Welcome to October!
The leaves may be changing color around your home, sweaters may be in the process of being pulled out of closets and pumpkin spice is everywhere. It is a wonderful season and it always reminds me of thankfulness even if we are a couple months away from Thanksgiving.
Our Comments for a Cause for September was Books for Africa – a non profit that provides wonderful books for folks in Africa who do not have easy access to books. Their mission is simple:
We collect, sort, ship, and distribute books to students of all ages in Africa. Our goal: to end the book famine in Africa.
Books For Africa remains the largest shipper of donated text and library books to the African continent, shipping over 41 million books to all 54 countries on the African continent since 1988. In fiscal year 2018 alone, Books For Africa shipped 2.3 million books, and 123 computers and e-readers containing 283,000 digital books, to 29 African countries. More than $2.2 million was raised last year to ship these books to the students of Africa.
I think most people would be hard pressed to find anything wrong with this charity and their mission and they have been a 4 star rated charity on Charity Navigator for seven years. Today Chris and I are pleased to share that we will be making a donation of $145 to Books for Africa as a result of YOUR comments here on It’s Just Life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. YOU are what fuels our giving to these causes.
Hurricane Florence has caused such widespread damage in the states of North and South Carolina. While Chris and I are safe from any of the flooding and wind damage that swept through our state we do know plenty of folks who were not so fortunate. Our hearts are with them.
Time and time again when disaster strikes we reach out to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and support their efforts because they are some of the first boots on the ground after a disaster. 100% of our donation goes directly to the relief efforts as administrative costs are paid through a totally different funding area. That makes a difference to me. Our dollars go directly where they need to go.
October Comments for a Cause had to be UMCOR. For every comment made on the blog during the month of October on any post we will make a 50 cent donation to UMCOR designated to Florence recovery efforts. At the time of writing this the efforts are in the beginning stages in various areas but because the flood waters are still prevalent in so many areas the process will be long and difficult.
If you wonder what ways you can help on your own there are many ways. UMCOR offers these suggestions :
5 THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR DISASTER RESPONSE
The United Methodist Committee on Relief is grateful for your prayers and support.
1. Pray for those whose lives have been impacted by this disaster. Please also pray for Early Response Teams, disaster coordinators and the many volunteers who are working tirelessly to provide relief.
2. Make relief kits. Download the packing list and shipping label at umcor.org/UMCOR/Relief-Supplies.
3. Give to UMCOR’s relief and recovery efforts at umcor.org/donate (U.S. Disaster Response, Advance #901670; International Disaster Response, Advance #982450; Undesignated, Advance #999895).
4. Donate requested items only. To keep relief supplies in stock, give to Material Resources, Advance #901440 at umcor.org/donate.
5. Please wait for an invitation to volunteer.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief is grateful for your prayers and support.
Text to Give: UMCOR to 91999 • umcor.org
Thank you to each and every one who takes the time to read and comment here at It’s Just Life. It means more to me than you will ever know. Keep coming back and leaving me comments – they always make me smile.
