CHARITY IN ACTION

Service as a way of Life

Anders — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:30:27 +0000

Service is more than volunteering. It is not a quota to be filled or a check box on your to-do list. It is a way of life. Charity In Action is devoted to promoting service in its truest sense possible. Service is an opportunity for us to experience our connectedness. It is a tool that can bring purpose and results into all levels of life. Our work is geared towards promoting service as a lifestyle, as a way of being that can be integrated into everything we do. The reason we do this is because service has the transformative power to not only do good, impact communities, and provide tangible outcomes, but to build community and foster profound personal growth. Through peak service experiences and service education, we strategically engage people in a lifelong process of learning, practicing, and incorporating service into daily life.

How would YOU like to get involved? How does service show up in your life? How can you use your individual skills and passion to provide opportunities for others to get engaged in service? Contact us and let us know.

Helping Haiti

Anders — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:15:19 +0000

[note: we are no longer accepting donations for Haiti. If you'd like to support relief efforts there, we recommend donating to Mercy Corps and the Grameen Foundation.]

We are pleased to announce that we raised $2,688 to support relief and recovery efforts in Haiti. In combination with our fundraising efforts for NewChurchLIVE, we raised almost $10,000! Thank you all very much for your generous and thoughtful contributions. After careful consideration and research, we have decided to use our funds to support the efforts of the Grameen Foundation and Mercy Corps.

Among the many ways to help, we believe that supporting educational and income-generating programs will be the best way achieve sustainable results. Through micro-finance and cash-for-work programs as well as other innovative strategies, both Grameen Foundation and Mercy Corps are helping the people of Haiti transition from receiving aid to carrying out their own recovery. If you’d like to learn more about these organization or donate, please visit their websites by clicking on the links above.

We are privileged to partner with you in making this world a better place. Your gift is transforming the lives of many Haitians as they work to rebuild their country. Our goal is to strengthen the bonds of this valuable, life-giving partnership. Thank you.

Ronald McDonald House – Night at the PHILLIES!

Anders — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:15:13 +0000

Come watch the Phillies and help us support one of our favorite community service partners, the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. They provide a home away from home for families of critically ill children receiving treatment at local hospitals. We regularly provide home-cooked meals for families residing at the house. It is a warmly welcomed gift for those who have just returned from a long, difficult day at the hospital.

Tickets are $30 each and they include a free hot dog and soda coupon along with a McDonald’s coupon for a free sandwich. For each ticket sold, the Phillies donate $18.50 to help support daily operations at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. Seats are located in the Terrace level and we’ll be playing the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It’s easy to think of service as a burden, something we do with heavy hearts and dragging feet. Well, we all know it doesn’t have to be that way. Think of this as one of the easier ways to do good and build community through service!

To pay for your tickets, click on the big ‘Donate‘ button to the right. You can mail a check or do it online.

Feelin’ Good in Bryn Athyn, PA!!!

Anders — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:36:33 +0000

Rorri Bostock, a senior at the Academy of the New Church, is working hard to start a FeelGood chapter in her hometown, Bryn Athyn Pennsylvania. She’s already built up a team of FeelGood members and this past weekend they launched their first successful grilled cheese operation raising over $300!

FeelGood is a student-run, non-profit organization that is ending world hunger one grilled cheese at a time, empowering a new generation of changemakers, and starting a new dialogue about hunger and poverty in our world. Learn more at http://feelgoodworld.org

Urgent opportunity to help Haitian trauma victims

Anders — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:30:51 +0000

As part of the ongoing medical response to the Haiti earthquake, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has activated components of the National Disaster Medical System to help U.S. hospitals provide care to critically ill survivors. Philadelphia is among the cities that may receive Haitian trauma patients very soon and many organizations have been trying to assess interest in helping to emergency house and feed individuals. Housing needs will be for the trauma patient’s companions, not the patients themselves. Other needs may include transportation, language services, community orientation, organizing, food and fundraising.

If you are interested in helping to meet some of these urgent needs please contact us and include your name and contact information. Indicating your interest does not obligate you in any way. It is possible that people could be arriving as early as next week. Those wishing to assist should expect to offer this hospitality for a time period of 90 days (although this number could vary widely either way). Thank you!

Foundation Monique Jean

Anders — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:33:32 +0000

As we work hard to determine how best to respond to the needs in Haiti right now, we are very thankful for our trusted partner Dr. Fanelise Jean and her organization Foundation Monique Jean. Dr. Jean has been very useful in helping us determine the most appropriate ways to help with the rebuilding process that will surely take a long time. While we have not determined where to direct our efforts at this point, we are very grateful to be connected with Foundation Monique Jean and we hope to support the important work that they are doing.

If you would like to hear Dr. Jean speak about her experience in Haiti during the earthquake, she appeared at a NewChurchLIVE service on behalf of Foundation Monique Jean. We are very appreciative of her support and her willingness to speak for us. (http://newchurchlive.tv/)

Katrina Relief Trip

Anders — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:00:09 +0000

Join Charity In Action and Bryn Athyn College on their 5th Annual Katrina Relief Service Trip! During the first week of March we will be traveling down to Slidell, Louisiana to help rebuild an area that is still recovering from the hurricane that struck over four years ago. If you are 18 years or older and know how to swing a hammer, you can be a part of this trip. Contact us if you’d like to be involved!

Click on the image below for more details

Project HABITAT

Anders — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:43:27 +0000

Help us eliminate poverty housing and homelessness right here in our own backyard! Charity In Action is partnering up with Habitat For Humanity and a few other non-profit organizations in the area to sponsor an entire house in Glenside.

More details to follow.

MLK Day of Service – Success!!!

Anders — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:19:29 +0000

We had wonderful day working with a group called Teenagers In Charge. This organization was developed to help teens build self-esteem, heighten their cultural and community awareness, and most importantly, learn how to take charge of their lives by interacting with others, participating in educational lectures, and by facilitating discussions during the sessions. They have big plans for their organization and we were grateful for the opportunity to support them in achieving their goals.

25 people came down from Charity In Action, it was one of our biggest groups yet. One idea that stands out is this growing “community of the willing” that their director spoke of. Each time we get involved in service, our community expands. In this case, it was a huge pleasure to feel a bit closer to our fellow brothers and sisters in Philadelphia. We discussed various ways to collaborate again in the future so hopefully our partnership will only grow stronger with time!

Click here to see more pics!

What do we do about Haiti?

Anders — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:05:27 +0000

We have just been made aware of an opportunity for people to assist with emergency housing for Haitians who are accompanying trauma victims to US hospitals. Read our latest post to know more.

By now, we have all seen the news and heard the stories. Haiti is the last country in the world that needed a catastrophe like this. Currently there are many relief organizations on the ground struggling to provide basic needs such as water, medical care, shelter and food. Many reports have come from the region saying that the problems in Haiti will only begin to worsen. The entire infrastructure of Haiti has been literally shaken to the ground and the problems developing there will most definitely turn into long-term chronic problems.

We are working hard to communicate with relief organizations and individuals from Haiti to determine the most appropriate avenues to direct our funds. Our goal is to raise funds that will go towards organizations that are responding to basic needs while also attempting to create long-term, systemic change. If you’d like to help alleviate the suffering, you can make a tax-deductible donation here on our website or send a check to PO BOX 455, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. We will make sure your resources are leveraged in the most efficient and effective way possible.

Sending out peace and love to all those living in Haiti and to all who were affected by this disaster…