Acorn Village
 
 
Healing Haiti Help for Haiti through a local group in White Bear Lake! Read a little on their website and blog and you will soon be helping.
. buya.org Doctors Without Borders An independent international medical humanitarian organization Excerpted from their website: Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries. http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/home.cfm Volunteer ·A Better Community ABC’s hope is to inspire you and others to make a difference through volunteerism and public service. Lots of good information to get started. http://abc.go.com/abettercommunity/index.html Donate Books ·International Book Project From their website: The International Book Project was founded in 1966 by Mrs. Harriet Van Meter. As an example of the ripple effect that can be made by one person, IBP has a unique history of having supplied millions of books worldwide since its beginnings in the basement of Mrs. Van Meter's home. IBP has grown to offer sea container shipments of over 20,000 books to large institutions, yet it still retains its tradition of person-to-person diplomacy by sending individually crafted mail bags of a few dozen books to smaller schools, orphanages, and libraries. We distribute books for institutional use to virtually any location in the world that has access to mail. http://www.intlbookproject.org The Environment .Arborday.org "Inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees." They provide everything from a tree identification guide to volunteer opportunities to plant trees. http://arborday.org Native Energy .NativeEnergy.com From their website: NativeEnergy! We're here to help you fight global warming and climate change. Take a few minutes to help build a new wind farm or a renewable farm methane project today, that will reduce CO2 on your behalf. http://www.nativeenergy.com Environmental news and commentary .GRIST.org Professor Ted approved. From their website: “Let's face it: reading environmental journalism too often feels like eating your vegetables. Boiled. With no butter. But at Grist, we believe that news about green issues and sustainable living doesn't have to be predictable, demoralizing, or dull. … We exist to tell the untold stories, spotlight trends before they become trendy, and engage the apathetic. We're fiercely independent in our coverage; we throw brickbats when they're needed and bestow kudos when they're warranted. And while we take our work seriously, we don't take ourselves seriously, because of the many things this planet is running out of, sanctimonious tree-huggers ain't one of them. http://www.grist.org Lime.com We simply love this company. You can also watch them on Lime TV for a wide range of information and entertainment. From their website: “We want a greener, more balanced life. We want to learn, we want to be enlightened, and we want to be entertained. We certainly don't want to be lectured.” http://www.lime.com Investing your money? Consider that social, environmental, and ethical investing outperformed the top 500 companies. Read this interesting article on socially responsible investing at SoYaWanna.com http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/socinvest/socinvest.html Grameen Foundation: Grameen Bank founder and Grameen Foundation board member Muhammad Yunus, and his Grameen Bank, have won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. ... combining the power of microfinance, technology and innovative solutions to defeat global poverty. http://www.grameenfoundation.org Animal Rescue Groups When I was looking to adopt my dog Kaeyla I searched the internet and found that each of the breeds have their own rescue service. I adopted my devoted Australian Shepherd through Aussie Rescue going through an easy adoption process and the volunteers for the Rescue make sure they match you up with just the right dog for your family, lifestyle, and personality (they do not want their dogs to have to have to be re-placed ever again). As well as the dogs are usually socialized, house trained, crate trained, and neutered or spayed by the time you welcome them into your home. Not able to adopt a pet but want to help? All the rescue services need volunteers and foster homes. To find more information and a list of breed specific rescues check out: http://www.dogrescuelist.com/groups.html Consider a Random Act of Kindness (why not it may not even cost you anything). Wikipedia says: "A random act of kindness or RAoK is a selfless act performed by kind people to either help or cheer up a stranger, for no reason other than to make people happier. " And yes there is even a website to get you started and motivated. The Random Acts Of Kindness Foundation: http://www.actsofkindness.org/index.asp Or visit the Kindness Cafe in downtown St. Paul: http://www.qkindness.com/ Why not make a difference - while you shop Nest Purchase beautiful artworks, jewelry, etc. from Nest and your purchase adds to the micro loans they make to artisans in developing countries - you must check this site out! From their website: "Nest is a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the lives of women in developing countries...to support women artists and artisans in the developing world by helping them create sustainable entrepreneurial businesses...Nest provides micro-credit loans to be used for the purchase of the supplies and materials necessary to begin and/or maintain art or craft-based businesses." http://shop.buildanest.com CoopAmerica Business Network Find out what businesses are green and how your business can become green. From their website: "The businesses in Co-op America's Business Network are rewriting the rules of commerce. As green businesses, they challenge themselves to bring the goals of social and economic justice, environmental sustainability, community development, and improved quality of life for people everywhere into all of their activities—production and service, supply chain management, employment and investment, community and vendor relations." http://www.coopamerica.org/cabn/ Oxfam America Unwrapped Give a cow! Check out this website if you want to give the gift of a donation. https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com Gift on behalf of your giftee From their website: 'The ABC Home & Planet Foundation seeks to enhance our lives, and yours, with a deeper sense of mission and connection to great organizations and projects around the world. We believe we can each help build a better world by aligning our spending choices with our personal values. For twenty years, ABC Home developed a worldwide reputation as a fashion forward home furnishings store, helping customers to articulate their personal expression of home by integrating beauty, spirit and culture from around the world. Through the ABC Home & Planet Foundation, that same creative approach and commitment to personal expression is being applied to a range of alternative gift giving opportunities which fund visionary organizations around the world." http://www.abchomeandplanet.org http://buya.org/http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/home.cfmhttp://abc.go.com/abettercommunity/index.htmlhttp://www.intlbookproject.orghttp://arborday.orghttp://www.nativeenergy.com/index.htmlhttp://www.grist.orghttp://www.lime.comhttp://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/socinvest/socinvest.htmlhttp://www.grameenfoundation.orghttp://www.dogrescuelist.com/groups.htmlhttp://www.actsofkindness.org/index.asphttp://www.qkindness.com/http://shop.buildanest.comhttp://www.coopamerica.org/cabn/https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.comhttp://www.abchomeandplanet.orgshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_7shapeimage_2_link_8shapeimage_2_link_9shapeimage_2_link_10shapeimage_2_link_11shapeimage_2_link_12shapeimage_2_link_13shapeimage_2_link_14shapeimage_2_link_15shapeimage_2_link_16
Links to share, inspire, educate & motivate
© 2010 Benevolent Acorn info@BenevolentAcorn.com Saint Paul, Minnesotamailto:info@BenevolentAcorn.comshapeimage_4_link_0
Artwork by Lynda McArdell © 2008
Artwork by Lynda McArdell © 2008
Wood box by Milt Blumenfeld © 2007
Detail of sculpture by Kelly Ludeking © 2007
Photograph by Judy Sullivan © 2007
Earrings by Jackie Hesse © 2008
Ceramic vessel by Natasha Poppe © 2007