January Wish: Help for HAITI

As of this writing, there are approximately 200,000 dead in Haiti. It has been reported that only 70,000 have been buried thus far. There are now 1.5 million people that are homeless. Let's help!

This month, I have compiled a list of organizations that are dedicated to helping the people of Haiti. If you would like to help, connect with an organization on this list and please donate. Also, feel free to forward this list to people in your networks that are looking for ways to help.


Text Your Donations (contribution added to your phone bill):

• Text "Yele" to 501501 to donate $5 on behalf of the Yéle Foundation, the leading contributor to rebuilding Haiti founded by Wyclef Jean.
• Text "Haiti" to 20222 to donate $10 on behalf of The Clinton Foundation (former President Clinton is Special Envoy to Haiti)
• Text "Haiti" to 85944 to donate $5 on behalf of the Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International.
• Text "Haiti" to 25383 to donate $5 on behalf of the Internal Rescue Committee.
• Text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 on behalf of the Red Cross in the U.S.

Connect with an Organization:

American Red Cross
The American Red Cross' primary focus during the initial response of an emergency is feeding, sheltering and supplying any other basic needs. To donate: Go to RedCross.org, hit donate now button at top and then International Response Fund. You also can text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the International Response Fund. The money will go directly to relief efforts in Haiti. Or call 1-800-Red-Cross.

AmeriCares
This nonprofit disaster relief organization delivers medicine, medical supplies and aid to people in crisis around the world. To donate, call 1-800-486-HELP or go to AmeriCares.org. Donations will go toward medicine and medical supplies and for expenses for providing that medical aid.

Care 


This humanitarian organization's main focus is to fight global poverty, specifically by empowering marginalized women and girls. To donate to the Haiti relief fund effort, go to Care.org or call 1-800-521-CARE. Money will go toward food, water and sanitation, shelter and emergency health response.

Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services is an aid agency that works with emergency relief, micro-finance, AIDS/HIV relief, agriculture, water and sanitation, among other projects in countries around the world. To donate, go to crs.org, or call 1-877-HELP-CRS. You also can text RELIEF to 30644. You will receive a text message back with instructions on how to donate. You can send a check to Catholic Relief services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090. Write "Haiti earthquake" in memo area. The money will go toward immediate needs, which include water, food, hygiene kits, bedding and basic cooking utensils, among other items.

Direct Relief International
Direct Relief provides medical attention to those in need on an ongoing basis and in emergencies. Monetary donations go toward medical aid, supplies and equipment in Haiti. To donate, go to directrelief.org or call 805-964-4767 and 800-676-1638, or go through Google Checkout.

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity provides affordable, safe shelter for low-income families and people in need. Money donated for Haiti relief efforts will go toward recovery and rebuilding. To donate, go to habitat.org or call 1-800-Habitat.

International Medical Corps
This emergency response agency focuses on health in emergency situations. Monetary donations go toward purchasing medical supplies, medicine and emergency kits and transporting these supplies. 1-800-481-4462 or go to imcworldwide.org.

International Relief Teams
The nonprofit organizes volunteer teams to provide medical and non-medical assistance to victims of disasters and poverty. To donate, go to irteams.org or call 619-284-7979. Checks can be made out to International Relief Teams, 4560 Alvarado Canyon Road, Suite 2G, San Diego, CA 92120-4309. The money will be used for medical supplies, medicine and other relief supplies, and to support volunteers heading to Haiti for relief efforts.

Medical Teams International
The Christian global health organization sends volunteer medical teams and supplies to those in the midst of disaster or poverty. Monetary donations will go to supporting the medical teams being sent to Haiti and to the cost of shipping the medical supplies donated by corporations. Donate by going to medicalteams.org and clicking on the "Donate Now" button, or call 1-800-959-HEAL (4325) or send a check to Medical Teams International, P.O. Box 10, Portland, OR 97207.

Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
The humanitarian organization delivers medical care to people caught in crisis. Donations to its Haiti relief efforts will go toward repairing the obstetrics and trauma hospitals in Haiti that were damaged in the earthquake. They also will go to transporting an additional 70 doctors and medical supplies to the island in an effort to set up makeshift emergency medical response centers. To donate, go to doctorswithoutborders.org or call 1-888-392-0392.

Mercy Corps
The organization provides humanitarian assistance and economic opportunities in the world's toughest places, specifically those dealing with poverty, conflict and instability. To donate, go to MercyCorps.org. Money will go toward immediate humanitarian needs in Haiti, which may include, food, water and temporary shelter.

Operation USA
The international relief agency provides funding for reconstruction and development aid to communities that have experienced disasters, disease and poverty. For its Haiti relief efforts, the agency plans to use donations for health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements. To donate, go to opusa.org or call 1-800-678-7255, or mail a check to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave., Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232.

Save the Children
The independent organization focuses on children in need in the U.S. and globally through programs for health and nutrition, child protection and education. To donate, go to savethechildren.org, or call 1-800-728-3843 or 203-221-4030. Donations will go toward purchasing relief items, such as hygiene kits, family kits (pots, pans, food preparation items) and tarps.

The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army's mission is to provide food, shelter, clothing and spiritual comfort during disasters. To donate money, go to salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Make sure you designate the donation for "Haiti Earthquake." Money will go to the Salvation Army in Haiti, which will determine the country's immediate needs, including water, food, medicine and transportation.

Shelterbox
The nonprofit delivers boxes of supplies to families of up to 10 people. The boxes contain a tent and essential equipment to use while individuals are displaced or homeless. To donate, call 941-907-6036 or go to shelterbox.org.

U.S. Fund for UNICEF
The national committee for UNICEF is responsible for the organization's fundraising. UNICEF uses the money for health care, clean water, nutrition, education and emergency relief. To donate, go to Unicefusa.org or 1-800-4-UNICEF.

World Concern
The organization lifts people out of poverty, beginning with disaster response and ending when families can live sustainable lives. To donate to its relief effort, go to Worldconcern.org or call 1-866-530-5433. You can also mail checks to 19303 Fremont Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98133. Please specify that the check is for "Haiti Disaster Response." Money will go toward water supplies, shelter, blankets, distribution of food and long-term needs, such as job training, education, loans and home construction, among other projects.

World Food Programme
The food assistance agency's main focus is to fight hunger worldwide. The organization is working to bring food to Haiti. To donate, go to wfp.org.

Yele Haiti
This organization, founded by Wyclef Jean, creates projects to improve the quality of education, health, environment and community development in Haiti. To donate to to its Haiti relief efforts, go to yele.org or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5.

Other organizations seeking donations:
• Clinton Foundation
• Map International
• Medical Teams International
• Operation Blessing International
• Samatarian's Purse
• Project MediShare
• United Nations Foundation
• World Health Organization
• The Tyler Perry Foundation

YEAR IN REVIEW

The year 2009 was amazing for Dawn’s Angel Wish Network! Thank you Angels!! You have blessed so many people, through this outreach effort that it would be impossible to measure the impact. I am truly thankful and excited about all the wonderful things God has in store for the network this year.

This month is dedicated to a “review” of what you accomplished in 2009 and to thank you all so much for your participation in this ongoing effort. My prayer is that the network continues to grow in 2010 and that more people can get “connected” and blessed on an even greater level. We are adding some new things to the network this year; working on a new look, blogtalk radio show, Facebook presence (Twitter too!), and focusing on helping connect businesses to “community needs” through offering sponsorship packages.

But what I am most excited about is the clarity God has given. More than ever He wants people to feel that they have HOPE. That is the point of identifying people in need and connecting them with resources…the resources serve as a vehicle for HOPE. And YOU bring those resources…in fact, you ARE those resources. When you examine the word “resource” you can see that it implies re-connecting with “source”. That “source” is the God-spirit in each and every one of us. Unfortunately, we all experience events in our lives, which cause us to feel as if we have completely lost our connection with our source. Technically, it is impossible to lose our connection, we really only lose our awareness of the connection. But life certainly has a way of sometimes making us feel as if it has been severed. And it is for this purpose that Dawn’s Angel Wish Network exists. It is a way…one way that can be used to help people find their HOPE again.

When you respond to one of our network requests, you help someone regain HOPE and feel reconnected to the divine source. That is why you are called angels or “God’s messengers”. You deliver this message of restoration beautifully. I thank you.


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Here is what you have done to help people find HOPE in 2009 through the network:

January Wish: Let’s Bless our Elders

Cards, letters, gifts, etc. rolled into the network to lift an elderly woman out of depression. She had just received word that she would have to stay in a nursing home indefinitely. Your gifts, cards, and letters brightened many of her days. One “angel” even came out to read to the woman every week to lift her spirits. The woman started inviting other residents to enjoy the weekly readings. Pretty soon, the “angel” was reading to more than twenty nursing home residents on a weekly basis. In addition, two local churches began to have services at the facility twice a month. Now, the woman who suffered from depression is one of the strongest residents in the place and works hard to encourage others!




February Wish: The Angel Sings
A young lady with an incredible gift was featured on our network. We placed a sample of her talent on the blog and asked you to respond. Notes of encouragement came in all month and she was encouraged to take her musical talents to another level. She is working on her CD as we speak. Look for music from the great Nikki Sumlin coming soon! And remember you heard her first right here! ☺

March Wish: Connecting People and Job Resources
With the economy in shambles, the network offered resources to many to help them find jobs. We received numerous messages and calls saying how much these resources helped. Also, the economic crisis inspired the creation of a new blog called Become Light! where I posted my personal story of leaving corporate america and shared the lessons learned. As a result, I was invited to speak in various venues this year. This afforded me the opportunity to meet even more “angels” and grow the network. Become Light! is being revamped this year to include stories from a variety of aspiring and established authors who wish to spread their own messages of hope, encouragement and inspiration.

April Wish: College Students Ministry
In April, the network featured College Students Ministries (CSM), a 501c3 organization that partners with state colleges/universities throughout Ohio to deliver spiritual encouragement and toiletry care packages to students in need. Thank you to all angels who helped raise money and awareness for this cause. Dawn’s Angel Wish Network will feature CSM again in 2010.

May Wish: A Kidney for Tiffany
Tiffany Douglas is in need of a kidney transplant. Her story was featured on the network. Many people responded with cards, letters and encouragement. But there was one “angel” who wanted to be her kidney donor. This “angel” is currently in the last stage of testing to determine if she will be a definitive match. Please continue to keep Tiffany and her family in your prayers.





June Wish: In Search of Community Angels
We made the request to find “unsung” people in the community that deserve recognition. Thank you for taking the time to send us information on some of these extraordinary people. We will be highlighting them this year.

July Wish: The Angels Coalition
The Angels Coalition is a unique artistic outreach effort designed to restore hope to distressed communities throughout the United States and beyond. The angel artwork acts as an “army” of positive angelic messengers sent to deliver love to those in need through the power of visual imagery. The wish for July was to help us raise awareness for this cause. Thank you angels for all of your support!

August Wish: Mother’s Assisting Mother’s: Back to School
Mother’s Assisting Mothers (M.A.M.), Inc. is a non-profit Christian outreach organization, serving mothers with Multiple Sclerosis. Supported by the National MS Society (Ohio Buckeye Chapter), the organization’s mission is to provide support, resources, mentoring, training, and empowerment to families increasingly stressed by this disease. Thank you to all the angels who helped raise money, school supplies, and awareness for this cause.

September Wish: A Need in Kenya
The Living Rock Church in Kenya requested to be featured on our network in September. The network angels sent in SO MUCH stuff!!! OMG! ☺ In fact, we just collected the last of it. We are now in the process of finding resources to help us ship the bibles, clothing, books, etc. to Kenya. This outreach effort has been so successful, we are considering making it bigger in 2010! More on this in the coming months.



October Wish: Project RISE
Project R.I.S.E. (Realizing Individual Strength Through Education) is a collaborative effort by Akron Public Schools, local shelters, and the community to provide supplemental educational services to children and youth who are experiencing homelessness. Thank you to all the angels who helped raise money, school supplies, and awareness for this cause.

Special thanks to our FIRST BUSINESS ANGEL SPONSOR www.TheWaterForYou.com. YAY! ☺ This company is “walking the talk” of making community a priority! Not only have they displayed support of Dawn’s Angel Wish Network and Project RISE, but also through providing education to help people get healthy and stay healthy. A thriving community of people cannot exist if its people are sick. Get new water, get new life! Visit their website, or call (877)891-1350 to try this product for free. You will be amazed at the results!

November Wish: Angels Coalition
The Angels Coalition movement was featured twice this year to continue to raise awareness. Have you ever put up a picture in your living room to change the atmosphere? This is what the Angels Coalition is doing by putting up life-sized images of angels in distressed communities. It’s a symbol of hope! For more information on the Angels Coalition movement, go to www.angelscoalition.com. Thanks angels for all your support!!!!!

Special thanks to our business angel sponsor www.reallygoodgraphics.com for helping to raise awareness for this cause. This company is dedicated to doing great things in the community!

(Pictured: Tobin Buckner, Pres./CEO Really Good Graphics and Allison Russell, Angelus Gallery)

December Wish: Hope for Families in Need
The network partnered with AMHA/Edgewood Village to adopt two families in need for Christmas this year. The angels responded with ALL the items (needs AND wants) on each family’s list and then some! WOW! The families were so surprised and grateful for all you have given. Thank you for sharing your love. That’s what its all about!

Special thanks to our business angel sponsor www.tracywashington.com. This company is dedicated to helping those dealing with grief/loss and is doing great things in the community!

(Pictured L to R back row: Milistine Tatum, Program Mgr. (Edgewood Village), Tracy Lewis, Case Manager (Edgewood Village), Dawn Mitchell, Tracy Washington, (front row) Monya Blackburn, Quen Dix, Monique Grissom)

THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING DAWN'S ANGEL WISH NETWORK!!! Looking forward to connecting MORE people and resources in 2010!!