|
Small clubs and organizations need to get savvy to stay afloat |
|
Times are tough and budgets are tight for everyone, including small organizations and clubs. Membership is more and more difficult to cultivate, which stymies the group's income. Existing members, who sometimes end up picking up the financial slack, are often forced to choose between participating in something that's meaningful to them and simply getting all their household bills paid. |
|
|
|
|
Strapped after-school programs in need of a boost |
|
Quality after-school programs lead to improved test scores, lower drop-out rates, decreased disciplinary action and improved work habits, according to a 2008 study conducted by researchers at the Harvard Family Research Project. As budget cuts continue, parents and other supporters can do several things to help keep school programs alive. |
|
|
|
|
Nonprofits leaning on individuals and corporations in tough times |
|
A new study released by the Corporation for National and Community Services reported that the number of volunteers in America rose 1.6 million in the past year. The dramatic increase ultimately demonstrates that people are contributing to their communities at an increasing rate, even during financially challenging times. |
|
|
|
|
Volunteering: Helping others could actually help you |
|
The health benefits of volunteering are well documented and include reduced stress and risk of disease, an increased feeling of self worth and possibly even increased life expectancy. It is no wonder that for many people with chronic conditions, volunteering can even help maintain or improve one's physical health. |
|
|
|
|
Can buildings help keep you healthy? |
|
We spend 90 percent of our lives indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. A typical day can include traveling from home to work and back home again with a few periodic trips to schools, the grocery store, the bank, malls and entertainment venues. We depend on our homes, offices, retail stores and other structures to keep us safe; but can buildings also help keep us healthy? |
|
|
|
|
New hope for old malls |
|
There is new promise for the nation's malls. A fixture throughout America's cities and towns for decades, the conventional mall is in a state of decline. It is possible to rethink yesterday's malls with a creative vision that will return them to their prominent place in communities and realize lasting social, cultural and economic value. For example, just this summer, the former Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, Calif., was transformed into a new center that, while operated like a mall, feels and functions like a part of the city. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Teens: Join Twilight's Nikki Reed to 'do something' good this summer |
|
Are you a teen that is going to camp, hosting a neighborhood block party, or playing baseball this summer? Are you a parent who wants to encourage your child to do something good for others or get more involved in their community? This summer, join the Do Something 101 school supply drive: www.dosomething101.org. |
|
|
|
|
Five everyday items to donate instead of recycle |
|
Wouldn't you like to go "green" and help provide deserving individuals with everyday items that can help improve their lives? Many charities collect and refurbish used items some find necessary for everyday activities, like eye glasses and hearing aids, as well as monetary donations. |
|
|
|
|
New initiative seeks to help stem the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by improving access to care |
|
For many, discussion of the HIV epidemic in this day and age conjures up images of the developing world, where even the most basic amenities can be scarce. Although HIV in developing countries is a serious issue deserving global attention and significant resources, what is less recognized is that the epidemic continues to grow here in the United States. Today, there are an estimated 640,000 people in the United States with HIV who are either undiagnosed, not in medical care or not receiving HIV treatment. Specific populations such as African Americans and women are still hit hard by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and face various barriers that prevent them from seeking or receiving the care they need. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Helping drivers safely share the road with bicyclists and runners |
|
Now that summer is here, avid runners and bicyclists are out in droves, taking advantage of every opportunity to enjoy the activities they love. While it can sometimes be challenging to share the road with them, it's important to keep driving safely top of mind, especially at this time of year. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Social media: The best advertising money can't buy for your small business |
|
Used to be, a diligent small business owner with a great idea and plenty of gumption could grow a business through word of mouth alone. In many ways, that's still true. Yet today, much of the "word of mouth" conversations and recommendations, which can make or break a business, are happening online, not face to face. |
|
|
|
|
Wanted: a new generation of lifesavers |
|
Less than 8 percent of victims who suffer cardiac arrest at home, at work or in other public places survive. And fewer than one-third of cardiac arrest victims gets CPR from a bystander. The American Heart Association wants more people to take action and help cardiac arrest victims. |
|
|
|
|
Rebuilding Detroit |
|
Almost every single list of America's most depressed cities features Detroit at or near the top. Cities like Detroit that were built on industry have suffered in recent decades as manufacturers have taken their business to developing companies with lower production and employment costs. While some would like to paint a bleak picture of Detroit's future, it is important to remember that the city is no worse off than European cities like Belfast or Turin that have managed to rebuild themselves in recent years. |
|
|
|