Feel Good Friday - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Not only is April 8^th a Feel Good Friday, it’s also National Zoo Lovers Day! What a great time to profile the San Diego Zoo and Wildlife Alliance. 

Since 1916, the San Diego Zoo in California has been connecting people and animals. What you may not know is that, along with the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the zoo is part of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA), “an international, nonprofit conservation organization committed to inspiring a passion for nature and creating a world where all life thrives.”  Watch this short video or keep reading to learn more.

The sustainability of wildlife around the world is threatened by climate change, invasive species, habitat degradation, human-wildlife conflict, wildlife trafficking and emerging diseases. SDZWA addresses these challenges by implementing conservation strategies in partnership with hundreds of organizations around the world. 

They operate in eight strategic regions, known as conservation hubs, and focus on specific animals in each region – for example gorillas in the African forest, jaguars in Amazonia and elephants and rhinos in the savanna. Working with local partners they develop their conservations plans which have included trail cams and GPS collars for jaguars, providing water sources for kolas affected by wildfires, and reintroducing “more than 44 endangered species to native habitats”.

 

SDZWA brings stories of their work back to the zoo and safari park to give guests the opportunity to experience conservation in action. This work reaches over 1 billion people in 150 countries via news media, social media, their websites, educational resources, and the San Diego Zoo Kids channel, which is in children’s hospitals in 13 countries. Their goal is to inspire visitors, both in person and virtually, to become Wildlife Allies and help safeguard wildlife around the world.

If you want to be a Wildlife Ally, there are many ways to get involved. You can join campaigns to slow climate change, protect natural habitat for monarch butterflies, or help stop wildlife trafficking. You can also purchase a membership to SDZWA and visit in person, make a donation or join conservation experts for some adventure travel! As always, help spread the love on social media. Like the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @sandiegozoo and Instagram @sandiegozoo. 

Feel Good Friday - Comedy Gives Back

Happy April Fool’s Day! A day of pranks and (hopefully) laughter, and a perfect Feel Good Friday to talk about comedians and the people looking out for them. 

Comedy Gives Back is the safety net for the comedy community. It was founded by industry veterans in April 2020, to help comedians who found themselves out of work and struggling at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.

 

As they explain on their website: “Being alone onstage is part of the job of the stand-up comedian. Feeling alone offstage is unacceptable. Comedy Gives Back was created so that comedians have resources to turn to when times get tough.”

 

The first major event produced by Comedy Gives Back was Laugh Aid, a virtual event that involved 90 comedians streaming 8 hours of live content. Comedy fans tuned in, donated and helped Comedy Gives Back raise $400,000 which was distributed to over 700 grantees.

 

In addition to the financial relief grants, Comedy Gives Back helps comedians access mental health and substance abuse resources. There is also a Facebook group for comedians to connect and support each other. 

 

If you’ve appreciated comedians who brought laughter into your world over the last two years, let them know it by making a donation and spreading the word on social media. Like the Comedy Gives Back Facebook pageand follow them on Twitter @ComedyGivesBack and Instagram @ComedyGivesBack.

 

Feel Good Friday - Dress for Success

It’s the last Feel Good Friday of Women’s History Month so put on your fancy clothes and take a moment to celebrate Dress for Success. 

Founded in the basement of a church in Manhattan in 1996, Dress for Success is “a global not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.” Their vision is “a world where women do not live in poverty; are treated with dignity and respect; and are strengthening their families and shaping their communities.” 

 

Dress for Success clients are women with job interviews who get referred by organizations such as homeless shelters, immigration services, job training programs, educational institutions, and domestic violence shelters. Once connected to a Dress for Success affiliate, these women have access to a variety of services. 

 

There are over 13,000 volunteer personal shoppers who work with women to select clothing for an interview, and later a new job. There are also workshops and career coaching on topics such as resume writing, interview prep, online job search tips and career planning. Many affiliates have an employment retention program for women seeking to network with other professionals and enhance their careers.

 

Since they began, Dress for Success has expanded to almost 150 cities in 25 countries and accepts referrals from over 5,000 organizations worldwide. More than 1.2 million women have taken steps towards economic independence with the help of Dress for Success. You can read personal success stories at this link or meet some clients in this 5-minute video. 

 

If you’d like to get help women become more self-sufficient there are many ways to get involved. Find your local affiliate and volunteer as a personal shopper, or donate a gift card, store credit, or cash. If you’re unsure of an appropriate donation amount, Dress for Success has a campaign encouraging people to give an hour of their pay and then tag it on social media with #YourHourHerPower. Speaking of social media, what a great way to let other people know about this work. Like the Dress for Success Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @dressforsuccess and Instagram @dressforsuccess.