A Threefold 'Thank You' to Los Angeles
-thumb-110x110-213475.jpg)
A Photo Gallery of the Things I am Grateful for This Year
Canter's & Ice Cream Sandwich Could Live in Perfect Harmony
Dear Los Angeles: I'm Thankful For...
I LOVE L.A.! My Thanksgiving Thanks
Photo of Volunteer Park in Seattle by sunrisesoup via Flickr
Forget New Years resolutions! Now is the perfect time to make a change in your life and make a difference the lives of others. Here's a very brief list of just a few organizations around L.A. that are currently looking for volunteers. For additional resources visit www.vcla.net or www.laworks.com.
Animal Support
Friends of Animals- works to cultivate a respectful view of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic. http://www.friendsofanimals.org
PetSave Foundation- mission is to improve the quality of life for homeless animals, particularly those who are often overlooked because of special needs and low potential for adoption. http://www.heavenlypets.org
Services for Women & Children
Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women- works for the elimination of violence against women, youth and children through working toward social change, equality and social justice. http://www.lacaaw.org
Alexandria House- is a non-profit transitional residence and house of hospitality providing safe and supportive housing for women and children in the process of moving from emergency shelter to permanent housing. http://www.alexandriahouse.org/
Literacy and Learning
California Science Center- aspires to stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in everyone by creating fun, memorable experiences. http://www.californiasciencecenter.org
Literacy Network of Greater Los Angeles- mission is to make literacy resources easily accessible to learners, literacy service providers, and employers in our community through partnerships, advocacy, and direct program services. http://www.literacynetwork.org
Children & Youth
Young Story Tellers Foundation- dedicated to developing literacy, self-expression and self-esteem through the art of storytelling. http://www.youngstorytellers.com
Window Between Worlds - dedicated to using art to help end domestic violence. http://www.awbw.org
Children Uniting Nations- committed to help EVERY child find a way out of cruelty, neglect, and anger. http://www.childrenunitingnations.org
Citizen Action
Operation HOPE- seeks to bring true and sustaining “HOPE” to those living in the other America, reminding them always that they are important and necessary, advocating important positions on their behalf within City and State government, the halls of Congress, the Senate, and other government, legislative and regulatory bodies. http://www.operationhope.org
Health & Wellness
The Los Angeles Free Clinic- a community of caring and committed individuals, made up of staff, volunteers, donors and community supporters, who have come together to provide health and human services to thousands of men, women and children in need. http://www.lafreeclinic.org
Project Angel Food- mission is to nourish the body and spirit of men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes and other serious illnesses. http://www.angelfood.org
Environment
Heal the Bay - dedicated to making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean. http://www.healthebay.org
TreePeople- mission is to inspire the people of Los Angeles to take personal responsibility for the urban forest - educating, training and supporting them as they plant and care for trees and improve the neighborhoods in which they live, learn, work and play. http://www.treepeople.org
Homelessness/Hunger
Midnight Mission Family Housing- one of the oldest continuously operating human services organizations in Los Angeles. http://www.midnightmission.org
Los Angeles Regional Foodbank- works to to mobilize resources to fight hunger in our community. http://www.lafoodbank.org
Seniors
Sydney Cooper Senior Smiles- trains, recruits, and educates volunteers of all ages on the needs of the elderly, and then pairs the volunteer with a lonely senior in nursing homes, hospitals, board and care, and private homes throughout California. http://www.seniorsmiles.org
St. Barnabas Senior Services- mission is to enable senior citizens to live independently and with dignity for as long as possible, not only through the provision of comprehensive social services for those in need, but also by promoting a viable community life where seniors have routine social contact with others. http://www.saintb-la.org
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
If you don't have time to volunteer directly -- you can be supportive through advocacy/activism.
Right now there there is consideration to ban plastic shopping bags in LA County - Ban Plastic Bags
One of the things affecting global warming, though still in early research, is the impact of plastics in the ocean.
The ocean produces more oxygen than any other resource on the planet. But, when plastics and rising temperatures combine, the production of oxygen could be severely disrupted and we will really see climate havoc.
Quick Facts:
- Roughly 60–80% of all marine debris, and 90% of floating debris is plastic!
- The North Pacific Gyre is the world's largest floating island of trash (5 million square miles—bigger than the entire US) where there is six more times the mass of plastic particles than plankton!
- More than 1 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals, and countless fish die annually from ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris that NEVER biodegrades
- Not to mention the millions of barrels of oil we consume to produce plastic bags
Because this is a local issue – every signature REALLY does count. And if it passes here, perhaps it can start to pass in more places (there are bans around the world already, but it needs to be pervasive).
Just an example of how to support one of the many non-profits listed here (Heal the Bay).