New Years Resolutions

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

    - Winston Churchill

 

Its time for a New Year's Resolutions. Today I have been thinking about what the world would be like if everyone made giving back part of their commitment each year. The entire world would shift. In a big way. It doesn't just impact the person or child on the receiving end. It impacts the giver.

Consider making room in your resolution for becoming more involved. Whether its volunteering in your community, or giving to a cause.
HALO's resolution is to become a more sustainable organization. In 2011, we are asking our donors to help us grow by meeting a specific HALO need on a monthly basis. One of these campaigns is called 1for30. It is a great opportunity for donors to be the meal sponsor for a day each month at a HALO Home. Feeding 30 kids for an entire day each month makes a huge impact and it lasts all year. Plus, donors will receive updates each month on the kids they are supporting.

If one of your resolutions is to become more involved by giving, consider becoming 1for30. Click here to learn more.

Happy New Year! Here's to an exciting 2011!

Chasing Santa

Last night was the Holiday party for The HALO Center in Denver. The Center is located in Five Points which is known as one of the roughest places in Denver.  My afternoon meeting ran late and I got stuck in traffic so I arrived fashionably late.

As I drove by and peeked in the window, it was magic. The bright red room was packed with children, presents, decorations, and love. Later, Santa came out and the kids went nuts. The best  part for me was watching the older kids who usually have an "I'm way too cool for this" attitude. Nobody's too cool for Santa.

Three months ago, there was nothing like this in the area. Now, these kids come to the center every day and for a meal, tutoring, art therapy, karate classes, and other workshops. Nikki Cady, Volunteer HALO Denver Director,  has lead our team with a heart full of nothing but love for the children and a vision of hope for their futures. Last night, that was so evident. I posted this video of the kids chasing Santa, but you will need to turn your head to the side to view it :)

This Holiday Season, HALO children around the world are in a better place because of people like Nikki. On Christmas morning, I will imagine the kids in India receiving their gifts of traditional clothing made by a local tailor or the girls in the Mengo home getting new school clothes for next year. My heart is full just knowing the children will feel loved by their caretakers and so excited to open their gifts.

I am incredibly thankful for our donors and volunteers. They are spreading love around the world. Literally. If you would like to see opportunities to give a Holiday gift for a child in need click here.

Inspired by your answers

The collaboration of community makes our mission thrive which is why find joy in asking others to invest in the future of the world. Here are few inspiring answers to questions I have asked lately:


Will you raise awareness? Our Program Director, Lacy Voight spoke at her old high school's assembly in Jefferson City, MO to share her story of why she is involved with HALO and how taking action on compassion can truly impact the life of others. Click here to check out the article.

Will you give advice? When brainstorming about our sustainability goals with a HALO donor last week, she came up with a great idea... We should find a matching donor for HALO Meal Sponsors. By the end of the conversation, she was offered to be that donor. She offered to match donations (anonymously) up to $20,000 for anyone who becomes a meal sponsor for the children of HALO.  For anyone who will donate $30 monthly, feeding 30 children for one day each month, she will match their first year of giving. We have until Dec 31st to reach our goal of 55 meal sponsors and thanks to our generous donor, their donation will be doubled. Click here to read more. And yes, it is true... a donor can sponsor meals at a HALO home for the entire day for $30.

Will you lead? Last week was our first annual Branch Retreat, bringing together our Directors of Branches to share vision and make ambitious plans for the next 3 years. The room was sparking with big ideas from dedicated people making the leap to voluntarily lead and bring a community together, fully supporting children in need. 

Will you give resources? Our volunteer graphic desiners, Jennifer Grammer, Maggie Miller, and Karina Ginavan used their amazing talents to put together our Holiday Gift Guide. It is designed to give people the chance to use their resources by making an impact with their Holiday gifts this year. If you haven't seen it yet, take a peek here. It is incredible.

Will you give time? As part of the retreat, Chelsea Herzberg, our KC HALO Center (volunteer) Intern shared a breathtaking video of the youth who have been coming to the center. She later wrote to me about how her time at HALO has changed her life. I asked her to post this truly inspiring story on her blog.

Will you share skills? I had a meeting yesterday with a man who owns numerous Martial Arts schools in Denver. He has dedicated his life to sharing Taekwondo with the world and has recently found a passion to bring it to at-risk children in his community.We are going to work together to bring his life skills program to children at the HALO Center in Denver.

Each of these make me realize that this is just the beginning. With true collaboration from our communities, nothing will stop us from reaching the children who need it most. The appreciation for our personal upbringings, opportunities, and environments inspires our desire to share what we have with those who don't. Thank you for being part of the collaboration.

Take a moment to be Santa Claus...

Its Holiday season - the lights are on the trees, holiday songs are on the radio, snow is on the ground (in Denver, at least). In the office, HALO elves have been preparing our gift catalog that represents holiday gifts for the children we support along with around the year needs.

One would think its Christmas morning every day at HALO homes. The excitement and gratitude at the dinner table, the art table, or on a walk to school overwhelms visitors with a powerful warmth that makes the heart feel like it has grown a few sizes.

It is the season of giving. At HALO that means giving a brighter future to children in need.  It means giving a family's love to children who have no parents to wake up to each morning. Join us in making this holiday special for a HALO child.  Click here to step into Santa's shoes by flipping through the HALO gift catalog and selecting a gift in honor of someone you love.  Go ahead, be Santa for a day...

A Meal a Month

When I was growing up my 4 siblings, dad, and I would scurry out the door in the morning to school and work, each of us grabbing a personalized brown bag of lunch.  My mom drew pictures every morning of each of us on our bags (which were many times embarrassing) that referred to something we had at school that day like one of us passing a test or playing a sport.  

Patrick and Kevin enjoying a morning snack and tea (Kenya).

There is nothing like sitting down with a table full of kids after they have been outside playing or at work in the classroom.  At HALO supported homes there isn't a lot of talking, just milk running down the sides of mouths and light speed peeling of oranges, which makes the dinner table a place of pure joy.  These are children who have been without many meals in their lives and their gratitude is evident in each bite... there are no complaints or special requests, just pure gratitude.

We have started a new campaign called A Meal a Month where donors can sign up to provide one meal for a HALO home (25 children) for just $10 per month.  Join us by brown baggin' it for a day a month (you may even draw yourself a picture) and spend that $10 you save on making 25 kids smile... It is a small reminder of how fortunate we are and the impact we are able to make with a small sacrifice.  Click here to give A Meal a Month!

The Respect Challenge

Respect: The state of being regarded with honor or esteem.

Martial Arts curriculum is more than kicks and punches. In fact, the most valuable things I learned in my 15 years have to do with life skills and character. Every two months, we identify a life skill, define it, and apply it to our lives.

Preparing curriculum for the Karate class at the HALO Center this week has lead me to settle on respect as our first life skill. All students must define the word respect and give examples of how they have practiced it at home, school, and at the center.

In order to make us stronger as individuals and as a team, we have asked not only the kids, but everyone working with HALO to do this. I challenge you to do so as well. Identify 3 ways you can better respect yourself, respect others, and respect the world you live in. Feel free to post them below.



These are my personal respect goals for myself and for HALO:

Personal
Respect myself: Challenge myself, be open to change, be aware and present with everyone around me.
Respect others: Put myself in another person's shoes and often, have compassion for people who don't live like I think they should, listen actively and with intent, speak with a polite tone and positive attitude.
Respect the world I live in: Be grateful for what I have and share it.

HALO
Respect the volunteer: Be conscious of the volunteer's time, be aware that an overcommitment is a good intention, be clear of our expectations.
Respect the donor: Be a good steward of funding, clearly communicate updates and needs, be overly grateful for a donation of any amount.
Respect the child: Be careful with information about the child, respect the culture, respect the future for the child.
Respect co-workers: Respect the time of others (keep appointments and be early for them), speak with utmost respect to each other (never talk down to or over), be open to the ideas of others and always work as a team.

If you had any additions to this list as a volunteer or donor, please post them below.


”Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

A little big impact

I have a story to share about one little boy's immense compassion and ability to make a difference.  For the past 4 years, he has been raising awareness and funding to improve the lives of HALO children in need.  This weekend, Spencer hosted a Halloween party to continue this mission. This is an excerpt from an email his mom sent to HALO:

"...the children had a suggested $5.00 donation to attend.  They had a scavenger hunt where they got a certain number of points for different things that they found.  One of the items was a donation for HALO where they got 3 points for every dollar they received.  Spencer's team got $31 and some change donated!  One house gave him a $20.  Anyway, with the "admittance fee" and scavenger hunt they earned $101.04. We had a lot of fun tonight and the kids were made aware of HALO and orphans.  One of the boys said, "There really isn't such a thing as orphans!"  So, I took him to the website to look.  He took the website home and said that he was going to show his mom.  It was neat to see the kids become aware of something new that is outside of their comfort zone."

Spencer's idea raised awareness, involvement, and support for children in need.  It also sparked an idea for all of HALO... why not offer this opportunity to all of our supporters?  As we approach the Season of Giving, you too can add a little HALO flavor to your office, home, school, or church Holiday Party, giving a brighter future to a child in need.  Please consider making HALO part of your Holiday spirit.

Click here to read more about how you can make a little big impact.  Thanks for the idea, Spencer.

Much bigger than me

"Synergism is the simultaneous actions of separate entities which together have greater total effect than the sum of their individual effects." Buchholz and Roth

I studied Martial Arts growing up, which is an extremely individual sport.  When the bell rang at a tournament, I was alone, in a ring, with my opponent.  I couldn't rely on anyone to get me through the next 20 minutes.  I couldn't blame a kick to my head on someone else missing a block.  I never really experienced what it was like to be on a team.  I was used to doing things myself and I found comfort in knowing things were going to get done on time and just the way I wanted them.

HALO team members at a fund raising event.

When HALO began, I knew its success had to come from a different formula than what I had used in the past.  I learned quickly that it was impossible to learn enough about P.R. or graphic design or websites to get things going myself.  I didn't start HALO, we did.  

It started as a group of people who made a commitment to work together as a team, each signing up for a specific "job" as an Ambassador Board member.   We were forced to rely on each other and trust that everyone was honestly working toward a common goal to improve the lives of children in need. 

I learned as much as I could about the multiple aspects or "departments" of HALO so I could be an active participant in conversations and decisions, but I was not the expert, the Ambassadors were.  They took their jobs very seriously because they knew that if they dropped the ball, it would immobilize our growth as an organization.

When we worked efficiently together, our full potential was reached and we therefore were able to reach out to more children in need.  This is how we still work today and it is how we have grown to our size with only two staff members.

An integral piece of HALO is that we are committed to a mutual growth relationship with our volunteers.  We want everyone involved with HALO to bring their skills to the table, grow, and feel appreciated.  It takes time to find out where someone may fit and help them grow in that position, but if we inhibit this process, our potential as an organization suffers.

At our strategic planning meeting in Kansas City last week, there was a charged spirit in the room of volunteers.  Raw feedback, honest opinions, and open brainstorming sessions made everyone excited about their role in making HALO a better organization and reaching our goals for the following year.  I was proud to be a part of something that is much bigger than me or anything I could have imagined and I have faith that our team is going to do a phenomenal job improving the lives of children in need. 

If you would like to join our team, visit our website.

Back to our beginning

There is nothing like the energy of a room when people are infected with the spirit of giving. It brings me back to that first day with that group of kids in Missouri who made the birth of HALO possible, and I am astonished.

Events are simultaneously exhausting and energizing. They have made HALO possible. As we strive to become a more sustainable organization with initiatives like HALO Hero and HALO Alliance (our monthly giving campaigns), we still rely on events to raise funding, awareness and give us that strong sense of hope.

HALO started with a determined group of kids from a karate school in Missouri who hosted a Boardbreakathon, raising enough money to send an orphanage of children to school. There was something magical in the air that day that the HALO light bulb switched on.

Saturday was our 5th Boardbreakathon. Last year, the karate schools were not able to do the event because students could hardly pay their monthly dues to keep the school doors open.

This year,  although attendance was down from two years ago, participants' spirits were soaring. With every board smash, the energy of hope in the air became stronger.  The Boardbreakathon made a comeback and people were more thrilled than ever to be helping children in need.


This event was infected with the spirit of giving. The students and instructors were not focused on the fact that they have been dealing with challenging times. They were focused on the footprint they leave in this world, the small changes they can make, even if it is just one small change.

It brought me back to that first Boardbreakathon, when we didn't know what HALO was going to be but we knew it was going to be powerful. Their spirit of giving brought change, impact, overcame challenges, multiplied, became contagious, and literally altered the path of hundreds of children's lives that were at stake. 

We must remember that spirit and strive for it at every day by effectively communicating the need of children around the world.

If you would like more information about HALO, please email halo@haloworldwide.org.

Small Events, Big Differences

I am in Kansas City for the next two weeks. The fall here is so familiar. It immediately puts me at the bus stop after eating a few of my mom's homemade tortillas with jelly, sac lunch in hand.

HALO is hosting 4 events here in the next week, all with different circles of people and each geared toward the same thing - raising awareness and involvement in our mission.

The first is tonight and its called "Females in Flight", to be held in downtown KC at Mildred's. Our Program Director, Lacy Voight and Art Director Kyla DeTienne have gotten female artists and crafters together to donate fabulous art items that will be sold, proceeds benefiting HALO supported girls in Uganda. Join us, read more here.

The second and third are cocktail parties, to be held at the homes of HALO supporters. These events are geared toward raising awareness about the "HALO HERO" campaign, which is truly a great opportunity to give. Once a donor signs up to be a HALO HERO, supporting basic needs of HALO kids, Woodland Charities donates $1,000 to provide a vocational scholarship for a child. Breaking. The. Cycle. More info about HALO HERO.

The fourth event is Sat., October 9th. It is a very popular event for HALO and is the 5th Anniversary event. The BOARDBREAKATHON. This event was the first ever for HALO, started by a group of kids and has raised over $100,000 for children in need. Read more here: BOARDBREAKATHON

There is something for everyone this week. It is exciting to see so many doing so much for the children of HALO. It only takes using your passions, your connections, reaching out to make a big difference.

A Bigger Apple

I traveled to the wonderful world of New York City this week.  When I got in my first cab I rolled down the window, closed my eyes and felt the city. The smell of exhaust was quickly drowned out by a bakery stand on the street.  Ahh, New York. 

The song by Alisha Keys about New York with the lyrics, “the big lights will inspire you” is true.  I felt inspired just watching people walk briskly to their next important destination. Times Square reminded me that people do big things. Somebody started each of those stores/campaigns/organizations/companies and somehow they all grew to astronomical sizes.  It made me think bigger about HALO.  Thanks, Big Apple.

I had a meeting with an acquaintance who works on the corporate philanthropy side of a very well respected clothing company.  She was kind enough to let me pick her brain on how HALO could possibly benefit from partnering with a company focused on CSR (corporate social responsibility).

We have produced items over the years for HALO geared toward raising funds and awareness about our cause.  We have t-shirts, necklaces, onesies and bags for sale at our events and on our website store.  Its very small scale, but it has been successful and for whatever reason we haven’t put much effort into growing it.  We print artwork on greeting cards and sell them.  We also sell t-shirts that say the difference they make. 

Wilson with his picture of someone who cares for him.

This meeting made me think bigger.  We have thousands of pieces of artwork that need to be shared with the world.  Why couldn’t we mass produce these items and sell them at stores around the US?  What is stopping us? 

We have a very unique product that has the potential to connect the consumer with the cause and the spirit of the child artist.  We could expand to putting artwork on t-shirts.  We have such potential to make impact on the consumer and on the lives of children in need around the world.

I leave feeling invigorated.  If anyone knows anyone in merchandising or with experience in these sorts of endeavors, please send them my way.  I want to talk to people who have done this before, bought for a company, created and driven campaigns… anyone with experience in this arena. 

If you would like to purchase a HALO shirt or greeting card, please visit our store at: http://www.haloworldwide.org/store.php

A little investment

Over 3.5 million people in the U.S. are homeless. 39% of those are under the age of 18.  1.3 million runaway and homeless youth live on the streets of America - almost half left their homes because of abuse and over one third because of sexual abuse.  Many are homeless with their single mom or dad.

My first time going to a homeless shelter I was expecting to see mostly older men who were addicted a substance, like the ones I see on the side of the road.  I was wrong.  There are families. There are children.  There are teens.  It was an eye-opener.

The HALO Learning Center, Kansas City

HALO currently partners with homeless shelters and residential care facilities in Denver and Kansas City with the mission of giving at-risk, homeless, and foster care children life skills, art therapy, tutoring, and hope of a brighter future. 

Unlike in the other countries where HALO provides support, in the US there is federal and state funding available to help support these children through the foster care system, shelters, and residential care facilities that provide their basic needs.  But most of the time, the missing piece is life skill development and exposure to resources.


How do we break the cycle?  It is rare for them to have a role model capable of inspiring them and helping them set tangible goals.   Simple things like how to balance a check book, how to get a job, how to pursue an education.  There are scholarships and resources out there...we just need to connect the kids with them.

Showing them that there is hope,  that they can be happy, responsible adults who are capable of supporting a family one day.  All it takes is a little investment from others to share life skills. 

If you are interested in sharing a life skill or just spending time with kids who need your support, please email lacyvoight@haloworldwide.org in Kansas City or blaineheydt@haloworldwide.org in Denver.

 PS.  One way to help homeless people you drive by on the streets - type up a page of shelters and resources in your area, print out multiple copies and keep them with you in your car.  You can even tape your pages them to little packages of crackers for a little sustenance :) Shelters are amazing places with missions of helping homeless people get back on their feet.

A good quick read

I recently picked up the Time Magazine special edition of Mother Teresa at 100, celebrating her work over the past 100 years.  Her story absolutely captivated me.

Mother Teresa started working with street children.  She would gather them under a tree, and invite other sisters to teach them until their group got so big that the city built them a building.  The sisters now reach thousands of orphans around the world.

Her humble beginning invigorates me.  She started with that one group of children at 38 years old.   62 years later, millions of people have been touched - the poorest of the poor - from orphans to people dying from horrendous diseases.  She loved them with all her might. She was their voice in this world, fighting for their right to live without suffering.

HALO has been around for just over 5 years.   I think about us when we are 62 years old. 2067.  I can only hope we reach millions, that with each child who comes into our care the world becomes a brighter place.   Actually, I hope the world will no longer need HALO by that time. 

Boardbreakathon!

Its an exciting day for everyone at HALO today as we prepare for our 5th Boardbreakathon.  HALO was started by a group of karate students (kids) who wanted to raise funds for orphans in need.  They raised $5,000 for an orphanage in Mexico.  The next one they did raised $40,000. 

Needless to say a light bulb went off.  Children helping children.  This is how HALO was born.  It is a unique concept that benefits everyone involved.
 
Youth in the US learn about what it is like to be an orphan on the other side of the world.  What language do they speak?  What do they eat?  Do they have an X-Box?  Learning these things made everyone aware and full of compassion with a desire to make a difference.  It is inspiring to say the least. 

This is a photo of one of our HALO supported children in India who made this sign for kids who raised funds at the Boardbreakathon.  Its a beautiful thing to connect the world and watch kids flourish, making a huge impact on youth just like them.

To read more about the event or watch a video, click here.

Victory

I firmly believe that any person's finest hour — his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear — is that moment when he has worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle — victorious.
~ Vince Lombardi

I read this quote today and it reminded me of the volunteers and staff of HALO.  So many people work their heart out for our cause.  I feel lucky to watch such a thing take place.  

I spent the past week with our Program Director, Lacy Voight.  She came to Denver to see our programs and new HALO Center for Youth.  I have spent thousands of hours with Lacy,  working until we can't see straight at times.  It is the truth that when we are done with a project, completely exhausted and we have reached our goal, we feel victorious.  

Every effort Lacy puts forth is geared toward giving hope to the children we currently support and improving the lives of more children in need.  She works her heart out in good cause and I firmly believe she holds these efforts and outcomes dear to her heart.  I have seen her exhausted on the field of battle after events, meetings and programs.  All of which are victories for HALO.  They all bring us one step closer to improving the lives of children in need.  Fulfillment.

Click here to join our mission.

HALO Heroes

Last night a friend of the HALO Family, Leib Doddell, hosted a cocktail party at his house to share one of our giving opportunities with his friends and family.  We are looking for HALO Heroes.  Since orphans do not have parents to meet their needs, a HALO Hero is someone who helps us provide food, water, shelter, clothing, education, art therapy and care takers.

We had 4 people sign up to become HALO Heroes last night.  Not only are they meeting basic needs, but as soon as they sign up, Woodland Charities makes a donation of $1,000 for a scholarship in their honor.  This funding goes toward giving a HALO supported child the chance to learn a vocation, giving them the ability to make a positive impact on their communities once they are out of the home.

This campaign gives HALO children the chance to dream.  They dream of learning a skill that will allow them to support themselves...  That is why we call it the HALO Heroes.  These people become heroes, dramatically shifting the future of children in need.

Click here to read more about how you can become a HALO Hero. 

My Favorite Birthday

I had a birthday this week.  Until I was 22 years old I didn't care much for birthdays.  22 was a great one which made my expectations way too high from that point on.  I was in Honduras and thought nobody knew or would remember which was no big deal.  That day my boss told me I wouldn't be able to go to the orphanages where I spent a lot of time volunteering.  She said I had some other task I had to do for work. Boo.

Finally around 5:00 I did a little sneaking and went to the orphanage anyway.  I was my birthday, right?  I walked in and heard some music playing which was different because they had no radio.  I turned the corner into the community room and there were all the kids with a huge sign they made for me that said "Feliz Cumpleanos Rebecca!" 

They were thrilled to have a borrowed radio we danced to for a good 2 hours before we busted the pinata to pieces.  I was so full of bliss that day.  I remember sweating outside with the kids, twirling them around, hearing their screams of excitement as candy fell to the grass.   I came home thinking I could never top that.  Although there have been many attempts, I have to admit that was my favorite. 

Many HALO supported kids have no records when they come to us.  Most of them have no idea when their birthday is.  It used to be one of the conversation starters for me - How old are you?  When is your birthday?  Now I just leave that one alone.  One time I asked one of our kids, Denis (bottom right) how old he was.  He said he was 11.  He had been living as an 11 year old for a long time.  When we got his records we realized - Denis was 9 years old.  When we told him about his new age, he laughed.  He didn't know his birthday.  He was actually excited... he was a bit small for his age before :)

I was with a celebrity today

Spencer Castle walked in like a pro.  Although his heart was pounding, no one would ever know he was nervous.  He stepped on to the elevator and rode up to the 19th floor, headed where not many kids have gone before.  Radio Disney.

This is where magic happens.  Disney.  Kids spend hours of their lives watching Mickey Mouse and Selena Gomez.  Spencer rang the bell of the big door and was greeted by Brenda, his bubbly new friend who was going to interview him. 

He sat in front of the microphone that was bigger than his head and when Brenda asked if he was ready he asked, "Do you have a pen?" He had some notes to make. He anwered every question like a pro.  I was in the room with a celebrity. 

How did he end up here?  When spencer was 7 years old he heard about the children of HALO.  He learned about them and decided he could do something.  Spencer had a hot chocolate stand.  He raised $600 standing in the cold offerring homemade hot chocolate and cookies on the weekends. 

Spencer then raised funds from his friends and family to participate in a martial arts fund raiser call a Boardbreakathon.  He has raised over $2,000 for kids of HALO.  To put it in perspective, that amount can feed an entire orphanage of 45 children more than 125 meals.

I received a phone call a month ago from Spencer's mom, Tanda.  She said Spencer made 7 blankets for the orphans supported by HALO and he wanted to give them to me to take to the kids.  7 blankets (pictured)When Brenda from Disney called and asked if we had any unique kids she could interview, Spencer was at the top of the list.

Spencer has a confidence about him I haven't witnessed in a long time.  He knows what is right and he does it without hesitation.  Being interviewed by Radio Disney for a kid is the equivelent of being on 60 minutes for an adult.  Spencer was calm, strong, clear and passionate.  It was like being in the room with a professional speaker or celebrity.

Kids who volunteer are twice as likely to do so as adults.  I am certian Spencer will conquer something when he grows up. 

"Knowing I am helping orphans makes me feel good." Spencer Castle

To read more about how you can give, click here.

Respond Ability

Who is responsible for the well being of a citizen?  Is it the corporation, the non-profit, is it the citizenry as a collective, the consumer, or the state? 
I believe it is a combination.  It takes individuals doing small acts of kindness, non-profits spreading the word while managing donors and volunteers, government programs (run efficiently) and corporations owning responsibility for their communities and footprints. 

We have recently been focused on the corporation.  There is a new buzzword in the business world:   Corporate Social Responsibility - self regulation combined with social awareness and action.

We have launched a new campain called HALO Alliance which brings businesses together to support children in need.  It takes 16 businesses giving $125 per month to fully meet the needs of 20 children in an orphanage. That's everything from rent to food to school. 

As part of the HALO Alliance, businesses receive a significant return on a small investment.  They improve the lives of children in need, learn about the children they are supporting, and share their efforts as an example to their community.  It increases the moral of the workplace and their reputation becomes one that is compassionate, conscience and willing to make a difference. 

Imagine if all businesses were part of an Alliance like this, joining non-profits and spreading awareness of the needs of the less-fortunate among their community.  Children like Kevin, pictured above, would no longer suffer.  People in need would feel the giving spirit of others.  It would shift the world.

To learn more about HALO Alliance or to sign your business up, email lacyvoight@haloworldwide.org

Peace

Definition #1 from Dictionary.com:  the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.

 

I spoke with Dani Walker, HALO Ambassador to Uganda yesterday.  She said that as a result of the recent bombings, there is still a sense of unrest in Kampala.  Since Uganda is normallly a peaceful place, people feel on edge, security is heightened and lines of people are being searched at public places.  

 

Sounds familiar.  Airports in the U.S. - The security lines, the searching of people and the multiple soldiers getting on planes to fight for peace. They remind me that there is unrest in our nation, that we are still at war.

 

Everything from the state of our nation to our relationships to our immediate surroundings impacts our peace. 

 

Definition #6:  freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity.

 

Peace is freedom.  Freedom of the mind.  Freedom of the soul.  Sounds like a good thing to strive for.

 

  

The beginning of something great

Its funny - when you paint, you find paint in the weirdest of places the next day.  Yesterday we gave HALO Denver Center for Youth a makeover.  HALO rented a house that is undergoing a lot of work in 5 Points, downtown Denver.  I found paint in weird places today...

I dislike painting.  Mainly because I am not good at it.  But I felt charged up yesterday, thinking of how many kids will walk through those doors and feel safe, comforted and ready to learn.  I could almost hear their voices. And I forgot I was painting.

Pictured is Nikki Cady, HALO Denver Director.  She is 100% volunteer and works full-time on HALO.  This Center was her vision last year.  This year it is happening.

Its the beginning of something great.  Volunteers and Interns have started to apply to work at the Center.  The community is starting to buzz about it.  There is an energy in that house already.

To read more about HALO Denver, click here.

Good people

There are a few simple facts about HALO. One is that we rely on good people to improve the lives of children in need. We rely on them every day.

If you haven't looked at our website lately, take a peek: www.haloworldwide.org It is run by our volunteer marketing team, a brilliant group of passionate individuals who find time to give the children of HALO a voice.

We are in the process of reviewing applications for fall internships. The applicants are good people looking for a way to give back while gaining experience.

At any given time in a day there are numerous good people from all walks of life giving their time or resources to HALO. From our full time Ambassadors to our one-time event volunteers to our donors - we rely on every single one of them to make HALO kids like Samson (pictured) have a brighter future.

Put simply, my job is to ask for help. Help with our operations, help overseas, help in donations, help in time... Its a vulnerable position to be in. But each time I ask, if I start to hesitate, I remind myself of the good people who have been helping HALO for years. And if I don't ask, they may not ever get the chance to use their skills for the greater good.

Uncomfortable

I had a lunch with a friend the other day that reminded me of the first time I traveled to a developing country. Our conversation took me back to when volunteered for 6 months in Honduras at the age of 22. I now realize now how lucky I was to have had the opportunity to experience life outside of what was real to me at such a young age.

I recall riding through the streets of Puerto Cortes for the first time, shocked by the tiny family shacks and heaps of trash on the side of the road. I remember the barefoot children sitting on their porches sucking Coca-Cola out of a plastic baggie with a hole bitten in the corner. I recall the smell of my skin after working a blistering day in the sun at a trash dump.

I woke up every day knowing I would be in an uncomfortable situation at some point. We did all sorts of projects from cleaning up the town hospital's yard (full of medical waste nobody should see) to helping the well drilling team explain to locals that using the water pump was a good thing - that allowing a donkey to drag a bucket up the well would contaminate the water (since the rope dragged in his excrement and then back into the water for the people to drink).

I was lucky. My days made me grateful, angry, uncomfortable and they invigorated at the same time. I was emotionally and physically exhausted every night. But I slowly started to realize that being uncomfortable made me feel so alive.

I started to develop a broader emotional spectrum. My happiest happy was stretched to be happier. My saddest sad became much sadder. I started to realize that in order to fully experience life, we need to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations. Its a simple as forcing ourselves to talk to someone in an awkward social situation, confronting a loved one, or it can be as big as taking on a role to make the world a better place.

There are many things about my job that feel uncomfortable, like asking people for funding or drinking 2 month old milk from a gourd because it is considered a delicacy in Kenya. But in order for HALO to reach our potential, these things must be done. Being uncomfortable makes us better people. Once the uncomfortable becomes comfortable we have learned something new.

Our community raising our future

I somehow made my 6:00 a.m. flight from Denver to Kansas City. I don’t know why I feel invincible when I book early flights like that. I think, “4:15 isn’t that early, I am sure people in the Army do it all the time.” News flash – I am not in the Army.

While in Denver I have watched our HALO Center for Youth come alive. With the help of Nikki Cady, Denver Director of HALO (and our new mascot, her son Jaxon - pictured above), we leased a house in the downtown area of Denver called Five Points. It is a troubled part of the city with thousands of at-risk, homeless and foster youth. The center will serve as a safe haven for children in the area, offering art therapy, educational workshops taught by local volunteers and an after-school tutoring program.

This fall I will get to see a team of interns and volunteers serve the children of the community by sharing their life skills. This is the good stuff. Getting to see our communities raise our future - watching kids transform each day and work through issues we are unable to fully understand. The best thing is imagining the number of children and volunteers who will be reached at the center in years to come.

How it happens

This morning I received an email from our orphanage director in Kenya. Stephen wrote "We have a very desperate cases of two boys. They were happily leaving with their parents but unfortunately their mother passed away. Since they were left with their father, things were not very bad even though he was also sick. The father died recently and they were left alone at a place called Meru, very far from Timau. They had heard about their grandmother who is staying at Timau slums area and they came to look for her." He went on to say their grandmother is not fit to care for them and they need a place to stay.

Last year when I was in Timau, Stephen introduced me to the similar case of brothers, Alvin (pictured) and Kevin. They too had lost both parents and were in desperate need of shelter and care. At the time we had 26 boys in the home and having 28 would really stretch us. Then reality sunk in. If we don't take in these boys, nobody will. We made it work. Although it wasn't in our budget to care for them, we said yes.

Now Alvin and Kelvin have 26 other brothers around them, support from their caretakers and doing well in school. Here we are again. Somehow Stephen has made space for 2 more. He asks, "I do deeply feel troubled about their situation. If you would please allow us to take them in as residential orphans, this will not only help them get a new home but also their lives will be out of danger..."

This is how HALO has grown. I know saying yes will mean more work, more commitments from our donors, more mouths to feed. It means we will provide food, water, shelter, clothing, education, art therapy and vocational training until they are able to live on their own. But how can we say no? This is why every dollar counts. With the help of our donors we are able to take children from living in fear of where their next meal will come from to living in a safe haven of support.

I have given in

For the past few years people have advised me to blog. I keep hearing about the importance of Facebook and Twitter. I have finally given in. I signed up for Facebook. And Twitter. I realize it is my purpose to communicate what we are doing as an organization. I have witnessed incredible, improbable outcomes that are a direct result of our supporters' commitments. It would be an injustice if I kept these stories to myself.

I have made this blog part of my goal to intimately share our successes, challenges, stories and goals in hopes of connecting you to our mission of improving the lives of children in need.


Good Morning
Yesterday morning I woke up to a text from our ex-HALO International Ambassador to Uganda, Kristen Vogel. It read, "Did you hear about the bombings in Kampala?" I got out of bed, went to cnn.com and saw that 74 people were killed in a terrorist attack on Kampala during the World Cup. What went through my mind? The children we support. And then I thought of Dani Walker. Our new HALO (Volunteer) International Ambassador arrived 2 days earlier. Welcome to Uganda, Dani. Here's to the start of your 2 year commitment.

Dani's role is to oversee our programs, relationships and finances in Uganda. Once the phone lines were cleared up, I got through to Dani. Her response confirmed the reason she was selected for this job. She was completely calm, practical and had an overall positive outlook on the situation. She informed me that the children in our five supported homes are fine and that our partner organization, Cornerstone, made her feel comfortable and safe.

One integral piece of HALO is our commitment to forming partnerships with organizations that work on the ground successfully in the countries where we have programs. Cornerstone has served the Uganda for 35 years and have an undeniably strong reputation among the community. Our partnership with Cornerstone gives us peace of mind during times of crisis. Their experience and resources gives help us provide the most effective programs to the children we support. Our partnership also allows graduates from their Leadership Academy to serve as mentors in the homes we support.

It gives us the privilege of working with Ugandans who have the personal goal of raising up their own community. Today I feel grateful. Grateful that Dani was the right person for the this very important job. Grateful that Cornerstone is part of the HALO family. I spent the day grateful...and saddened for so many who lost a loved one in the attacks.