Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Day
Maybe the love of your life is allergic to roses or maybe he or she is trying to drop a few pounds, so chocolates (even if they are fair trade chocolates) may not fly. Or maybe you're trying to find an unusual way to show your love, beyond a Hallmark card. What about making a donation to a charity in honor the special someone in your life. A number of nonprofit organizations are promoting Valentine's Day giving opportunities, here's a few:
A Day for Hearts is an opportunity to raise awareness about congenital heart defects, a lethal constellation of birth defects of the heart that affect millions of newborn infants and children worldwide. It's killer that claims thousands of lives every year. Every year on Valentine's Day, Heart Disease Online hosts this event by offering information, resources and support to those who lives have been touched by congenital heart disease, and an opportunity to make a contribution.
Do you have a special techie in your life who works for a nonprofit? Why not send some geek love from NTEN?
Give a Virtual Gift on Facebook and Support Breast Cancer (or another charity): Thinking about sending a virtual gift, maybe a teddy bear, flowers, hearts, or whatever? Why not send a virtual gift that sends a donation to support breast cancer research or some other cause? Changing the Present Facebook application offers nearly 1,000 meaningful $1 gifts from hundreds of leading nonprofits, so you're sure to find something that moves you or your sweetheart. And, don't just support Breast Cancer Research on special holidays, every Friday is PeaFund Friday.
Join the Red Campaign. You can purchase a gift or card that provides AIDS grants in Ghana, Rwanda, and Swaziland. (RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT)RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Save the Children hopes to start a new tradition of sending Save the Children Valentine's Day Cards. By making a donation, you can print out or email these beautiful cards featuring children's artwork. Your donation will help the organization reach more children in poor, rural communities in the United States through early childhood education, literacy, physical activity and nutrition programs.
Give a copy of Love Letters from the South, a beautiful photography book that pays tribute to all those affected by Hurricane Katrina. The proceeds support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and
Habitat for Humanity's Operation Home Delivery.
A Good Card from Network for Good lets you show your sweetheart you have a sweet heart! You select the amount, your sweetie choose the charity, and together you make a difference!
And if you happen to get a proposal or a ring and want to use your wedding to raise money for Charity, be sure to register at the I Do Foundation.
Update: I asked the Twitter network what I was leaving out, here's a few responses:
LGBT Immigration Benefit
Mating Ringtones for your cell phone!
I'm sure there are many other Valentine's Day opportunities to make a contribution, volunteer, or celebrate your love by doing good. Please do share them in the comments. And have a wonderful Valentine's Day.
A big thank you, Beth, for listing my LGBT immigration right benefit. Valentine's Day is a symbolic holiday for so many of us binational couples, as we are not able to be with our partners and families due to immigration discrimination in the U.S.
Posted by: Christopher | February 11, 2008 at 08:16 AM
Cancer Survivors often find Valentine's Day a time of unusual stress. Whether survivors are single, dating or happy in romance, Valentine's Day excites a sense of belonging that is challenged by stressors associated with cancer diagnosis.
So, what better gift and help can we make for all the survivors we know, than to connect them with two vibrant survivor communities...both of which were developed from LiveStrong Summit personal action plans. CancerMatch at http://www.cancermatch.org and OutWithCancer at http://www.outwithcancer.org are both free, well attended cancer survivor social networks. People connect either through email or live chats, one on one or in groups. CancerMatch is designed for everyone and OutWithCancer is focused on LGBT survivors .
How can you help? Simple. The easiest, and most helpful thing you can do, right now, is create a link on your or your company's website. That way, more and more people will sign on and more and more lives will be enhanced. For this Valentines Day's, we keep in mind, that, it's not about the diagnosis.....it's about life. So, let's help fill all of our lives with love....please help get the word out about these two great websites.
CancerMatch http://www.cancermatch.org
OutWithCancer http://www.outwithcancer.org
Please let me know if you have any questions. And, Happy Valentine's Day to you, too!
Posted by: Cancer Survivor | February 11, 2008 at 09:46 AM