Spend Less, Give More: To Write Love On Her Arms

If you’re just now tuning in, I’m doing a “Spend Less, Give More” series. I’ve spotlighted several awesome organizations so far: Charity:Water, Heifer International, and TOMs. In the spirit of giving this holiday season, I’m encouraging you guys to not waste money on junk, but instead contribute to something with a purpose, somewhere that will improve someone’s life! So far, these organizations have centered around assisting basic physical needs in life (that obviously have chain reaction effects to everything else – education, opportunity…) but today I would like to share with you guys To Write Love On Her Arms. This is a different one because it’s about the inside – suicide prevention, mental health help, recognizing emotional issues.

(Image via TWLOHA Facebook.)

To Write Love On Her Arms mission is simple: “a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.  TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.”

The TWLOHA story started back in the spring of 2006, (founded by Jamie Tworkowski)  when a group of friends joined together to help Renee, a 19 year old girl suffering from depression, a drug addiction, she was a cutter…a treatment center refused her, so a group rallied around her and provided her with a support system for days. Just loving her, praying with her, taking her to events, coffee runs, cigarette breaks, just being there for her before she entered a rehab program. The group started selling t-shirts to fund-raise for Renee’s treatment, and with those t-shirts a movement was sparked. The team soon realized that there were literally thousands of people all over the world, who had questions, who needed someone to talk to, who could benefit from the message of hope and encouragement – people need to know they are not alone.

 

Did you know that more than “350 million people around the world, suffer from depression?” (Find out the FACTS.) It’s sad because depression is almost like a taboo topic in our society. It’s deemed normal to talk about our feelings in the face of tragedy, but what about the rest of the time? There seems to be a stigma surrounding depression. It’s a shame because not talking about it, is part of what makes people think they’re alone in what they feel. We all have questions. We each have a story. Your story matters. You are important. You are loved. You are worthy. God has a purpose for your life, and you are not meant to walk alone. That it gets better, that there is possibility, that things can change…

“The vision is better endings.  The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships.  The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love.  The vision is graduation, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise.  The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change.  

The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead.  

The vision is the possibility that we’re more loved than we’ll ever know.  

The vision is hope, and hope is real.

You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.” – TWLOHA, vision

To Write Love On Her Arms is meant to serve as a “bridge to help.” You’re encouraged, if you or a friend needs to talk to someone – call a helpline or seek treatment.

If you’re not familiar with To Write Love On Her Arms, I encourage you to go check out their website, read the blog. If a TWLOHA event is coming through your area – go. The Heavy and Light tour kicks off in January! There are a lot of ways you can contribute to the TWLOHA movement. You can make a donation here. There’s a huge assortment of merchandise in the TWLOHA store, everything from the original t-shirts, to hoodies, stickers, even iPhone cases. Like other items featured in the previous posts, something as simple as a t-shirt can be a great conversation starter, and a wonderful way to spread the word. Is TWLOHA an important cause to you? you could even Join the street team!

 

 

If this is you, don’t be ashamed to seek help, don’t give up, and please don’t feel like you’re alone in your struggle, don’t be afraid to reach out. If you think you have a friend going through some of these problems, support them, love them, encourage them, make sure they know how much they matter to you, help them find help. Life is a heck of a lot better when we support each other.

Spend Less, Give More: Heifer International

This holiday season I’m utilizing my blog to encourage the idea of spending less, and giving more. (Check out the kick-off post: Spend Less, Give More.) Yesterday I featured one of my favorite organizations: Charity:Water. Well, now I’d love for you to take the time to read about another favorite organization: Heifer International.

(Disclaimer: I do not own any of this media content, which is the property of Heifer International. Just using for informational purposes.)

(Image via Heifer International Facebook page.)

Heifer International’s mission is simple, but completely invaluable: “to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth.”

I still remember years back when my dad’s friend Hope donated an animal in his name. We got the card that explains the gift and organization and I thought – wow, how cool. Since then all of the members of my family have contributed to Heifer International. Flocks of chicks, flocks of ducks, cows, goats – Hope’s gift truly did set the pass-it-on spark.

 

The awesome thing about donations to Heifer International is that the gifts these donations provide are about more than just a source of food. Take the chickens for example – chickens lay eggs, then those eggs can be used to feed others in the community or be sold in the market. The same thing goes for goat or cow milk, even honey from bees! This brings together agriculture and business – providing people a way to take care of their families, and helps build hope. The boost in commerce can transform communities!

Has someone donated to Heifer International in your honor before? Did it inspire you to pass it on?! Just think how your contribution can change lives! View the gift catalog and see how donations of all sizes can make a difference. Your contribution can set off the chain of events that lead to full bellies, thriving communities, educational opportunities, and more!

(Image via Heifer International Facebook.)
Children in Uganda with family chickens. Look at those smiles!

You can read the Heifer International blog, follow them on Twitter, or like their Facebook page to keep-up! Pass it on!

Spend Less, Give More

It’s December. I’m  sure all of my readers are aware that it’s the holiday season. Christmas is upon us. Lights aglow from the houses in the neighborhood, decorations hang from street lamps in town, Christmas music blares from the speakers everywhere you go to shop, the lines at the post office are abundant. You’re probably prepping for holiday parties at work or with friends, or trying to get ready for family company to come visit. Maybe you have kids and they’ve been writing letters to Santa and you’re scrambling to check things off those lists. Maybe you’re in a relationship and you feel pressured to get your significant other “the perfect gift.” Maybe you just want to give your friends something for Christmas because you feel like it’s expected, and the way to show them how much you care. Or maybe you fall in that boat of obligatory gift-giving, feeling like you should return the “favor” because someone else gave you a present? All this hustle and bustle can really take away focus from what’s important about Christmas time. It may even be stress inducing enough that you’re just wishing for it to be over already. But why…so much spending? Sometimes we do find really thoughtful gifts for people and they do feel like you picked it out specially for them, but a lot of times money just gets forked over at the store in a rush as you grab something to cross that person off your list. So, this holiday season I challenge you to do something different. Stop and think about what you’re doing. Does your friend really need another bath gel basket, does that coworker need desk organizer? Quit spending money and junk and give to something that matters. Whether that means giving your time – (volunteer somewhere, offer to serve in a soup kitchen, babysit, help at a tutoring center, etc. just contribute somewhere that your time spent will benefit someone else) or giving from your wallet. There are plenty of charities to give to – is there a cause or organization close to your heart? Maybe a family member or close friend has been directly affected by an illness? Consider donating to an organization like ones that research a cure, or assist families with people suffering from these ailments (ones like the Dear Jack Foundation, American Cancer Society, Children’s Miracle Network or Ronald McDonald House. Shoot, you could register for the national bone marrow donor program at Be The Match. Look into Consider giving to children less fortunate in your community. I’m sure you’ve seen angels on Christmas trees out in places in your community. Or you could donate non-perishable food items to a local food pantry, or to an organization in your town like Blessings in a Backpack that helps kids from low-income families stay fed! Maybe a friend or someone in your community needs support for their own journey to go out and help others. (I have a friend in PT school that’s gearing up to do a missions trip in the Dominican Republic. Our church supports a group that’s made a community center for kids in Colombia. I know a couple planning to start an orphanage in Haiti.) Remember when I featured the awesome organization of Hello Somebody? As winter approaches, it’s getting colder all around (even in Florida) think about donating some items to a clothes closet that will help outfit those in need. Shelters can always use items like toilet paper, towels, blankets, beanies socks, toothbrushes, combs, and general hygiene items. There are some really cool organizations like Heifer International out there that you can give money to that will go to do things like give a family a cow, or a flock of chicks – this helps because they can farm with the animals, use and sell their products (like milk or eggs,) and it helps them to be self-sufficient. You can donate to organizations that do things like empowering women in developing countries which support women’s ability to be independent. There are SO many different organizations like this, as well as all the one-for-one organizations where when you purchase an item, one is given to someone in need. (Think TOMs shoes, or Warby Parker eyeglasses, or Out of Print.) A cool thing about one-for-one is when someone asks you about what you’re wearing, or using you can tell them about the organization and it spreads by word of mouth, and you might inspire the person you gave the gift to, to give one to someone else! Over the coming days I’d love to spotlight some of these different organizations, and for you to honestly consider participating in more meaningful giving this Christmas. You’ll feel a lot less guilty about your spending this season when you know you’re helping someone else!