Focus Magazine of SWFL Cheers To Your Style | Page 81

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FAMILY FEATURES

Whether it’s the busy mother who spends her weekend volunteering
at a local women’s shelter or the young girl raising money for hungry
children thousands of miles away with her lemonade stand — women
that do good deeds are everywhere.
In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women continue
to volunteer more often than men across every age group and educational level. With so many devoting their time and energy to giving
back, it’s easy to find and learn from the many female mentors hard
at work in your own community.
Recognizing remarkable women
In a global initiative to celebrate the selfless work everyday women do
within their communities and around the world to improve the livelihood of others, PANDORA Jewelry has launched Hearts of Today. The
program allows the brand to support a variety of charitable causes
that are important to women. PANDORA will honor eight women who
are actively doing work to impact change with a monetary donation
to help the organization with which they are working.

Make it a group effort
Do you have friends and family members who share the same interests and willingness to help others? If you do, gather them up for one
of the many opportunities that exist for groups. This not only allows
each member to experience the gift of volunteer work, it also builds
camaraderie among the group.
Balance your obligations
While you may wish to jump into your new endeavor right away, be
sure to review your schedule carefully before overcommitting yourself. Many organizations will allow you to work a limited schedule and
gradually build more hours over time until you are more comfortable
or available.
The Many Ways to Volunteer
The opportunities to give are endless. Here are some of the ways
you can get involved through charitable organizations that support
women and children.

“Historically, our charitable efforts have been focused primarily on
breast cancer awareness, but we know there are so many other issues
that are equally as important to women,” said Andrea Alvey, member
of PANDORA A/S Board of Directors. “Through this program, we are
now able to financially support the causes that our consumers are
passionate about.”

Special donations
Here are some ways you can help out with charitable donations:

Those semi-finalists will be chosen by a group of five remarkable
women leaders whose individual resumes boast an impressive list of
philanthropic work, from there, the public will vote and the top eight
entries will receive $25,000 for their charity..

Wedding dress: A donation of your special gown can help out a
number of organizations. Some donated gowns are sold again with
proceeds helping those with cancer and other illnesses. Others can
be donated to help military brides have the wedding of their dreams.

Tips to get you giving
While the enormous generosity of an accomplished philanthropist
may seem inconceivable in your own life, there are countless ways to
give back. Here are a few ways to offer your time and talents for the
good of your community and beyond.

Business attire: Work appropriate clothing, footwear and accessories can be donated to groups who work directly with women looking
to enter the workforce.

Start small
Taking on a volunteering opportunity can be daunting — especially
with so many charitable groups to choose from. While other obligations may keep you from giving as much time as you’d like, remember
that every hour you can give is appreciated by everyone involved.
Look locally
A great place to start the search for volunteer opportunities is in your
own back yard. From the animal shelter down the street to the local
food pantry, helping out in your area strengthens community involvement and also helps you meet others and build contacts that could
help you down the line. Check out the many online resources available
that fit potential volunteers with opportunities that exist in their areas,
such as volunteermatch.org, volunteer.gov and serve.gov, as well as
many others.
Find meaningful jobs
Be sure to take some time to think about your own personal interests and hobbies before searching for volunteer opportunities. Do you
have any social issues that you feel passionately about? While your
daytime job may not allow you to pursue such passions, a volunteer
position may be the ticket.

Hair: For children suffering from long-term hair loss due to illness, a
donation of hair is turned into a prosthetic, helping to restore confidence and a sense of normalcy.

Volunteer opportunities
There are many ways to put your time and talents to use helping
those in need. Here are a few organizations you can contribute to:
Embracing accomplishment: Help provide young, grade schoolaged girls with the opportunity to learn life lessons and encourage
physical activity by training for a 5K race event.
Become a mentor: By volunteering to read, tutor or mentor, you can
help children of all ages be more focused in school, which can help in
the classroom and beyond.
Helping families: Some non-profit groups work to help single moms
get the resources, workplace skills and training needed to provide for
their children.

www.PANDORAHeartsofToday.com
FOCUS of SWFL 2014 81