Cancer awareness blogs

Can You Give a Little?

By Liz
April 9, 2010

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Julie Nations, director of The Ellie Fund. The Ellie Fund is a Boston-based non-profit organization that strives to improve the health and welfare of women and families undergoing breast cancer treatment in Massachusetts. The organization runs a great program called “Care For The Caregiver.” When a woman is undergoing treatment, daily activities can become major challenges. The Ellie Fund tries to ease the burden of those chores for breast cancer patients by providing free support services like transportation to medical appointments, childcare, housekeeping, groceries and nutritious meals.

Meeting Nations and hearing about The Ellie Fund, I wanted to open my purse and write a big fat check. Taking care of a family and managing a household can be challenging enough on a good day. What happens when the person who cares for everyone else gets sick? But alas, money doesn’t flow so easy these days. And the same recession that is squeezing individuals and families is also affecting charities.

A recent survey conducted by Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), found that close to 90 percent of nonprofits in the U.S. expect 2010 to be as difficult or more difficult financially than 2009 and yet 80 percent expect an increase in demand for services this year. Slightly less than half (49 percent) expect to be able to fully meet the demand. Of the nonprofits that provide critical services, known as “lifeline” organizations, 64 percent don’t expect to be able to keep with demand for services this year.

Reflecting on the passion and compassion of Julie Nations, contemplating the everyday realities of breast cancer patients, reading the grim statistics on nonprofits and then reviewing my own sobering bank statements, I was determined to find ways people like me could continue to support the causes they care for, despite the economic landscape. Times are tight, but I am still quite fortunate. If you’re like me, on a budget but still afloat, here are three simple ways you can help:

• Planning a night out with friends? Skip dinner and a movie and opt for a charity fundraiser instead. Take the money you would use for socializing and buy a ticket to a charity ball or comedy show. You’ve heard of doing well by doing good? Think of this as doing good by having fun.
• Grow your hair. SheKnows is reporting that messy half up-dos, tousled locks, long bangs and ponytails are hot looks for spring. So skip your hair appointments until fall. You can donate the money you save to your favorite cause and give your long locks to a charity that makes wigs for cancer patients.
• Avoid the mall. There are so many charities selling jewelry, giftware and even household items to raise money. So for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation and birthday gifts, forget about shopping at the mall. Let your gifts do double duty this year.

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