Feel Good Friday - Shot@Life

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, a nationwide observance dedicated to the vaccines that protect people at every stage of life, and there's no better week to spotlight Shot@Life.

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., Shot@Life is a United Nations Foundation campaign working to ensure everyone in the world has access to lifesaving vaccines and all children have a shot at life. Despite decades of medical progress, one in five children worldwide still lacks access to routine immunizations, and pneumonia alone kills more than 800,000 kids every year, a death toll that's almost entirely preventable with a vaccine that costs just a few dollars.

Shot@Life tackles this gap through education, advocacy, and partnership. Its flagship program trains everyday Americans to become Shot@Life Champions, volunteer advocates who meet with their members of Congress to push for continued U.S. investment in global immunization programs. Champions come from every state and every walk of life, and this February nearly 100 of them gathered in Washington for the campaign's first-ever National Advocacy Summit, held jointly with its sister campaign, United to Beat Malaria, for a day of meetings on Capitol Hill. Shot@Life also partners directly with UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, channeling private funding and public pressure toward the on-the-ground work of vaccinating children in the hardest-to-reach communities.

Since launching in 2012, Shot@Life has had a big impact. They’ve helped secure more than $5.7 billion in U.S. government funding for global vaccine programs and supported the delivery of over 120 million vaccines to children through private partners and donors, all while training more than 4,000 Americans to become vaccine equity advocates.

If you believe that people should have access to vaccines, there are several ways to support Shot@Life and their push for #VaccinesForAll. Become a Shot@Life Champion! It’s a meaningful way to get hands-on with advocacy if you're curious about meeting with your own representatives. You can also amplify their message on social media. Follow Shot@Life on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Happy National Immunization Awareness Month! 

Feel Good Friday - Emancipation Park Conservancy

Today is Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved people in the country. Today’s organization, the Emancipation Park Conservancy exists to honor that moment every day.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, the mission of the Emancipation Park Conservancy (the Conservancy) is "to enhance Emancipation Park by preserving its integrity and enriching its heritage as a local, state, national, and international landmark."

The park itself has a fascinating origin story. In 1872, just seven years after emancipation, a group of formerly enslaved community leaders pooled $800 to purchase ten acres of land in Houston's Third Ward as a place to celebrate Juneteenth. That act of collective freedom and investment is now a Houston Protected Landmark. During the Jim Crow era, it was the only public park and swimming pool available to African Americans in the city.

Today, the Conservancy manages the park under a 30-year agreement with the City of Houston, offering community programs in four areas: Education, including coding, robotics, vocal development, and an Emancipation Conversations Lecture Series; Economic Empowerment, with budgeting workshops, small business assistance, and financial planning; Health & Wellness, addressing significant health disparities in the predominantly Black and Hispanic/Latinx Third Ward community; and Arts & Culture, connecting local artists to a community long underserved by policymakers.

And this Juneteenth, there's even more to celebrate. The Conservancy just completed an $18.5 million expansion of the park, including a new 5,000-square-foot performance stage and a renovated cultural center. Tonight, the newly expanded park hosts Juneteenth: The Reunion, featuring live music, food vendors, a Kids Zone, and more. If you're in Houston you should definitely check it out!

If the celebration inspires you to get more involved, there are many ways to support the Emancipation Park Conservancy. You can volunteer, make a donation, or amplify their message on social media. Follow the Conservancy on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn  or YouTube and help keep this piece of living history at the center of the community where it belongs.

Happy Juneteenth!

 

Feel Good Friday - Equal Justice Initiative

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a time to honor Dr. King's legacy of fighting for racial and economic justice through service and action. That makes this a perfect Friday to spotlight the Equal Justice Initiative.

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, the mission of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is "ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society."

EJI operates as a nonprofit law firm providing legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons. Under founder and Executive Director Bryan Stevenson's leadership, EJI has secured relief, release, or reduced sentences for over 140 people on death row. Their work has resulted in landmark U.S. Supreme Court rulings, including a 2012 decision that banned mandatory life-imprisonment-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger, a ruling that impacted thousands of cases nationwide.

Beyond the courtroom, EJI challenges the narrative about race in America through groundbreaking research and public education. In April 2018, they opened the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery—powerful spaces that trace the arc from slavery through lynching and segregation to mass incarceration. These Legacy Sites have attracted over 650,000 visitors from around the world. EJI also produces an award-winning wall calendar, A History of Racial Injustice, that features a different historical event each day.

Their anti-poverty work includes a Hunger Relief program that has served thousands of families struggling with food insecurity and a health clinic that provides free care to vulnerable people.

If you'd like to support the Equal Justice Initiative, there are many ways to do so. You can visit the Legacy Sites the next time you’re in Montgomery, Alabama, make a donation, and amplify their message on social media. Follow EJI on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube and share their stories of justice and redemption with your network.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! 

Feel Good Friday - JJoy Foundation

In February, I'll be heading to Cambodia with the JJoy Foundation for my 9th volunteer house building trip, which inspired me to spotlight their incredible work this week.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the mission of JJoy Foundation is to improve the lives of children and families in underserved communities around the world through education, health, and housing programs.

JJoy's work spans multiple areas: they provide educational support and scholarships, deliver health and wellness programs, and build housing for families in need. My volunteer work in February will focus on their housing initiatives in Cambodia, where they partner with Volunteer Building Cambodia, a locally-run organization that's been improving living conditions for families in rural Cambodia for the past 11 years. Together, they build sturdy, traditional Khmer-style homes and latrines for families living in inadequate housing.

In rural Cambodia, 85% of families lack adequate sanitation and 35% don't have access to safe water. Dilapidated homes require constant repairs, stealing time and resources families need to focus on education, health, and livelihoods. When JJoy builds a secure home with proper sanitation, children have a safe place to study and sleep, parents can invest time in income-generating work, and the entire family gains dignity and stability.

The organization's volunteer-powered model brings people from around the world to work alongside local builders, creating not just homes but connections across cultures. These aren't just construction projects—they're foundations for better futures. Since JJoy began, volunteers have completed 104 project that have benefited more than 2,000 people!

If you'd like to support JJoy Foundation, there are many ways to do so. You can make a donation through my personal fundraising page (my goal is to raise $1,000 by December 17th), or amplify their message on social media. Follow JJoy on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel. I'll also be sharing photos and stories from my trip on my Hey Miss K blog—stay tuned!

Feel Good Friday - International Volunteer HQ

For everyone who enjoys traveling after the summer season and volunteering while on vacation, you’re going to love learning about today’s organization, International Volunteer HQ.

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Taranaki, New Zealand, International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) is the world’s leading volunteer abroad organization. If you’re short on time, this one-minute video gives a great summary.

IVHQ provides a fully-hosted experience, which means you pick your destination, volunteer project and duration and they take care of airport pickup, accommodations and logistics. There are 334 projects in 50+ countries across Africa, Asia, South America, Central America, North America, Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East and the Pacific.

The first step is to pick a destination and a project. You can make your decision by starting with the country you want to visit, or choose what type of organization you’d like to support. IVHQ partner organizations work with children’s education, animals, the environment, health and well being and community development. Specific examples of available trips include mentoring young women in Columbia, protecting and preserving endangered wildlife in Namibia, and working in a pediatric hospital in Cambodia.

Once you find a project that works for your interest, schedule and budget you apply online. If accepted you secure your spot with a registration fee, and prepare for your trip. You’ll also need to pay a program fee, which covers accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, 24/7 in-country support, in-country orientation and discounts on local activities. Prices vary depending on your destination. This page of FAQs can answer all of your questions.

Since they began, IVHQ has helped connect over 152,000 volunteers to opportunities around the world where they have collectively spent 8 million hours doing volunteer work! In 2024 alone 11,678 volunteers representing 125 nationalities volunteered in 56 locations. Get all the details in this short impact video.

One of the best ways to let more people know about IVHQ is to go on a trip and tell people about it! Share your photos and videos on social media and tag IVHQ or write a guest blog on their website to share your volunteer story. You can also stay in the loop by following International Volunteer HQ on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel. 

Feel Good Friday - Black Women's Health Imperative

February is Black History Month. Let’s kick it off by highlighting an organization dedicated to the health and wellness of Black women and girls, Black Women’s Health Imperative.

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the mission of Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is “To lead the effort to solve the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls globally.” They do this by making investments in evidence-based strategies, delivering bold new programs, and advocating health-promoting policies. Watch this 3-minute video or keep reading for details.

BWHI has seven signature programs designed to address the most pressing health issues currently impacting 21 million Black women and girls across the United States. They are: lifestyle change, reproductive health, HBCU advisory, rare diseases, menstrual equity, maternal health and HIV awareness. The focus of most of these programs is self-explanatory. For the other, lifestyle change is a support system to help Black women prevent, or manage, type 2 diabetes. The HBCU advisory is an advocacy and leadership-building initiative for women on Historically Black College and University (HBCU) campuses that provides training, skills, and strategies to advocate for wellness, education, and policy related to Black women.

There is also a policy and advocacy team that evaluates and develops national and state policies to hold elected officials accountable for addressing issues most critical to Black women’s health, especially regarding: maternal health, reproductive health, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, breast and cervical cancers, intimate partner violence and sexual assault.

In addition to all the actives above, BWHI has special initiatives which focus on specific topics such as periods, uterine fibroids and menopause. They also train lifestyle coaches to support the lifestyle change program and publish a variety of reports, including the 2024 Health Policy Voters Guide.

If you’d like to support these programs and help the Black Women’s Health Initiative achieve their vision where “all Black women will enjoy optimal health in a society that promotes health equity and social justice”, there are many ways to do so. Start with a donation or shop for merch, then amplify their message on social media. Follow BWHI on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Black Mamas Matter Alliance

For today’s Black History Month Feel Good Friday, we’re turning our attention to an organization that supports Black mothers, Black Mamas Matter Alliance.

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is “a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance that centers Black mamas and birthing people to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.” Their vision is “a world where Black mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy.”

The Centers for Disease Control has found that “Black women are at least three times more likely to die due to a pregnancy-related cause when compared to White women.” These deaths are preventable and BMMA is addressing this with a national network of Black women-led organizations and multi-disciplinary professionals whose work is deeply rooted in reproductive justice, birth justice, and human rights frameworks. 

Examples of the work being done by BMMA include: introducing policy that addresses Black maternal health inequity and improves Black maternal health outcomes; providing technical assistance, training, and capacity building for grassroots organizations, maternity care service providers, academia, and the public health industry; and supporting more effective collaboration of stakeholders working to advance Black maternal health.

One big initiative of BMMA is Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW), a week-long campaign to build awareness, activism, and community-building to amplify the voices, perspectives and lived experiences of Black Mamas and birthing people. It takes place every year from April 11 to 17 and this year’s theme is “Our Bodies STILL Belong to Us: Reproductive Justice NOW!” To learn more register for the national call on February 26 at 1:00pm Eastern. You’ll hear about the purpose of BMHW and get highlights of all the major activities happening online and across the nation in celebration of Black Mamas!

If you want to help BMMA ensure that Black mamas thrive before, during, and after pregnancy, you can do that by making a donation and amplifying their message on social media. Like the Black Mamas Matter Alliance Facebook page, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and follow them on Instagram @blackmamasmatter.

Feel Good Friday - GirlTREK

It’s the first Feel Good Friday of Black History Month so let’s talk about an organization that helps Black women find health, justice and joy by walking, GirlTREK.

Founded in 2010 by T. Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison, and headquartered in Washington, D.C., GirlTREK is “the largest health movement and nonprofit organization for Black women and girls in the U.S.” They encourage Black women to walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, because they believe it is “a radical act of self-love and the root of a cultural revolution.”

Statics provided on the GirlTREK website, show that Black women have a life expectancy that is 5-10 years behind other racial groups. In addition, 81% of Black women are overweight, 52% are obese and they are 20% less likely to engage in physical activity. This leads to Black women  in the United States dying from heart disease at the rate of 137 women each day.

The women behind GirlTREK knew that walking helps women improve their health, inspire their daughters and reclaim their neighborhoods. They found that “as women organize walking teams, they also mobilize community members to support advocacy efforts and lead a Civil Rights-inspired health movement.” Watch this 3-minute video to learn more.

Since they began 14 years ago, over 1.3 million women have taken the GirlTREK pledge to start walking and their results are impressive. 90% of women reported fewer symptoms of depression after joining GirlTREK. 61% reported losing weight and 56% sustained 5 days or more of walking for one year or more. Motivated by the success stories GirlTREK’s new goal is to increase the life expectancy of Black women by 10 years in 10 years.

If you’re ready to take steps towards a healthier you (pun 100% intended), search this page to find a GirlTREK group in your area. You can also sign up for a walking challenge, like a Jumpstart (walk 21/30 days) or Warrior Week (walk 5/7 days). Once you’ve finished the challenge, you’ll be eligible to claim your victory and collect prizes such as golden shoelaces or a GirlTREK t-shirt. If you can’t wait that long to represent, you can always shop for your swag.

Other ways to support GirlTREK are with a donation and by amplifying their message on social media. Like the GirlTREK Facebook page follow them on Instagram @girltrek. Now that you’re finished reading, why not go out for a walk?

 

Feel Good Friday - Girl Effect

It’s the first Feel Good Friday in Women’s History Month and we’re kicking it off with Girl Effect, an organization that “uses the power of media to unlock the power of girls.”

Founded in 2004 by the Nike Foundation, Girl Effect works “to support adolescent girls in low and middle income countries through a stage in life that defines their future. We support girls to make choices for themselves so they are healthier, more educated and financially secure. To do this we create safe spaces for girls to find information and advice, online and in their communities. We answer girls’ curiosities, questions and concerns through our content and products, and connect girls to services that help them take control of their bodies and their lives.”

The problem Girl Effect is addressing is outlined in this 3-minute video. When a girl turns 12 and lives in poverty she’s often seen as a woman and more likely to spend her teenage years getting married and having children rather than staying in school and getting an education. While there are many services available for girls, often they are not used because girls don’t see the services as being “for them”. 

 

To counter this perception, Girl Effect works with partners in more than 50 countries in Africa and Asia to develop youth brands that shine a light on issues girls are facing by telling girls’ stories in their own words. Girl Effect also use mobile technology to connect marginalized and vulnerable girls around the world. The content Girl Effect creates helps girls build confidence to make choices and changes in their lives so that “every girl can choose to be in control of her body, her health, her learning and livelihood.”

 

Examples of the work they do includes the Hear Her Voice project where Technology Enabled Girl Ambassadors, aged 18-24, have interviewed over 15,000 girls and share their stories online. You can watch those videos here. There is also a chat bot powered by artificial intelligence called Big Sis, which gives girls a safe, private, non-judgmental and accurate source for information on topics that they don’t feel comfortable discussing elsewhere. Since its inception in 2018, Big Sis has reached 10.8 million girls. 

 

Overall, by working with their in-country partners, Girl Effect’s youth brands and mobile platforms reach an estimated 29 million people a year in over 50 countries! 

If you’d like to help Girl Effect create a future where girls are healthier, more educated, and more economically secure, you can make a donation and spread the word by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @girleffect.  #TheGirlEffect 

Feel Good Friday - World Health Organization

In the seven years I've been writing this Feel Good Friday blog, I've never talked about the World Health Organization (WHO). Until today.

You've seen representatives from the World Health Organization in the news sharing information and resources about the COVID-19 outbreak but just who is WHO?

WHO is the United Nations' health agency, created in 1948 to achieve better health for everyone, everywhere. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO works with 194 Member States across six regions and from more than 150 offices.

Their activities address many aspects of health care. For example, WHO staff work alongside governments and healthcare professionals on the ground fighting infectious disease, providing vaccines and ensuring access to safe water and sanitation. Other programs include: producing international reference materials and making recommendations to bring people better health, running global health campaigns on prevention of diabetes and high blood pressure, extending mental health care in 110 countries, highlighting the consequences of maltreatment of children, sexual violence and elder abuse, tracking and analyzing data in all of these areas, and responding to humanitarian emergencies. Whew! If you're looking for details, the full list of programs can be found here.

The work WHO does makes an impact. Globally, life expectancy has increased by 25 years since 1950. Smallpox has been defeated and polio is on the verge of eradication. Between 2000 and 2015, malaria deaths dropped by 60% and tuberculosis deaths by 37% because of expanded prevention, diagnosis and treatment. A current goal of WHO is "to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and well-being." All of this by 2023! Learn more about these triple billion targets in this short video.

To support the World Health Organization and their work, use the many resources on their website, celebrate World Health Day, make a donation to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and share the social media love by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @WHO. Now that you've finished reading - go wash your hands.

Feel Good Friday - La Clinica

Many people prioritize their health in the new year which inspired me to highlight my neighborhood community health center, La Clinica, in today's Feel Good Friday.

La Clinica de La Raza, more commonly referred to as La Clinica, was founded in 1971 with the mission "to improve the quality of life of the diverse communities we serve by providing culturally appropriate, high quality, and accessible health care for all."

In it's early days, La Clinica was a free clinic run by volunteers "to provide greater health care access in the Latino community located in the East Bay Area of California." Today, La Clinca has expanded to 35 sites in 6 cities across Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties. Click here for a full list of locations.

Their services include those you would expect: medical, dental, vision, prenatal and postnatal care, health and nutrition education and pharmacy services to name a few. There are also more unique programs targeted to the communities in which they work.

Project New Start provides gang-related youth with tattoo removal, mentoring and social support services to help them take the first steps towards escaping gang life. De Colores is program "mobilizing young gay, bisexual men and trans women of color in the East Bay Area, ages 17-29, to shape a safer and healthier community." Community Health Education programs include youth peer education, day laborer outreach and support groups for Latina women living with HIV.

In 2017, La Clinica served 87,000 patients, 95% of whom are low-income. If you'd like to help La Clinica with their mission of health care for all, you can volunteer, donate and spread the word about the work they do by liking their Facebook page following them on Twitter @La_Clinica_

Feel Good Friday - Code for America

Code for America founder, Jennifer Pahlka spoke at a conference I attended on Monday and given the organization's mission "to make government work in the digital age", they are my Feel Good Friday pick of the week.

Founded in 2011, Code for America explains their work as follows: "We partner with governments to redesign public services in three high-impact focus areas. Together, we work on projects to better serve communities and transform how governments use technology."

Those three areas are healthy communities, criminal justice and economic development. One example is the GetCalFresh app. It's a service that makes it easier for people to apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps). There are 2 million people in California who are eligible for the program but not receiving the benefits. GetCalFresh allows them to apply from their mobile phones, get their questions answered via text, online chat or email and upload photos of documents instead of faxing them. See the demo here.

Other programs include Clear My Record, a free online tool that helps people with eligible convictions navigate the complicated process of clearing their records and The Integrated Benefits Initiative. That focuses on creating application systems where user experience and user needs are put at the center of what gets built. Pilot programs are currently running in Michigan, Colorado, Alaska, Vermont and Louisiana.

If you like what Code for America is doing and you've got the skills to help, you can apply for a job in government or volunteer on a local project at one of the 77 brigades around the U.S. My local brigade, Open Oakland is having a Civic Hack Night on November 13th.

No matter what your skills are you can always show your support with a donation or by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @codeforamerica.

Feel Good Friday - Wine to Water

I learned about Wine to Water at a volunteer event at work this week and they're a perfect organization for Feel Good Friday!

As explained by their mission statement, "Wine to Water is a nonprofit committed to serving in community to provide water to those in need."

What does that mean? Volunteers work with the communities and available, local resources to provide access to water, methods of filtration to clean it and education on sanitation and hygiene.

Founded in 2004 by Doc Hendley, he learned about the world's water crisis while working as a bartender in North Carolina. Wanting to take action, he had a party with his friends, pouring wine, beer and spirits and collecting money to travel to Darfur and provide clean water for people in the midst of war. Upon his return to the U.S. in 2007, Wine to Water became an official nonprofit organization. You can read more about Doc in his book "Wine to Water: How One Man Saved Himself While Trying to Save the World".

For insight into the work of Wine to Water, you can watch this video which tells the story of a recently completed project in Dahakhani, Nepal. Volunteers worked with the community to dig a trench from a natural spring, to a reservoir closer to the village. The reservoir now provides clean water to 160 houses, 1800 people, and a school with 500 students.

There are other projects taking place in the Amazon, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Uganda and Ethiopia. A great way to learn about the details and the impact is by reading the field notes written by Wine to Water volunteers.

To date, Wine to Water has helped provide clean water to over 500,000 people! If you want to support this work, you can fundraise at a lemonade stand like 8-year old Kara or follow a more traditional path: host a corporate filter build (which is what my company did) volunteer in the field or join the community of monthly donors called The Tap. As always, share the social media love by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @winetowater.

Feel Good Friday - Women for Women International

This month Feel Good Friday continues to celebrate organizations that work with women. Today, we turn our attention to Women for Women International.

As explained on their Facebook page, Women for Women International (WfWI) is "helping women survivors of war and conflict rebuild their lives through a yearlong comprehensive social and economic empowerment program." You can see their work in this short introductory video.

Since 1993, WfWI has served over 450,000 women in the following 8 countries: Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan and Northern Iraq.

Participants in the program are grouped into classes of 25 women. There they learn basic business skills and vocational skills tailored to their local markets. They are connected with local healthcare providers and given information on managing their health and the health of their families. Women also learn about their fundamental rights, the rights recognized in their countries and the importance of civic participation.

The impact for graduates of the program is measured in a variety of areas. Women report that, on average, their daily earnings have increased from $0.34 upon enrollment to $1.07 two years later.  The percentage of women who practice family planning increased from 30% to 87% and 89% of women report sharing information about their rights with other women. A more detailed breakdown of the measurements can be found here.

If you like what you see, how do you get involved? Sponsor a Sister, use your fundraising skills to become an ambassador or shop with a purpose. You can also spread the word on social media by liking the WfWI Facebook page, following them on Twitter @WomenforWomen and sharing a story of a woman who has inspired you and adding the hashtags #SheInspiresMe and #WfWI.

Feel Good Friday - The Circle

Ever find yourself wondering what Annie Lennox has been up to post-Eurythmics and solo music career? Then this is the Feel Good Friday post for you!

In 2003, she performed at the inaugural concert for Nelson Mandela's HIV/AIDS Foundation - 46664. The next day several of the musicians visited hospitals, orphanages and townships to meet people affected by this health crisis, many of them women and children.

Motivated by what she saw, Annie Lennox created a non-governmental organization called The Circle. As she explains in her intro message on the website, "the concept of The Circle came from the notion of women supporting, connecting and inspiring each other to become advocates and change agents, through our passion, skills and ideas."

Because women around the world remain disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and exploitation, the vision of The Circle is "equality for women and girls in a fairer world."

They strive to meet this goal by connecting and advising women, amplifying their voices and funding their causes. The Circle has "raised over £1.86m which, working with partners, has been used to reach and make a difference to over 100,000 women and girls in more than 13 developing countries."

Current projects include youth empowerment workshops in Rwanda which teach up to 150 young people about gender equality, domestic violence, business skills and more. You can see a short video of the project here. There are also projects to run a women's shelter in South Africa, educate girls in India, prevent child trafficking in Nepal and train women to become rickshaw drivers in Pakistan! The complete list of current projects is here.

If you'd like to support the work of The Circle, you can join one of the member circles organized by region and profession, volunteer your time, donate your money and keep up in the social media circles by liking the Facebook page and following them on Twitter @TheCircleNGO.

Right now, if you donate through this Charity Stars link, you'll be entered in a contest to win a fight to London and join Annie Lennox for "An Evening of Music and Conversation" next spring! Sweet Feel Good Friday dreams ARE made of this.

Feel Good Friday - Save the Children

If you've been watching the news, you know that Puerto Rico has been devastated by Hurricane Maria and the people living on the island need our help. Natural disasters aren't a reason for a Feel Good Friday but the people and organizations that turn out to help are.

You can check this PBS blog for a list of organizations that are bringing assistance to the area. Today, I'm focusing on one - Save the Children.

First off, Save the Children has people on the ground in Puerto Rico and has set up a Hurricane Maria Children's Relief Fund. You can make a donation here. Now for some background.

Save the Children began in 1932 with programs that provided "clothing, school supplies and hot lunches to school children in Harlan County, Kentucky." The organization now has programs in 120 countries and reaches 157 million children around the world.

This 3:25 minute video gives an overview of the work they're doing to provide children with a brighter future. It can also be summed up with this statement from their website: "Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the U.S. and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming their lives and the future we share."

Programs focus, not only on emergency response in natural disasters, but also on disaster preparedness, literacy and early education, global health and nutrition, child protection and child sponsorship. You can read about the programs in more detail here or watch videos on their YouTube channel.

With 86.5% of funds received going directly to the programs that affect children, Save the Children is a great place for you to donate your money or shop for farm animals and refugee basics bags to support people in need. As always, stay connected by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @SavetheChildren.

Feel Good Friday - AWARE

I got back from Singapore this morning and while I'm still awake, I wanted to share the work of AWARE on this Feel Good Friday.

AWARE stands for Association of Women for Action and Research. Established in 1985 by a group of women who wanted to use research to approach women's issues in a coherent, consistent way, AWARE is Singapore's leading gender equality advocacy group.

Their vision is "a society where there is true gender equality - where women and men are valued as individuals free to make informed and responsible choices about their lives." Their mission, "to remove all gender-based barriers so as to allow individuals in Singapore to develop their potential to the fullest and realise their personal visions and hopes." AWARE fulfills this mission through research and advocacy, education and training and support services.

Current research and campaign efforts include programs focused on housing for single parents, ending marital immunity for rape, and training low-income women to become professional caregivers in the eldercare sector. Educational information includes fact sheets and resource links on issues such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, contraception, abortions and eating disorders. Support services include a helpline you can call to get connected to counseling, a legal clinic and a sexual assault care center.

How does AWARE make people in Singapore aware of the issues and their services? Through links on their website, a book series, and training workshops for corporations, schools and the community.

If you'd like to stay aware of all the great work AWARE is doing in Singapore, you can get involved by volunteering, making a donation and liking their Facebook page.