The feature below is brought to you by Georgia Steppers League, 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.  The Georgia Steppers League Creates More Beautiful Youth Step League Highlights Individualism Through Creative Expression The world is just a bit more beautiful when it is colored with the creativity and comradery displayed by the members of the Georgia Steppers League. The Metro Atlanta-based league, now entering its tenth year, has served as the umbrella organization for more than 1,000 male and female step team performers ranging in age from kindergarten to college freshmen. Since its inception, the league has taken pride in providing leadership training, character building workshops, college scholarships and local competitions awarding cash prizes to winning teams from Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida. The Georgia Steppers League’s 2018-2019 initiative, “Bring Back Our Boys,” is in final grant review with See Beautiful and the league hopes to use the funding award to recruit and support more male participants during this year’s competitive season. With the funding, the league will continue its impact in area schools by developing student ambassadors who will provide leadership in their local communities. Any young man receiving funding through this source will be charged to conduct one culminating team event inspiring league members to see what beautiful in themselves and one another. The league’s goal is to provide a lens for students to use to see themselves as the beautiful individuals they are. In addition to serving area young men, the league provides ten months of services to any student wanting to be a part of a step team program. The league has been home to over fourteen teams who hold national titles as the best of the best in the country. As the league continues its mission and vision to Empower, Expose and Elevate is members, it is evident that a partnership with See Beautiful is a perfect, beautiful combination. Written by Clarisse Frazier of Georgia Steppers LeagueEdited by Rachel McLeroy for See Beautiful
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The feature below is brought to you by CARE for AIDS, 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. CARE for AIDS exists to empower people in East Africa to live a life beyond AIDS. We do this through a nine-month program that is focused on counseling and holistic care. We seek to facilitate transformation for our clients in five main areas of their lives: physically, spiritually, socially, economically, and emotionally. David’s story is one of my favorite examples of the holistic transformation that happens in a client’s life.  David, a CARE for AIDS clientWhen David came to the CARE for AIDS program in January this year he was completely blind. He’s 47 years old and he barely weighed 100 pounds when he joined the program. In addition to his sight loss and overall declining health, he was experiencing kidney failure. David has known his HIV+ status since 2012, and unfortunately his family abandoned him because of the stigma associated with HIV in Kenya. With no one to take care of him, and without being able to see, he felt completely helpless and hopeless. This wasn’t the first time David had felt this way in the last few years, but this time, CARE for AIDS was there to intervene. Back in 2013, election-related violence in Kenya was rampant. Tension was especially high in the slum regions where armed criminal gangs were fighting. David remembers it as a time of chaos and war in the slum where he lives. Theft and looting was common and David was the victim of a gang that wanted to steal from him. They severely beat him, hitting him hard over the head and damaging his legs so they could take what they wanted and he couldn’t chase after them. Unfortunately the worst was still yet to come for David. One day, on the way to work, his eyes started watering profusely. He had to leave work that day because he couldn’t see. Shortly after that, his eyes started swelling and his vision quickly got worse. One day everything went completely black while he was at work. David had become totally blind. David spent the next two years at home unable to work, unable to pay rent, and unable to buy food. His friends would occasionally show up at his house and buy him food for the week, but he hated feeling like he was a burden to others. Twice during this time David made an attempt to take his own life and twice God intervened so that he didn’t go through with it. During the first attempt, David found a mosquito net to tie around his neck and hang himself from the ceiling banister in his home. He knelt down to pray one final time just before hanging himself and said to God, “I want to come home. I’m about to show up there, so please don’t be mad at me…” While he was praying, a friend knocked on his door and prevented David from going through with his plan. A few weeks later he planned to swallow termite poison before bed so he would die in his sleep. Not long after making this new plan, David's friends miraculously intervened again. They found him a new place to live, bought him food and paid for his first few months rent in his new home. A CARE for AIDS graduate lived nearby this new home and had heard about David’s situation. She took Rose, the Health Counselor at the CARE for AIDS center in Githurai, to meet him. Rose recruited David into the CARE for AIDS program and quickly realized he needed immediate emotional and medical intervention. His face was swollen and he was incontinent and malnourished. Rose immediately accompanied David to the hospital. The doctor drained fluids from David’s head and face to reduce his swelling and prescribed medicine to treat David's kidney failure. He also began treatment for David’s eyes and, after doing a chest x-ray, prescribed medicine for pneumonia. Blood work was drawn and David’s viral load was over 2 million copies. It became clear that David had defaulted on his medication and his strain of HIV was now resistant to the medication he had been taking. The doctor prescribed a new regimen of medication for David to begin taking immediately to get the HIV virus under control and boost his immune system. David also started one-on-one counseling and group therapy at the CARE for AIDS center after joining the program. He has found solace in knowing others who are HIV-positive, and he has worked with the CARE for AIDS counselors to get rid of his suicidal thoughts. Since being on his new medical treatment for over 5 months now, David is seeing great improvement. His weight is up to 135 pounds and he has regained control of his bladder. His stress has decreased and his viral load has also decreased. Wanjiku, a neighbor who often helps to take care of David, makes sure that the food he gets from CARE for AIDS is prepared for him and she ensures that he takes his medicine daily. David's greatest improvement, though, has been in his eyesight. While he still cannot see well, his left eye is seeing shapes, figures, and colors. His right eye has difficulty in the light, but can also see better than before when he is indoors. David told us that he is no longer weak. He has more strength than he’s experienced in a long time. He boasted that he is now able to walk all the way to the market without anyone even holding his hand. David admits that he still has challenges because he can’t work and has to be given everything he needs, but he’s happy that he is making progress and has new hope that he will become self-sufficient in the months to come. David attended his first economic empowerment seminar at the CARE for AIDS center this month. He sat up front so that he could see the instructor and told us in detail all the practical information he learned that day. So far, CARE for AIDS has spent a total of $120 on David’s medical care. As you can see, a small gift to CARE for AIDS can go a very long way in the life of an HIV+ client in East Africa. If we were to receive a grant from See Beautiful, we would be able to reach hundreds of more clients like David and create more beautiful in the lives of our clients in East Africa. Funding from See Beautiful will provide practical medical care and invaluable hope for the future for our clients! Written by Holly Heacock, COO of CARE for AIDSEdited by Rachel McLeroy for See Beautiful We recently received the most beautiful, thoughtful thank you card and gift from our friends at Just One Africa. Now, this is not the first thank you card we have received, and we are grateful for each and every one! But in this season of Thanksgiving, it was a perfectly-timed reminder of the importance of saying thank you. Your acts of kindness and thanks do not go unnoticed. We cherish them!  So, in case we haven’t said it enough lately, THANK YOU, See Beautiful family. Thank you for all that you do and give. Thank you for being the beautiful-creating, love-giving, thanks-giving, shiner of brightness that you are. Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. - Rumi This quote exemplifies the See Beautiful community, especially our non-profit friends whose work is a labor of love. Thank you for inspiring us to do what we do, as you all make the lives of those around you just a little (or a lot) better. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! AuthorJannan Poppen  In 2016 Terence Lester, co-founder of Love Beyond Walls, walked 648 miles from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington D.C. to be a voice for people living in poverty. Beyond a voice, the goal was to lift them above the status of poverty and bring together a community of you and I to become part of the story of empowerment, light and love.
This year, Love Beyond Walls Documentary, Voiceless, will be released and we are honored that the $1000 See Beautiful Milestone Grant will be used to create a workbook used alongside the film to deepen conversation, move to action, and create more beautiful in the lives of those experiencing poverty. People experiencing poverty are often some of the most vulnerable, yet most worthy of love and kindness - two things that we are ever-free to give and cost nothing. Together we can use our voices and we are honored walk alongside you, Love Beyond Walls. Reflections from your Giving Coordinator... As Giving Coordinator, my role is to support our incredible Giving Initiative recipients. I help them every step of the way to create a successful online Giving Initiative campaign and ultimately get funded (the best part!). It’s so fulfilling and inspiring to work with folks doing the heavy lifting in their organizations every day. The truth is they do most of the work, and I am there to keep them moving forward and help lift that weight just a bit. But, recently, I had the unique opportunity to witness a Giving Initiative from the organization's perspective. Through my connection with the Junior League of Greenville (SC), I helped to launch a See Beautiful Giving Initiative to fundraise for the Greenville Cancer Survivors Park. It was rewarding to see these two areas of my life come together for good.  I learned a lot about what makes a successful Giving Initiative. Here are three keys to a victory: Buy-in from your organization Since I work intimately with the Giving Initiatives, obviously I understand how it works. But, a See Beautiful Giving Initiative is a bit of an out-of-the-box fundraising idea. So, it’s important that your organizational leaders understand what the Giving Initiative is, how it works, and what the organization’s role is in the process. As the Giving Coordinator, I can help with this! In fact, we created a Giving Guide to help further explain and demonstrate exactly this. This is a great tool to share with your team. This may be most relevant to larger organizations, but it’s also important that leadership is on board with promoting the Giving Initiative through social media channels, newsletters, etc. Although See Beautiful helps to promote for you, it also takes promotion on the organizational side to be successful. Which brings me to my next point... A plan to promote the initiative The key here is to utilize your existing communication or fundraising channels. Do you have a large newsletter list? Let’s send out a newsletter highlighting the Giving Initiative. Is Instagram your thing? That’s where you want to promote it. We’ve even helped to create a Youtube video for an organization that has an engaged and active Youtube following. In-person events can work well, too. Formulate a plan ahead of time or early in the process, and go for it! Of course, you’re not alone in this. As your Giving Coordinator, I’m here to support you.  Persistence and follow-through There’s great momentum with the launch of a Giving Initiative, but as time moves on, that momentum may begin to fade. Don’t worry! I’ll be here to keep you moving and motivated, but it also takes follow-through on your part. I know it can feel like one more thing, but if you commit to taking one action per week, you will see funding results quickly, which will, in turn, keep you more motivated to see it through to the end! Then comes the best moment of all. That moment when See Beautiful gets to tell an organization they are FUNDED! And you get to see the hard work pay off through beautiful projects in action. For our funded Giving Initiative friends, do you have any other tips? AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator Many years ago I asked my young children what two things they needed from their parents. They said ‘food and money.’ I told them ‘roots and wings.’ My goal in pledging 99% of my assets to philanthropy is to help others with roots—food, warmth, shelter, healthcare, education—so they too can have wings. You may remember this quote from the blog post about the Giving Pledge, but the concept of roots and wings is one worth exploring and discussing more deeply. Although roots and wings may not be the first words that come to mind when we think about how to meet the needs of others, upon reflection, it makes perfect sense. Without a solid foundation on which to stand, it’s difficult for an individual to take flight, to be able to care for himself, and ultimately to find her own gifts to share with the world. It is for this idea of building firm roots to allow others to find their wings that See Beautiful emphasizes sustainability in our Giving Initiatives. What does this mean exactly? It means that the impact of the Giving Initiative is felt beyond the sum of the funding. It means that the community and individuals in it grow in their capacity to meet their own needs. And it means that See Beautiful becomes a small part of a path toward empowerment. There are so many examples of sustainable projects, and here are just a few. As was shared in a recent blogpost, Mavuno providing technical training to peer-selected individuals exemplifies a sustainable solution. Funds are used in a way that will continue to positively impact the community.  Mavuno See Beautiful’s partnership with How Global helped Kenyan families purchase goats to start small businesses.  How Global With the support of See Beautiful and Kula Project, an entire community of women were able to purchase land and coffee trees to create a lasting business and income for their families.  Kula Project This short list only scratches the surface. Read more fantastic success stories to see the range of sustainable organizations and projects See Beautiful has helped to support. And get a dose of inspiration while you’re at it. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator Founded by a group of parents, Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville provides support and services for adults with autism and their families. Breakthrough’s services include a residential community and respite and recreation opportunities, as well as individualized services unique to the participant. First and foremost, Breakthrough strives to build and nurture a community of support and friendships. So much beautiful happening there.  Judi Brookshire, the Chair of the Board of Directors, shares her thoughtful personal account partnering with See Beautiful: My husband and I first met See Beautiful Founder Lydia Criss-Mays when she was a student at the University of Tennessee. She came to us having agreed to help with our son who was diagnosed with autism and had a significant history of behavioral issues. My husband had his doubts given Lydia’s slight stature compared to that of our son (6”8” tall and stout). I could tell from the first day, however, she was an answer to our many prayers for help in what was a very difficult and trying time not only for us but also our son. She worked hands-on with Luke for several years. Lydia was one of those special people who was destined to devote her life to improving the lives of others, particularly children and the disadvantaged. It came as no surprise to us that she founded an organization like See Beautiful with its simply stated but wonderful mission. Thanks, Judi, for your willingness to share! And See Beautiful is beyond thankful and proud to have Breakthrough as part of the family. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator It’s hard not to be instantly inspired by the mission of Mavuno: ending extreme poverty in Eastern Congo by focusing on empowering villagers. Through leadership, training, and people-focuses solutions, Mavuno helps individuals make an impact in their own communities. This sustainable, life-giving approach is right in line with what See Beautiful is about.  The Mavuno agronomist provides technical training to community members who have been chosen by their peers as agriculture monitors for a growing season, representing our model of community-driven development, with technical assistance and mobilization from Congolese staff. As a Giving Initiative partner, Mavuno and See Beautiful worked together to raise money to provide training for an Eastern Congo community to build latrines. Here’s what our friends at Mavuno had to say about the Giving Initiative: Mavuno initially connected with See Beautiful through a simple Instagram comment. Since then, See Beautiful has turned into one of our most valuable and aligned partnerships. Lydia and her team worked with us to build an effective (and rapidly successful) campaign that will fund the construction of several latrines in rural communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where we are based. Beyond that, the See Beautiful team has continually demonstrated a passion for continued involvement in our cause. No other grantmaking organization we've worked with has been so invested in our vision in such a personal way. We're proud to be a part of the See Beautiful family. There's nothing quite like it!  The sanitation project that See Beautiful funded has yet to be constructed, but here’s a photo of a latrine in another village similar to the one that will be built with See Beautiful funding. AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator Giving is fun! It puts a smile on someone else’s face, spreads love and kindness, and allows dreams to come true. That’s enough of a reason to give. But, sometimes you have to spice it up a little bit to keep the motivation flowing. Make giving even more fun by turning it into a game while still doing good. Family Dinner GamesBring something special to a typical family dinner with a Family Giving Dinner. The Family Dinner Project shares some giving-oriented games to not only add a little fun to the dinner table, but to also encourage families to think about and talk about giving and what it means. Print out the free Giving Pledge Mad Lib resource the next time company comes over. You’ll have fun, learn something about one another, and open the door to meaningful conversation. Free RiceEvery time you get a correct answer when playing the vocabulary game at Free Rice, 10 grains of rice is donated to the World Food Programme. In just a few minutes of spare time, and a few churns of the noggin, you can help feed people who need it. It’s also completely free, since advertisers fund the game. Watch the bowl fill with rice with every right answer.  The Giving GameMeant to be played on a larger scale at events or at universities, The Giving Game, created by The Life You Can Save, encourages teamwork, communication, and real-life giving. Over the course of the event, the group must work together to determine which charity to give to. It’s a total win-win. Gamers for GivingIf you’re a serious gamer and giver, check out Gamers for Giving. This yearly tournament held in Michigan unites PC and console gaming enthusiasts for some friendly competition, fun, and charity giving. For two full days full of events and activities, players put on their game faces, all while raising funds for Gamers Outreach charities, such as providing portable gaming devices in children’s hospitals.  Photo used with permission courtesy of Unsplash.com Beyond Virtual RealityThe idea of incorporating positive social change into video games is catching on. More than the concept of a donation being made with every Pokemon you capture, for example, this version of gaming for giving requires you to make actual effort and action to advance in the game. You might have to participate in a real-life water conservation activity, or do something related to civic engagement to unlock features or move to the next level. With a little creativity and a whole lot of heart, game-lovers are creating a mash-up of giving and gaming that brings giving into our everyday lives. Have you participated in game-related giving? Share away! AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator A small book published in 1923, Kahlil Gibran’s work The Prophet has stood the test of time and offered simple guidance to countless readers (almost 2,000,000 copies have been sold of the American edition alone). With a short chapter devoted entirely to the concept of giving, his careful words share some insight into one of See Beautiful’s favorite topics. “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” - Kahlil Gibran “There are those who give little of the much which they have--and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire to make their gifts unwholesome. And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life, and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.” - Kahlil Gibran “There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.” - Kahlil Gibran  A reminder of the joy of giving from our friends at Be Glorious “Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors’.” - Kahlil Gibran “You often say, ‘I would give, but only to the deserving.’ The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.” - Kahlil Gibran AuthorJannan Poppen, Giving Coordinator |
See beautiful in yourself.
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