With joblessness in the state at a 25-year high and the needy standing in line for aid, some are making direct pleas for help online instead.
In recent weeks, dozens of people have posted requests for help on the Raleigh edition of Craigslist, the Web site that offers free classified ads. As Christmas approaches, many posts have taken a desperate tone, asking for used children’s clothing, shoes or toys, holiday decorations, even food and rent money.
Thousands of nonprofit agencies across the state are dedicated to easing the suffering of the poor, but Craigslist is a place where people can ask directly for immediate help and connect with sympathetic individuals, not bureaucracies. Especially during the holidays, it’s a high-tech tug on the heartstrings.
“I need some help really badly. My family and I have hit some really hard times and are unable to pay our rent for this month,” read a post Dec. 5 from Zebulon with the subject line, WE NEED A MIRACLE. “The amount is 350.00. I don’t know what we are going to do. We honestly just do not have the money. This is not a scam, I am being as real as I possibly can be. We need help. Can someone help us please!!”
Four days earlier, a woman wrote: “My husband and I are looking for children’s items for a newborn boy and a 7-year-old girl. We are really having a hard time right now, though I know everyone is. …
“We moved to Raleigh and have had a string of bad luck and are trying to put something together for Christmas.”
‘It’s hard to keep up’
Vicki Shearin of Louisburg never thought of asking for help from anybody until this year. Her husband, Ricky, is disabled by end-stage emphysema, and her job as a shift supervisor at a local drug store is barely enough to pay the bills and medical expenses. As he undergoes tests to see if he is a candidate for a lung transplant, she tries to make sure that he’s comfortable and that their three sons still living at home have what they need.
Looking through Craigslist, she sometimes noticed people offering goods for free if someone would pick them up. She went a step further and put up a note in the “for sale” category, under “wanted,” asking if anyone had jeans or shirts in her boys’ sizes he or she couldn’t use anymore.
“I’m not even asking for Christmas help,” Shearin said. “I was just basically trying to find some clothes for the kids. They go from a 10 to a 14 overnight, and it’s hard to keep up.”
Shearin used her home computer. Others post from public computers at libraries or use those of friends.
Craigslist, which is administered by a staff of about 25 people in California, did not respond to requests for interviews about needy persons’ use of the site to solicit help. But other Craigslist users often “flag” them and remove them. Sometimes, the user who objected will add a scolding or cautionary note.
On Dec. 16, one asked why those who need help don’t turn to family instead of strangers. On Dec. 19, another suggested that some of those asking for donations were collecting goods to re-sell later.
On Monday, a user at sale-966789084@craigslist.org wrote: “I recently responded to a post for used FREE tv. The tv we offered was a 20 inch color tv with remote less than 2 yrs old. The POSTER of the add declined the tv saying she did NEED a free tv but wanted it to be 32 inches or larger…. There is a huge difference between NEED and WANT.”
R.J. Moshay, spokesman for Triangle United Way Inc., said he didn’t know people were using Craigslist to appeal for aid.
“I always thought of Craigslist as, ‘I need a roommate, I want a car,’ ” he said
Read More:News & Observer
Owners can easily entertain their pets, even while on a limited budget.
(NewsUSA) - It is possible to care for, even pamper, your pet on a budget or fixed income. By planning carefully and making smart shopping decisions, you can save money on food, toys and treats.
- Save money on everyday essentials, such as pet food, by shopping at deep discount stores. Forty percent of the money Americans spend on pets is for food. You will find savings on name-brand pet food at a deep discount store such as Dollar General. Remember that you can save even more by buying private label food. Many private label products are equivalent to the national brands.
- Find lower-cost medical care. Local humane societies often sponsor free or reduced-price clinics for routine vaccinations or spaying or neutering. Learn about clinics offered in your area, which can save you from expensive vet visits. And, you don’t always have to visit the vet for some medical treatments. Dewormer, ear mite treatment and other medications are available over-the-counter.
- Enjoy the great outdoors with your favorite animal -; which doesn’t cost anything. For outdoor or indoor fun, your pet will need a few basic accessories like a leash, collar and water bowl. All of these inexpensive items are available at deep discount stores.
- Skip the pet day spa and groom your animal at home. You can save a lot of money by bathing and grooming your animal yourself. All you need to set up your own pet spa are shampoo, conditioner, a brush or comb, a hair dryer and nail clippers.
- Potty training and maintenance for pets can also be affordable. Deep discount stores such as Dollar General offer cat litter, litter pans, scoops and liners. Puppy pads are available for puppies that are being trained.
While buying the basics for your favorite animal, don’t forget to pick up a toy or treat. Dogs love toys, snacks or rawhide bones. Cats enjoy exercising on a scratching post or munching on catnip.
NAPSI)-A new national health campaign is working to remind the senior community about the value of eyesight.
“I truly understand the importance and value of eyesight. It is a precious gift that should not be taken for granted,” says multiple Emmy-winning actress Betty White, who has teamed up with EyeCare America to remind seniors: “Don’t Lose Sight of Your Independence.”
The three-month promotional campaign runs May 31 through September 1 and encourages people to call the EyeCare America Seniors EyeCare Program. This program offers eye exams and up to one year of medical care at no out-of-pocket cost for seniors who are without an ophthalmologist (a medical eye doctor).
EyeCare America’s Seniors EyeCare Program is designed for people who:
• Are U.S. citizens or legal residents
• Are age 65 and older
• Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years
• Do not belong to an HMO or the VA.
To supplement its award-winning referral program, EyeCare America has recently created a new Web site specifically designed to assist online users in learning more about vision-limiting diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
The site, eyecareamerica.org, contains up-to-date clinical information about eye diseases that is reviewed by certified ophthalmologists, with links to current treatments and even an interactive tour of the eye’s anatomy. Visitors can share important health topics with family and friends through a convenient e-mail forward function and order free brochures that give in-depth information on treatment, tests/diagnoses, causes and risks factors for a wide variety of common eye diseases.
Other easy-to-use functions include online tools such as a vision simulator, which allows users to see how vision would be affected from common eye diseases, and informative videos created by the American Academy of Ophthalmology that will provide visitors with a complete interactive experience.
“I’m happy that I can do my part in helping older Americans get the eye care they need,” adds White. “I only hope that seniors across the country will pick up the phone and take advantage of EyeCare America’s free eye exams. It’s a call that can save their sight.”
EyeCare America, a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, operates one of the largest programs of its kind in American medicine. All eligible callers receive a referral to one of 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists. The seniors program–co-sponsored by the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc.–provides a comprehensive eye exam and care for any disease detected in the initial visit for up to one year, at no out-of-pocket cost.
For additional information on the “Don’t Lose Sight of Your Independence” campaign, call (800) 222-EYES (3937) or visit the Web site at www.eyecareamerica.org.
(NewsUSA) - Advertising is telling the world how great you are, while publicity is having others tell the world how great you are. Companies and organizations that understand the importance of publicity are generally more successful than those who use advertising alone to reach their target audiences.
Newspapers, magazines and radio and television news programs are filled with stories about businesses and organizations. Those who know how to present materials professionally to the right people will get media coverage for free, while those who don’t understand how publicity works have to rely on large advertising budgets to reach their audiences, usually with less impressive results.
“If you can get a news organization to report about your event or praise something you’re doing, you have gained an enormous amount of credibility that simply couldn’t be generated through paid advertising,” said David Forman, a public relations veteran and author of “Publicity Professor,” a workbook that teaches business owners how to get free news coverage.
The first step in reaching out to media professionals is to create an appealing press release. Its main purpose is to get an editor or producer interested in what you have to say or in what you are doing. It should contain enough information, specifics and quotes that a writer can craft a story from it without ever having to call you.
A media alert is another tool for getting press coverage. Its purpose is to give news assignment desks the specifics about an event in a way that entices editors or television news directors to send a reporter or camera crew.
There are dozens of other ways to get news coverage, such as placing feature stories or writing pitch letters offering your expertise in a subject for quotes or on-air interviews.
Forman says you don’t have to hire outside help to get publicity.
“Nobody knows your business like you do,” Forman said. “You simply have to reach the appropriate person with your message, in a format that media professionals expect.”
Using real-world examples, “Publicity Professor” shows you how to give editors and producers exactly what they’re looking for to get your story covered for free.
The guidebook includes easy-to-follow templates of press releases, media alerts, feature stories and pitch letters; suggestions on creating newsworthy special events and awards programs; and resources for contacting local, regional and national media.
For further information on promoting your business, order a copy of “Publicity Professor” by calling toll-free (866) NEWS-400 or by visiting www.publicityprofessor.com.
Raleigh, N.C. - Despite unseasonably warm weather across the state, Kerr Drug is offering flu shots until January 31, 2008 at several Triangle locations. As one of the state’s leading pharmacy chains, Kerr Drug is encouraging people to get their flu shot before the flu season peaks.
“The flu season typically peaks during February and March, so getting your vaccination now is advised, even if it’s warm out,” said Dr. Gretchen Jenkins, a pharmacist at Kerr Drug. “The western part of the state has already experienced a breakout this year and it’s possible other parts of the state will too.”
Priced at just $30, both the flu shot and the FluGramä gift card can help keep you and loved ones stay healthier this holiday season. FluGramä, an influenza vaccination gift-giving program, allows people to reserve influenza vaccinations before and during the influenza season for themselves and their loved ones through the end of the year.
While in the past, there has been a flu vaccine shortage, Jenkins says there are over 100 million does of the flu vaccine this year, so anyone who wants to get the flu shot can. Jenkins encourages high-risk groups, in particular, to get the flu shot, including the elderly, those with cardiovascular disease, pregnant women and parents with very young children at home.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year an average of 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population contracts the flu, more than 200,000 are hospitalized for complications, and 36,000 die from the virus.
Kerr Drug is still offering on-site flu shot clinics for large groups so to schedule a clinic at your location, call Audrey at Kerr Drug: (919) 535-0091.
The following Triangle Kerr Drug Health Care Center locations will be offering flu shots until January 31, 2008, so call to make your appointment
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
(ARA) - An estimated 100,000 children will be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in the next four years, according to a study conducted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the largest wish-granting organization in the world.
This June, the Foundation will launch Destination Joy presented by LAY’S – a campaign to inspire and empower Americans to get on board and contribute their time, talents and resources to make the wishes of seriously ill children come true. A wish experience takes wish kids and their families on a magical and joyful journey away from doctor visits and medical treatments. And you can help.
“To go through a wish as a family is an incredible experience,” said Yvonne Pena, mother of two wish kids. “It brought us back together. It gave my sons the will to live again. When your child is sick you tend to stray, you tend to worry about what is going on at that particular time and forget to live. You forget how to speak, and you forget how to breathe sometimes. We all have the power to grant a wish and I hope everyone will consider getting on board Destination Joy.”
So what can you do? There are many ways to help grant a wish. A new “Ways to Help” volunteer and donor database, sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, can be found on the Foundation’s Web site, www.wish.org. This online database features wish-specific requests for time, talent and resources from each of the Foundation’s 69 chapters. So everyone’s unique talents can help grant a wish!
In addition to cash donations, here are a few other ways you can share the power of a wish:
Donate Non-Cash Items
* Non-cash donations may include airline miles, hotel loyalty points, travel packages, event tickets, gift cards, creative services, furniture, stocks, bonds, securities or the use of a substantial discount on items, products or services.
Shop to Help
* From late May through September 1, 2007, for every specially marked bag of LAY’S brand potato chips you purchase and redeem online at www.lays.com, LAY’S will donate 25 cents to the Make-A-Wish Foundation (minimum donation $300,000; maximum donation $345,000). Simply enter the 10-digit UPC code on the back of a specially marked LAY’S bag, and you’ll be helping LAY’S and the Make-A-Wish Foundation make magical wishes come true.
* Beginning June 1, 2007 you can show your support for the Make-A-Foundation by going to your local Cold Stone Creamery and donating $2 for a magnetic Destination Joy Wish Star to display on your vehicle.
Volunteer
* Nearly 25,000 volunteers contribute their time and unique skills working in special events coordination, fundraising, community outreach, Web design, office assistance and more. Volunteers can also help grant wishes — taking wish kids and their families on a magical journey away from doctor visits and medical treatments. Visit www.wish.org for more volunteer opportunities with your local Make-A-Wish chapter.
Fundraise
* From a penny drive to black-tie events, there are countless ways you can engage your community in fundraising to help grant kids’ heartfelt wishes.
For more information about Destination Joy presented by LAY’S and the ways you can help, visit the Make-A-Wish Foundation Web site at www.wish.org.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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Todos tenemos el poder de conceder un deseo
(ARA) – En los próximos cuatro años, se espera que 100.000 niños sean diagnosticados con una condición médica con riesgo a su vida, según un estudio realizado por la fundación Make-A-Wish, la organización más grande del mundo para otorgar deseos.
El mes de junio del corriente año, la fundación lanzará la campaña Destination Joy presentada por LAY’S para inspirar y motivar a los estadounidenses a apoyarla y a ofrecer su tiempo, talentos y recursos para hacer realidad los deseos de niños con enfermedades graves. La experiencia de otorgar un deseo lleva a los niños y sus familias a un viaje mágico y alegre para que olviden las visitas a consultorios y tratamientos médicos. Y usted puede ayudar.
“Recibir un deseo es una experiencia increible para la familia”, dijo Yvonne Pena, la madre de dos niños, cuyos deseos fueron concedidos. “Nos unió aún más. Brindó a mis hijos una nueva voluntad de vivir. Cuando un hijo se enferma uno pierde la concentración, se preocupa por lo qué está pasando en ese momento en particular y se olvida casi de vivir. Uno se olvida de cómo hablar, y a veces de hasta cómo respirar. Todos nosotros tenemos el poder para conceder un deseo y yo espero que todos consideren “subirse a bordo” de Destination Joy”.
¿Qué es lo que puede hacer usted? Hay muchas maneras de ayudar a conceder un deseo. Las puede encontrar en la nueva base datos “Ways to Help” de voluntarios y de donantes, patrocinada por The Walt Disney Company, en el sitio Web www.wish.org. Esta base de datos “en línea” contiene pedidos de deseos específicos de tiempo, talento y recursos de cada una de las 69 filiales de la fundación. ¡Por lo tanto, las habilidades de todos ayudarán a hacer realidad un deseo!
Además de las donaciones de dinero en efectivo, he aquí otras maneras de compartir el poder de un deseo:
Done artículos no monetarios
* Las donaciones que no sean de dinero en efectivo incluyen crédito por millas de aerolíneas, puntos por frecuencia de hospedaje en un hotel, paquetes de viajes, boletos para espectáculos, tarjetas de regalo, servicios creativos, mobiliario, acciones, bonos, títulos o el uso de un descuento importante en artículos, productos o servicios.
Compre para ayudar
* Desde el fin de mayo hasta el 1º de septiembre de 2007, por cada bolsa de papitas LAY’S, marcadas especialmente, que compre y canjee “en línea” en www.lays.com, LAY’S donará 25 centavos a las fundación Make-A-Wish (la donación mínima es $300.000, la máxima es $345.000). Todo lo que tiene que hacer es ingresar las 10 cifras del código UPC, en la parte trasera de una bolsa LAY’S marcada especialmente, y usted ayudará a que LAY’S y a la fundación Make-A-Wish haga realidad deseos mágicos.
* A partir del 1º de junio de 2007 usted puede demostrar su apoyo a la fundación Make-A-Wish yendo a Cold StoneCreamery y donando $2 por un emblema tipo imán de Destination Joy Wish Star para lucirlo en su vehículo.
Ser voluntario
* Casi 25.000 voluntarios contribuyen su tiempo y destrezas singulares a la coordinación de eventos especiales, recaudación de fondos, y de extensión en la comunidad, diseño de una página Web, asistencia en las oficinas y mucho más. Además, los voluntarios pueden ayudar a conceder deseos –llevando a los niños y a sus familias a un viaje mágico para olvidarse de las visitas a consultorios y de los tratamientos médicos. Para informarse de más oportunidades de ser voluntario en la filial local de Make-A-Wish, visite www.wish.org.
Recaudación de fondos
* Desde un evento modesto de recaudación de fondos a uno de gala, existen muchas formas de involucrar a su familia para recaudar fondos que ayuden a conceder los deseos más sinceros de los niños.
Para más información sobre Destination Joy presentado por LAY’S y de cómo puede ayudar, visite el sitio Web de Make-A-Wish en a www.wish.org.
Cortesía de ARAcontent
(ARA) – “History is a guide to navigation in perilous times,” author David McCullough once wrote. George Santayana took a more cautionary view, warning that anyone who ignored the lessons of history would be “doomed to repeat it.” But for Minnesotan Ron Hagberg and Holly Hinkle of Alabama, history isn’t just a series of events far removed from their lives; it’s personal.
Hinkle and Hagberg, both representatives of the Visiting Angels organization, have spent the past few months listening to and recording the personal experiences of World War II and Korean War veterans. “Every day, approximately 1,000 veterans of World War II and Korea pass away,” says Lawrence Meigs, president of Visiting Angels. “It’s critical that we capture their stories for future generations. Their personal roles in two of history’s most significant conflicts are priceless, both for their families and for our country.”
Because Visiting Angels provides in-home care for senior citizens, the organization is uniquely positioned to find and speak with veterans, Meigs says. In addition to soliciting stories from clients and their families, franchisees are actively getting the word out into the community that they are looking for veterans, he adds.
Working with the U.S. Veteran’s History Project, some 300 Visiting Angels franchises are finding veterans and collecting their oral testimonies and biographies. The organization’s goal is to archive at least 300 biographies by the end of the year, and donate them to the Library of Congress.
To participate in the program, Hinkle, Hagberg, and members of their staff, have trained in how to interview the veterans. American StoryKeepers of Mesa, Ariz., supplies Visiting Angels franchisees with audio-biography kits, tape recorders and step-by-step interviewing instructions.
Everyone who has done an interview has been deeply moved by the experience, Hinkle says. She recalls one interviewee whose wife was amazed by his eagerness to tell his story. “She said she had never heard him talk about his war experiences before,” Hinkle says. “Some have made their peace with their experiences. But for others, the healing process is still ongoing, and these interviews are very healing for them.”
Another interviewee, who happened to be Hinkle’s uncle, recounted being wounded behind enemy lines during World War II. Afraid he might not be able to make it back to his unit’s medical facilities, he took refuge in a house. He ran into the basement only to find it full of Germans hiding from the gunfire outside. “They were as scared as I was,” he recalled. One of the refugees dressed his wound.
Hagberg interviewed an 83-year-old former high school social studies teacher who had fought in Korea. When Hagberg and his assistant arrived at the man’s house, they found his dining room table covered with photographs, notes and memorabilia. The man had stayed up all night preparing for the interview. At the end of the two-hour interview, he broke down and told Hagberg: “I cannot tell you how important this is. No one has ever asked me to tell my story before.”
Interaction with these older vets made Hagberg realize, he says, the impact military service has on the lives of those who serve, including the Americans currently fighting in Iraq. While the eyes of the world are on conflicts that impact history, Americans need to remember that “these are personal stories” as well, Hagberg says. “These events have shaped their lives.”
Any veteran who would like to be interviewed should contact their local Visiting Angels franchise, or call the corporate office at (800) 365-4189. For more information about Visiting Angels and the Story Keeper program, visit www.visitingangels.com. For more on the Veterans History Project, visit www.loc.gov/vets.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Visiting Angels is a national franchisor with over 300 locally owned and operated offices across the United States and Canada providing in-home care to thousands of senior citizens so that they can remain independent in their own homes.
