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We wanted to do a special edition of our blog to celebrate Labor Day.
Small businesses are the backbone of this Country's economy, and we celebrate you for all your hard work and dedication. We also celebrate all the ways you give back to your communities and various causes. We're certain you've donated a product or service at one time or another just to help out someone in need. You didn't publicize doing it either. You saw a need and you met it.
I'd like to feature some business owners who have made "giving back" a regular part of doing business. I also want to let you know about some community projects and various organizations that could use your help right now. Our hope is that you will read a story and be motivated to help in any way you can, even if it's just to tell someone else.
John O'Connor, Shade Tree Garage
Supports Research for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)
At the age of 52, John O'Connor's brother, Gary, was diagnosed with ALS. A very active and vibrant man, this diagnosis was a shock, not only to him, but also to his family. Since then, the entire family has rallied around Gary and has been working hard to help raise funds for the Robert Packard Center; the only one of its kind dedicated solely to finding new therapies to slow or cure ALS.
Because ALS is so rare (only 10,000 diagnosed yearly) and so deadly (2-5 years after diagnosis), there is very little fundraising that goes on and this disease is overlooked by the pharmaceutical companies because it is not a "money maker." Unfortunately, the outlook for someone diagnosed with ALS is the same today as it was in 1938, when Lou Gehrig was diagnosed.
John owns Shade Tree Garage, an automotive repair shop in Morristown, NJ. This past year, during the months of March and April, John donated a portion of the sale of each oil change to the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research.
He didn't stop there. Each year, John and every able-bodied family member participates in the Fiesta 5K held every year in Baltimore to raise money for the Packard Center. Last year, Team Low & Slow (so named after Maryland Terps and a Navy helicopter reference) was 53 strong and raised a substantial amount for the Packard Center.
This year, just like last, O'Connor's family descended on Baltimore from CA, DC, IN, IO, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, VA, and WV for the Fiesta 5K. This year, Team Low & Slow raised $21,000, bringing their total in the last three years to over $50,000!
Antony Njoroge
Tumaini African Foundation and Angels of Mercy Ministry in Kenya
At the age of 52, John O'Connor's brother, Gary, was diagnosed with ALS. A very active and vibrant man, this diagnosis was a shock, not only to him, but also to his family. Since then, the entire family has rallied around Gary and has been working hard to help raise funds for the Robert Packard Center; the only one of its kind dedicated solely to finding new therapies to slow or cure ALS.Because ALS is so rare (only 10,000 diagnosed yearly) and so deadly (2-5 years after diagnosis), there is very little fundraising that goes on and this disease is overlooked by the pharmaceutical companies because it is not a "money maker." Unfortunately, the outlook for someone diagnosed with ALS is the same today as it was in 1938, when Lou Gehrig was diagnosed.
John owns Shade Tree Garage, an automotive repair shop in Morristown, NJ. This past year, during the months of March and April, John donated a portion of the sale of each oil change to the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research.
He didn't stop there. Each year, John and every able-bodied family member participates in the Fiesta 5K held every year in Baltimore to raise money for the Packard Center. Last year, Team Low & Slow (so named after Maryland Terps and a Navy helicopter reference) was 53 strong and raised a substantial amount for the Packard Center.
This year, just like last, O'Connor's family descended on Baltimore from CA, DC, IN, IO, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, VA, and WV for the Fiesta 5K. This year, Team Low & Slow raised $21,000, bringing their total in the last three years to over $50,000!
Antony Njoroge
Tumaini African Foundation and Angels of Mercy Ministry in Kenya
Thanks for your concern and care. I want to give you a glimpse of Tumaini (TAF). We are situated in one of the Nairobi informal settlements. Most of us came to this place after our homes were demolished in 1990-1991. It was so much of a wilderness. Until recently the place had neither water nor electricity. Sewage and drainage are not mentioned here. Nevertheless the community has worked hard and today Soweto is one of the first growing informal settlements in terms of development. Most families are headed by single mothers.
In such conditions, poverty and lack of education have stood as the greatest barrier. We have come in to provide leadership and change within our community. We have chosen to invest on the youth, teenagers and kids. We provide a community Sunday school with an interdenominational approach.
If you pray with us and help us where you can on these, you shall indeed be transforming lives. For me as an individual my greatest desire is to see the lives of these kids become better than the life I lived as a child. Having been brought up in a single mother headed family, I would not wish the agony I went through to any kid. Given that the group cannot support any salary we all of us work as volunteers. The only challenge I have as the visionary is the fact that I have to be there in most cases and allow the rest to and try to make their ends meet. If you can pray for to be able to set up a business or get a part time job I would be very glad.
Here are some of the things they face and their needs:
In such conditions, poverty and lack of education have stood as the greatest barrier. We have come in to provide leadership and change within our community. We have chosen to invest on the youth, teenagers and kids. We provide a community Sunday school with an interdenominational approach.
If you pray with us and help us where you can on these, you shall indeed be transforming lives. For me as an individual my greatest desire is to see the lives of these kids become better than the life I lived as a child. Having been brought up in a single mother headed family, I would not wish the agony I went through to any kid. Given that the group cannot support any salary we all of us work as volunteers. The only challenge I have as the visionary is the fact that I have to be there in most cases and allow the rest to and try to make their ends meet. If you can pray for to be able to set up a business or get a part time job I would be very glad.
Here are some of the things they face and their needs:
- Some kids go to school without shoes and with tattered clothes.
- There is an inadequacy of books (text books and writing materials).
- Some kids lack school fees hence high drop out.
- We don't have Bibles and other spiritual teaching aids.
- Those who take parts in sport have no sports kits.
- Due to high poverty level some kids go at times without meals at worst and with a single meal at best.
- Yesterday in our back-to-school prayer, people cried when it was mentioned that girls in our group suffer because of a lack of sanitary towels. It was painful to hear of ladies who use tissue paper and miss school even a whole week.
How you can help:
If you would like to start a collection at your business location for anything mentioned above, item donations would be greatly appreciated. Email me, Anne Lazo, and I will put you in touch with Antony.
Eric and Elizabeth Shoop
Owners of First Kids Furniture are the Visionaries for Build On The Rock Ministries
If you would like to start a collection at your business location for anything mentioned above, item donations would be greatly appreciated. Email me, Anne Lazo, and I will put you in touch with Antony.
Eric and Elizabeth Shoop
Owners of First Kids Furniture are the Visionaries for Build On The Rock Ministries
Eric and Elizabeth Shoop are strongly motivated to give back and follow the words expressed by God, that "Pure and faultless religion is to look after orphans and widows in their distress" James 1:27.
There are many orphaned children around the world who need homes where they can feel safe and warm and be well-fed. That's the mission of Build On The Rock Ministries - To globally empower Christians to construct and maintain Christian children's homes and coeducational institutes around the world. These homes will be used to spiritually nurture homeless children through the age of 18 with the Word of God and educate these children in a social, mental, physical, and financial need so that they can lead a fulfilling and productive life.
Eric and Elizabeth recently applied with the NGO council to start building homes in Africa. They will also soon be completely documents to do the same in India. After that, they will go wherever the Lord leads and there's a need.
How does this young couple support this large vision? In addition to the traditional ways of fundraising for a non-profit corporation, they are working diligently to grow their small business, First Kids Furniture. Their business is strictly on-line and they sell unique and fun furniture for kids. They also provide a lot of resources for parents.
Here are some ways you can help:
There are many orphaned children around the world who need homes where they can feel safe and warm and be well-fed. That's the mission of Build On The Rock Ministries - To globally empower Christians to construct and maintain Christian children's homes and coeducational institutes around the world. These homes will be used to spiritually nurture homeless children through the age of 18 with the Word of God and educate these children in a social, mental, physical, and financial need so that they can lead a fulfilling and productive life.
Eric and Elizabeth recently applied with the NGO council to start building homes in Africa. They will also soon be completely documents to do the same in India. After that, they will go wherever the Lord leads and there's a need.
How does this young couple support this large vision? In addition to the traditional ways of fundraising for a non-profit corporation, they are working diligently to grow their small business, First Kids Furniture. Their business is strictly on-line and they sell unique and fun furniture for kids. They also provide a lot of resources for parents.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Refer First Kids Furniture to parents you know.
- Partner with them on one of their fundraisers. They can show you how you can help by selling candles or Samaritan cards to your friends, family, and church.
- They are currently in need of an international lawyer's advice. If you can meet this need, consider donating your time.
To learn about more opportunities to partner with this vision, visit their web site. You can also show your support by becoming a Facebook fan of Build On The Rock.
