Most people don’t like to think about human trafficking, whether it’s for forced labor or for sex. But according to the Washington Engage website, human trafficking is tied with illegal arms trading as the second-largest criminal industry in the world today.
Studies have shown that including the arts in early education can improve academic, study, communication and cognitive skills.
“I’m here to tell you that when it comes to recreation for the physically or mentally challenged, it’s time for a change. And that change is happening all around us.”
April is National Volunteer Month and while I volunteer a lot, I have always looked for that one thing that would give my life more meaning. And now I’ve found it.
According to the Humane Society, approximately 2.7 million pets are euthanized in this country every year. Another source says it’s 4 million. The vast majority of these animals would have made loving companions, if only someone had stepped in and adopted them.
As the executive director of the Renton Community Foundation, I work closely with the philanthropic community. What I see is both inspiring and heartening.
When I first started in my fundraising career, we were told to get donors to “give until it hurt.” Fundraising professionals came to realize that a better mantra was, “give until it feels good” – a not-so-subtle difference.
Educators believe there is a direct link between music and academic achievement. Music is fundamental in teaching kids a whole host of skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Consider the new normal in our school system. First, there is a lack of school supplies. What?
If you saw Trevor Marshall hanging around a street corner, you might think he’s just one of those kids who doesn’t seem to have anything better to do. In his early 20s, Trevor sports tattoos and piercings, baggy pants and beard stubble.
Research shows that the teenage brain is in transition and won’t be fully developed until the mid-20s. That means that at the time a child is beginning to test his wings and get ready to fly, his ability to make rational decisions is impaired.
Approximately 1.6 to 1.7 million children in the United States are determined to be homeless each year.
As we try to fully understand the impact of poverty in our country, it’s important to understand what it must be like for low-income individuals to survive each day. To do that, let me ask you a question – could you eat all of your meals on approximately $4 a day?
Food deserts are large geographic areas where people don’t have access to stores with fresh and affordable food. This isn’t a problem for most of us with cars. But for the disadvantaged among us, it’s a real problem.
For many people in our community, dinner may not have anything to do with beef, or protein, or anything healthy. They may not even have dinner.
Making a donation to a charity in which you believe is a voluntary act. No one makes you do it. Yet, we have built a culture in this country that supports, and even encourages philanthropy to improve our quality of life. But how do you know if your gift has been put to good use?
Last year, the Renton Community Foundation (RCF) decided to add community leadership to its charter and embark on a journey to learn about homelessness, hunger and at-risk youth in the Renton area. The goal was to find a gap that wasn’ being addressed and see if we could help fill it.
If crystal balls really had the power to show us the future, then there are a few things I would like to know.
For instance, will the homeless finally have shelter? Will food banks have an abundance of food to feed the hungry? Will the arts play a vital role in sustaining us as a culture? Will abuse and neglect be absent neighbors? Will our lakes, rivers and forests thrive? Will every child have the opportunity for a world-class education?
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