For kids undergoing chemotherapy, losing their hair can be especially traumatic. To help make it less difficult and frightening, a mother in Alaska came up with a magical idea.

After learning a friend’s two-year-old daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with cancer, Holly Christensen, a mother of three, crocheted Lily a wig. She used extra-soft yarn so it doesn’t irritate a bare scalp like a traditional wig does.

What makes Lily’s wig magical is it resembles the long locks of a fairy princess and is adorned with bows, gems and flowers. The wig was a hit with Lily and her mother, who encouraged Holly to make more of them for other children with cancer.

Soon after, Holly and a friend, Bree Hitchcock, co-founded the Magic Yarn Project. The mission of their non-profit is to create beautiful, soft yarn wigs for children battling cancer and to inspire volunteerism.

Volunteers crochet caps which serve as the foundation for the wigs. During workshops, volunteers attach the strands of yarn that become the “hair” for each wig. When completed, the wigs are shipped across the country –free of charge – to children who are battling cancer. Donations fund the cost of materials and shipping.

“The Magic Yarn Project aligns with the State Farm Neighborhood of Good^® — which encourages people to turn caring into doing by volunteering in their communities,” says State Farm^® says Marketing Manager Mandy Laux. "After learning what Holly and Bree are doing to bring joy to children who are fighting cancer, State Farm was inspired to make a donation the two woman can use toward supplies.”

The whimsical wigs are based on popular children’s characters – such as pirate captains for boys and princesses for girls. More than 5,500 of the wigs have been donated to children with cancer.

“We’ve received so many letters from parents telling us how much it meant to them to see their child smiling again because their childhood has been nothing but needles, pain and hospitals,” says Holly.

Kane was in New York City on Tuesday, Jan. 30, to share his personal experience with housing instability, volunteerism and the impact it has had on his life. He also discussed his upcoming tour and successful debut album, which is at No. 5 on Billboard Country Albums. Brown’s singing and songwriting have taken the industry by storm since his debut in 2015. Last October, Kane’s single “What Ifs” from his debut album reached No. 1 across all five country charts — the first country artist to accomplish such a feat.

Despite his success, Kane has not forgotten some of the struggles he endured on his way to fame. Growing up in Chattanooga, Tenn., there were times when Brown and his mom lived in a car because they didn’t have anywhere else to go or live.

“I’ll never forget the help that people gave me, and I want people to know that just one act of kindness means the world of difference,” says Kane Brown.

With a desire to ensure everyone has access to stable housing, Kane partnered with Make Room, a nonprofit group that advocates for an end the rental affordability crisis, and spoke to Congress about tackling to the housing crisis in America.

Reminding people that volunteering is linked to feeling better, happier and more connected to community (Source: State Farm Research), Kane is encouraging people to make a positive impact in their own neighborhood by finding a volunteer opportunity right for them at http://www.neighborhoodofgood.com/.

Amber, a State Farm Scholar, attends Georgia State University - Perimeter College in Decatur, GA, a commuter campus. Something she once never thought possible.

“Before my guidance counselor suggested this opportunity to me, I was wondering how I would pay for school and if I would even attend college because of my financial situation,” said Whitehead.

Thanks to the scholarship program, Amber is able go after her dreams…and her passions. “I have a passion for helping others in as many ways as I possibly can. I love giving back and making a change within my community,” remarked Amber.

Part of the expectation of the scholarship is the scholars volunteer within the community. In fact, all 50 scholars volunteered during the annual Hands On Atlanta Day.

On a warm October Saturday with 3,000 other volunteers, they completed 64 projects across metro Atlanta. Projects focused on food insecurity, homelessness, youth development, senior citizen support, and community beautification.

Elaine Hudson, Associate Director with Hands On Atlanta, coordinated the volunteer projects and was particularly impressed with the State Farm Scholars.

“They were energetic, enthusiastic and ready to volunteer. I could tell they wanted to be there; they were eager to help,” said Elaine.

The scholars volunteered at schools in Decatur where the majority of students are on free or reduced lunches. Fifteen scholars worked at Southwest DeKalb High School where they built a community garden and picnic tables. The other 35 scholars were at Columbia Elementary School where they painted and landscaped. Many of the scholars are alumni of the two schools.

“Even though I graduated from another high school, I was always helping out at Southwest DeKalb throughout my years in high school. I consider it my second school,” shared Amber.

The scholars don’t just volunteer one day a year. They adopted a Boys & Girls Club in South DeKalb County where they help with homework and tutoring being in Spring 2018.

As for Amber, she wants to make it her life’s work to continue giving back – as a teacher. Her first goal is to get a Bachelor’s degree and teach high school mathematics. Then, onward and upward, ultimately obtaining a Master’s degree and becoming a college professor.

“My mother, a single parent, has always stressed to me the importance of education,” Amber said. “If it were not for State Farm, I would not be in college at this very moment heading to success.”

But unlike most youth, Jacob has a hidden hurdle to overcome on the path to achieving his dreams. He spent the last five years in the foster system, and is now leaving the system to start out on his own.

Memories of Family and Making New Connections

Before entering the foster system at age 16, Jacob remembers a family life that influenced his current path.

“My best memories are of cooking with my family. There was peace in the house when the family cooked,” Jacob reminisced. “I can remember being nine years old, helping my mom cook dessert for Thanksgiving, helping Dad with the turkey, and making a honey glaze with brown sugar for the ham.”

But Jacob’s life took a sudden turn when he went into foster care as a teenager due to abuse and neglect. “Before I entered foster care, all I was used to was my family. I didn’t understand how the state could take me and my brothers and sisters away from our home. It was a really traumatic time in my life.”

The trauma of being separated from your family can carry a high risk for foster youth. Compared to their non-foster peers, foster youth are at a much greater risk for a variety of financial and personal issues. For Jacob, a key step was connecting with Jackson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), which serve the greater Kansas City, Mo., area.

“I met my CASA Volunteer, Katie, when I first came into care at age 16,” Jacob said. “Then, in 2015, I started working with CASA’s program to help older foster youth become financially independent.”

The Risks for Foster Youth

Many foster youth out on their own for the first time lack adequate education and role models for good financial practices. This puts them at a high risk for missteps that can cause long-term problems.

“Foster youth can become victims of many financial schemes including payday loans, rental scams, rent-to-own furniture stores, telephone scams, pyramid schemes, identity theft, and high-interest credit cards and loans,” says Kathryn Hartzler, Jackson County CASA’s Older Youth Specialist.

Even if a foster youth avoids such threats, they may lack basic information about the costs of utilities and other expenses beyond the cost of rent. Foster teens who fall into these traps are at risk for eviction, homelessness, and vehicle repossession. One poor decision can ruin their credit for years to come, devastating their financial future and self-esteem.

“Many youth ‘age out’ of the system feeling like they have to prove to the world that they can make it on their own,” says Kathryn. “If they fail to achieve the successes their peers experience, it can cause emotional turmoil. That can lead to relapses in previous harmful behaviors (such as substance abuse, unhealthy relationships, and self-harming behaviors) which can spiral into further issues.

CASA Fills the Gap

“Not a single teen leaves foster care wanting to fail,” says Kathryn. “But many youth fail when leaving custody because no one took the time to explain to them the basic financial skills parents usually teach their kids.”

To help fill this missing piece of the puzzle, Jackson County CASA introduced its Employment and Financial Literacy Program in 2015. The program, which is supported by State Farm, teaches teens about the financial realities of adulthood while coaching them as they navigate life decisions.

For every teen who enters this program, CASA conducts a life skills assessment every six months. Then the teen’s CASA volunteer, case supervisor, attorney, and Older Youth Specialist develop an action plan and goals to meet the needs of that specific teen.

“Many people have the same expectations of foster youth as they do for their peers who grew up in safe and permanent homes,” says Kathryn. “CASA volunteers and staff recognize success may look different for our older foster youth compared to their peers who did not experience the trauma of the foster care system.”

CASA volunteers are already familiar with each youth’s past, having worked with them for long periods. That knowledge, combined with an array of services and workshops, gives every teen in the CASA Older Foster Youth program the tools they need to succeed and overcome their specific obstacles.

Since the program began in 2015, Jackson County CASA’s Older Youth Specialist has provided direct financial and employment education to more than 75 youths in the Kansas City area.

The Ingredients for a Better Tomorrow

For Jacob, the understanding, sense of connection, and tools provided by Jackson County CASA has helped open doors to a better future.

“Kathryn and my CASA Volunteer, Katie, taught me how to budget and go grocery shopping for myself. They also connected me to food pantries and thrift stores to stretch my budget and taught me a lot of independent living skills. I feel a lot more positive energy now thanks to them.”

The basic ingredients of financial stability are helping Jacob connect to his future goals.

“Now that I have aged out at age 21, things are better,” says Jacob. “I can go places by choice, instead of the state making me. I can be myself and I am more in control of my situation. I’m working part-time right now, and am overjoyed that Kathryn is making it possible for me to go to Job Corps for training as a culinary professional.”

“My goal is to finish my culinary arts certification and get my GED and then my Associates degree in business. That’s a ‘big man step’ that will make it possible for me to work anywhere.”

With his own dreams now coming into focus, Jacob is also feeling inspired to give back. “CASA has been a great learning experience. I love Katie and Kathryn! I would someday like to mentor teenagers the way they have helped me.”

Five years ago, Kelly Brooks was in the same boat. She looked around at the vast number of non-profit organizations and volunteer opportunities in her large southern city and was overwhelmed. She knew there had to be a way to make it easier to connect.

So, drawing on her years as NASCAR marketing director, she did what she does best….she started creating relationships and partnerships with Charlotte nonprofits. Her idea was to create a platform where the Charlotte community could easily engage with local nonprofits.

“I decided that if I was having a hard time figuring out how to navigate the local nonprofit scene, then other people probably were too,” Brooks said. “My idea for SHARE Charlotte is for it to be a local one-stop shop for the community to find ways to plug in and make an impact.”

SHARE Charlotte’s website launched in December 2012 with 87 nonprofit partners. Today, SHARE Charlotte includes more than 440 nonprofits, all of them serving Mecklenburg County.

In addition to providing an easy-to-use platform for community engagement, SHARE offers nonprofits skills workshops, networking, and collaboration opportunities.

One of the most prominent collaborations is the annual giving campaign: #GivingTuesdayCLT.

In 2014, Brooks and SHARE Charlotte saw the Giving Tuesday movement as a way to unify local nonprofits and rally the community around a common goal … Doing Good.

This year’s #GivingTuesdayCLT, runs Nov. 14-28 with more than 230 nonprofit partners. SHARE Charlotte hopes to inspire the community to raise $10 million dollars for these local organizations

“We were all blown away after last year’s campaign,” Brooks said. “To see our city rally together around something so positive was truly inspirational.”

“When SHARE Charlotte began in 2012, I don’t think we could have predicted a movement like #GivingTuesdayCLT,” Brooks continued “It is certainly an indication the people of our community care and want to Do Good to make Charlotte better for everyone.”

Inspired by SHARE Charlotte? Want to find volunteer opportunities near you? Check out Neighborhood Of Good, search by your zip code and volunteer away!

National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week is November 5-11, 2017. State Farm celebrates the people who dedicate their time working and volunteering at the estimated 14,000 shelters and pet rescue groups in the United States. These people know animal rescue is both rewarding and devastating.

State Farm does not exclude homeowners or renters insurance coverage because of the breed of dog owned. Under the right circumstances, any dog might bite, regardless of breed.

An Unsung Hero

Karl Booker arrives at work every day ready to show love to the animals at LifeLine’s Fulton County Animal Services in Atlanta, GA. As a kennel technician, he provides care to the animals until they find a forever home. He also provides friendship and love to the dogs who may never make it out of the shelter. When a dog enters the shelter scared or aggressive, Booker is the one called upon to make a connection. In some cases, it is the only loving touch these dogs have ever – or will ever – experience. According to Booker, “it isn’t so much about them being bad. They just need some attention...some love.”

Unfortunately, some of these dogs will never be safe as family pets. In those cases, Karl is the one who is with them when their lives end. It is Karl who shows these dogs the love and respect they should have received during their entire life.

On May 19, 2017, Karl and his wife flew to San Diego, CA, to accept the Petco Foundation Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by State Farm. Celebrity dog trainer Victoria Stilwell presented the award. It recognizes a special individual whose commitment and dedication exemplifies their love for animals. In honor of Karl Booker, the Petco Foundation also awarded LifeLine’s Fulton County Animal Services a $25,000 grant to continue saving the lives of animals in Atlanta.

Other 2017 Petco Foundation Lifesaving Award recipients included:

• Founder’s Award – Brian Devine: Honoring the former Petco CEO and Chairman for his creation of, and commitment to, the Petco Foundation.
• Paul Jolly Compassion Award - Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association (Charleston, WV): Recognizing a small to mid-sized organization whose compassion for animals moved them to make a difference.
• Spay Neuter Award - Coalition for Pets and Public Safety (Los Angeles, CA): Celebrating the commitment of a high-impact spay and neuter clinic for service to their community, sterilizing an extraordinary number of animals.
• Helping Heroes Award - Mission K9 Rescue (San Antonio, TX): Honoring the work of an organization committed to serving our courageous canine heroes.
• Love Amplified Award - NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations for Clear the Shelters: Recognizing the visionary marketing and outreach efforts that resulted in increasing pet adoptions and saving lives across the country.
• Lifesaving Impact Award - LifeLine Animal Project (Atlanta, GA): Celebrating an exceptional organization, whose inspirational leadership transformed their community and made a significant lifesaving impact.

You Can Make a Difference

Want to make a difference for animals in your community? State Farm has launched the Neighborhood of Good^® initiative to make it easy for people to volunteer.

Step 1: Visit NeighborhoodofGood.com^®

Step 2: Choose a topic that you care about and enter your zip code

Step 3: Select a volunteer opportunity

If you are a non-profit organization, the Neighborhood of Good has teamed up with All for Good to help you connect and coordinate with volunteers around your cause. Registering with All for Good also helps people find your cause on the Neighborhood of Good website.

Join the movement by doing anything – big or small – to make a positive difference in your neighborhood. Together, we can turn the power of caring into the act of doing.

With the help of a grant given by State Farm, the non-profit group Generation tXt was formed in 2008 by a group of Booker T. Washington High School students and parents in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group was concerned about the negative consequences texting and driving was having on their friends and families.

The original teens involved in the program understood car crashes are the number-one cause of death among their peers, and their friends were 23 times at greater risk of crash due to texting while driving.

Carol Bush, the executive director of Generation tXt, was one of the parents who had a teen preparing to drive. “We thought it would be helpful to get a group of like-minded teens together who could really have an impact on their peers,” Bush said.

Generation tXt was born.

The diverse group of students developed their own identity. They prepared logos, banners, social media content, and talking points they used to share their message to other students: not to text while driving.

The program spread to additional schools in the Tulsa area and the teens began to share their message with community groups and driving schools. They were having a positive impact in Oklahoma and, as a result, many of their peers were putting down the phone.

Then something unusual happened. Generation tXt Coordinator Christy Blystone explains. “The teens in the group kept pushing to have a bigger impact. One day we were talking about the fact Oklahoma was one of only five states without a texting and driving ban.”

The teens took that fact a little hard and began planning their next mountain to climb – a trip to the Oklahoma Capitol to advocate for a new law.

The Generation tXt students, parents, and sponsors all piled into cars for the trip to Oklahoma City, a trip they would make many times over the years.

“We literally knocked on the doors of our senators and representatives, talking with anyone who would listen about the dangers of texting and driving,” said then-student Juliann Thomison. “We knew we had to be brief and convince them they could play a part in saving the lives of Oklahomans.”

For four years the students made the trip to the Capitol, pushing, pleading, prodding and hoping for success. And for four years, texting and driving legislation stalled out and died. Several of the Generation tXt students graduated, but there were always new students to take up the quest.

Finally in 2015, their consistent work and visits began to pay off.

State Representative Terry O’Donnell noticed the students in the Capitol and was impressed by the way they lobbied his fellow legislators. “The Governor challenged our legislature to send her a bill that would protect people by banning texting and driving,” O’Donnell said. “Bills have a way of dying off from lack of momentum but they (Generation tXt) would not let that die.”

Sensing victory in the air, a coalition of supporters, including Generation tXt, pushed hard and made sure Oklahoma House Bill 1965 gained enough traction to finally garner the votes needed.

The students were present in the gallery when the final vote was taken. A cheer went up as the gavel cracked and the bill was passed. Thanks to hard work and the commitment of Generation tXt, Oklahoma became the 46^th state to ban driver texting.

“Without their help and support, I don’t think we would have gotten it passed at all,” Representative O’Donnell confirmed.

Many would think this is the end of the story, but Generation tXt continues to teach and advocate for stronger laws, prepared to accept the next challenge to keep Oklahomans safe.

“I remember being excited the night before,” Michele recalls.

That feeling of excitement was the last thing Michele remembered when she woke up days later in the hospital.

Michele and Brooke never made it to the lake house. They were in a car crash. Severely injured, Michele had several fractures, a bleeding spleen, respiratory failure and a head injury. She spent several days in ICU in a drug-induced coma.

Brooke was in the center position of the back seat strapped into a rear-facing, convertible car seat. She suffered no injuries.

How did Brooke come away from the crash unscathed when Michele almost lost her life?

Just weeks prior to the crash, Michelle attended a Safe Kids luncheon. A career firefighter and EMT, she was also a part-time educator with the Cobb County Fire Department. She wanted to learn how to protect her daughter and others in the community.

The luncheon presenters used her car seat for demonstration. It took them less than an hour to show how to properly install the car seat.

“I had it placed behind the driver seat, not tight enough and the harness straps were too high. We finally placed it in the middle. This literally saved Brooke’s life, since I was hit on my driver side with a 29" intrusion,” Michele said. “It was embarrassing to find out that I had it installed all wrong. But those 45 minutes saved my daughter’s life.”

The experience left Michele eternally grateful and set her on a new path. She became a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and a CPST instructor. Now she’s the one teaching parents and new technicians to properly install car seats.

“It can save a life! It's up to us as parents and caregivers to research, educate and protect our precious cargo in our motor vehicles,” shared Michelle.

Brooke, now 19 years old, is following in her Mom’s footsteps. She recently graduated from Fire Recruit School and is starting her career as a firefighter and EMT. Knowing what happened to her as an infant, she plans to become a CPST, just like her mom and the people who saved her life.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 73% of child safety seats are misused. It’s critical for families to take the time to read the manual for the car seat, as well as their vehicle owner’s manual. It’s equally important to have the right seat for the height and weight of the child, and to keep them rear-facing until at least age two.

It’s always a good idea to have a CPST check your installation as well. You can never be too safe when it comes to the well-being of your children. Check out The Ultimate Car Seat Guide and visit Safe Kids Worldwide to find a technician or car seat check event near you.

You might also like:

• Saving Leilani
• A Superhero Retires
• The Auto Safety Timeline

That’s when a massive EF5 tornado, nearly a mile wide at its peak, struck the city. Killing 161, injuring more than 1,100, and causing $2.8 billion in damages – making it the costliest tornado in U.S. history. Nearly 20% of the city was destroyed. 7,000 homes lost, more than 9,000 residents displaced, and 40% of the city receiving some kind of damage (including the local hospital, St. John’s Regional Medical Center, which was damaged beyond repair).

There is much involved in a community recovering from such a devastating blow. Restoring homes, infrastructure, and basic services are tasks that continue to this day.

But the question of healing is a deeper issue. To help the residents of Joplin heal, connect, and process their stories of trauma, the city turned to a different resource: art.

Expression Beyond Words

During the recovery process, the Joplin community realized the need to help community members process their experiences. “Someone may be too traumatized to talk about an event, but are able to express their story through art,” said Patrick Tuttle, Director of the Joplin Convention & Visitors Bureau.

With the involvement of the community, many public art projects were created to help Joplin tell its story. Painted murals downtown depict images of Joplin faces and history. A series of sculptures throughout the city were sold to help provide funding for a disaster recovery summit. A Joplin-born composer created and performed a piece of music about the tragedy.

A local nonprofit, Art Feeds Joplin, provided art therapy programs for many Joplin children traumatized by the tornado. Joplin Proud, a group of volunteers working together to commemorate the tornado, coordinated shared creative activities for residents, including children’s art projects and a community-wide journaling experience.

The culmination of this series of projects was a plan by Joplin Proud to construct a free-standing mural in Mercy Park, a new park located on the former site of St. John’s Regional Medical Center. This mural would serve as a lasting tribute to the spirit of survival and recovery established in Joplin, and an interactive piece of art that could be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike for decades to come.

On the Wings of Butterflies

The art throughout Joplin took on many forms, but the main theme running through all of it was butterflies.

The image of a butterfly has meaning in terms of recovery – “The metamorphic growth of a butterfly is symbolic of our recovery as a community and regional hub,” said Tuttle – but the primary motivation for using butterfly imagery came from a phenomenon reported throughout Joplin in the wake of the tornado.

After the tornado, many local children reported seeing and being protected by butterflies or “butterfly people” when the tornado hit. Some believed they were angels; others felt them to be a more indescribable presence.

But the butterfly stories spread quickly and became a powerful image for the community as they came together to recover from the storm. From painted murals to public sculptures to community children’s art projects, the butterfly theme was present everywhere.

Tuttle, inspired by murals he had seen in New York City that allowed visitors to stand between large sets of wings to have their photos taken, proposed a similar idea for the mural in Mercy Park, using the image of butterfly wings. With funding support from a State Farm grant, Joplin Proud was now ready to make the vision a reality.

The Artists

To design and build the mural, Joplin turned to local artists with long-standing connections to the city. A.J. and Jordan Wood, a father-and-son team of artists who work under the name Mythiq Art & Mural, were chosen to create the imagery for the mural. A.J., who grew up nearby in southeast Kansas, spent time in Joplin as a child and moved his family there in 2002.

A.J. was displaced from his studio when the tornado hit, and continued his work in his home. “We had no electricity, so my wife set up some oil lamps and candles by my easel so I could work. That week I created three paintings that were auctioned to help a family who had suffered terrible loss in the storm.”

To make this mural a durable and lasting effort, the community turned to Paul Whitehill of Whitehill Enterprises, an experienced, professional mural artist specializing in tile murals.

Paul has lived in Joplin for 22 years, and moved his production facility there in 2002. The facility was outside the tornado’s path, but three of his employees lost their homes in the disaster. “Nothing in all my travels and life's experience could have prepared me for the devastation of the May 22nd tornado,” said Paul. “I was in shock as I surveyed the path of the tornado. Terms like war zone or bomb blast could not even come close to what I saw over the first few days.”

Putting the Pieces Together

Shortly after the tornado, A.J. wrote a butterfly-themed poem about the experience, and had been photographing butterflies with a powerful zoom lens to examine the fine details of their wings.

Said A.J., “When butterfly wings are magnified, you see all kinds of interesting patterns of construction. It reminded me of the patterns of life and how the patterns that hold a community together can be broken apart and put back together again. So I decided to illustrate a butterfly composed of thousands of interlocking patterns as a symbol of how thousands of individuals living in our area are bound together into a beautiful whole.”

The finished mural was unveiled on August 11, 2016, in a ceremony that included representatives from the City of Joplin, Mercy, Walmart (who provided funding for the wall) and State Farm (who funded the creation of the mural).

A Community Rises Again

Now six years removed from the tornado, Joplin’s recovery work continues, but the city has made incredible progress. Nearly 2,000 homes have been built and 300 new businesses established, numerous road improvement, trail, and park projects are underway, and the hospital – now called Mercy Hospital Joplin – has been rebuilt. The city’s population is at its highest point ever, having grown in the years since the tornado struck.

The devastation has not been forgotten, however – with the lives lost and memories long, the storm still echoes. “We are healing, but we still have a ways to go,” said Tuttle. “Every time a thunderstorm rolls in, the tension can be felt. Some people may never move past this. But our economy is booming with new business and growth, and improvements throughout Joplin are noticeable.”

For the artists, the mural has been a rewarding project. Said A.J., “We love the new park and finished mural, and to see people using it every day. One lady said of her mural selfie, ‘I just feel like I’m wrapped up in a great big quilt’! I thought that was the best compliment ever.”

Paul has appreciated the result as well. “I am so pleased with the finished mural. It faces to the west and its colors are enhanced by the light of the setting sun. The mural has become one of the most popular destinations in the city. People from all over the world have their pictures taken there which get posted on social media. I hope that people who visit will learn of the strength within my community in the face of disaster.”

Said A.J., “The whole installation is forward focused and that is what we need as a community. I hope to see more flowers planted near the mural to help set it off – especially flowers that attract real butterflies.”

One out of five of those children are living in poverty and will go to bed hungry tonight. (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), March 2017) Another way to look at the numbers – your child has a sleepover party. For one or two of those children, that was the first time in a long time they went to bed with a full belly.

No region, ethnicity or age group in America is immune to childhood poverty. Once you are touched by poverty, it’s hard to outrun its effects. Unfortunately, childhood poverty often means future poverty and long-lasting health and development issues. (USDA, March 2017)

So what can we do?

Chandler, AZ, is a fast-growing Phoenix suburb with more than a quarter million people.

“Most people driving through downtown Chandler - they see the beautiful downtown and the parks, but within a stone’s throw we’ve got people who are struggling to make ends meet,” shared Det. Kelley, a Chandler police officer.

Fortunately for these kids there is an organization with an army of volunteers who are committed to changing the trajectory of their lives. ICAN was founded 25 years ago by local resident, Henry Salinas, who wanted to provide safe after-school care for children in his low-income neighborhood.

Today the program is more than just an afterschool program for at-risk youth. “We use a nationally-recognized curriculum to build the skills necessary to encourage social behavior; prevent substance abuse and delinquency; develop life skills and leadership capacity; and enhance self-image and self-confidence,” shares CEO of ICAN, Shelby Pederson.

But ICAN needed help to provide their life-altering services to more members of the community - free of charge. In 2016, they heard about a crowdsourced grant program that connects individuals and communities with local non-profits to build safer, stronger, and smarter communities, State Farm Neighborhood Assist (SFNA).

And they won one of those 40 grants. “The grant money is going towards our Youth Development Program that tackles three major barriers: Free programming, meals, and transportation,” shared Shelby. “Without help from organizations like State Farm and their Neighborhood Assist program, we could not provide these services to our community.”

Together, Chandler residents and ICAN volunteers are giving their children the best chance they can at a brighter future. They are turning the power of caring into the act of doing with the help of SFNA. Is there a cause in your community you care about?

You might also be interested in:

• A Young Life Lost: A Legacy of Safety
• Things Are Looking Up
• Finding A New Path

Students at NC State University are challenged to think beyond boundaries and do the extraordinary. So, it was no surprise Habitat for Humanity of Wake County and the NC State Campus Chapter became the one of largest partnerships between a Habitat Campus Chapter and a Habitat affiliate, raising the most funds ever.

“The vision of the project, called “Build A Block,” was to build 11 homes on land near the University,” explained Melanie Rankin of Habitat Wake. “We wanted to give the opportunity of homeownership to more families. We knew we needed a partner that could bring in new sponsorship and volunteer commitments.”

NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson and his wife Susan agreed to be honorary chairs of the Build A Block campaign, and the project was off. The financial goal was huge - $715,000.

Students led the charge

In September 2015, the students went to work. Past Habitat Campus Chapter President and NC grad student Sarah Paluskiewicz, along with Mike Giancola, Assistant Vice Provost Student Ombudsperson for NC State, led the university effort. Through special events and grants, the students raised more than $120,000 toward construction costs.

At the heart of the students’ work, however, was volunteering on the site.

Current Chapter President Parker Colbath, a junior majoring in chemical engineering, spent a whopping 226 hours helping build the 11 homes. From his first experience as a freshman, Parker fell in love with a sense of community he had not experienced until Habitat.

“It was incredible to see NC State students from diverse backgrounds and cultures working together. We have students from all over the globe, which was really cool as many of the (Build A Block) families are from around the world too,” Parker shared.

5,000 volunteers contributed more than 20,000 hours to help build the homes.

“To whom much is given, much is required,” said NC State Athletics Department Debbie Yow. When she heard about plans for NC State’s commitment to Build A Block, she knew it would be a great experience for the student athletes. All 23 athletic teams contributed in some form.

Business and alumni step up

NC State alumni also got involved. Smedes York (Class of 1963), a long-time supporter of Habitat Wake, helped secure financial support from individuals and local businesses.

“Quality of life starts with a good home, and to have these folks rooted in the community, have a nice home to live in, to be a contributing part of the community is very, very important,” York commented.

State Farm joined the Athletics Department and others to provide financial support and to volunteer on site, alongside students and the future homeowners.

“It’s rewarding to be with a company that provides grants for such great projects and then to have the opportunity to build with your colleagues – to see the results of our support,” said State Farm Agent Vincent Boone. “But, the best part is meeting the homeowners and hearing their stories.”

Building secure futures

Purchasing a safe, affordable home through Habitat is life-changing. The 11 Build A Block families are from five different countries, but they all share the sentiment of gratitude for the chance to own a home.

“Thank you for giving us a place we can call our forever home after moving from apartment to apartment for the past 15 years,” new homeowner Sanna Z. Ghulam said at the home dedication ceremony in May 2017.

Ghulam, a working, single mom, has three sons. “I can’t thank Habitat for Humanity enough for making this dream come true for us! It will be a great journey for me and my boys.”

Another homeowner, Raleigh native, Rasheeda Ray, commented the low-interest payments will allow her to save for her and her five year old daughter’s future.

“It definitely will help our quality of life and I am grateful to Habitat Wake for this opportunity,” Ray added. For this busy mom who holds down two jobs, it’s a great reward.

Want to find volunteer opportunities near you? Visit Neighborhood of Good and make a positive difference in your neighborhood.

“If you know how to smile and shake a hand, you can be a volunteer. It feels good to help others,” Bob said. “Even if you only have an hour a month to volunteer, I believe it can have a profound impact on the community.”

Want to be like Bob? Visit Neighborhood of Good to find volunteer opportunities in your neck of the woods.

You might also be interested in:

• Neighbors work together to take back their local park
• A Garden of Opportunity: Transforming Students into Service Leaders
• Volunteers Matter
• A Small Town With Big Dreams

“At their best, parks are places for communities to come together,” said Amanda Timm, Houston Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Executive Director. “Unfortunately, many neighborhood parks do not live up to this ideal and are not safe places.”

One such place is Clark Park, a 12.74-acre park in a neighborhood north of downtown Houston. “Clark Park has seen robberies, illegal drug sales, and other criminal activity. It’s also the only park serving the neighborhood’s 17,800 residents,” Amanda explained.

Coming together to take action

In 2015, Clark Park residents decided to take back their park, but they weren’t sure where to start. They found a program that had transformed other neighborhood parks: “Great Opportunities (GO) Neighborhoods,” a Houston LISC program funded in part by State Farm. The program produces diverse, vibrant, and safe communities by engaging members of neighborhood.

In May 2016, community leaders hosted a safety audit and visioning session for Clark Park. More than 50 residents, city and University of Houston staff attended the daylong event. Together they observed and recorded any hazard to safety (blocked visibility, lighting problems, maintenance issues, etc.).

Alejandro Perez, a 23 year resident with a goal of becoming a homeowner, got involved in the safety audit. “I wanted to be a part of shaping the neighborhood I will live in with my kids, when I finally buy a house here.”

That day during the visioning session, residents discussed their thoughts and dreams about the future of Clark Park.

“This was fun because other people come up with ideas you don’t think about,” Alejandro remembered. “One neighbor thought of a pavilion. It surprised me how many different age groups were using the walking trails. It’s a small park, but neighbors connect to it in many ways.”

Residents said they would like an updated jogging trail, more family-friendly areas, and more police patrols.

The Clark Park day was one of the largest attended events of its kind in Houston. It was clear, the community was ready to create positive change in their neighborhood.

Two months later, local residents reviewed a rendering of potential Clark Park improvements. They shared feedback with the city entities and nonprofits. Avenue Community Development Corporation (Avenue CDC) leads the on-going improvement work in Clark Park.

“Clark Park has so much potential,” Avenue CDC’s Community Coordinator Maria Aguirre-Borrero said. “With the help of elected officials and community member engagement, the park will be a shining light in the community.”

In March 2017, leaders added Clark Park to the city’s Capital Improvement Project plans. Now the park will receive improvement funds.

“Clark Park is a fine example of how positive actions can result in neighborhood improvements,” Amanda said. “With determination and hard work, the neighborhood will soon have a park to be proud of.”

What can you do to improve your neighborhood? Visit Neighborhood of Good to find volunteer opportunities in your neck of the woods.

Other stories you might find interesting:

• A Neighborhood of All Stars
• From Peaceful Protest to Enduring Relationship
• Minnesota Town Pulls Together to Fix Community Ball Field

Have you ever uttered a similar sentence about your children? It can be hard for kids to grasp how much things cost until they have to make their own way in the world. By that point, they may have already made bad financial decisions. Decisions that can have them digging their way out of debt for years.

That’s where financial literacy education comes into play. Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas (JASET) teaches fourth through sixth grade students the value of a dollar in their classrooms.

JASET also provides the students with a unique, hands on program called JA BizTown. This learning experience helps students make a connection between what they learn in school and how to apply it in the real world.

In JA BizTown, students “work” in businesses, restaurants, city government, utilities, and banks. And they earn paychecks and pay bills!

But what makes JA BizTown so successful? Volunteers. Business executives, community leaders, and parents engaging in the classrooms is what makes JA BizTown a big hit.

“JASET knows volunteers are essential to reaching more than 300,000 Houston-area students each year,” DeJeania Jones, who manages JA BizTown, shared. “On local school campuses, volunteers teach financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship. They help students understand and practice critical thinking skills. They also act as mentors and role models to students.”

JA BizTown is something students look forward to each year. It’s a one-time opportunity to enjoy a field trip to operate a business for a day, serve as bank teller, mayor, or take part in one of dozens of other roles.

On that day, local volunteers share experiences from their own lives as they help students. They show them how to run businesses, sell goods/services, deposit checks, pay bills, and complete other tasks to be active citizens of JA BizTown.

“When good neighbors make time to volunteer in classrooms, students gain a better understanding of how education is relevant to the jobs, income levels, and lifestyles,” shared DeJeania.

“JA BizTown positively impacts students in many ways,” DeJeania said. “We love seeing the energy students have when they apply their classroom lessons taught by local volunteers.”

“It makes me feel very happy that so many people make time to improve my education by teaching in our classroom and they helped me to develop life skills by guiding me during my field trip to JA BizTown,” from an evaluation by Rain, a fifth grader who spent a day in JA BizTown. “I hope we made you proud.”

“Each year, one of our goals is to increase volunteers who take part in classrooms and at JA BizTown,” DeJeania said. “Through volunteerism, State Farm – who also provides annual philanthropic support - and other supporters show their dedication to helping students do well both academically and in their future as workers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.”

For almost a century, State Farm has earned the reputation of being a “good neighbor” by applying this understanding to our business. We’ve always been about people, about relationships, about being Here to help life go right.™ It’s become more than our line of work – it’s our life’s work. But it’s sometimes easy to overlook how we help beyond our core business — the impact we have in communities we live in and serve.

We’re not just a company that donates money – we’re here to help people and communities create positive, sustainable and measureable societal impact. Through initiatives to help make safer, stronger, smarter communities, as well as the hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours our people give in their own communities, helping is at the heart of who we are.

When you step back, you can see we’ve created something big, a neighborhood that reaches far beyond a specific location: we call it our Neighborhood of Good.

It’s another way we’ll help more people, in more ways.

Download Joy Williams' – "Don’t Let Me Down"  on Amazon.com

Joy is donating all proceeds to the American Red Cross.

Damaged was the town tornado siren. If the residents were to have any warning at all, Kory would have to turn it on himself. He drove right toward the twin tornado, away from safety, to give people a fighting chance.

Kory was not the only hero that day. The president of the local bank risked his life for his work family, securing their safety at the sake of his own. “I accepted the odds that I was not going to survive,” said Gene Willers.

Although only one tornado went down Main Street in Pilger, the twin funnels cleared everything in their path. Businesses, 73 homes, a school, farmland and twenty grain bins became flying shrapnel and deadly debris.

The storm received national attention by meteorologists because of the rarity of twin tornadoes. They dubbed Pilger, “A Town too Tough to Die.” News outlets from across the nation lined the highway capturing the aftermath of the storm and the resilience of the community.

What they saw was 16,000 volunteers from all 50 states helping in any way they could and locals taking in their neighbors who lost everything. In this part of Nebraska, agriculture is the main source of revenue for residents. Volunteers and neighbors walked the farm fields to pick up bits of metal - even small pieces of debris can ruin a combine.