JOIN THE DAILY STRENGTH CHALLENGE

Image via WikipediaThe DAILY STRENGTH Charity Challenge – Raise $1,000 For Your Charity!
FROM DOUG:

The six millionth hug was just sent on Daily Strength, and it got me thinking about what else we can do to make our world a better, healthier place.

Hugs are invaluable, but there’s so much more we can do. Making things happen requires not just love, but also real action and, of course, money.

Recruit new members to your Daily Strength Member Group, and in return we’ll donate up to $1000 to your favorite charity.

Daily Strength Charity Challenge – Basics

1. The challenge is simple - when 25 or more new members join your Member Group, DS donates money to the charity of your choice.

2. If you haven't already done so, join or create a group on Daily Strength - http://dailystrength.org/groups/. Creating a group is completely free. Existing groups are also eligible. The subject of your group is up to you; we hope you’ll choose something near and dear to your heart – a walk-a-thon, a group to raise awareness, or just a safe haven.

3. Spread the word! Get others to join you in your crusade. Get more tips on how to spread the word here.

4. The challenge starts on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 and ends on Friday, May 23rd.

5. At the end of the Challenge, Daily Strength will contact qualifying group founders to find out about the charity that you would like to support.

Please Note: "New Members" are members that did not have an account at Daily Strength prior to April 24th, 2008. Existing Daily Strength members are welcome to join these groups, but we will only count new members for this challenge.

This is your chance to really help a charity you care about without using any of your own money. At the same time, your friends can become a part of your Group and the Daily Strength community.

Please read more below and visit our official Daily Strength Charity Challenge Group for complete details on the challenge. And then get out there and make a difference!

Official Rules, Tips & Tools

Stop by and read or join the Daily Strength Charity Challenge Group where we'll have the official rules, answer questions, offer tips, and give contest updates.

We can't wait to see what our Member Groups can accomplish, and how many great charities we can help!

Happy Spring from all of us here at Daily Strength!

Sign Up for Powerful Intentions - Powerful Intentions

Sign Up for Powerful Intentions - Powerful IntentionsIF SUPPORT IS WHAT YOU NEED WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF DOERS AND YOU WILL FIND WHAT YOU NEED HERE. IF YOU DON'T SEE IT ASK FOR IT. "WYSIWYG" WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET, AND IT IS GREAT!

Fwd: Help Us Improve Supportive Housing!

Help Us Improve Supportive Housing!

April 25, 2008

HR 5772 Proposes Innovative Section 811 Demonstration Program and Includes Long Overdue Reforms to Existing Section 811 Program

NAMI and our colleague disability advocacy organizations in the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Housing Task Force (CCD Housing Task Force) and the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) are pleased to announce that important legislation to spur investment in permanent supportive housing has been introduced in Congress.  The bill, known as the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2008 (HR 5772), was introduced by Congressman Chris Murphy (D- CT) and Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R – IL).  The bill is named in honor of the late Frank Melville, a longtime member of NAMI Connecticut, and the first board President of the Melville Charitable Trust – a leading force in promoting supportive housing for people with severe disabilities.

This ground-breaking legislation proposes important and significant changes and improvements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program.  The bill would authorize a new Section 811 Demonstration Program that fulfills the promise of true community integration as envisioned in the Americans with Disabilities Act, and would enact long over-due reforms and improvements to the existing Section 811 production program essential for the program's long-term viability. These changes will provide states and localities with a new infusion of critically needed Section 811 capital and project-based rent subsidy funding to produce more permanent supported housing.

Act Now!

Contact Congress today and urge your House member to cosponsor HR 5772.  Help us address the enormous housing crisis faced by millions of extremely low income people with disabilities.

Learn More

View NAMI National's letter of support for HR 5772. Read background information on HR 5772.

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NAMI E-News Alerts are electronic newsletters provided free of charge as a public service. With more than 1,100 state and local affiliates, NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with severe mental illnesses. Contributions to support our work can be made online.

If you do not wish to receive further E-News Alerts, please click here, sign in and uncheck the box next to E-News. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please send an email to enews@nami.org.

WHAT IS DID?

Herschel Walker has DID. Therese Borchard has an article on Herschel Walker and his experience with DID. She relates an article written by Miriam Falco with CNN. She adds a little humor to the article but the idea that someone actually has multiple personalities is so far from the realm of humanity. That anyone has to live in the world without having a proper grip on their mind. The mind being the most powerful organ in our body, "rules the roost", so to speak. It is in charge if we let it. This is one reason why so many are attempting to gain control of their mind by using meditation and as Eckhart Tolle calls it "quieting the mind". The experience of meditation is the most effective way to find the voice "within". What is referred to as the higher power, the universe, God.

EUREEKA!

Image via WikipediaHouse Passes Medicaid Moratoria!

April 24, 2008

On April 23, by a vote of 349-62, the U.S. House passed legislation to halt regulations that would undermine Medicaid financing of critical mental health services. This is an important victory for people with mental illnesses, and NAMI thanks all of our grassroots advocates for their efforts in support of this legislation!

ACT NOW!

Please find out how your Representative voted, and contact him or her regarding the vote. NAMI thanks the members of Congress who voted in favor of this legislation.

NAMI E-News Alerts are electronic newsletters provided free of charge as a public service. With more than 1,100 state and local affiliates, NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with severe mental illnesses. Contributions to support our work can be made online.

If you do not wish to receive further E-News Alerts, please click here, sign in and uncheck the box next to E-News. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please send an email to enews@nami.org.

Write. Edit. Repeat.: An Interview with Autism Activist Mika Bradford

Image via Wikipedia
Write. Edit. Repeat.: An Interview with Autism Activist Mika Bradford
This is a great article that most will want to read.

SPEAK OUT!

Image via WikipediaSPEAKOUT'S TUMBLE LOG
THERE ARE SOME GOOD RESOURCES HERE!
Parents of Autistic children experience enough without having to fight their own battles for services as well. It is time that they were heard, that is why it is really important to get the word out and keep it there. There are a lot of proposals waiting for legislation, (what's new) and every chance we get we should send a message to our legislators to let them know more resources are needed for these families.

Long before anything, we have to learn to accept this children as the blessings that they are. Every child Autistic or not has a gift that God gives them to share with us. We should all be learning what the gifts our children give us are...hmmm