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The feature below is brought to you by The Diversity Gap - A Project of Plywood People, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about The Diversity Gap, please visit their website page: here.  Plywood Leaders of Color Gathering Cultivating beautiful across all lines of difference We all arrive at our “diversity” work from different places. We carry with us critical moments that open our eyes and invite us to see the world in new ways. When I say “diversity work,” I’m referring to the intentional, ongoing process of celebrating the undeniable presence of difference in us and among us. When I say “diversity work,” I’m thinking of our responses to racial injustice and our efforts to build cultures where all people can thrive. When I say “diversity work,” I am thinking about what it takes to see the beautiful in every person we meet. I’m imagining what it looks like to commit our energies to the flourishing of others just as much as we are committed to our own. My arrival at this work began when I was a child growing up in rural Georgia. There were many things I loved about my childhood. I loved my small town; I loved the ten minute walk to the grocery store or to the library. I loved knowing everyone, and I loved feeling so known. However, there was also a cloud of racism that hung over our little slice of heaven. In true Southern fashion, there was a celebration of the confederacy that made me feel like my liberated black body was somehow in the wrong place. There was the fact that our town was divided by the railroad tracks: black people here; white people there. Rich people here; poor people there. There was the fact that our classrooms and football stadiums were also marked by a segregation that confused me. Those facts, and my confusion about them, journeyed with me as I moved through college and beyond. I eventually entered the working world in the big city and was struck by how these schools, neighborhoods and churches seemed just as segregated as my hometown, despite everyone’s belief in being so progressive. This challenged me to consider: why can’t we do life better together? What will it take? Then 2014 came and went, as did 2015 and 2016. The Movement for Black Lives took the nation by storm, and our social feeds were flooded with hurt and heartbreak. It’s as if bandages were ripped off of age-old wounds and we could all feel it. With our souls bare and our fears exacerbated, I watched communities fracture and fumble through it all. It was painful to say the least. But it was also a critical moment for many, inviting more people into the arena of diversity work. It was around this time various organizations began inviting me to consult or train their communities in the work of anti-racism. Questions about the state of race in America quickly gave way to questions like, “How do we diversify our team?” or “How do we diversify our community?” I would find myself in conversation with the few people of color on a majority white staff, and they would confess, “I love being a part of this organization, but I feel like I can’t be myself here,” or “When I try to speak up about the racism I see, white people push back and can’t understand; it makes me feel powerless.” Most often, I’ve heard from all sides, “We value diversity and being a multicultural organization, but it’s not happening. What are we doing wrong?” The value doesn’t match the reality. There is distance between what we want and what is required to attain it. Good intentions fall short of good impact. In my own life and story, these tensions revealed the next level of my diversity work: doing research to discover the cultural habits and practices of truly diverse and inclusive teams. My thinking is, if I can figure out what is working for some, then perhaps I can share findings that will work for many. This name of this research project is The Diversity Gap. Over the course of the next couple of years, I will be interviewing over 100 underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities in majority white organizations to learn more about their experiences of inclusion and exclusion. As I find organizations were diversity work is going comparatively well, I will complete deep-dive case studies to understand what is working and why. Alongside this research, I am creating a podcast series to share my findings and to learn from industry experts as it relates to organizational culture, diversity and change management. I also hope to launch a live event and write a book. I have big dreams. At the end of the day, I’m finding that it’s the work that matters most. It’s the intentional and ongoing choice to show up for the messy and clumsy conversations. It’s the courage it takes to look honestly at our racially broken past and present, and to consider what sacrifices will be required to create a new future. It’s the tenacity to take responsibility for our lives and our families and to decide that racial segregation ends with us. This is the work that matters most. My dream for this project, for The Diversity Gap, is to support leaders and communities on their journey to not only see more beautiful, but to leverage their influence to cultivate beautiful across all lines of difference. This is the invitation. I hope you will join me in this work. Written by: Bethaney WilkinsonDirector of Programming, The Diversity Gap - A Project of Plywood People
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The feature below is brought to you by Lantern House, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about Lantern House, please visit their website page: here.  Homeless Court, a Funeral, and Stolen Sausages: My first two weeks at Lantern HouseAt Lantern House, northern Utah’s largest homeless shelter, there is a large community room which serves many purposes. Last week, I sat in the front row of a courtroom and watched a patient judge, in his formal robe and black Nikes, negotiate community service hours with numerous Lantern House residents. Two clerks took notes, a public attorney counseled clients, and Lantern House case managers took the stand to verify their client’s valiant efforts. After an individual had successfully completed their community service obligations, I felt the urge to belt out an excited “whoop whoop” and was beyond happy when the judge asked us to give the individual a round of applause. I could have clapped for hours for the young man, who couldn’t have been more than thirty, as he sauntered out of the makeshift courtroom. The beaming smile on his face made me wonder if he had ever been clapped for in such a way, and I thought about all the cheering and support, literal and otherwise, I’d received in the course of my life, and how unfair the moments in a life can shake out to be in comparison to another. The week prior I watched an adorable little dog (yes, we take all kinds of animals at our shelter) sleep peacefully on the community room floor, it’s wave-like breath giving life to a somber room as we honored two individuals who had recently passed away. Residents from the shelter filed in quietly, lighting candles and laying flowers on a small memorial table. A pastor shared her thoughts, and although I’ve never been particularly keen on religious ceremony, it felt essential to be there. It was a rough initiation to a new job; two people passing away, thankfully peacefully, in my first two weeks at the shelter, but I was grateful for our Executive Director who, having many years on me, seemed more acquainted and skilled in honoring death. It made me proud to know that we were all there, albeit just a few minutes, to recognize their lives in the best way we knew how. This past Thursday I sat in the community room for our weekly staff meeting; an all hands-on-deck discussion of everything and anything that’s going on at the shelter. Since I’m new, I still feel like I’m a fly on the wall as security, kitchen staff, case managers, medical personnel, and supervisors start hashing out protocols and various responsibilities. I enjoy these meetings because I feel like I’m watching a collective group of people who constantly put the needs of others before themselves. Every breath and word they give is in concern for our clients, and I must believe that prior to birth, they were all cut from some insanely altruistic cloth. I’m crossing my fingers they all wear off on me. Near the end of the meeting, someone from the kitchen brought up a concern with one of the resident volunteers (a client who has been given additional tasks and privileges at the shelter), who happens to be visually impaired, and who happened to be cooking a large amount of sausage that particular morning. The concern primarily existed around him having enlisted other clients at the shelter to help him cook the sausage, how that number of clients who were “lending a hand” had ballooned to an outrageous figure, and by the end of the sausage frying festivities, the client was left with a small fraction of the sausage he had started with, which we believe he stuffed into a water bottle and stored somewhere. The sausage is just one example, I’ll admit a funny one, of the profound thoughtfulness our staff has for the clients they serve. Maybe to some it doesn’t seem so beautiful to talk about a misdemeanor community service sentence, a double funeral, or a sausage theft, but I guess I don’t see it that way anymore. I see the beauty in all of it; the tragedy, sorrow, pride, humor, absurdity, grace, and messiness of us all being alive. I see the beauty in the people who work at Lantern House, who are committed to giving our homeless clients as many chances as they need to get back on their feet. I see the beauty in people who are willing to bring the court system to Lantern House, so clients don’t miss appointments. I see the beauty in the clients that call Lantern House home. Most surprisingly, I’ve found that seeing beautiful in others helps me see myself in a softer light, and I think, or at the very least hope, it will allow me to give more beauty, acknowledgment, empathy, and time to those I see so much beauty in. Written by: Hannah BowcuttDevelopment Director, Lantern House The feature below is brought to you by Birthright of Memphis, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about Love Not Lost, please visit their website page: here.  The Beauty of BirthrightIn many ways, the things we experience in our lives can alter our perceptions and leave physical and mental scars. They can cause real damage to our hearts, our minds, and our souls, leaving us searching for hope. We may never be the same again after walking through life-changing events. We’re different. We can’t go back. But what if these wounds can become something beautiful? What if our life story is transformed into a masterpiece more beautiful than we could have ever imagined? From the moment a woman makes the first phone call or enters our center, she is greeted with genuine interest, heartfelt compassion, and caring guidance. Our volunteers and staff have quietly served women facing unplanned pregnancies for almost 50 years in the MidSouth, and have offered workable options to overcome hardships. Last year, the Memphis office provided free help to about 1500 women; administering pregnancy tests, offering one-on-one counseling, and access to a maternity closet and baby items. Birthright cares about the mother and the baby. We want to walk this journey of life with her and help her through these difficult situations so that she may have a better life for her and her child. You never know what impact you’ll have in someone’s life just by caring and learning about what’s going on in her life. We’ve learned that courage and compassion go hand in hand. A woman having the courage to ask for help often leads to an opportunity for others to show compassion. Here, we ask them where they’ve been, truly seeing them, and seeking to know them and their need. We listen and make room for the unheard to be heard, even when it feels uncomfortable - holding space for people to be loved and valued. LaShonda,* a Birthright mom, was terrified to find herself pregnant and alone and was surrounded by negativity and limited resources. She wanted desperately to be on her own while still supporting her baby but didn’t know where to go or who to whom she would turn. Seeing a Birthright sign on a bus bench, she timidly walked through our doors and shared her story. She learned valuable lessons about healthy relationships and boundaries through educational classes and support counseling at Birthright. “Birthright has taught me mindfulness, how to stay positive, how to combat frustration and grounding exercises. What I’ve learned is I can do anything I put my mind to.” She adds that the staff and volunteers are always interested in her, how she’s feeling, and helping her move forward. She says Birthright of Memphis has also taught her how to budget and save money, offered classes in breastfeeding, and infant safety as well as instilled the feeling that “all will be okay and they will always be here, and they support my dream of graduating college.” As for the baby girl on the way, “I was really scared when I found out. But now I have the motivation and the knowledge to care for an infant.” The strength we see each and every day continues to amaze us. As volunteers and employees, many of us came to Birthright to help the moms, never realizing how much they would influence our own lives. Personally, I know I’m not the same person I was when I arrived in November. I learn even more from my bird’s eye view of others’ difficulties, as I witness both the beauty and challenge of loving another well in the face of life’s greatest difficulties. Reaching out to help others in their hardest circumstances is more than just “doing the right thing.” It’s our mission. Stories weave a beautiful tapestry of beauty from ashes and it’s an honor to walk alongside women when their lives are forever changed. We truly get to be the hands and feet of care and compassion in our community. For Life is beautiful. *name has been changed for privacy. Written by: Wendy NationsDirector of Development, Birthright of Memphis The feature below is brought to you by Love Not Lost, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about Love Not Lost, please visit their website page: here.  Celebrating life and preserving memoriesLove Not Lost sees beautiful in our world of suffering and grief because we see the love, life, and joy in every person. We're on a mission to revolutionize the way we grieve, making sure everyone feels loved and supported in their pain. We do this through three major programs: photography, grief support, and corporate care. In the past, See Beautiful has helped us grow our photography program, which provides free portrait sessions to those facing a terminal diagnosis to celebrate life and preserve memories. After the sessions, we provide beautiful hand-crafted albums to pass along to loved ones throughout the generations at no cost to the families we serve. These albums not only serve as a tool that supports loved ones in grief, but they can also be a source of peace and joy in the years to come. In 2018, we partnered with Northside Hospital to start serving their stage 4 cancer patients across the state. We've added photographer volunteers in the greater Atlanta area and will continue to grow our base of talented, caring people to serve with us. Our vision is to continue expanding our photographer program to take it to new cities as early as next year as we work to serve people across the entire nation. Through our photography program, we learned that sometimes we were the only ones showing up for the families we served. We saw there was a need to help people in the community move through the awkwardness and fear of reaching out to offer support and show up too. As a result, our grief support program was born. Through this program, we have launched empathy cards, care cards, gift-a-session certificates, and other tools to help people have a well-designed, tangible way to engage someone they care about who is hurting. Our most recent tool is actually a website, www.HowCanILoveYouBetter.com, which is our care card in a digital form that is available to everyone. And it's not just about supporting people only through death, but any hard life situation like a job loss, divorce, family transition, diagnosis, required move, etc. As we work to empower the community through these tools and resources, we realized there's a difference between being supported at work versus being supported at home. People tend to spend half (or even more than half) of their lives at the office. Supporting a coworker can look very different than supporting a neighbor or a close friend. We want to make sure people are supported in ALL areas of their lives, which is what led us to create our new Corporate Care Program. Any time we bring on a new photographer, we take them through a retreat where we teach self-awareness, self-care, empathy, and grief support training. With the help of a C-level executive coach and a certified therapist, we have taken that photography training and made some adjustments to bring it to the workplace. We are excited to be able to offer this training to C-level execs, upper management, and entire teams. Not only will this equip management and colleagues to support people at work, but it will radically improve company cultures, especially around grief. As we carry out our mission to celebrate life, preserve memories, and support people in grief, we would love to have you join us to revolutionize the way we grieve and support others in grief. Visit www.lovenotlost.org to share, donate, volunteer, or meet us at one of our upcoming events. Thank you! Written by: Ashley JonesFounder/Executive Director, Love Not Lost The feature below is brought to you by Little Lambs Foundation for Kids, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about Little Lambs Foundation for Kids, please visit their website page: here.  How Little Lambs Sees BeautifulLittle Lambs Foundation for Kids sees beautiful daily by helping children and families who are in desperate need of everyday necessities. Throughout their three main programs, Little Lambs reaches out to low-income families and foster youth to help them during their most difficult times. Little Lambs Foundation for Kids is a 501c(3) nonprofit foundation headquartered in Logan, Utah. Through their Comfort Kit Program, Little Lambs is making a difference in the lives of thousands of children throughout the state of Utah who are transitioning into foster care and emergency shelters. In addition, they also help low-income families with supplemental diapers and baby supplies through their Diaper Bank Program and children in school with clothing, hygiene items, and school supplies. Little Lambs currently provides for over 50 partnering agencies statewide and stocks local emergency safe houses and the Division of Child and Family Services offices with hands-on resources to distribute to children and families in desperate need. The Little Lambs Comfort Kit Program makes sure that infants, children, and teens entering the foster care system receive a hopeful start by giving them new care bags to replace items they were forced to leave behind or never had to begin with. Comfort Kits help children to adapt to their new surroundings at an extremely vulnerable time in their lives. The overall goal of the Little Lambs Comfort Kit Program is to distribute a backpack of necessities to every child being placed into foster care and emergency shelters in our distribution locations. (1) Provide new belongings, comfort and hope to children who must be rescued from abuse, neglect, and abandonment. (2) Address the immediate physical and emotional needs of rescued children and help support the agencies caring for them. (3) Provide a sense of self-worth and self-confidence by giving foster children a backpack of new items that now belong to them and them alone. Little Lambs Diaper Bank exists to fill an unmet critical need for diapers among the most vulnerable in our community. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, 1 in 3 families have to choose between diapers and other basic needs like food. Without an adequate supply of diapers, children can’t attend daycare, making it impossible for parents to work or continue their education. An inadequate amount of diapers forces parents to have to leave their child in a soiled diaper longer, which often leads to diaper rash and can cause staph and urinary tract infections. An insufficient supply of diapers is not only a risk for poor infant and child health, but also for maternal mental health. Every baby deserves to be happy, healthy and dry. Little Lambs Foundation for Kids is dedicated to providing these basic necessities that no child should ever have to go without. Little Lambs prepares to help hundreds of children in the community with clothing, hygiene items, and school supplies every August. With a 25.4% poverty rate in Logan City, it is heartbreaking to see children go to school without these basic necessities. Little Lambs provides school supply kits, pajamas, and family hygiene kits every year for children who are in foster care, emergency shelters, and for low-income families. Little Lambs sees beautiful by helping children with these basic necessities so they can attend school and can focus on learning and growing. Without the basic necessities like clothing, hygiene items, and school supplies children can experience stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Instead of being able to focus on school they are faced with a multitude of challenges, including difficulty in school and bullying. Little Lambs sees beautiful in supporting children going to school, making friends, and learning. By having the proper tools to succeed, children can feel a sense of belonging, feel confident and be prepared to learn and succeed. From assembling comfort kits for foster children to distributing diapers and hygiene items, to helping children feel prepared to learn, Little Lambs has an important role in the lives of thousands of children and families. Little Lambs believes with their whole heart that by giving to others in need we can add and see beautiful in the world around us. Written by: Edward ChalfantExecutive Director, Little Lambs Foundation for Kids The feature below is brought to you by ONE Wellness Project an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about ONE Wellness Project, please visit their website page: here.  Building communities through health & wellness"Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. . ." but who is the beholder? The beholder can be you. The beholder can be them. The beholder can be me. As a child, I can recall various things that have stuck with me ever since I laid eyes on it. Some were and some were not so great. . . But I always wanted to heal the world from those things that may limit the vision of so many individuals. When the idea of a nonprofit 501c3 dropped in my spirit years ago, I thought "naw not me." Fast forward to a few years later and it dropped again, but stronger and with a purpose. At the time we were living in a community that was a sanctuary hub/city for immigrants from other countries and I noticed that the kids from those families had limited access to opportunities outside of school and where we resided. It was at that moment that I decided to follow my heart and begin healing the world. The first healing took place early June right after school let out. My husband came up with an idea to host a community block party for all of the kids in the subdivision. I looked at him and said, "I'm totally behind this. Let’s do this." From that point on I recognized that the healing would have to start within communities that aren't recognized for what they were made to be. A "COMMUNE-UNITY" as I like to break the term down. Commune is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as being "a place where people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities." Unity is defined in the same book as being, "a state of being joined as a whole." When I stepped back to look at what was happening at that first block party through the lens of the kids present, I saw several things, but the one thing that stuck out to me was joy filled with unity. They didn't look at each other as being different or even from all over the world all they saw was that their little light was shining through something that seemed so natural---COMMUNITY! So when the "Project Makers" and "Project Connectors" of ONE Wellness Project, sees beauty, we simply see what the children see and that is nothing major because "beauty lies in the eye of the beholder." Which entails capturing life, love, joy, purpose, peace, and unity! ONE Wellness Project, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2015 by community advocates dedicated to a life of health & wellness. Our goal is to continue serving each community through various events & services. We partner with local communities, schools, after-school programs and organizations to promote a healthy and active lifestyle by using community events, expressive arts, and fitness. We serve kids & teens, senior citizens, and our communities. We currently host six different projects throughout the year. They are as follows:
"Building communities through health & wellness!" Written by: Que'Ana Morris JacksonFounding/Creative Director of ONE Wellness Project The feature below is brought to you by Ella's Kids, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about Ella's Kids, please visit their website page: here.  Partnerships and empowerment with Ella's KidsFor more than 17 years, Ella’s Kids, Inc. has embraced Washington-area families in transitional housing with the love and support they need to nurture and sustain strong children. Inspired by the commitment of her parents, who played a critical role in the Washington community for over 50 years, Ella Strother founded Ella’s Kids to provide support to her community. Ella is a professional Certified Physician Assistant who has cared for inmates within the Washington DC metro area since 1998.
A lean nonprofit, Ella’s Kids collaborates with a network of local organizations—including Gifts For the Homeless, Cataada House, Center for Empowerment and Employment Training, Family Healing Headquarters Community Service, Susie C. Owens Empowerment Center, Ada Velasquez Community Food Bank, and MJ Holding Inc, a distributor of gaming, sports and entertainment supplies, to source clothing and school supplies, identify children and families in need, and streamline the delivery of basic necessities. Empowerment, which is central to Ella’s mission, is reinforced through courses in basic education, character development, life skills, computer skills, and career discovery to help women build both confidence and capacity on the path to stability, permanent housing, and employment opportunities. Ella’s Kids also draws upon decades of experience -- and a network of contacts -- to help women navigate the maze of licensed professionals available to them, including for HIV Education and testing, ex-offender support groups, drug, and alcohol addiction prevention support groups, court-approved relapse prevention, anger management, and conflict resolution. The organization’s work is typified by hands-on, responsive, and direct support of families in shelters–and an abiding commitment to ensure that no one is left behind. Ella is a pillar of efficiency and a powerful connector. As Anthony Banks, a board member of Ella’s Kids, told the Washington Post, “every dime is accounted for.” Ella’s Kids’ Backpack for Kids Drive, the initiative for which we are seeking funding, is about reducing pressure on teachers, creating a profound impact on students and their learning experiences, and providing Pre-K - 12th-grade students, as well as some challenged first-year college students, with the tools they need to succeed. The program’s objective is to ensure that children in need are prepared for the school year with the supplies they need on day one. The target audience for this program is underserved children in transitional housing in Washington DC, and we mainly concentrate on children and youth living in shelters or halfway houses (which house youth who were recently incarcerated and are preparing to return to school). Ella’s Kids is an entirely grant-funded and volunteer-driven nonprofit. During the calendar year 2018, we delivered goods to more than 1,200 women, families, and children within the Washington metro area. One Hundred percent of our funding is applied to the benefit of our community. We have no paid personnel, no rent, no office space. Storage space is donated by affiliates. The problem we are addressing is profound. With more than 76 percent of the estimated 87,000 students within Washington DC, public and charter schools enrolled in the free and reduced meal program, many parents are unable to provide basic school supplies for their children. Per-student funding for public education has dropped in recent years, and research suggests that a majority of public school students are living in poverty. Teachers, as a result, have resorted to spending money out of their own pockets. According to a recent study, ten percent of teachers spend $1,000 or more. But equity gaps persist in low-income communities. And, even with teachers’ generous help, DC teachers report that many students still attend school without the basic supplies needed to learn. Although affluent schools are often able to fund school supply purchases with support from parents or PTAs, a high concentration of students from low-income families within a given district means that communities and families with the greatest need are often the least equipped to provide supplies for their students. In order to ensure that our work is both efficient and responsive, Ella's Kids partners with local organizations working directly with families and schools to understand communities’ specific needs, and ensure fast, efficient distribution. For example, the needs of high school boys differ from girls. And the needs of older children vary widely from their younger peers. We also talk to parents and teachers at the schools we serve to make sure we are providing supplies that will be used in class. We make sure our backpacks are not one-size-fits-all. Local partners and ground truth ensure that we are providing grade-appropriate supplies that get used, make an impact--and last. Unlike larger, national nonprofits that operate with high overhead to dispense large-scale, undifferentiated solutions, our volunteer network is able to quickly offer highly-targeted solutions to individual schools, classrooms, and even students with relatively little input. We know the communities we serve, we know how to identify where the need is greatest, and our work is entirely direct action. And we know that there is more work to do. As a small, lean nonprofit, our overhead costs are non-existent. That means that every dollar we receive goes directly to DC kids who need help. Supporting our efficient infrastructure for distributing services directly to kids in need is an uncommonly direct way to advance the goal of improving the conditions of women and children in DC. Ella’s Kids would use a combination of qualitative and quantitative strategies to measure, quantify, and report on the outcomes that stem from See Beautiful's investment. We evaluate our impact based on the number of backpacks we hand out, the number of children we serve, the size of our annual events, and the number of volunteers who work with us. From a qualitative standpoint, we solicit feedback from partners to ensure that we provide the most helpful, timely supplies possible to local children. Most importantly, we evaluate our outcomes through the stories of the families we serve. Five are outlined below. These individuals and families have been provided many of the following in our outreach: winter clothing, school supplies, emergency groceries, baby supplies when needed, referrals to addiction prevention programs, job training referrals, mentoring, connections to activities for youth, holiday gifts, Thanksgiving food baskets, assistance with transportation for job interviews, and furniture.
The feature below is brought to you by Life Choices, Inc, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about Life Choices, Inc, please visit their website page: here.  Strength for today and a new hope for tomorrowLife Choices, Inc. has been helping others “see beautiful” since 1984. While originally operating as a pregnancy crisis hotline and then as a resource center, supplying physical items such as diapers and wipes to pregnant women in need, today, there are three branches of the ministry that enable us to see every life valued. 1. PREVENTION: My Choice Education – From elementary students to middle school and high school students to prison inmates, we help individuals see beautiful in themselves and others by teaching a sexual integrity curriculum that includes an in-depth message on self-worth, healthy relationships, and setting healthy boundaries. 2. INTERVENTION: My Choice Medical Clinic – Our clinic staff often see men and women at a point of crisis. Whether they are facing an unplanned pregnancy, coping with the aftermath of an abortion, or hearing that they tested positive for an STD/STI, we help people see beautiful despite their circumstances by instilling hope, self-worth, and knowledge. 3. RESTORATION: The Inn, a Maternity Home – With a unique opportunity to truly pour into the life of an individual in a family setting, The Inn is helping to restore beauty, two lives at a time (momma and baby). The Inn is really what we want to share with you all! After seeing multiple women in our clinics facing the threat of homelessness, we knew that there was something missing in our efforts to see every life valued. How can the life of the mother or the baby truly be valued if they are leaving our doors to live on the street? It took almost 5 years for the vision of a maternity home to become a reality, but during that time, even though it was a difficult process, we knew we couldn’t give up. There was only one other home specifically for pregnant women within a 3-hour radius. That home was consistently full, with a waiting list, and when moms who were not placing for adoption left for the hospital, they weren’t allowed to return. We knew we needed to provide something for these women and children, whether they choose parenting or adoption, that would be there with them through the difficult and challenging post-partum period. Our exit goal for each woman is individualized but typically occurs before 6 months after birth. When we opened our doors in October of 2017, we knew we were in for an adventure, but we didn’t have a clue what all we would face! Each resident that comes through our doors has their own unique story and unique challenges. We have faced traumas such as prostitution, childhood drug addictions, abuse, prior imprisonments, custody battles, and more. Consistently, we are also entering the world of assisted sobriety (only a few homes in the nation accept residents in assisted sobriety programs). Through it all, we are walking with each woman to reach individualized goals that will lead her toward community-based self-sufficiency. Those goals cover five areas: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual. Every step forward helps these women to see beautiful again, or maybe even for the first time. One resident described The Inn as a lifestyle makeover. Why? Because it changed everything in her life – from relationships, to what she ate, how she dressed, what she watched on TV, and more. She said, “Without [The Inn], I wouldn’t have gotten a second chance to be the best mom I could be.” With a family-style atmosphere, a lot of “programming” happens in day-to-day life. In fact, a lot of heavier conversations naturally take place in the car going to and from multiple clinic and doctor appointments. From budgeting to parenting to nutrition and so much more, The Inn is equipping each and every woman to live a life in which she can see beautiful even on the most difficult days. Despite her past, she is loved, she has value, and she is not alone. To borrow a quote, they now have “strength for today and a new hope for tomorrow.” Written by: Bri ShermanDevelopment Assistant at Life Choices, Inc. The feature below is brought to you by Global Seed Savers, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. To learn more about Global Seed Savers, please visit their website page: here.  BASS Farmers Elizabeth and Connie sorting seeds at our founding seed library The Seeds of Change are Growing in the PhilippinesGlobal Seed Savers works on a grassroots level to help return farmers to the collective indigenous knowledge and practice of seed saving. Through encouraging smallholder farmers in the Philippines to return to the practice of growing and saving their own seeds, we are providing farmers with the tools and support needed to be independent, self-sustainable, and to restore sovereignty over their food system and their lives. We do this through our comprehensive programs - technical and educational training on seed saving and permaculture design, and by establishing seed libraries. What started with a core group of seven farmers in 2015 has grown into an official farmers association, the Benguet Association of Seed Savers (BASS) now with 20 active members and growing. Our model is also spreading to Cebu (in the southern Philippines) as we launch the Cebu Seed Savers and build this nationwide and world-connected movement to restore food sovereignty and ensure farmers access to locally produced seeds. Since 2015, Global Seed Savers in collaboration with our partner farmers have:
We know our model works and are ready to see it expand!  But let’s take a step back, you might be thinking, “Why do seeds matter?” Believe us they do... and here is why. Seeds are the foundation of our food system and up until 30-40 years ago, we had a great abundance of diversity and varieties. Farmers in all pockets of the world planted and observed and saved the best of their crop in seeds from season to season. This practice ensured that seeds can do what they are meant to do... adapt and become more vigorous over time. Seeds are the most beautiful self-replicating system we have and when farmers can select and save seeds after each planting amazing adaptation occurs like resistance to pests, diseases, better taste, etc. In essence, they are carrying the best from one growing season to the next! As the industrialization and corporate ownership of our food system has expanded and three major companies now own our food in the form of seed and fertilizers, it is essential that we return to the collective practice of saving seeds! This is the movement we are honored to help build in the Philippines. This is how we “See Beautiful!” You also might be thinking, “Why the Philippines?” For us the Philippines is personal. 13 years ago I boarded an airplane and left for the adventure of a lifetime as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. During my two-plus years there, I lived and worked side by side with Filipino farming communities listening and learning from them. These relationships and community are what inspired the creation of Global Seed Savers. What started with one family farm and my Peace Corps experience has now grown into a nationwide movement of Filipino Farmers actively restoring sovereignty over their food system. The Philippines also matters on a world scale and here’s why... The Philippines was recently listed as one of the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world and Southeast Asia’s largest producer of GMO crops with 70% of the country dedicated to agricultural land. Because of this, we believe the work and models being developed in the Philippines are of the utmost importance. The ability to impact the agricultural system and relinquish smallholder farmers’ dependence on large bio-chemical agricultural companies and helping farmers to prevent further catastrophic damage from our changing climate is paramount. At Global Seed Savers, we are honored to work with countless dedicated Filipino Farmers, who against all the odds and challenges facing them are actively building community and returning to their roots by saving and sharing seeds. This is an audacious act in the face of our current industrial food system and it is these dedicated farmers who “See Beautiful” each day with each seed they plant, sow, and share! One of our most profound “See Beautiful” moments happened last fall after Typhoon Mangkhut hammered the Northern Philippines and left many of our partner farmers lands destroyed.  Farmer Elizabeth near the landslide that washed through her land and home One Farmer, Elizabeth Martin lost everything in the typhoon. Elizabeth and her extended family lived in three small houses on the roadside in Ucab, Itogon, Benguet, a place that had been in her family for many generations. Typhoon Mangkhut ravaged the region and her home and land were literally washed away with everything they owned. Elizabeth shared, "I remember clearly how I felt after the typhoon. I remember how my friends from BASS and GSS were the first to ask how I was. I remember feeling like I was important and that I was part of a family—even after I lost everything. It really was a big help that I knew there were people who cared for me."  Thanks to our founding seed library, just days after the storm Elizabeth and our other farmers were all able to access seeds and begin replanting right away. Elizabeth demonstrated the true spirit of resilience and has since rebuilt her life and is a proud member of the Benguet Association of Seed Savers and recently joined the GSS Team as a Field Coordinator. This is the model we are working to spread throughout the Philippines. We are slowly, one farmer, and one community at a time, building our own collective future that is rooted in the land, in the soil, and in the seed. We hope you will join us! To learn more about Global Seed Savers please visit us at: www.globalseedsavers.org Written by: Sherry ManningFounder and Executive Director of Global Seed Savers As the See Beautiful Giving Coordinator, I have the distinct privilege of seeing beautiful every day. Becoming a part of the See Beautiful family has certainly shifted the way I see beautiful in myself and in the world around me. I am more open to seeing the good in people. I no longer feel like my idealistic perspective of the world is naive. But, it also goes deeper than that, for me. Through the See Beautiful Grant, I’ve learned about countless non-profit organizations that are seeing and creating beautiful in their communities. Being a small part of their story and impact has also left its impact on me. First, they are changing lives. Non-profit leaders, volunteers, and community members work together to meet the needs of people and animals, to improve their quality of life, and to strengthen communities. The potential of one action to change a life is real and inspiring. And it happens every day in places where good people are doing good work. Seeing a child express herself through dance on a stage is beautiful. Seeing a family read books together is beautiful. Seeing a child have the opportunity to go to school is beautiful. Supporting a family struggling through a terminal medical diagnosis is beautiful. And the list goes on and on.  Hi! I'm Jannan, your See Beautiful Giving Coordinator! Seeing beautiful in the impact of non-profits in their communities is undeniable, but I’ve also been amazed to see how leaders use their distinct gifts and expertise to positively impact the world. Their courage to make a difference has inspired me beyond measure. It’s encouraged me to get clear on my own gifts and ability to leave an impact on the world. So, what does it mean to see beautiful? Sure, “seeing beautiful” can be a bit esoteric. There isn’t one definition. In fact, the truly incredible part of seeing beautiful is that each person gets to define that for herself. But, I will say this. You know beautiful when you see it. And now that my eyes are open to it, I see it everywhere. AuthorJannan Poppen, See Beautiful Giving Coordinator |
See beautiful in yourself.
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