The staff and friends of Thursday Review believe in giving back to the community. But we also believe that giving one’s time, labor and money should be a voluntary and individual decision. In keeping with that philosophy, we have listed or displayed here many of the community causes and public service organizations our team members support in our individual towns and communities.
The March of Dimes
Organized in the 1930s in large part as national effort to fight polio, the March of Dimes has a simple mission: helping expectant mothers have full-term pregnancies, and providing funding for a variety of research into the problems that threaten the health of babies.
The March of Dimes, among other things, provides user-friendly information to mom’s in cities and towns across the U.S. and around the world—educating women to the risks of smoking and alcohol, and to the benefits of healthy, balanced diets. The MOD also issues regular reports and guidelines for newborn screening to promote consistency among states and medical communities so that all babies are screened for life-threatening identifiable, but treatable, disorders regardless of where they live.
Despite enormous advances in medical technology and prenatal care, the rate of prematurity in the U.S. has risen 36% over the last 25 years. Every year, nearly half a million babies are born prematurely, and the costs approach $26 billion annually. In 2003, the MOD launched their Prematurity Campaign to address the crisis and help families have full-term, healthy babies.
For more information about the March of Dimes, visit their website:
www.marchofdimes.com
American Cancer Society
In its mission statement, the ACS describes itself as “the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.”
Headquartered in Atlanta, the ACS has the distinction of being the largest fully voluntary health organization in the U.S., with outreach into over 5000 cities and towns across the country. In addition to their funding for cancer research, the American Cancer Society also stresses healthy lifestyles and behavior—improved diet, smoke-free lifestyles, exercise and regular medical screenings. The ACS’s biggest event is Relay for Life, held annually in hundreds of cities and towns.
To find out more, about the American Cancer Society, visit their website: www.cancer.org
Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical Christian-based housing ministry with outreach into thousands of communities across the U.S. and the world. Habitat for Humanity brings volunteers together, along with donated supplies and tools, to build or renovate low cost, quality housing for qualifying families.
Through non-profit, low interest mortgages, new homeowners make payments over time which in turn produces funds for more Habitat homes to be built. Homeowners become partners with Habitat, and are expected to take a large role in the labor required to build their home.
Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has helped build over half a million affordable homes, serving some 2.5 million people worldwide, making it the largest not-for-profit builder in the world.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit their website: www.habitat.org
Lymphoma Research Foundation
The LRF is the nation’s largest non-profit group devoted to finding a cure for Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma through funding for medical research. The LRF also serves as a clearinghouse for up-to-date information, both for patients as well as healthcare professionals.
Formed as the result of a major merger between the Cure for Lymphoma Foundation and the Lymphoma Research Foundation of American, the LRF now concentrates its fundraising strengths on aggressive, innovative forms of research, as well as raising public awareness to the disease. The LRF also provides outreach and support to persons suffering from lymphoma and to their families.
For more information about the Lymphoma Research Foundation, visit their website: www.lymphoma.org
American Red Cross
Founded by Clara Barton in Washington, D.C. in 1881, the American Red Cross—a variant of the Swiss Red Cross—was created to provide assistance to injured or traumatized veterans of the American Civil War and other conflicts. By the early 20th Century, the Red Cross had included in it mission the assistance of civilians in time of disaster or extreme hardship.
After World War II, the American Red Cross pioneered the idea of organized blood donations for emergencies and routine medical purposes, and the model created by the Red Cross remains intact to this day.
The Red Cross also became an innovator in voluntary assistance in time of disaster or emergency, an especially acute need in the last decade as multiple weather-related or geological triggered events have strained state and federal agencies. The Red Cross focuses on channeling volunteer energies and private donations to have the most effective impact on alleviating human suffering.
The Red Cross has found itself busy in the months and years since Hurricane Katrina, responding to major U.S. disasters, from tornado outbreaks, earthquakes, wild fires and floods, and its latest challenge is to alleviate suffering in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the largest such event to strike the northeast.