Category Archives: Community Involvement

Kiva – Loans that Change Lives

Posted on March 5, 2010 | Leave a comment

During Lent, many people have the desire to do more for others, but often the time or money just isn’t available. Kiva is a wonderful way to help people in 3rd world countries through a microloan.  The beauty of this program is you can loan as little as $25 to an entrepreneur in Nigeria, Cambodia or numerous other countries throughout the world. 

As a lender, you have the opportunity to read hundreds of profiles and choose the person, business and country where you want to invest your money.  If $25 is too much, today instead of going out for lunch, join with 4 coworkers or neighbors and each chip in $5 to make your first $25 loan.  After making your loan, you will receive regular updates on the status of the repayment of your loan.  Once your loan is repaid you have the option of cashing out and getting your investment back or you can reinvest in another entrepreneur.   

Started in 2005, Kiva has loaned over $100 million dollars. You may have seen or read about Kiva.org since it has been featured on Oprah, USA Today, New York Times and almost every major news outlet.  It’s a great program, so go to Kiva.org today to make your first microloan.  

Click on this CNBC video to see a great recap of the Kiva program.

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Posted in Community Involvement, Community Outreach, Roni Pridemore, Technology and Our Lives, Uncategorized

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Community Involvement: Hope for Haiti

Posted on January 22, 2010 | Leave a comment

It’s been 9 days since the first earthquake in Haiti.  Since then there has been death, pain, grief, chaos, generosity and singing.  I heard from two different sources that even though the people of Haiti are living in devastation, many are singing and dancing in thanksgiving for still being alive. 

Tonight at 8pm on all major television networks, you can view Hope for Haiti Now – a 2 hour telethon featuring music by celebrities in London, New York and Los Angeles with live reports from Haiti by Anderson Cooper.

Proceeds from the telethon will be split evenly between The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, United Nations World Food Programme, Oxfam America, Partners in Health, The Red Cross, UNICEF and the Yele Haiti Foundation.

Besides the telethon, opportunities to give are everywhere; in the schools, at the grocery and even by text.  Customers of participating wireless carriers can TEXT “HAITI” to 90999 and donate $10 to Haiti Relief efforts.  This mobile fundraising initiative is a partnership between the American Red Cross, Mobile Accord and the mGive Foundation that is supported by the U.S. State Department. Donations will appear on customers’ monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance.

For more details, please visit www.mgive.com/A. Participating Carriers are Alltel, AT&T, Cellular South, Cellcom, Cincinnati Bell, Cricket, nTelos, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile.

Besides donating money another way to help is to donate blood.  The Red Cross is always in need of donors. To find a blood donation site, go to www.redcrossblood.org.

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Posted in Community Involvement, Roni Pridemore, Uncategorized

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Community Involvement: The Salvation Army

Posted on December 18, 2009 | Leave a comment

Download The Salvation Army Bellringer app for your iPhone.

Inspired by our dedicated volunteers – a familiar sight outside of stores and at shopping malls during the holidays, The Salvation Army Bellringer iPhone app is a wonderful way to raise awareness for thousands of people in need, and have a little fun at the same time.

By downloading this simple Bellringer app, you, your friends, and your family can share in the tradition of being a Salvation Army Bellringer volunteer.

With 12 musical notes to choose from, you and your friends can ring your bells together and create unique sounds, play your favorite holiday songs, or make up an on-the-spot jingle. The notes are up to you, but one thing’s certain: Thanks to your bell ringing and donations, we can change lives for the better.

Download the app now and help The Salvation Army continue Doing the Most Good. 

This is the last big weekend to drop money into the Salvation Army red kettle before Christmas.  As you are running in to make those last minute purchases, don’t forget to greet your local Salvation Army bell ringer with a smile, as you drop a few dollars into the red kettle to help a family in need.

 The “miracle” of Christmas is repeated over and over again through the joy of caring and sharing. The traditional red kettle is an integral part of the Christmas scene, with millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families, seniors, and the homeless, in keeping with the spirit of the season.

Donations provide Christmas dinners, clothing, and toys for families in need. Financial assistance also helps with basic necessities, along with seasonal aid. Families of prisoners often are included. Many families receive aid over a period of months after the Christmas season as well.  Volunteers distribute gifts to shut-ins in hospitals and nursing homes, and shelters are open for sit-down dinners. The Salvation Army endeavors to bring spiritual light and love to those it serves at Christmas so that the real meaning of the season is not forgotten.

No cash on hand or iphone app? This year you can make donations by credit card at several test sites across the United States or go to www.salvationarmy.com to make an immediate donation.

In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee created the kettle donation tradition when he placed an iron kettle in San Francisco’s Oakland Ferry Landing that read, “Keep the pot boiling.” He used the money people placed in it to fund a Christmas dinner for the poor in the area. The act soon spread across the United States and is now also a common site in Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries.

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Posted in Community Involvement, Community Outreach, Roni Pridemore, Technology and Our Lives, Uncategorized

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Community Involvement: Heifer.org

Posted on November 20, 2009 | 1 Comment

Looking for a more meaningful way to celebrate the holidays? Let friends and family give the most unique gifts ever: A Heifer animal donation to a family in need. Choose from goats, water buffalo, chickens, and much more. To see the whole catalogue of animal go to www.heifer.org.

In Tanzania, Omari and Kulwa were struggling to raise a family on just 50 cents a day. With the training and chicks they received from Heifer, egg sales have boosted their daily income to $2, so they can now buy food and still pay school fees.

Heifer International was recently featured on the Oprah Winfrey show during the All for Woman Campaign. www.oprah.com After seeing this program, my daughter and I bought a flock of chicks and part of a goat. Each donation was only $20. Other options are a whole water buffalo for $250, a sheep for $120 or you can buy parts of an animal for as low as $10.

In poor Filipino villages, water buffalo from Heifer provide draft power for planting rice and potatoes, milk for protein and manure for fertilizer and fuel. A farmer can plant four times more rice with a buffalo than by hand. Water buffalo haul heavy loads to the market, where the sale of extra produce brings in vital income for clothing, medicine and school. By renting their buffalo to neighbors, Heifer partner families can earn money for home improvements.

This year instead of another pair of socks or a coffee mug, buy the members of your family a meaningful gift from the Heifer International Gift Catalogue.

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Posted in Community Involvement, Roni Pridemore, Uncategorized

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Desiree’ Cherry, Wi-Ex Sales Support Manager, Committed to Helping Others

Posted on November 5, 2009 | Leave a comment

 Each month we are focusing on a Wi-Ex associate that is involved in helping the community in some way. This month Desiree’ Cherry, Sales Support Manager for Wi-Ex writes about her volunteer experience.

 As Sales Support Manager, I enjoy the daily interaction with customers. That enjoyment of assisting and helping other’s carries over into my personal life. My husband and I are very active in our church and community. We are president of the marriage ministry at our church, which allows us an opportunity to focus on the family and the husband and wife as a couple. We offer many events and training sessions throughout the year to offer a glimmer of hope during these challenging days. One of the main reasons couples quarrel is due to finances, and the second reason is a lack of communication. We offer educational and spiritual guidance to assist couples through those troubled areas and offer practical solutions to their everyday relationship needs. Heading up such a ministry is both rewarding and fulfilling.

Additionally, I serve as a Christian counselor at our church, specializing in marital concerns and women’s issues; serve as armor bearer to the Bishop’s wife and am Sr. Editor and contributing author for our church magazine. The purpose of the magazine is to “Educate, Encourage, Inspire and Inform” and with a small but committed staff we work to make sure our material is relevant to our readers.

And lastly I am co-chair of the minister’s wives ministry. This group offers support, encouragement, education and love to our minister’s wives, who work diligently behind the scenes to assist their husbands in their ministries. Unless you have walked in their shoes, one would never know of the mountain top and valley experiences they face daily. So we offer support to help meet the needs of the wives, husbands and family. We find that when the family’s overall needs are met; the minister can be fully committed to his mission for the Lord.

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Posted in Community Involvement, Desiree' Cherry, Uncategorized

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For Teens Only

Posted on October 8, 2009 | 1 Comment
Founder of Girl Talk Janine Davis and Pastor Murphy of Newbirth

Founder of Girl Talk Janine Davis and Pastor Murphy of Newbirth

For Teens Only was an all-day expo that I was very lucky to participate in. It provided comprehensive exposure to the best resources that Charlotte, NC has to offer youth and families so they are equipped with the knowledge to enhance their lives. Based on the event’s theme “For Teens Only: I Am Worth Saving,” the expo offered information to encourage healthy decision-making, respect, responsibility, goal setting, career planning and youth activism on the issues that matter most to teens.

The morning kicked off with a great musical group called Inspire the fire with a marching band. I don’t know what made me happier, the excitement of the day or the happiness on all the teens faces. This was the point of the day that I realized that I was grateful to participate in this event and possibly encourage a young person that life has a lot to offer and that the community was there to support young teens and bond us together even for the day.

I had the opportunity to speak on a panel during the morning sessions to girls and their mothers on topics such as body image and loving your body, self esteem, self respect, and body image related to the media. Other panelists included Fanny Morales with Tequila Magazine, Stephanie Mills Actress and recording artist, Amy Combs, psychologist with the Charlotte Balance Center and Donna Scott the Body Chronicles producer and director. The girls had a lot to say and the discussion was very helpful for the parents. The session ended with two teen girls reciting a body image poem which was inspirational and positive.

I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around checking out the rest of the exhibitors and was really pleased to see such a great turnout and so much support for the teens in the community. This event was created and put together by Janine Davis Executive director of The Girl Talk Foundation. Girl Talk is a girls group that encourages positive and critical thinking, builds character, promotes self-respect, teaches life skills, teaches leadership skills and serves as a network of support for young teenage girls. For more information on Girl talk visit: http://girltalkfoundationinc.com/

 For more information on the expo visit: http://www.forteensonly.net/ Here is the question I leave you with. How are you helping in your community? What are you doing to support teens, our next generation?

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Posted in Community Involvement, Guest Blogger, Julie Arko

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