Feel Good Friday - Women's Earth Alliance

Today, in honor of Women's History Month, I'm spotlighting Women's Earth Alliance, an organization whose work embodies this year's theme, "Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.”

Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, Women's Earth Alliance (WEA) catalyzes women-led, grassroots solutions to protect our environment and strengthen communities from the inside out. Their model is built on a powerful truth: women are disproportionately impacted by climate crises, yet their leadership remains one of the most underfunded forces for environmental change on the planet. This short video gives an overview of the problem and solution.

WEA delivers funding, training, and networks of support to women who are already established community leaders, equipping them to scale their environmental solutions and connect with a global alliance of peers and mentors. Their programs span water access, food and agriculture, conservation, clean energy, and climate justice, working at the intersection of gender, Indigenous, racial, economic, and environmental justice.

Their flagship U.S. Grassroots Accelerator for Women Environmental Leaders  is a year-long program that has supported 88 women leaders across the country, helping them to deepen their strategies, build alliances, and scale solutions for environmental protection and climate resilience. Globally, WEA has a presence in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Indonesia. Sponsored programs range from restoring coral reefs in Indonesia to advancing reforestation in Kenya that sequesters an average of 19 million pounds of carbon per year, while also building women's income through tree nursery micro-enterprises.

WEA has had remarkable impact. In 2024 alone, they trained 6,812 women and girls in environmental solutions across 13 countries, reaching 665,442 people with life-saving climate solutions. Since they began, WEA has trained more than 52,000 women leaders in 31 countries!

If you'd like to support Women's Earth Alliance, there are many ways to do so. You can make a one-time donation, join their Seed Bank as a monthly giver, or amplify their message on social media. Follow WEA on Facebook, Instagram  or LinkedIn and share their stories of women leading the way.

Happy Women's History Month! 🌿

Feel Good Friday - United We Dream

Today is Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, a day when India celebrates the contributions of its diaspora and honors the day Mahatma Gandhi returned home from South Africa in 1915 to lead the fight for justice. That makes this a perfect Friday to spotlight United We Dream.

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., United We Dream (UWD) is the largest immigrant youth-led network fighting for dignity and respect for all immigrants in the United States whether they’re coming from India or any other country. The mission of UWD is to "create welcoming spaces for young people – regardless of immigration status – to support, engage, and empower them to make their voice heard and win!”

The organization grew from a loose network of young undocumented students into a powerful movement. UWD puts immigrant youth at the center of decision-making, with over 60% of members identifying as women and 20% as LGBTQ. Their vision celebrates diversity through multi-ethnic, intersectional organizing that addresses immigration alongside racial justice, LGBTQ rights, education, health, and climate change.

The network operates through several key programs. Their DACA Renewal Fund provides direct financial assistance to help DACA recipients pay the $495 renewal fee. Since they began, UWD has helped more than 1,700 immigrant youth access DACA renewals through partnerships in 16 states! Other programs include Deportation Defense with Know Your Rights trainings, Education Justice to clear pathways to higher education, the UndocuHealth Initiative for mental health support, and the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project for LGBTQ immigrant youth leadership. 

UWD has had a big impact across the country. The organization has grown to over 1 million members nationwide, with more than 100 local groups operating across 28 states. They reach over 4 million people every month through their social media platforms, email, and text messaging.

If you'd like to support United We Dream, there are many ways to do so. You can make a general donation or contribute to their DACA Renewal Fund where 100% goes directly to recipients. You can also join their network as a member and share their work on social media. Follow United We Dream on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube and share their stories of empowerment and justice with your network.

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 - The Valentine Foundation

Today is Valentine’s Day so let’s spend a moment learning about the Valentine Foundation.

Well, the first thing I learned is it has nothing to do with the holiday and is named after founder, Phoebe Valentine, but we’re sticking with it. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, the Valentine Foundation has been funding social change for women and girls since 1985.

As they explain on their website, “we fund nonprofits in the Philadelphia region focused on racial and gender justice, prioritize leadership in organizations serving women and girls, and align our investments with these goals.” In a world where DEI initiatives are getting cut by many companies, the Valentine Foundation prioritizes organizations led by or focused on BIPOC, women, trans, and gender-expansive people.

Their grants are divided into two areas. Foundation grants support efforts that redefine issues, enhance community engagement, shift policies, or preserve past gains in gender equality. The amount of these grants ranges between $7,000 and $15,000 and can be single, or multi-year. The money can be used for either general operations or project-specific funding. Examples of 2024 recipients include Maternity Care Coalition, Gender Justice Fund and the Women’s Community Revitalization Project.

The second set of grants comes from the Visionary Leadership Fund which was established in 2005. These are targeted to support leadership development for women executives and aspiring leaders in organizations that uplift women and girls in the Greater Philadelphia region. Amounts for these grants average at or around $3,000 per applicant. Examples of 2024 recipients include leaders from the Education Law Center, Girls Inc., and Women Against Abuse.

In 2024, the Valentine Foundation awarded $201,332 to recipients in both categories. You can review the grantee page for details on recipients and grant amounts each year going back to 2000.

Finally, the Valentine Foundation allocates 20% of their endowment to mission aligned investing and provides low interest loans to nonprofits that support community projects.

If you’d like to help the Valentine Foundation achieve their vision of a society where all women and girls can thrive, you can make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn. Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Feel Good Friday - National Federation of Filipino American Associations

October is Filipino American History Month, a perfect time to learn about the work being done by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations.

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is “the largest national Filipino American organization, aimed to promote active participation in civic and national affairs.” 

The first Filipinos in the Americas arrived in Morro Bay, California in 1587. Today there are over 4.2 million Filipinos across the United States and NaFFAA wants to serve as their voice. The mission of NaFFAA is to “promote the welfare and well-being of Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States by amplifying their voices, advocating on behalf of their interests, and providing resources to facilitate their empowerment.”

This work is organized around four pillars. National Advocacy centers on immigration reform, recognition for Filipino veterans, an anti-hate crimes task force, and promoting small business and financial education. Leadership Development engages and empowers the next generation of Filipino American leaders at various leadership summits and conferences. Civic Engagement encourages participation in politics through voting or running for office. The final pillar, Advancing Filipino Culture, celebrates - you guessed it - Filipino culture, arts and entertainment.

While leadership forums and gala nights bring people together on an annual basis, there are more activities being done at a local level. NaFFAA has thirteen-member regions that cover the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Islands. You can check this map to see who the region presidents are and find out how to get involved in your local chapter.

If you’d like to see NaFFAA achieve their vision of Filipino American communities that are culturally, economically, and politically empowered and engaged, you can support them with a donation. To stay in the loop with current events and help amplify their message, follow the National Federation of Filipino American Associations on Facebook and Instagram. 

Feel Good Friday - Earth Guardians

Earth Day is on Monday so this is a great time to learn more about a global community of diverse youth leaders, better known as Earth Guardians.

Founded at a high school in Maui in 1992 to foster environmental awareness and action, Earth Guardians (EG) is now a global network spanning six continents. Their mission is to train “diverse youth to be influential leaders at the forefront of the climate movement across the globe - using art, music, storytelling, on-the-ground projects, civic engagement, and legal action to advance solutions and create grassroots and global impact.”

The main way EG empowers worldwide youth is through their Crews program. “Crews are youth-led, intergenerational groups of impassioned leaders taking action for a healthy, just, and sustainable future.” The requirements for Crews are that they include 2 or more people, have a youth (under 30) leader, run at least one project per year and have regular checkins with their Regional Crew Councilor (RCC). These RCCs oversee Crews in 7 regions: North America, South America, Central America, North Africa, South Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and Europe.

In addition, the Indigenous Youth-leadership Initiative is focused on Native American Crews and provides indigenous youth a place to celebrate, honor, and share their traditions while also developing social and environmental justice leadership skills.

Finally, EG runs a Speaker’s Bureau program to amplify the voices of inspiring youth speakers and storytellers. They provide training and guidance to help speakers deliver impactful presentations at large-scale events, conferences, schools and universities. Speakers share their experience leading crews and participating in programs, in order to inspire audiences into action on ecological issues and the climate crisis.

In 2023, there were 70 EG Crews around the world busy making an impact. Examples of what was accomplished include planting 14,000 trees in Togo, installing over 50 rooftop gardens in India, and hosting a Youth Climate Conference for 60+ elementary and middle school students in North America.

Earth Guardians has a goal to increase their impact by 25% in 2024 and you can help them do it. Join or start a Crew, book an EG speaker for your next event, or make a monetary donation. As always, you can help spread the word on social media. Follow Earth Guardians on Facebook or Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday Flashback #4 - Skateistan

Happy Feel Good Friday! I'm traveling for the next few weeks and will be tapping in to the FGF archives for stories. Join me as we look back at some favorites from the last 9 and a half years. 

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Friday, August 17, 2018

I learned about today's Feel Good Friday organization, Skateistan, from a friend. Not only is skateboarding not a crime, it's a great way to inspire children around the globe!

Skateistan, Sanskrit for "land of skate", started in Afghanistan as a way to empower children. As explained on their website. "Through the hook of skateboarding, we engage with children, especially girls and youth from low-income backgrounds, giving them access to safe spaces and education and provide valuable life skills that go beyond the skatepark and the classroom." 

Since their earliest days in 2007, Skateistan has expanded to include programs in Cambodia and South Africa. The four core programs are designed for ages 5 to 17, offered free of charge and focus on keeping the youth involved for the long term. 

Outreach involves educators and youth leaders bringing skateboards and equipment into the communities for an hour of recreational activity. Skate and Create is a combo of one hour in the skate park and one hour in the classroom. Back-to-School varies by country. In Afghanistan it's an accelerated learning program covering the national curriculum for children who are not in school. They spend 5 days a week in class and are enrolled in public school after graduating. In Cambodia and South Africa it's a drop in program after school that provides homework help and further education and career planning. The final program, which must be applied for, is Youth Leadership. Youth leaders assist educators, mentor younger students and help plan events.

If you've got 13 minutes, I highly recommend you watch the documentary, "Land of Skate" here. Children involved in the program share how skateboarding has changed their lives and you can see how happy they are when they're skateboarding.

The best way to support this work is by making a donation and becoming a Citizen of Skateistan. You can also represent by shopping for merchandise to wear and showing your support by liking the Facebook page and following them on Twitter @Skateistan.

Feel Good Friday - Outdoor Afro

Happy Feel Good Friday! Today we’re going get outside with Outdoor Afro.

Founded in 2009 by Rue Mapp and headquartered in Oakland, CA, the mission of Outdoor Afro is “to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature.” The work they do is designed “to disrupt the false perception that Black People do not have a relationship with nature.” 

How does Outdoor Afro foster these connections? With help from over 100 passionate, volunteer leaders. Every year these leaders are required to attend a training event to receive ongoing education. Training topics include risk management, policy and storytelling interpretation. These volunteer leaders then create and guide monthly trips to foster collaboration and strengthen people’s connections with the outdoors. Each year more than 40,000 people join a trip with Outdoor Afro!

With locations in 56 cities around the country, the recreational activities available are quite varied. Examples include hiking, birding, fishing, kayaking, and gardening. In 2022, the focus is on swimming. Black children ages 5-19 are six times more likely to drown in swimming pools than white children so Outdoor Afro has a goal to teach 100,000 Black children to swim. They’ll do this by offering scholarships for swimming lessons, aka swimmerships. Learn more in this 30-second video.

For Black History Month, Outdoor Afro is encouraging Black people to share photos of their outdoor adventures on social media using the hashtag #BlackHistoryOutdoors. In 2020, Oprah joined Outdoor Afro to hike in the redwoods at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland! If you’d like to join an adventure, use this link to find a group near you. As they explain on their website, “anyone who supports our mission is welcome to attend our events. You don’t have to have an afro, to be part of Outdoor Afro.”

You don’t have to have an afro to support Outdoor Afro either. Make a donation, shop for merch, and help amplify their message on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @OutdoorAfro and Instagram @outdoorafro #OutdoorAfro.

Feel Good Friday - Hispanic Heritage Foundation

Today’s Feel Good Friday post was inspired by National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15. That means we’ve still got time to celebrate the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.

Founded by the White House in 1987, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) is “a national nonprofit focused on education, workforce, innovative leadership, and culture to meet America’s priorities.” Or as they explain on Twitter, “We identify, inspire, prepare & promote Latino leaders.”

 

Programs are divided into four categories: leadership, education, workforce development and public awareness. Examples of specific programs include: Latinas on Fast Track (LOFT) bringing together Latina professionals and college students for leadership trainings, workforce development, networking, community outreach and access to mentors; Code as a Second Language, a national initiative that has taught tens of thousands of students computer programming and connected them to mentors; the #WeDreamAmerica campaign, which urges Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act; and Youth Awards which recognize hundreds of high-achieving Latinx high school students across the country and provides them with grants for their education or in support of an idea for social impact. In the last 22 years, more than 5 million dollars have been awarded to students.

 

The culmination of HHF’s year round efforts are celebrated during the Hispanic Heritage Awards ceremony. This is the 34^th year of the show and it happen to be airing on PBS tonight! You can check out the trailer here and tune in on your local PBS station.

 

If you’d like to support the work of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, you can do so by making a donation and amplifying their message on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter@HHFoundation and Instagram @hispanicheritage.

Feel Good Friday - Special Olympics

Watching the Olympics in Tokyo this week made me think of Special Olympics. Although I’ve posted over 450 Feel Good Friday blogs, I’ve never written about Special Olympics – until today.

Many of you may be familiar with Special Olympics, an organization that began in 1960 when Eunice Kennedy Shriver hosted a camp for children with intellectual disabilities in her backyard called Camp Shriver. The first Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago in 1968 and in the 50+ years since, 5,755,056 athletes have participated in 114,888 competitions across 200 countries!

 

The mission of Special Olympics is “to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.” You can watch a great summary of all their work in this 3-minute video, Changing the World Through Sport.

 

In addition to the high-profile sports competitions such as the 2022 World Winter Games which will be hosted in Russia, Special Olympics Unified Sports teams join people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team to promote social inclusion through shared training and competition experiences. There are also several programs focused on developing Leadership skills for the athletes. 

 

Because people with intellectual disabilities die on average 16 years sooner than the general population, Special Olympics Inclusive Health programs focus on providing people with intellectual disabilities access quality health care and opportunities that promote fitness and wellness. You can work on your own fitness goals with the exercise videos in the School of Strength.

 

If you’d like to support Special Olympics athletes there are several ways to do so: become a coach, volunteer or official, make a donation, sign the inclusion pledge and share the love on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @SpecialOlympics and Instagram @specialolympics. #InclusionRevolution

Feel Good Friday - SOS Outreach

Posting one more Tahoe-related Feel Good Friday before I head home and highlighting the work of SOS Outreach. 

Founded in 1993 as the Snowboard Outreach Society, the original purpose of this Colorado-based organization was to improve negative perception of snowboard culture. They began by taking 15 kids from Denver to Vail Mountain and teaching them to snowboard.

 

In the 28 years since, SOS Outreach has grown into a national nonprofit with offices in 15 locations, including both South and North Lake Tahoe. Their programs “combine outdoor exploration, positive adult mentorship, leadership skills and community service to help youth discover joy, feel included, overcome challenges, improve their mental health, and become strong leaders.” Their vision is “to make sure every kid we meet gets stronger”.

 

The programs run by SOS Outreach are structured in three phases. Phase one is for youth in grades 4-12. It begins with an introduction to skiing or snowboarding and the core values of “courage, discipline, integrity, wisdom, compassion, and humility.” Phase two is a 4-year mentor program where groups of 3 to 5 participants are matched up with an adult mentor and a peer mentor. They continue the outdoor activities and add a focus on peer bonding, life skills and leadership development. Phase three is an option for interested youth to become peer mentors and continue developing their leadership skills. There are also summer programs such as rock-climbing and backpacking that teach basic wilderness travel skills along with the core values.

 

Since they began 28 years ago, SOS Outreach volunteers have worked with over 70,000 kids at 22 mountains in 9 states. To hear directly from participants about how this has changed them, you can watch this short video.

 

If you’d like to help young people gain confidence and leadership skills by spending time in the great outdoors, there are many ways you can support SOS Outreach. Make a donation, become a volunteer and amplify their message on social media by liking their Facebook page and following them on Instagram.

Feel Good Friday - The Hidden Genius Project

For our last Feel Good Friday during Black History Month, we’re coming back to California to profile Oakland’s own Hidden Genius Project.

 

The Hidden Genius Project was founded in 2012 by five Black male entrepreneurs and technologists who saw the high unemployment of Black male youth in a region full of technology jobs and created a program to address the issue.

 

The mission, explained on the website states, “The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities.”

 

The main program is called the Intensive Immersion Program and here’s why. It’s a 15-month, holistic mentorship experience designed for Black males in 9^th – 11^th grade. In this program, students learn computer science, software development, entrepreneurship and leadership skills. Virtual cohorts based in both the Bay Area and Los Angeles begin in June and you can apply here.

 

To encourage continued development of program graduates, an Alumni Venture Seed Fund was created last year to support these young entrepreneurs through the five phases of startup development. Participants will showcase their work at an event in April. 

 

There are also single and multi-day Catalyst Programming events and workshops throughout the year. These are designed to expose young people to basic computer programming and mentors in order to spark interest in technology careers. These events are free and subscribing to the newsletter is the best way to stay informed.

 

To see the impact the program is having on the over 7000 students served since 2012, take five minutes to watch this video. You’ll hear directly from the founders, mentors and current participants and see how much the program means to all of them. 

 

If this work means something to you, get involved! Volunteer positions with The Hidden Genius Project are full but you can still show your support with a donation and by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @HiddenGeniusPro.

 

Feel Good Friday - Boys & Girls Clubs of America

In today's Feel Good Friday, we're highlighting another organization that is helping people during the COVID-19 pandemic, Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is "to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." 

BGCA started in 1860 with one club in Connecticut that provided young boys with an alternative to roaming the streets. In 1906 several clubs across the country affiliated and created a national organization, and in 1990 (yes, 130 years later) the name was updated to recognize that girls are also part of the cause.

During the pandemic, BGCA continues to serve local communities by providing meals, programming and support to nearly 4 million kids and teens. Programming is targeted at kids in need ages 6-18 and focuses on five key areas: bridging the workforce readiness gap, ending cycles of inequity, neutralizing safety threats, filling the mentorship void and amplifying marginalized voices. To see the variety of their work, watch this short video, Whatever It Takes to Build Great Futures.

BGCA programs are divided into six areas: sports and recreation, education, the arts, health and wellness, career development, and character and leadership. Some that I appreciate are the DramaMatters Afterschool club, involving kids in hands-on performing arts activities; Career Launch, helping teens explore their skills, interests and possible careers; and Million Members, Million Hours of Service, which gets club youth participating in volunteer and service projects. There are also programs for baseball, photography, enhancing self esteem and many, many more.

Finally, there is COVID-19 resource page that includes information on how to talk to your kids about it, how to recognized if they're stressed and how to help them create healthy habits and stay safe online. 

And the impact? 97% of Club teens expect to graduate from high school, 75% are volunteering in their communities and 80% said they understand how their feelings influence how they act.

If you'd like to support Boys & Girls Club of America you can do so by making a donation, volunteering, liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @BGCA_Clubs.

Feel Good Friday - unCommon Construction

I learned about today's Feel Good Friday organization from a tour guide I had in New Orleans. For every 5-star review he receives, his boss makes a donation to the charity of his choice, unCommon Construction.

Founded in 2015 by Aaron Frumin, the motto of unCommon Construction is "Building houses. Framing character."

This non-profit provides high school students with apprenticeships in the construction industry. Every Saturday students from four schools in New Orleans meet with experienced volunteers on a construction site to build a house from start to finish. The project is over at the end of the semester when the house is complete. While working, students get both hourly pay and school internship credit. Students also earn a matching "equity award scholarship" from revenue generated from the sale of the house. This can be used for further education, industry certification or tools.

This 4-minute video gives a great overview of the program and shows interviews with students on the worksite.

Not only are students who participate in the program earning money, credit and learning a trade, they also develop leadership and other soft skills through the process of working with the volunteers and other students.

If you'd like to support the work of unCommon Construction, you've got options. Those of you who live in New Orleans can hire them for a project or volunteer on a build. No matter where you are, you can shop for swag, make a donation and show the social media love by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @uCCNOLA.