Mission Minded’s Post

"Maybe my friend above is right, and family foundations should not exist. Really, foundations in general shouldn’t exist. Heck, most nonprofits shouldn’t exist. Most of us are here because of inequitable tax codes that allow wealthy individuals and corporations to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Family foundations can play a vital role in reforming tax codes. Yes, success would mean yours and other family foundations may not exist. But is that not what we’re all supposed to be working towards?" this.

We're excited to share this inspiring article by Eboo Patel, "What the YMCA Taught Me About Community, Civil Society, and Democracy." Reflecting on his formative years at the B.R. Ryall YMCA, Eboo shares how Y activities—from summer camps to swim lessons—shaped his life and taught them the value of community support and giving back. Read the full article to discover the life-changing impact YMCA programs have on youth. https://lnkd.in/guU3rdV3

Wondering how knowledge management can help make the world a better place? Read this article to see how building an online platform for religious sisters to share their stories, collaborate on resources, and provide moral support through community, ultimately helps those suffering from poverty and injustice. These sisters are changing the world and the ability to share their knowledge is helping make that happen!

Ok - so you may be one of those people who saw all the #GivingTuesday posts and thought it would be good to support them but ended up not doing anything. Well, I have great news for you - today can be #Ididnotletanotheropportunitypass day! And I have even better news - you can do it and get 100% of your donation back! I am talking about supporting one of the amazing Foster Care Organizations in Georgia by making a donation through the Fostering Success Act Tax Credit. As long as you are a Georgia taxpayer, you can be approved (it just takes a few minutes) and make a donation then get 100% of the money back when you file your taxes in 2025. Below is a link to the Goshen Valley website (the Foster Care Organization I support) which has an easy to follow, step-by-step instructions on how to take advantage of this. When you go to the State of Georgia website you will see the other 38 approved FCO's if you want to find one in your area. These organizations depend on our support - and the donations from the tax credit are a GAME CHANGER for them! So there it is...will you let another opportunity go by or will you take a few minutes and change lives for the better? For those of you that support this post, please like or share and help get the word out. Let's make today #Ididnotletanotheropportunitypass day!

🎓 Excited to share my journey to higher education! 🚀 In the fall of 2011, my path to higher education began, but it was far from typical. As an undocumented student, I faced numerous hurdles that added layers of complexity to my college experience. It was a journey marked by challenges, hope, and resilience. Back in 2012, financial aid for undocumented students was practically non-existent. However, in 2013, Assembly Bill 131 came into effect, opening doors for undocumented AB 540 students like me to access private financial aid totaling approximately $88 million in scholarships and grants. Additionally, AB 130 empowered colleges and universities to award institutional scholarships to qualified undocumented students under AB 540. Simultaneously, DACA, initiated in 2012, offered temporary lawful status to young unauthorized immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. This policy shift infused hope into the hearts of many Dreamers, myself included, reigniting the possibility of immigration reform or amnesty. Yet, despite these glimmers of hope, navigating the higher education system remained a daunting task. The system wasn't designed for individuals like me—those juggling full-time work, family responsibilities, and the challenges of being a first-generation college student with limited resources. Fast forward to 2018, and Rivet School emerged as a beacon of hope. Their commitment to student success, personalized support, and flexibility in earning a Bachelor's degree renewed my confidence. Rivet not only helped me achieve my Bachelor's degree after a decade of perseverance but also opened doors to further opportunities. Through Rivet School, I discovered Presidio Graduate School, where I secured another scholarship, unlocking the possibility of pursuing not one but two master's degrees. This opportunity is beyond what I ever imagined, and it's a testament to the transformative impact of organizations Rivet and Presidio. Soon, I'll proudly become the first member of my family with two master's degrees, a milestone made possible by the unwavering support and opportunities provided by these incredible institutions. #HigherEducation #UndocumentedStudents #Dreamers #RivetSchool #PresidioGraduateSchool #TransformativeEducation

Check out the article!

Please take a few minutes to watch the story of generational change!  

Part 2: So then as I am working as a volunteer, I am assigned a co volunteer, and subsequently others, who are going through salvation army or others programs to overcome life challenges. Have already worked with the like, individual passions in the exclusive value of each hooters girl and then I put one who needs their help in front of them. And what better motive. It brings out the passions, it matured the ability of all of them when it came to their discernment because they exercise their skills with each other according to scripture in the book of Hebrews. So all parties come outside of their barriers that have prohibited them from moving forward in these specific areas in their life and by it all of them have motivated each other. This motivates every other person that walks in and deals with those hooters girl today or who they're going to run into in school or their boyfriends or whatever else. It has an impact on everyone the young man from the halfway house is going to impact today as he is volunteering for Tampa Bay harvest and all the others in his halfway house and in his sphere of influence.... So now take that concept and rearrange it and put it into a cab company and the concept of the 10% of the people that get in my cab that are at rock bottom... So can I rebuild the same concept in an area where there is no Hooters, Cookeville Tennessee? Can I do it with girls from trap houses and from the streets and among the working poor? Will this motivate them out of their challenges in the same way it does the Hooters girls who are in college degree programs and doing something very valuable with their lives in Tampa? This is 1-800 save a girl. This is the new authentic Santa clause and the development of such a mission to confront broken family issues to overcome cycles of poverty that come from the broken family as a human resources initiative.

My personal philanthropy has a primary focus on the human rights of children and young people. Which is understandable when you hear my own story of childhood abuse and neglect. I strongly believe that every child deserves to be loved, safe and able to thrive, no matter where they were born. I also believe that this is the responsibility of the whole community - not just the biological parents. That is why I chose to apply to be a Trustee for Hope and Homes for Children and it was an absolute honour to be selected for this huge responsibility. As such, I have had the privilege to see the positive results of their incredible work, but there is so much more to be done. Sadly, at least 5.4million children are currently separated from their families, shut away inside orphanages, and staggeringly 80% are not even orphans. Orphanages are not the safe place we have been led to believe by decades of well meaning charity work and philanthropy. It is well researched and demonstrated that orphanages expose children to abuse, trafficking, and physical and psychological trauma that can last a lifetime. 📖🔬here is just one study https://lnkd.in/ejxvhEk7 No child should end up in an orphanage. There is ALWAYS a better solution. Today is the UN #InternationalDayofFamilies and this marks the launch of HHC’s campaign #BacktoFamily. It’s an incredible and well thought out campaign, using #AI to protect the rights of children. What can you do to help get children out of harms way today - i’ve made an easy list below (with a little help from the team at HHC) 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐 💛 Please share this poignant message from Kristin Scott Thomas 💛 Sign the petition www.backtofamily.org 💛 Donate https://lnkd.in/eJDgcu8R  💛 Attend one of HHC’s fab events https://lnkd.in/eH8BbyPT  💛 Challenge yourself and fundraise as a bonus! https://lnkd.in/eH8BbyPT  💛 Follow HHC and share their posts on social media - this is a social movement to protect the rights of the most vulnerable children 💛 Join their mailing list to stay up to date https://lnkd.in/efzc4dAz At the very least I encourage you to take a look at their website and learn more about the harmful effects of orphanages, what the alternative is and how #philanthropy has a catalytic role to play in this social movement https://lnkd.in/egzS5ua5 ‼️Philanthropy should be about learning, so if you have been funding an orphanage and want to learn what you can do to help those children please get in touch with me today xx ‼️ #BackToFamily #socialmovement #artificialintelligence #AIforgood https://lnkd.in/edyeVuQr