Located in Pearland, Texas, the Adult Reading Center provides free instruction to adults with limited English literacy skills. It is the only professional community-based literacy provider in its service area that relies on volunteer tutors to deliver instruction at no charge to students. An economic incubator and a complete service center, the Adult Reading Center offers a nurturing environment that teaches adult learners how to read, write, and speak English so that they can empower their children, obtain a GED, and succeed in the workplace. To this end, the Adult Reading Center provides classroom instruction, computer-based training, and individual tutoring, as well as partners with community organizations that offer career training opportunities.
Launched in 1987, the Adult Reading Center started out with three student/tutor pairs. Today, it is run by a small staff, about a dozen part-time instructors, and over 200 volunteers. In early 2006, the Adult Reading Center received ProLiteracy America Accreditation, which is awarded to outstanding literacy organizations.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Dignity U Wear: New Clothes Start New Lives
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, Dignity U Wear aims to positively impact the lives of people in need by distributing dignity in the form of brand new clothing. Dignity U Wear works in several communities across America, collaborating with other great social service agencies to give clothing at the right time, such as the first day of school, before a job interview, or in coordination with medical care. By not randomly handing out garments to people in need, the impact of clothing on lives is maximized. Dignity U Wear's areas of emphasis include school children in need; veterans who are seeking employment or have become homeless; and women and girls who have suffered emotional and/or sexual abuse, domestic violence, or are at risk to drop out of school.
Dignity U Wear was founded in 2000 by renowned hotelier, philanthropist, and Holocaust survivor Henri Landwirth. Born in 1927 in Antwerp, Belgium, he was shuffled among five Nazi concentration camps from the ages of 13 to 18. After the war, Landwirth worked his way to America as a deck laborer, settled in New York, and received a draft notice. Following his service in the United States Army, he took a course in hotel management and joined the hotel industry. More than five decades later, he retired from a successful career that saw him work a number of positions, from bellboy to manager to owner.
Having dedicated himself to helping those in need for the past 20 years, Landwirth started Dignity U Wear because he knows what it's like to be stripped of personal dignity and not have any clothes. “After I left the camps, I was 18 years old and I was homeless. And I promised myself that one day, God willing, I would be able to help other people not to suffer as much as I did.”
To date, Dignity U Wear has distributed 8 million pieces of brand new clothing to over 610,000 people in the United States.
Dignity U Wear was founded in 2000 by renowned hotelier, philanthropist, and Holocaust survivor Henri Landwirth. Born in 1927 in Antwerp, Belgium, he was shuffled among five Nazi concentration camps from the ages of 13 to 18. After the war, Landwirth worked his way to America as a deck laborer, settled in New York, and received a draft notice. Following his service in the United States Army, he took a course in hotel management and joined the hotel industry. More than five decades later, he retired from a successful career that saw him work a number of positions, from bellboy to manager to owner.
Having dedicated himself to helping those in need for the past 20 years, Landwirth started Dignity U Wear because he knows what it's like to be stripped of personal dignity and not have any clothes. “After I left the camps, I was 18 years old and I was homeless. And I promised myself that one day, God willing, I would be able to help other people not to suffer as much as I did.”
To date, Dignity U Wear has distributed 8 million pieces of brand new clothing to over 610,000 people in the United States.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Give Kids the World: Granting the Wishes of 127,000 Children and Counting
Give Kids the World is a non-profit organization that was created to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families to experience the popular attractions of Central Florida. Its story began with a little girl named Amy, who had leukemia and wished to visit the theme parks in Orlando. Amy's family requested a complimentary stay to renowned hotelier Henri Landwirth, who gladly obliged as he had done many times before. Unfortunately, the rest of the travel plans took too long to arrange and Amy passed away before her wish could be granted.
Landwirth made a vow that this would never happen again and reached out to his colleagues in the hospitality industry to bring families to Central Florida within 24 hours if necessary. Give Kids the World grew quickly and Landwirth saw a need to create a place that would better serve these children and families. In 1989, the Give Kids the World Village opened its gates to the public. Today, it is a 70-acre resort featuring over 140 villa accommodations, whimsical venues, and entertainment attractions especially designed for children with special needs.
Since its inception, Give Kids the World has provided magical and memorable experiences to more than 127,000 families from over 70 countries for free. No child has ever been turned away and none ever will. With the assistance of numerous compassionate individual and corporate supporters, thousands of tireless volunteers, and dedicated staff members, Give Kids the World has been able to give deserving families a rare opportunity to relax, have fun, and enjoy quality time with each other.
Named one of the “12 Most Caring Individuals in America” in 1988 by the Caring Institute, Landwirth has since retired from a lengthy and successful career in the hotel industry. He now dedicates his time and efforts to improving the lives of people in need through the many non-profits and foundations he has founded.
Landwirth made a vow that this would never happen again and reached out to his colleagues in the hospitality industry to bring families to Central Florida within 24 hours if necessary. Give Kids the World grew quickly and Landwirth saw a need to create a place that would better serve these children and families. In 1989, the Give Kids the World Village opened its gates to the public. Today, it is a 70-acre resort featuring over 140 villa accommodations, whimsical venues, and entertainment attractions especially designed for children with special needs.
Since its inception, Give Kids the World has provided magical and memorable experiences to more than 127,000 families from over 70 countries for free. No child has ever been turned away and none ever will. With the assistance of numerous compassionate individual and corporate supporters, thousands of tireless volunteers, and dedicated staff members, Give Kids the World has been able to give deserving families a rare opportunity to relax, have fun, and enjoy quality time with each other.
Named one of the “12 Most Caring Individuals in America” in 1988 by the Caring Institute, Landwirth has since retired from a lengthy and successful career in the hotel industry. He now dedicates his time and efforts to improving the lives of people in need through the many non-profits and foundations he has founded.
Shelter: Everyone Deserves a Home
Shelter is a UK-based charity dedicated to helping anyone who is homeless or suffering in bad housing. Through its website and in-person local services, Shelter provides free, confidential advice, information, and advocacy to people in housing need. In addition, the organization campaigns for lasting political change to put a permanent end to the housing crisis.
Shelter believes that everyone should have a home. The organization was founded in 1966 by the Reverend Bruce Kenrick, who was alarmed by the state of the tenements around his Notting Hill parish. With slums multiplying in the inner cities, homeless families being forced into overcrowded hostels, and landlords exploiting their tenants, Kenrick knew something had to be done and thus launched Shelter to complement the work of charities providing housing.
For the past five decades, Shelter has developed practical solutions to address the housing crisis; lobbied government and local authorities for better laws and policies; and worked alongside the housing sector to promote good practice, provide professional training, and publish reports.
Shelter believes that everyone should have a home. The organization was founded in 1966 by the Reverend Bruce Kenrick, who was alarmed by the state of the tenements around his Notting Hill parish. With slums multiplying in the inner cities, homeless families being forced into overcrowded hostels, and landlords exploiting their tenants, Kenrick knew something had to be done and thus launched Shelter to complement the work of charities providing housing.
For the past five decades, Shelter has developed practical solutions to address the housing crisis; lobbied government and local authorities for better laws and policies; and worked alongside the housing sector to promote good practice, provide professional training, and publish reports.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Operation Troop Appreciation: Boosting the Morale of US Troops Overseas
Operation Troop Appreciation is a top-rated non-profit dedicated to supporting the deployed members of the US Armed Forces. The mission of Operation Troop Appreciation is to build and sustain the morale of deployed troops, assuring them that the American public appreciates their service and sacrifices. The organization provides men and women of the Armed Forces with wish list items that boost their morale, presenting a united front of support and appreciation for their efforts.
Operation Troop Appreciation started as a personal project by Kristen Holloway. In March of 2004, she set out to provide Under Armour T-shirts to a local Pennsylvania National Guard Platoon of about 40 soldiers deployed in Iraq. The project received an overwhelmingly positive response not only from the soldiers but also from friends, family, and other people who helped. Within a few months, Holloway's personal project evolved into a national organization, and Operation Troop Appreciation was established as a non-profit corporation in the state of Pennsylvania on July 1st, 2004.
Since then, Operation Troop Appreciation and its individual donors, business partners, and corporate sponsors have sent wish list items to hundreds of thousands of US soldiers deployed overseas. Most recently, Operation Troop Appreciation provided wish list items to 20 separate units serving in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Egypt, and the Philippines. Items supplied include tactical gear, snacks, DVDs, hygiene items, cold weather clothing, gym equipment, gaming systems, nutritional supplements, Keurig coffee, and more.
Aside from accepting monetary and in-kind donations, Operation Troop Appreciation allows individuals, companies, schools, churches, and other civic groups to adopt a deployed unit through its Sponsor a Unit program. Sponsoring groups are sent details about their unit, after which they raise the necessary funds and send them to Operation Troop Appreciation along with their personal greetings for the troops. Operation Troop Appreciation will then secure the wish list items on behalf of the sponsoring group.
Operation Troop Appreciation started as a personal project by Kristen Holloway. In March of 2004, she set out to provide Under Armour T-shirts to a local Pennsylvania National Guard Platoon of about 40 soldiers deployed in Iraq. The project received an overwhelmingly positive response not only from the soldiers but also from friends, family, and other people who helped. Within a few months, Holloway's personal project evolved into a national organization, and Operation Troop Appreciation was established as a non-profit corporation in the state of Pennsylvania on July 1st, 2004.
Since then, Operation Troop Appreciation and its individual donors, business partners, and corporate sponsors have sent wish list items to hundreds of thousands of US soldiers deployed overseas. Most recently, Operation Troop Appreciation provided wish list items to 20 separate units serving in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Egypt, and the Philippines. Items supplied include tactical gear, snacks, DVDs, hygiene items, cold weather clothing, gym equipment, gaming systems, nutritional supplements, Keurig coffee, and more.
Aside from accepting monetary and in-kind donations, Operation Troop Appreciation allows individuals, companies, schools, churches, and other civic groups to adopt a deployed unit through its Sponsor a Unit program. Sponsoring groups are sent details about their unit, after which they raise the necessary funds and send them to Operation Troop Appreciation along with their personal greetings for the troops. Operation Troop Appreciation will then secure the wish list items on behalf of the sponsoring group.
King Street Cats: Caring for the Felines of Alexandria, VA
Founded in 2003, King Street Cats is the only cat-exclusive orphanage in Alexandria, Virginia. King Street Cats houses an average of 30 felines at any given time, and residents are never euthanized due to space or behavioral challenges. Formerly known as The Albert Foundation, King Street Cats aims to find loving forever homes for its residents, as well as educate the public about cat welfare. To this end, the non-profit provides information on proper cat care, behavioral issues, and medical problems. King Street Cats also helps people locate lost cats and assists those who are looking to adopt a cat.
The non-profit believes every cat and kitten, regardless of age or personality, deserves to have a loving home. Every feline who enters the orphanage stays there until they are adopted. All cats are sterilized and up-to-date on all medical care prior to adoption. King Street Cats provides post-adoption support for adopters as well.
The non-profit believes every cat and kitten, regardless of age or personality, deserves to have a loving home. Every feline who enters the orphanage stays there until they are adopted. All cats are sterilized and up-to-date on all medical care prior to adoption. King Street Cats provides post-adoption support for adopters as well.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
GALT: Placing Greyhounds in Loving Forever Homes
The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) is an all-volunteer non-profit corporation dedicated to assisting all greyhounds throughout Texas and the United States, mainly those that are affiliated with or retired from the racing industry. Since its inception in May of 2001, GALT has helped place more than 2,400 greyhounds in loving forever homes.
Part of GALT's mission is educating the public about the desirability of adopting greyhounds as family pets and the importance of spaying and neutering. After placement, GALT provides continuing educational support to families to ensure a successful adoption. GALT also supports an active volunteer base of greyhound enthusiasts who share the passion of finding responsible forever homes for greyhounds, as well as connects with like-minded groups and individuals to promote greyhound adoption worldwide.
A GuideStar Exchange Gold Participant, the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas depends entirely on donations for its operating budget of over $350,000 per year.
Part of GALT's mission is educating the public about the desirability of adopting greyhounds as family pets and the importance of spaying and neutering. After placement, GALT provides continuing educational support to families to ensure a successful adoption. GALT also supports an active volunteer base of greyhound enthusiasts who share the passion of finding responsible forever homes for greyhounds, as well as connects with like-minded groups and individuals to promote greyhound adoption worldwide.
A GuideStar Exchange Gold Participant, the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas depends entirely on donations for its operating budget of over $350,000 per year.
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