Day 99: Take Action

In his annual State of the Union address, President Obama addressed a nation struggling out of a crippling economic recession, facing divisive policy decisions -- and still reeling from the recent shooting rampage in Tucson.

Banding together in tough times, Americans across the country are bringing the president's words to life by taking local action to improve their communities.

1. Feed Local Families - The country's precarious economic situation remains the most pressing issue facing the country. Unemployment rates are high, home foreclosures are frequent and resources at food banks are stretched thin.  Take action to support local families that need help putting food on the table by volunteering to work at your local food bank -- or donate extra food to those in need. You can locate your nearest food bank on the Feeding America website. Read tips on how you can best help.
2. Help Provide Healthcare - Health care remains one of the primary issues on the national agenda.  Dr. Roseanna Means saw the struggles of homeless women in Boston who couldn't access health care and knew she must take action to help.  Now, Means runs an organization she started called Women of Means which helps local homeless women get access to health care. Boston residents can support Women of Means by volunteering.  Wherever you live, you can follow Dr. Means' footsteps by making a difference for those in need of health care near you. If you don't have the medical expertise to start your own organization, find a free clinic near you and see if they are in need of volunteers or donations. You can also support the national cause by contributing to the National Association of Free Clinics.
3. Mentor At-Risk Youth - Improving the American education system also featured prominently in the President's speech. While education policy will have to be decided in the halls of Congress, everyday Americans are pitching in to boost younger generations by volunteering to mentor young people.  In honor of January being National Volunteering Month, HuffPost blogger Tabby Biddle took a look at some of the organizations connecting caring adults with at-risk youth.  National nonprofit Step Up Women's Network connects female professionals with teens in need of role models and mentors.  For volunteers of either gender, Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organization that helps improve the lives of young Americans across the country. You can find more information about becoming a mentor on the organization's website.
4. Support the Troops - As she watched the State of the Union address, Michelle Obama sat alongside members of the armed forces.  This annual tradition reminds Americans of the importance of supporting the military men and women and their families.  You can show your support for the troops by volunteering with the USO. By welcoming soldiers home or mailing them care packages while they serve abroad, you will help improve the daily lives of servicemen and women.

Article found at HuffingtonPost

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Day 48: Have you hugged a polar bear today?

Have you seen the Nissan Leaf commercial?  It follows a polar bear as he takes a journey from his native icy waters, through forests and greenery, into civilization.  It is a beautiful video, and yet as you watch him sleep in a man-made concrete tunnel, and lap water from a puddle on a sidewalk, or walking through farmland with an 18-wheeler driving by, the stark realization is that it isn't right.  He shouldn't be here in our concrete jungle.  He should be at home.  Swimming in cold waters.  Resting on icebergs.  Rolling around in the snow.  It kinda chokes me up, thinking about how we are impacting this beautiful creature.

But there is good news.  Steps are being taken to protect this animal.  On November 24, the day before Thanksgiving, President Obama's administration "finalized the designation of 187,000 square miles of "critical habitat" for the polar bear...Protecting polar bear habitat, the offshore sea ice that bears rely on to find food and mates and the onshore areas where they rest and raise their young, is vital to conserving these magnificent creatures."  This is a first step, with the hope that this will protect these animals and others living in that habitat from the "threats associated with oil development and toxic contaminants." switchboard.nrdc.org

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