Feel Good Friday is highlighting the organization Roots & Shoots.

I first profiled Roots & Shoots in celebration of her 80th birthday in April, 2014. Time for a refresh on the organization and what they’ve accomplished.

Roots & Shoots is the Jane Goodall Institute's youth program. It began in Tanzania in 1991 when a group of teenagers approached Dr. Jane about concerns for their community and she encouraged them to take action. Inspired by their work, she shared their stories and Roots & Shoots chapters started to spread around the globe. This one-minute video explains the origin story and current state.

The mission of Roots & Shoots is “to empower young people to affect positive change in their communities.” Local chapters focus on projects that benefit the environment and improve the lives of people and animals. Examples of these youth-led projects include providing habitats for native pollinators such as monarch butterflies and rusty patched bumble bees, recycling used printer cartridges, and No Waste November, which encourages people to “mindfully notice and reduce daily waste”.

In 2024, there were 10,000 active groups in all 50 states and more than 75 other countries. In this one year alone 1,745,000 young people took part in programs and recorded over 420,000 hours of activities.

As they state on the website, by encouraging youth around the globe to use their voices and actions to help people, other animals, and the environment we share, “We are nurturing the compassionate leaders of tomorrow.” What a wonderful legacy for a wonderful human being.

If you’d like to get involved with Roots & Shoots and are under 16 years of age, you can become a member and create a project in your neighborhood or get started with some of these 1-click actions. 

The rest of us can support the work of Roots & Shoots by shopping for merch, making a donation to the Jane Goodall Institute and amplifying this work on social media. Sign up for the mailing list or follow Roots & Shoots on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Cesar Chavez Foundation

Today we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and the work of Cesar Chavez by highlighting the Cesar Chavez Foundation.

Created by Cesar Chavez in 1966 and headquartered in Keene, California, the mission of the Cesar Chavez Foundation (CCF) is “to carry on Cesar’s life’s work of uplifting the lives of Latinos and working families by inspiring and transforming communities through social enterprises that address essential human, cultural and community needs.”

Cesar Chavez was a labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farmworkers Association which later became the United Farm Workers labor union. His motto, “¡Si se puede!” (“Yes, it can be done!”), guided him through his work as a community organizer and champion of social change, the environment and consumer rights. 

CCF is a self-sustainable fund. They raise money through various social enterprises that are then used to provide services to target underserved communities. Their current areas of focus include housing and economic development, education, multimedia communications, and preserving Cesar’s legacy. 

The Housing and Economic Development Fund builds and manages high-quality, service-enhanced, affordable housing for working families and seniors across California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. That includes over 5,000 multifamily units and more than 300 single family homes. The Education Fund supports after school and summer school programs as well as develops culturally relevant curricula for teachers to use. More than 110,000 students have been served through these programs.

Radio Campesina is the flagship program of Chavez Media. It’s one of 14 digital radio stations CCF operates across California, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia and it reaches over 1.5 million listeners! Most of the programs are broadcast in both Spanish and English. 

Since they began, CCF has invested more than $860 million in underserved communities. What a wonderful way to continue the legacy of Cesar Chavez. His life and work is also being preserved at the National Chavez Center in La Paz estate in Keene, California, which you can visit seven days a week.

If you’d like to support CCF and the work they do, there are some unique ways to get involved. You can request a speaker to come speak at your next event or shop for merch to show your support. You can also raise awareness of this organization on social media. Follow the Cesar Chavez Foundation on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel. ¡Si se puede!

Feel Good Friday - Latinitas

We continue our celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month with a look at an organization that is inspiring confidence and empowering community, Latinitas.

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, the mission of Latinitas is to “empower girls and their communities through culturally relevant education.” They focus on STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), digital equity, career exploration, and economic opportunity.

Let’s start with culturally relevant education. It’s designed to connect to the lives, identities and aspirations of the students and their families. The curriculum encourages students to engage with the topics and see themselves in the stories. Role models who are professionals with similar backgrounds inspire success and create an environment for girls to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and explore creative career pathways.

There are a number of educational programs that Lantinitas runs. Club Latinitas is an afterschool program focusing on technology, digital media, culture and identity, open to girls ages 9-14. During the summers, this age group can attend Camp Latinitas where every week there is a new theme such as architecture, engineering and fashion design. 14-18 years old can learn the programming language Python in eight weeks by attending the free, virtual program Code Chica. Families can participate in the multi-generational programming which covers digital literacy and workforce readiness. There are also a variety of one-day Chica Conferences where technology and media are used as tools to explore careers, and Latinitas Magazine, the first digital magazine made by and for young Latinas.

These programs are attended by approximately 3,000 girls across Texas every year. In the 2023-2024  year, there was an 87.5% growth in enrollment in Club Latinitas, 220  girls attended the Chica Conferences, Camp Latinitas had 3528 impact hours and the multi-generational programs had 1167 hours of impact.

If you’d like to help empower Latinitas across Texas there are many ways to do so. Texans reading this post can volunteer. The rest of us can make a monetary donation and amplify this work on social media. Follow Latinitas on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - GreenLatinos

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on Monday, September 15th. Let’s get prepared by learning more about today’s Feel Good Friday organization, GreenLatinos.

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, GreenLatinos describe themselves as “an active comunidad of Latino/a/x leaders emboldened by the power and wisdom of our culture united to demand equity and dismantle racism.” As a national non-profit, they confront both national and local environmental issues in the Latino community.

This includes advocacy around the following national issues: fighting for climate justice and clean air, preserving public land, creating sustainable communities, and ensuring water equity so that everyone has access clean, healthy, reliable, and affordable water for drinking.

In addition GreenLatinos runs several programs. The Latino Climate Justice Framework is a comprehensive framework for addressing the climate crisis and serving the needs of Latino/a/e communities across the country. It was created by 22 Latino/a/e organizations and is used as a blueprint by GreenLatinos partners. The Sustainable Cities Urban Greening Initiative is distributing $2,650,000 in grants to increase and revitalize green spaces in urban Latino/a/e communities across Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and Chicago. 

The Justicia Y Equidad Fund provides general operating support for small environmental, conservation, and climate justice organizations and programs serving frontline Latino/a/e communities. And finally, the Urban and Community Forestry program promotes tree equity in historically underserved and underrepresented communities, by focusing on tree planting, maintenance and restoration. There is also specific programming across New Mexico, Illinois, Texas, California and Colorado.

In 2024 GreenLatinos distributed over 25 million in funds through their various grant programs and continued to educate and advocate for initiatives that support the environment. You can read all the details in the 2024 Impact Report.

If you’d like to support GreenLatinos in their work, there are many ways to do so. Become an advocate or a member, make a donation and spread the word on social media. Follow GreenLatinos on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and LinkedIn.