CHARITIES I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT
Charities that deserve recognition...
Just before the new year, things got busy for me and I sadly ended up a) getting lost in daily chores and b) forgetting to appreciate the small things in life. After evaluating my displeasure of constantly being on the go and not allowing myself time to relax, I realized that holidays as well as regular days should not be about being a perfectionist. Life should be about appreciating what you have and doing what you can to help others excel in life, too. So this year, I'm determined to focus less on the gift giving and more on donating my time and money to several charity organizations. I know you're probably just as conscious about contributing to the well-being of humanity, so I thought I would share the charities I have on my list to contribute to.
The first one came to me super quickly. During Christmas time, I realized that gift giving got to the point of pure stressfulness, rather than excitement. At that point, I decided to a) focus minimally on physical gifts while maximizing charitable gifts and b) research and select my favorite charities I plan to spend time with over the year. In the process of researching charities, I came across the most wonderful elephant sanctuary in Thailand, thanks to Revolve and the wonderful ladies that partnered with Revolve to bring awareness to these lovely creatures that have suffered in the lodging and tourism industry. Phucket Elephant Sanctuary will bring heart warming tears to your eyes as you learn that once sick, abused elephants are now living in their natural habitat. Plus, you can feed them bananas and pineapples after you watch them bathe in a water lagoon, which is so sweet. I can't wait to donate to them (and hopefully plan a trip to Thailand one day) so I can sincerely appreciate all the work this organization continues to do.
2. NRDC
This organization is so powerful in such a gentle way. From ecological efforts, battling climate change, and keeping food sustainable, this powerful group of scientists, lawmakers, and other environmental experts work together to enhance the quality of life, not solely for us (people), but for animals and nature too. So commendable. Think about it - each is connected and influenced by the other. Essentially, we are interlopers living in a world that isn't just ours; it's a shared planet with other vital living organisms - plants, ocean waters, and the air we breathe. Their videos are so compelling and captivating. Did you know that parts of the ocean can be sectioned off and marked as national monument to preserve coral reef and marine life? I highly recommend checking out their website. It's so fascinating to learn about the unique ways in which each elements effects another element.
This one is very close to my heart. The summer of 2016, my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer just months after our very close friend passed away from prostate cancer. I was scared, yet hopeful for my dad's recovery. Today, he is cleared of cancer and paving his way to retirement. Yay dad! However, he still feels the side effects of the radiation and has to take preventative medicine for the remainder of his life. The Prostate Cancer Foundation works to raise money to support projects at cancer centers and universities to improve the quality of life for men. PCF is unique in that it identifies the most unique ideas and channels resources so as to speed scientific breakthroughs and deliver new, effective treatments to patients. With innovative treatment discoveries, PCF has decreased deaths by prostate cancer 50%, including my dad. One of my favorite things about this charity is that they act to increase the lives of men, not simply relieve symptoms. Essentially, PCF is a comemorable charity that continuously looks for ways to make new advancements as an effort to combat prostate cancer by brining new medicines into research. I'm thankful for PCF and really wish this charity the best in creating one medicine to end prostate cancer forever.
Although there are countless charities and organizations that I fully stand behind, I wanted to keep this post on the short side as to keep it interesting. I would love to do a continuation on my favorite charities, so please share your favorites below so I can check them out!
