Shine

Shine for Others!

granny goodThe ultimate goal of The Lighthouse Wave is to shine for others. Acknowledging and encouraging others is one of the most impactful ways to live The Lighthouse Wave. Sharing your gifts with others is an important way to Live and Give. Remember that giving to others is viral and it will inspire others to shine too!  The more you use your flame to spark a fire in others, the brighter your light will shine. No matter what your circumstances or age make sure you ignite the fire in others and shine every day. My grandmother, pictured here with me, is 95 years old and still able to send out shining light to touch the lives of all those she meets.

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Live to Give – 30 Free Ways to Help Others!

Girl giving mom flowers.The Lighthouse Wave teaches sincere concern for the well being of others.  It is important to make a difference in this world by sharing love, compassion, kindness and faith.  Live to Give and your light will forever be bright!  Here are free ways you can give to others each day!

  1. Smile and hold the door open for the person behind you.
  2. Spend some time with a senior citizen living alone.
  3. Clean out all your old clothes and donate them to a local charity.
  4. Offer to babysit for a single parent.
  5. Click on a blogger’s advertisement so the owner of the site will get some money.
  6. Write a positive Yelp review to help others and the local business.
  7. Really listen to other people.
  8. Donate blood.
  9. Volunteer at a hospital.
  10. Take your old magazines in to the waiting room of a hospital or doctors office and leave them there.
  11. Let the person behind you cut you in line at the store.
  12. Give a compliment to a stranger.
  13. Help a person in need get your parking space in a crowded parking lot when you’re leaving.
  14. Write an online review about your city to help future visitors.
  15. Go to Free Rice and click a few times.
  16. Clean out your food pantry and donate extras to the local food bank.
  17. Take  your old  glasses to your local LensCrafters as a donation to the OneSight program.
  18. Drive an elderly neighbor or someone without a license to the store or to run errands.
  19. Create a care package and send it to an active duty military unit – I like to send my old DVD’s.
  20. Tutor a child who is having trouble in school or just read a little one a story.
  21. Give an old coat to a homeless person.
  22. When in traffic – let people merge in front of you.
  23. Hug a friend when you see them or send them a virtual hug.
  24. Send a Facebook message to someone having a difficult day.
  25. Give away a book you read – give it to a friend, take it to the hospital or ask the flight on an airplane to pass it on.
  26. Clean up litter.
  27. Send a nice card to someone – old school mail is appreciated.
  28. Donate cat and dog food to an animal shelter.  I sign up for free cat food when I see it (I do not have a cat) and then donate to others.
  29. Collect and donate prom dresses for underprivileged youth.  My community’s local radio station has a dress drive in the spring or check out the Princess Project.
  30. Thank everyone who helps you today – think store clerk, waiter, taxi driver, co-worker and always remember to thank your family for everything they do for you!

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Shine for Others – Celebrity Foundations and Organizations!

The Lighthouse Wave is inspired by the daily actions of passionate activists who give their time to change our world. I have met many celebrities who are spokespersons, board members and founders of charities. Stars are able to increase the public’s awareness of a charitable endeavor and raise a lot of money. The Lighthouse Wave believes that it is fantastic celebrities use their spare time to make us aware of causes that need our support. But it is important to note that a celebrity’s endorsement should not serve as a substitute for researching a charity. Give of your time and money responsibly.  Here are a few intersting celebrity foundations:

best ian pictureIan Somerholder Foundation

Many people know Ian Somerholder from his work on Vampire Diaries, Lost and Smallville but he is a great activist for animals. My son and I met him recently and he is a kind and compassionate man.  On his birthday in 2010, he launched The Ian Somerholder Foundation to support pet adoption and support no kill animal shelters.  On Twitter, Somerhalder announced, he was setting up Ian Somerhalder Foundation and “Instead of gifts this year, my birthday wish is that we come together and raise funds to support projects that protect our habitat and nurture our furry friends.”

Edward James Olmos’ Organizations

edward james good oneEdward James Olmos is known for his roles as William Adama in Battlestar Galactica, Lt. Martin Castillo in Miami Vice, teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver, Abraham Quintanilla in the film Selena, and Detective Gaff in Blade Runner. In 1988, he was nominated for an Academy Award and is the only Hispanic-American to be nominated for Best Actor. Edward James Olmos lives to give.  He co-founded Latino Literacy Now  and is the co-producer of Latino Book & Family Festival. In 1998, he founded Latino Public Broadcasting and currently serves as its chairman. Furthermore, he makes many appearances at juvenile halls and detention centers to speak to at-risk teenagers. Also he has also been an international ambassador for UNICEF.

good linda blair pictureLinda Blair’s Worldheart Foundation

Linda Blair is best known for her role as Regan in the film The Exorcist. She was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for this role. Linda worked hard to build herself over the years and now is an animal rights activist, working with PETA, Feed The Children and the Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation. Linda notes,“In the 80s I became involved with animal welfare. I’m very proud of my non-profit organization, the Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation which finds homes for rescue dogs.”

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Live to Give – Top Charities to Donate Your Money!

Group of Friends Jumping TogetherThere are thousands of charities to support that make a huge difference in many people’s lives. The Lighthouse Wave teaches responsible giving.  Most individuals have a favorite charity due to a personal issue.  One organization that I  support is The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation because my son was diagnosed with diabetes when he was nine years old. Remember to check out an organization online before you give because there are charity scams out there.  The following interesting information is from O magazine (http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/8-Great-Charities-to-Give-To) and gives you an idea what your donation can do:

$25

Kiva (Kiva.org)
The gift: Help for an entrepreneur of your choice—from a fisherwoman in Samoa to a grocer in Haiti. It’s a microfinance loan, so once the borrower repays you (usually within a year), you can either withdraw your money or reinvest in another venture.

First Book (FirstBook.org)
The gift: Ten books to help a young reader from a low-income family learn her ABCs and 123s. More than 80 percent of preschool and after-school programs for children from low-income families have no age-appropriate books for the kids they serve. Recipients of First Book books participate in community-based mentoring, tutoring, and family literacy programs.

$50

Changing the Present (ChangingthePresent.org)
The gift: Training for two midwives in parts of the world where medical care is scarce, a month’s worth of sanitary napkins for 10 Afghan girls ($35), interview-worthy suits for five job applicants—or any of a number of other ways to help women. Changing the Present is a clearinghouse for specific charitable requests, grouped by cause; if you’d rather clear land mines or feed the hungry, there’s something here for you too.

Nothing but Nets (NothingbutNets.net)
The gift: Malaria prevention—in the form of insecticide-treated bed nets—for five families in Africa, where the disease still kills nearly a million children each year. The nets, which are big enough to protect a family of four, remain effective for up to four years.

$100

Modest Needs (ModestNeeds.org)
The gift: Payment of emergency expenses (such as the $92.70 that wasn’t covered by insurance for a doctor visit) for a family without a financial cushion. The idea is to prevent a downward spiral into poverty that can result from a single unaffordable expense. Recipients are otherwise financially self-sufficient; requests for assistance are vetted.

Arbor Day Foundation (ArborDay.org)
The gift: Twenty-five thousand square feet of rainforest saved in Central America. Or 100 trees planted on the post-Katrina Gulf Coast or in national forests ravaged by wildfires. Reforestation doesn’t just preserve ecosystems and restore wildlife habitats; a mature tree can store about one metric ton of CO2 emissions.

$500

Doctors Without Borders (DoctorsWithoutBorders.org)
The gift: A medical kit containing basic drugs, supplies, equipment, and dressings to treat 1,500 patients for three months wherever people are coping with disaster and conflict—from Sri Lanka to Sudan.

The Hunger Project (THP.org)
The gift: Help for a community in Africa, Asia, or Latin America. Your donation could pay for an electric generator to be used by a cluster of African villages; generators provide electricity for health centers and light classrooms used for evening literacy programs.