Helping out in March

If you are anything like me, first of all…I’m sorry. It has taken me FOUR FIVE days just to write this post. Being me can be a challenge.

On the bright side, if you are anything like me, you are oftentimes inspired to contribute, to do good.

If you are anything like me, more often then not, you look to give a little more meaning to your life. Meaning beyond being a partner, or a parent, or an employee…or whatever. Because yes, being any one of those things, or all of those things, is amazing. But sometimes, sometimes maybe if you’re like me, you want to do, to be, just a little bit more. If you are like me, you are moved by organizations devoted to helping others, and find yourself wishing you could take part in making a difference.

Yet if you are anything like me, you are short on time. Busy with work, with kids, with Scandal, or Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Well not really Pinterest, ‘cause holy depressing. And maybe for you, like me, disposable income is excruciatingly tight. Thankfully being short on time, or even money, doesn’t mean I can’t think about how I contribute to making a difference in this community, this world. At the end of January I wrote a blog post that touched upon reaching out and helping others ( http://gonnabethissideofnormal.blogspot.com/2014/01/sleepless-week-fourfifty-two.html ) and after searching and brainstorming and second guessing and flat out letting myself be scared for trying something new with my tiny little blog, I think I’ve finally worked up the courage to try something out...

That being said, with my limited amount of free time and my limited budget, and my love for writing and sharing, I thought I’d highlight an organization each month that is dedicated to bettering this world; dedicated to helping the disadvantaged. Each month I'd like to share with you an organization that could use our help. Let me be clear, I’m not looking to reinvent the wheel here. I’m looking to jump on someone’s coattails for 30 days and do what I can to help them out!

I’ll try to choose a little something for everyone…organizations that focus on hunger, or maternal-fetal health, or homelessness, or veterans, or animals or adoption or the environment. Some will be local, and some, like this month’s, will be half way across the world. I’ll do my best to provide some quick information on each organization, as well as links to their websites, blogs, Facebook pages etc. But I ask you to do your own research as well. Share what you find with your kids. Share what you find with your friends and family. And if you are anything like me, you’ll take a few minutes, and a few dollars and help out a bit too.

March Organization: Every Mother Counts

I discovered this month’s organization via a convoluted midnight scroll through Instagram. So next time you see the baby you can thank him for bringing forth Every Mother Counts. Please take a moment to visit their website at http://www.everymothercounts.org/. Please also follow Every Mother Counts on Instagram @everymomcounts, on Twitter @everymomcounts, or on Facebook Every Mother Counts.

I have given birth four times and had one miscarriage. I, like many of you, had fantastic prenatal and postpartum care. The thought of dying as a result of pregnancy or birth related complications never entered my mind. At least not in the way that women in some countries are faced with pregnancy or childbirth related deaths: For example: a Zambian woman’s lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy & childbirth is 1 in 37, while an American woman's lifetime risk is 1 in 2,400 (source: Every Mother Counts). Undeniably staggering statistics, and one of the many reasons the work Every Mother Counts does is so vital.

Every Mother Count's Mission: Every Mother Counts is a campaign to end preventable deaths caused by pregnancy and childbirth around the world. We inform, engage, and mobilize new audiences to take action to improve the health and well-being of girls and women worldwide.

Indeed "hundreds of thousands of girls & women around the world die every year from complications in pregnancy or childbirth, creating a rippling effect that devastates children, families, and communities. 90% of these deaths are preventable—with your help." (source: Every Mother Counts)

What I’m doing, and what you can do to:

For about $30.00 per kit (+ shipping to New York), you can put together an “Every Mother Kit” through the month of March (and February, but I am, of course, a little Johnny-Come-Lately-ish) Each kit will support moms in Uganda and Zambia. Each kit provides the most basic of supplies for these moms and babies. Find the list of supplies here:  http://everymothercounts.org/blog/201402/we-need-your-help-announcing-emc-s-every-mother-kit-drive

 



 Some of the very basic supplies each kit contains.

 

My kids drive me crazy, but they love to help out! Bring on the assembly line!!

Even the baby got in on the action!



Ready to package and ship!