volume2 issue9 compassionate hearts gazette · compassionate hearts gazette they not only gave my...

Compassionate Hearts Gazette

www.chufinc.org

Featured Stories

Meet the World Central Kitchen (WCK)Page 3

Pandemic Causes Sunshine Foundationto Offer Alternate Dreams to Children

Page 9

Volume 2

A Community Newspaper Dedicated to Featuring News that Doesn't Make it on the Big Name Newspapers August 2020

Nonprofit News That Matters!

August 19 is Worlds Humanitarian Day:Honoring Humanitarian Aid Workers All Over the World

2) Do some humanitarian work in your community?

Being a humanitarian doesn’t have to mean traveling toa war zone — the point of humanitarian aid is to alleviatepeople’s suffering and maintain human dignity. Theremay be plenty of options for you to do just that close tohome. Try volunteering at a homeless shelter, a nursinghome, a hospital or a place that serves underprivilegedchildren.

3) Contact your elected leaders

Call, email or send a tweet to let your elected leadersknow how important humanitarian crises are to you. Askthem to commit to any number of actions to help bolsterhumanitarian causes in the areas that are near and dear toyour heart.

Why World Humanitarian Day is Important?

1) It celebrates unsung heroes

Humanitarian aid workers are some of the most heroicand honorable people alive, putting themselves in harm'sway by traveling to conflict zones and disaster areas tohelp alleviate the suffering of strangers.

Continues in page 12.

By: www.nationalday.com.

USA - World Humanitarian Day on August 19 honorshumanitarian aid workers all over the world. Establishedby the UN in 2009, this day commemorates theanniversary of the bombing of the United Nationsheadquarters in Iraq. 22 people lost their lives, includingthe UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Humanitarian aid workers provide life-savingassistance to suffering people all over the world. Thoseworkers who live in conflict zones or in areas devastatedby natural disasters are especially vulnerable. Anyoneand everyone can be a humanitarian, so read on to learnmore about the day and how you can help.

How to Observe World Humanitarian Day?

1) Donate to a humanitarian organization

There are humanitarian organizations all over the worldin need of resources. If you are able to donate your timeto one of these organizations, that’s wonderful. If youcan’t, a monetary donation would go a long way insupplementing workers' resources to help sufferingcommunities. Search online for organizations doinghumanitarian work, or go directly to the UN’s WorldHumanitarian Day website for resources to get youstarted.

Issue 9

Published by:

Visit Us Online:www.chufinc.org


They not only gave my life a different meaning but alsomade me realize that there was a light at the end of thetunnel.

During my daughter's commencement ceremony, I hadanother gift sent from heaven... and this time it came inthe form of a fellow journalist who, like me, had a dream.But, the difference between her and I was that she madehers become a reality, even when she had all the oddsagainst her, and I was still wondering how to make minecome true. But, her speech made me realize that it wastime to do it... that it was time for me to stopprocrastinating... that it was time for me to stop allowingmy fears to control my dreams.

On that day, I snapped out of my self-pity and decidedthat it was time... that the time for making my dream cometrue had arrived and that I needed to put my big girl pantson and do it. And I did. Oh boy, I did. The next day afterthat commencement ceremony, I took the first step andcreated the first page of my nonprofit communitynewspaper, which I tentatively called The Haines CityHerald, but later on that night, I changed it to TheNortheast Polk Gazette after my husband asked me tothink bigger, which I did.

Now, here I am, writing this piece to present to you mybiggest dream, my new baby, and the result of my hardwork, which I have renamed the Compassionate HeartsGazette so that the name goes in accordance with themission we are trying to do.

The truth is that this newspaper is not a typicalnewspaper. With this nonprofit community newspaper, Inot only want to bring news that matters into ourcommunities, but I also want to use it as a way to giveback to our community since a portion of our ad sales willbe used to support other nonprofit organizations.

I hope you guys give this newspaper a chance.. give mea chance to show you what hard work and dedicationlooks like. I promise you, I will not disappoint you.

Thank you in advance for your support.

With Love, Marielys Camacho-Reyes (M.C. Reyes)

Endorsed by Someone Else

Visit us online at www.chufinc.org

M.C. Reyes Founder / Editor-in-Chief

M.C. Reyes Publisher

Melody Morales Assistant Editor / Writer

Aida Betancourt Assistant Editor / Writer

For: News and event submissions, letters to theeditor, or to subscribe to our e-Gazette, email

us at [email protected]

The Compassionate Hearts Gazette ispublished in partnership with

Compassionate Hearts UNITED Foundation, Inc.

© 2020 Compassionate Hearts UNITEDFoundation, Inc.

All Rights Reserved!

The opinions expressed in this publication arethose of the authors. They do not represent the

opinions or views of Compassionate HeartsUNITED Foundation, Inc., or its members. Thereproduction of the material contained in thispublication may be made only with the written

consent of the editor-in-chief.

Compassionate Hearts UNITED Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit news organization. Donations, gifts, bequests, devices, andtransfers are tax-deductible. 100% of your donation is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution.

As a non-profit news organization, The Compassionate Hearts UNITED Foundation, Inc. is fully funded by individual members, majorcharitable gifts, foundations, and community partnerships. We depend on these contributions to continue our mission. The CompassionateHearts UNITED Foundation, Inc. does not deliver returns to private investors. The donors, sponsors, grandmakers, partners, boardmembers, and/or the individuals who support our mission financially do not influence our coverage, news, or stories.

Important Information: “A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINEDFROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE.REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.”

Contributors:* Aida Betancourt, Editorial Board / Contributing Writer * Nasif Ahmed, Contributing Cartoonist

* M.C. Reyes, Editorial Board / Editor-in-Chief

Founder / Editor's Message By: M.C. Reyes

P.O. Box 1114Haines City, FL 33845

www.chufinc.org

2

Hi Guys!

Welcome to The Compassionate Hearts Gazette. In caseyou are reading this newspaper for the first time, let meshare our story with you.

On May 11 of 2019, my oldest daughter graduated fromcollege. On that day, during the commencement acts, Iwas not only watching her become an adult, but I was alsolistening to one of the most motivational speeches I haveheard in my life.

You see, the guest speaker was a prior student who,after graduating, went ahead and created her owncommunity magazine. She had no idea what she wasdoing. All she knew was that she wanted to run her ownmagazine and that nothing was going to stop her... noteven her inexperience.

Fast forward two months (this was back in July 2019),there I was, running my own community newspaper. Adream that started many years ago when I got my firstrejection letter for an opinion article that I had written forthe Orlando Sentinel. That rejection letter did a number onme and made me stop writing for a while... until one day, Itried again and, this time, the piece was published by themand, with that, came my new desire to become a journalistand to finally create my community newspaper.

My dream of starting the newspaper came with a lot ofchallenges, and one of them was being stationed overseasfor three years due to my husband's active-duty militarystatus. At that time, we were sent to Zimbabwe, Africa,and my dreams of starting my beloved newspaper wereput, once again, on the back burner.

In May 2016, we came back to the United States aftermy husband retired from the military and, after dealingwith many health issues, I finally decided that it was timefor me to make my dream of becoming a freelance writerfor major publications come true... that was until one day,I received another rejection letter... this time from TheNew York Times. On that day, I again stopped writingand became involved in a program called Vet Voices totry to fill the void I had in my life.

Believe me when I say that Vet Voices was a gift sentfrom heaven.

Interested in making a donation to our nonprofit? Visit our website atwww.compassionateheartsunited.org to find out about the ways you can support our organization.


Staff:

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Photo: https://celebrityhometown.com


Meet the World Central Kitchen (WCK):An Organization Dedicated to Bringing Hot Plates of Food to Those in Need

In The Spotlight

Washington DC - Founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen(WCK) uses the power of food to heal and strengthen communities through times ofcrisis and beyond. WCK has transformed the field of disaster response to helpdevastated communities recover and establish resilient food systems. Since itsfounding, WCK has served over 30 million meals to those impacted by naturaldisasters and other crises around the world in countries including Albania, TheBahamas, Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Mozambique, Spain, Venezuela, andthe United States.

World Central Kitchen is a team of food first responders, mobilizing with theurgency of now to get meals to those who need them most. They are activatinghundreds of restaurants and kitchens to feed marginalized and vulnerablecommunities and their brave medical professionals on the front lines, in order tomake a meaningful impact in the fight to keep everyone fed, and to support thedistressed restaurant industry. They know that a nourishing meal in a time of crisis isso much more than a plate of food---it's hope, it's dignity, it's a sign that someonecares about you and that you are not alone.

Food Resilience Programs Ran By this Organization

1) Clean Cooking - Nobody should get sick cooking a meal.Imagine cooking indoors, on the ground, on a smoky, open fire. Imagine doing this

every day. This is the reality for families all around the world and it is so dangerousand unhealthy, that globally, more than 4 million people die from health issuescaused by unclean cook stoves each year. Our Clean Cooking programs seek todemonstrate long-term positive impacts on the health and livelihoods ofimpoverished communities in the Caribbean and Central America who still cookprimarily with wood or charcoal.

World Central Kitchen creates supporting ecosystems with local partners,centralized from our institutional activities to build and renovate school andcommunity kitchens and convert them from cooking with wood or charcoal to cleanburning liquid propane gas (LPG). We also install water lines and sinks so thewomen cooks can wash and clean more easily. To date, we have transformed morethan 140 kitchens in Haiti, making schools a cleaner and safer place to work andlearn, because as we all know – children who eat during the day do better in school.Schools that can offer hot lunches, prepared in a safe and healthy way will have

better students and happier moms!Our school and community kitchens will serve as the cornerstone for other WCK

activities, such as Sink to Stove and partnering with Plow to Plate grantees to sellproduce to our partner schools. Future program activities will be developed out ofour current 10-month study of interventions in Guatemala that we believe could havean important impact on the sustained adoption of clean and efficient LPG cookstoves in household settings through institutional programs.

Content Provided by the Organization's Website. 2) Sink to Stove: Reducing the incidence of food borne illness in communities.Many school cooks around the world have never had reliable access to water for

cleaning and are not familiar with basic kitchen safety and food handling practices.Sink to Stove’s professional chef trainers work with school and community cooks totrain them in basic sanitary kitchen and food handling practices so as to help reducethe incidence of food borne illnesses.

We conduct Sink to Stove trainings in all school kitchens that we build or update aspart of our Clean Cooking program. We also partner with other organizations thatoversee feeding programs in other schools to train their cooks in these importantconcepts.

Sink to Stove has been implemented in Haiti, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala,and Honduras.

3) ÉCOLE DES CHEFS Culinary School- Training the next generation of chefs.WCK’s professional culinary arts training program offers a 5 month long

curriculum that prepares young, aspiring chefs for their first job in the commercialkitchens of local restaurants and hotels.

The program began in 2015 in partnership with the Haitian Department ofEducation, and in 2017, we built and opened our own École des Chef culinary schoolin Port-au-Prince. The building features a world-class, professional kitchen, alongwith a full dining room for training and hosting of events.

Now the country’s premier culinary school with over 40 students graduating eachyear, École des Chef is creating a talented workforce for Haiti’s hospitality sector.

Our techniques-based curriculum focuses on knife skills, meal production, front ofhouse service, kitchen hygiene, food safety, job search assistance, and other skillsnecessary for employment in the hospitality sector.

Upon graduation, students are placed in internships with hotels and higher endrestaurants. The majority of these placements turn into full-time offers ofemployment for our graduates.

École des Chefs prides itself on hands-on training and is led by one of the mostrespected chefs in Haiti, Mi-Sol Chevallier.

4) Plow the plate - Strengthening local food systems is key to food security.Plow to Plate is World Central Kitchen’s long-term commitment to strengthening

local food systems and food security throughout the Caribbean and Central Americaregion.

The program partners with and supports smallholder farmers, fishers, and smallfood-related businesses that produce or distribute food at a local level by providingfunding, training, and networking opportunities. We also connect our grantees withvolunteers who form part of a growing agritourism movement that brings muchneeded economic development to rural communities.

In post-disaster communities, our immediate goal is to help our partners revitalizetheir operations and begin to regrow their long-term capacity for food production,distribution, and sales. In the long term, we aim to contribute to system-wideimprovements in food security and sustainability by building up the day to daycapacity of local communities to produce their own food. In doing so, we will alsoincrease their resilience against future disasters.

Plow to Plate began in Puerto Rico after Hurricane María and has recentlyexpanded to the US Virgin Islands and The Bahamas.

Last year, WCK activated in response to dozens of disasters — some of themnatural, and some man-made. From serving children in the shelters on our borderwith Mexico, to making deliveries by lamplight to those keeping watch over beachesin Indonesia, their fight to feed the hungry has taken them to more places than theyever expected.

For more information about this organization, visit their website athttps://wck.org/


Photo Provided: World Central Kitchen/WCK.org.

Compassionate Hearts Gazette Visit us online at www.chufinc.org4

Meet the World Central Kitchen (WCK):An Organization Dedicated to Bringing Hot Plates of Food to Those in Need

Continuation From Page 3






Compassionate Hearts UNITED Foundation Receives a GenerousMonetary Donation from the City of Haines City

Compassionate Hearts Gazette5

News From Our "Compassionate Hearts Project" Team

By: Staff Writer.

Haines City - Early last month, the Compassionate Hearts UNITED Foundationreceived a generous donation from the City of Haines City in support of our "Mealsfor Our Friends" initiative.

Thanks to that generous donation, our team has been able to provide hot meals,groceries, and bags full of food items and snacks to families in need in the HainesCity area. As of today, we have provided support to close to 130 families in need offood.

In this article, we want to share with you pictures of some of the meal distributionevents that took place during the month of July.

We want to thank the City of Haines City for trusting us with their donation and forallowing us the opportunity to serve those in need.

We also would like to invite those interested in donating towards our "Meals forour Friends" initiative to do so by visiting this link: https://donorbox.org/help-us-continue-our-mission. Any donation, big or small, will be greatly appreciated.

For more information about our Compassionate Hears Project, which is theprogram where "Meals for Our Friends" falls under, you can visit our website athttps://www.chufinc.org/_compassionate_hearts__project


Photo Provided: Food donation for the Parkview Food Pantry.

Photo Provided: Hot meals donation for the Calvary First Assembly.

Photo Provided: Food bags donation for the Boys & Girls Club.

Photo Provided: Food donation for the First Presbyterian Church Food Pantry.

Photo Provided: Grocery delivery for families in need of food.

6 Compassionate Hearts Gazette Visit us online at www.chufinc.org

Continuation From Page 5

Compassionate Hearts UNITED Foundation Receives a GenerousMonetary Donation from the City of Haines City (Cont.)

Photo Provided: Shaved ice and chips party for the Boys & Girls Club.

Photo Provided: Delivery of Cuban sandwiches and drink in support of the Girl'sBasketball Camp at Ridge Community HS.

Photo Provided: Grocery delivery for families in need of food.

Photo Provided: Shaved ice and chips party for the Boys & Girls Club.

Help Us Reach More People...Donate Today!

Compassionate Hearts Gazette Visit us online at www.chufinc.org 7

Meet EEC Solutions:The Government Service Provider Who Supports Our Charitable Efforts

Meet Our Supporters

By: Staff Writer.

Haines City - From the moment the Compassionate Hearts United Foundation, Inc.decided to open its door, we received the support of our community leaders andcommunity in general, but out of all the businesses that support us, there is one thathas gone above and beyond to make sure our charitable efforts are a success... andthat small business is EEC Solutions.

EEC Solutions is a small business owned and operated by a veteran providinginnovative solutions to its customers. For over 23 combined years, their experts havebeen providing services and skills to numerous government agencies, smallbusinesses, and professionals. As one of the fastest-growing government and privatesector service provider in the State of Florida, EEC Solutions offers a large network ofexperts and experienced professionals who can provide quality and innovativesolutions with the ability to tailor their services to their customers' needs.

As our main donors, EEC Solutions has donated close to $4,000 to support theprinting of our newspaper, and more recently, a $4,100 donation worth of handsanitizers that we were able to donate back to nonprofits in the Polk County area inneed of them.

Thanks to the generous donations that we have received from EEC Solutions, theCompassionate Hearts UNITED Foundation has been able to give back to thecommunity that we all call home.

Meet the driving force behind EEC Solutions

Alex Morales-Hernandez, the CEO and President of CW3RET Enterprise, LLC(DBA: EEC Solutions) was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico where he lived until heenlisted in the United States Army.

He is a 2013 graduate of Central Michigan University with a Master of Science inAdministration.

Alex enlisted in the United States Army on 18 April 1995 and retired as a ChiefWarrant Officer Three after 21 years of military service. He served in the SpecialOperations Enterprise and lastly in the Defense Attaché System as the OperationsCoordinator, Assistant Army Attaché, and Acting Defense Attaché in countries suchas Bolivia, Chad, El Salvador, Colombia, Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

Alex is a recipient of numerous military awards including the 3rd highest award inthe Department of State “Award for Heroism”.

He speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

For more information about EEC Solutions, you can visit their website atwww.dbaeecsolutions.com. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter under@dbaeecsolutions, and on Instagram under @EECSolutions.

8Compassionate Hearts Gazette

Keeping Up With The Community

Haines City - After further consideration, the Heart of Florida Economic Summit2020 is going completely virtual. It takes place Sept. 9 at the Lake Eva Event Center,799 Johns Ave.

The event lasts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will cover several topics important to thearea. They include local tourism, business impact, changing trends in agriculture, theimportance of downtown revitalization and more. There will be a 90-minute break forlunch, beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Guest speakers will include Brian Barker, senior vice president of South StateAdvisory, Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing Director Mark Jackson and JoeMinicozzi, principal for Urban3. There will also be a panel discussion among theguests.

“The Economic Summit is always an outstanding event, but I’m looking forward tothe localized focus of this year’s event,” City Manager Deric Feacher said. “My teamand I are excited to hear this outstanding group of speakers and see what we can applyto keep Haines City moving forward.”

The cost is $35 per person to watch via Zoom.“With this year’s virtual event, we’re excited about the prospects of reaching an

even broader audience,” said Jane Waters, Haines City’s Community RedevelopmentAgency project manager and coordinator of the summit. “This year’s diverse group oftopics and renowned speakers will provide valuable information that anyone can usefor the betterment of their business or community.”

To reserve a spot for this year’s event or for more information, contact Jane Watersat 863-421-5572 or [email protected].

Completely Virtual Heart of FloridaEconomic Summit 2020 Set for

September

Orlando - A new, completely contactless Halloween experience is coming toCentral Florida this fall. Titled “The Haunted Road,” this experience will satisfythe need for fear with safe social distancing measures.

A group of Orlando-based creative and themed entertainment professionalsteamed up to reimagine the traditional haunted house experience, developing anew kind of haunt unlike anything else. The entire event was designed withphysical distancing measures in mind, from contact-free check-in by license plate,to immersive drive-in scenes.

The haunt’s original storyline presents familiar characters as you have neverseen them before. As guests drive through each scene, they’ll be immersed in anuntold version of “Rapunzel” as she travels into a world of nightmares, facesterrifying creatures, and plenty of scares.A family-friendly version of the event will be available during the daytime onselect weekends, and will feature an adaptation of the immersive scenes andstoryline, but trading screams for Halloween fun that everyone can enjoy.

Dates and more details on the event are planned to be revealed soon.“With the arts and entertainment industry at a standstill, and an increasing need

to find new, safe outdoor entertainment, we knew it was the perfect time todevelop a unique Halloween experience so everyone can enjoy a dose of horrorthis upcoming Halloween season, from the comfort of their car,” said JessicaMariko, executive producer and creative principal for The Haunted Road.

Mariko is leading a team of award-winning creatives that have worked onglobally-renowned shows and attractions to develop an original storyline andimmersive theming for The Haunted Road.

She is known for bringing to life other experiences in Orlando, including DRIP,a theatrical dance/rock show known for its full sensory environment and emotionalaudience connection.

The Haunted Road will cast local actors and performers as it prepares to openthis fall. Virtual auditions will take place from Aug. 13-16. To learn more, clickhere.

To help bring this experience to life, The Haunted Road will soon launch aKickstarter campaign. Supporters can choose from a variety of rewards, includingsecuring admission in advance, access to a virtual version for out-of-town donors,and more.

Admission will start at $15 per person. You can sign up to receive the latestupdates on TheHauntedRoad.com, or follow @TheHauntedRd on Facebook,Instagram and Twitter.

Disclaimer: We do not endorse the organizers of any events we write about.Proceed with caution. Even with the best of intentions, many announced eventsend up not happening. Be sure to check the return policy and the legitimacy of theorganizers before giving them any financial information. Buyer beware.

This story first appeared in www.https://attractionsmagazine.com/

Connect with us on:Facebook: @chufinc

Twitter / Instagram: @chuf_inc


‘The Haunted Road’ HalloweenDrive-thru Experience Coming to

Orlando

News From Our Friends


Pandemic Causes Sunshine Foundation to Offer Alternate Dreams to Children


Davenport - Meonna Karriem was recently granted a dream for an iPad andaccessories by the Sunshine Foundation, which answers dreams to children withlife-long chronic conditions such as: spina bifida, cerebral palsy, severe profoundautism, Down syndrome, hydrocephalus, severe epilepsy, Sickle Cell Disease,blindness, deafness, and many others. Meonna is 13 years old and diagnosed withFebrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome.

The most common dream is to visit Disney World, Legoland, SeaWorld andUniversal Studios while staying at the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village nearDisney. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, some dreamers are opting for aSpecial Dream instead of waiting for a Magical Dream to central Florida. SunshineFoundation also answers Special Dreams like shopping sprees, computers andiPads, meeting celebrities, above ground swimming pools, family trips, adaptivetricycles and other special needs equipment.

Rich Mergo, Director of Development says: “During this pandemic, we areanswering non-travel related Special Dreams like Meonna’s, and will resume ourMagical Dreams to central Florida as soon as it is safe for our families withchildren, that may have compromised immune systems, to travel. Our SunshineFoundation Dream Village is looking forward to welcoming families again, butuntil that time, we are working hard to continue making Dreams Come Truethroughout the United States!”

Sunshine Foundation provides a Dream Come True for children that may beturned away from other wish-granting organizations that require a life-threateningor critical diagnosis. Sunshine Foundation relies on the generosity of donationsfrom individuals and corporations to make these dreams a reality. SunshineFoundation was able to answer Meonna’s “dream come true” through the supportof funds raised by the All-Volunteer Central Florida Chapter of the SunshineFoundation, Boeing Company’s Employee Giving, Eastern Montgomery CountyChamber of Commerce, students at Delaware Valley University, and anothergenerous donor.

By: Press Release.

Meonna’s mom shared: “Although we are in this pandemic, Meonna is happy she candownload games and do her work online with her classmates! She really misses school,but she loves that she still has the online interaction. We thank You ALL for makingthe best of a not so best situation!”

Sunshine Foundation is the original wish-granting organization in the United States,established in 1976, and continuously a top-rated charity expending over 80% of eachdollar on programs benefitting children with severe special needs from income limitedfamilies. Sunshine Foundation has spread Sunshine into the lives of more than 41,000children throughout the United States.

Sunshine Foundation is a publicly funded charity, with donations from individualsthroughout the country, corporate and family foundation grants, trusts and wills,fundraising events; including ones held on our behalf by all-volunteer chapters of theSunshine Foundation, individual families, corporate and civic groups, and even formerDream recipient families “paying it forward.”

For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.sunshinefoundation.org.

4 Benefits of Donating Money to CharityWhen you think about donating money to charity, you probably come up with some

undeniable benefits--for example, you're helping to change the world. However, there'salso a long list of personal, mental, and emotional benefits of charitable donations.You're not just helping others; you're helping yourself too!

What Happens When You Donate?

Let's say you want to make a difference in the world but aren't sure where to start.Someone suggests that you make a charitable donation, and you do some research tochoose the perfect recipient. Finally, you're ready to donate money to charity--but whathappens after?

Here are just a few things you can expect!

1) More happiness: Charitable donations make you feel good. Sure, it can besatisfying to spend money on yourself--but studies show that you get more happinessfrom spending money to help others.

2) Pure satisfaction: The great thing about charitable donations is that you know yourmoney is going to help change the world. You get the satisfaction of knowing that youcould be changing someone's life today.

3) Tax benefits: It's essential to do your research beforehand, but many charities areIRS-approved. Which means that, in some cases, you can get a tax deduction on yourcharitable donation.

4) Setting a good example: Kids learn what they live--so when they see you donating,they're that much more likely to grow up with caring, sympathetic attitudes. (The adultsin your life might decide to donate, too, when they see you setting such a greatexample!)

If you're looking to donate to a good cause, please consider helping build beds forkids in need by making a charitable donation to the Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Incnonprofit organization. They wouldn't be here without generous people like you.

For more information about the Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc organization, visit theirwebsite at https://www.shpbeds.org/.

This story first appeared in https://blog.shpbeds.org/blog/the-benefits-of-donating-money-to-charity.


Focus On The Path AheadMind, Body, Soul: Wholeness

By: Aida Betancourt, Contributing Writer.

How often do you find yourself acting in response to things that have happened to youin the past?

How often do you make decisions based on your past history or even past negativehistory?

How often do you go through situations that leave you thinking “how the heck did Iallow this to happen?”

The reality is that we, as humans, have a tendency to repeat history. Not necessarily thegood history, but the not so pleasant history too. Most of the time, this behavior is quiteautomatic. You see, our behavior is highly dependent on conditioning. In order to changebehavior, we need to be aware to consciously ‘condition’ it.

Here’s a thought: Our past should not define us! Yes, read that out loud again…Just because things have been a certain way, it doesn’t mean your future needs tocontinue that same way. Just because negative things have happened, we do not need tobe defined by them. Our life does not need to change its course because of negativeexperiences.

Now, most would say, well that is easier said than done. And, while there is a lot oftruth in that statement, it takes focus and determination to guide your life in the directionyou want, rather than in the direction the wind is blowing. It is easier to focus ourattention on things that have happened to us. It’s a lot easier to focus on self-pity and thethought of ‘bad things always happen to me’ than it is to shake it off and refocus onrenewed positive thoughts.

Our automatic thought process can be changed. Our behaviors and habits can bechanged.

What does it take to make this change happen? What does it take for us to make theswitch in our brains in order to understand and believe we are not defined by our past?There are two different things that affect us...things that we have no control over, thingsthat happen to us. We can, however, control how we react to what happens to us. And thethings that happen because of how we behave, which we have control over and, therefore,where we should always be focused on.

Here are some things to consider when deciding to switch things up a little:

Awareness

In order to change the whole dynamics of our thought process, it is imperative toidentify what you would like to change or modify. By identifying the behavior or thoughtprocess you would like to change, you create awareness. When you are aware ofsomething, you are no longer doing things just because. Now, if you continue to do thosethings, you are choosing to, because now you are aware of it.

One step that goes along with awareness is to decide to do something about it...to decide to take action, mostly because you do not want to continue doing thesame or making the same mistake, etc.

Create a plan

Accepting that something needs to be done about that behavior is a huge step.This is not easy because, unconsciously, we have learned to make excuses thathave allowed that behavior to continue. The more time goes by, the moreingrained that behavior is. Then, we move into... what to do about it? Well, youmake a plan and you challenge yourself to go through it. Now, of course,making the plan is not difficult at all, the challenge is to follow through. A tiphere is to establish small accomplishable goals. When you break it down andyou target small chunks of the plan, you achieve more than if you try to do all atonce. By conquering small things within the plan, you will feel more capableand definitely more motivated to continue on your path to success. Keep in mindthat, in order to call it a success, you need to continue your plan of action overand over in order to create a new good habit, one that you are happier with.

Mindset

Your mindset plays a very important role in all of this. You need to start un-believing certain things in order to move forward and in the right direction. Thisis achievable with time... you just don’t wake up a different person believingnew things. It takes time to train your brain into believing and thinking a certainway and therefore it takes time to retrain the brain with newer thoughtprocesses.

Accountability

One of the most important pieces of the puzzle is accountability. It is difficultto try to conquer things on your own, mainly because we tend to self-sabotage...leading to convincing ourselves of why we should not continue with the newplan. When trying to switch things up and putting a new plan into action, findyourself a person who can be your best advocate and your biggest cheerleaderpushing you to continue forward instead of getting stuck.

As you can see, these are just a few things that would help you focus on yourpath ahead and not stuck on the past or on how things have been in the past.There is no reason to continue living a certain way if you are not happy thatway. Challenge yourself to start living a more enjoyable life. Living life on yourterms is the best way to live!

May God bless you!

About the Author: Aida Betancourt is an Army Veteran, and an empoweringtransformational life and health coach. Connect with her atwww.aidabetancourt.com


Compassionate Hearts Gazette 11

Rethinking Humanitarianism: Welcome to the Debate

By: Heba Aly.


Viewpoints

At the start of 2020 when we set out to look at the past, present, and future ofhumanitarianism, we had no idea how much the world would change in the monthsthat followed — and how timely the subject would become.

This year, The New Humanitarian marks 25 years of journalism from the heart ofcrises. Just the time, we thought, to look back on the world’s response to crises overthe last quarter century: Had aid delivered on its promises? And what lessons couldwe draw for the future? We dubbed the series Rethinking Humanitarianism and setout to explore these questions.

But then a global pandemic shook the entire world. It overwhelmed healthcaresystems, even in developed countries. And it dramatically challenged the way aid isdelivered, from funding models hard hit by a global recession to international aidoperations severely disrupted by travel restrictions.

If that wasn’t enough, a resurgent #BlackLivesMatter movement in the wake of thepolice killing of an unarmed Black man in the US led to another moment ofreckoning for the aid sector. Humanitarians began asking: To what extent are weequipped to deal with these kinds of deeply rooted injustices? Is it even the role ofhumanitarians to relieve suffering in “the West”? Does racism exist within thehumanitarian aid sector? And perhaps more fundamentally: To what extent is thesector part of — or even propping up — a world order that, for many, is designed tokeep power and resources in the hands of some people and countries while keepingothers poor and powerless?

Suddenly, Rethinking Humanitarianism had become an urgent priority.And humanitarian response — a topic that may once have been considered the

purview of a niche aid industry — was quickly becoming of interest to the widerworld as crisis and vulnerability came to the doorsteps of even the most privileged.

In some ways, the world’s response to crises has evolved significantly in the 25years that The New Humanitarian has been reporting on the sector.

Founded by the United Nations in 1995 as IRIN (Integrated Regional InformationNetworks), our newsroom emerged from the ashes of the Rwandan genocide.

Since then, the field of humanitarian assistance has professionalised and becomemore coordinated. There are standards and trainings, and aid workers no longer hopon the backs of trucks with rebels.

But in some ways, crisis response hasn’t changed at all. It remains predominantlyWestern-dominated in its orientation, charity-driven in its business model, andtechnocratic in its approach.

Perhaps more importantly, it may no longer be the right solution. Yes,humanitarians are saving lives. But suffering continues around the world at a level ofmagnitude that seems disproportionate to all the time, money, and effort that goesinto emergency aid.

The scale of the need today is such that humanitarianism, in its current form, willnever be enough.

So, if the goal of the humanitarian endeavour is to alleviate human suffering, arethere now more effective ways of focusing that energy?

Following our spin-off from the UN, we rebranded IRIN News to The NewHumanitarian in a bid to explore what humanitarianism means in this day and age.

Twenty-five years on from the Rwandan genocide, this series will do just that.We will explore the reforms that emerged from past turning points in the industry –

and why they didn’t have the transformative impact intended. We’ll look at how thehumanitarian sector has changed — in its size, scale, and focus but also in itsimagery, its jargon, and its jobs. We’ll look at some of the personalities andinnovations that have shaped crisis response over the last quarter century. And we’llexplore emerging forms of humanitarianism — from the efforts of Google and China;to mutual aid and the work of diaspora communities; to cruise ships delivering hotmeals in a disaster.

Finally, we will invite your reflections on the future of international solidarity— through analysis, commentaries, and events.

We hope you’ll take part in the dialogue as we gather and exchange ideas over thecourse of the year. To contribute to our Rethinking Humanitarian series, send ideas [email protected] or tweet @newhumanitarian with the hashtag#RethinkingHumanitarianism.

For more information about The New Humanitarian, visit their website athttps://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/

This opinion piece first appeared inhttps://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/2020/07/06/Rethinking-humanitarianism-introduction

As part of our commitment with our community,The Compassionate Hearts Gazette would like to share your opinions and views with our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or opinion pieces to

[email protected] for a chance to have your submissions published in our newspaper.

We Want to Hear from you

True Success Begins The Very Second We Start Giving Back

12

By: M.C. Reyes, Editor-in-Chief and Member of the Editorial Board.


Cartoon By: Nasif Ahmed, Contributing Cartoonist. @NasifAhmed3

In the article "True Success Begins the Second You Start Giving Back," writtenby David Ahearn, he shares... "The spirit of giving back is the very essence of asuccessful life. It is the heritage of our deepest dreams and desires to succeed tosuch a level that once one has risen to the top, the greatest of those successfulpeople devote a portion of their life to giving back to those who helped themalong the way. This epitomizes the very storyline of success; it’s Horatio Algermeets Gandhi. I have succeeded and now I am giving back.

Oftentimes it takes someone a lifetime of striving for and achieving successbefore they stop to consider giving back. It is only in the wake of their ownsuccess that they consider giving back to those who helped them succeed. Butwhat happens if, instead of waiting until the end of our lives, we begin givingback today? True success begins the very second we begin giving back and not amoment sooner. Monetary and professional success does not become a completebanquet of a life well lived until every dish is served—giving back is the veryfoundation of a successful life. It is the appetizer that comes before the maincourse of living a life of our dreams."

What a great piece, huh? Well, the truth is that... he is right. We can be as"successful" as we want, but if we don't make a point of giving back as a way ofthanking the universe for our fortunate situation, we are not successfulenough.

Editorial Commentary


August 19 is Worlds Humanitarian Day:Honoring Humanitarian Aid Workers All

Over The World

Continues From Front Page

Despite this great work, these workers are rarely acknowledged publicly,sometimes for their own safety. World Humanitarian Day is a sobering reminderof how many lives have been lost in the name of this valiant cause, as well as acelebration of the workers currently doing this necessary but often, dangerouswork.

2) It highlights the need for humanitarian work

As an occupation, “humanitarian aid worker” isn’t an extremely popularprofession. Simply put, there can never be enough humanitarian aid workers outthere. Every year, millions of people need humanitarian assistance as a result ofdisasters both natural and man-made. World Humanitarian Day reminds us of theincreasing need for humanitarian workers who can give selflessly of their time.

3) It’s an international event

A big part of World Humanitarian Day is drawing importance to the need forinternational cooperation on humanitarian issues. Humanitarian aid workers mightbe helping people in their home countries, or they might be dispatched to helpthose in need elsewhere. International cooperation is essential to maintaining thesafety of humanitarian aid workers while enabling them to help those who suffer.

For more information about the World Humanitarian Day, you can visithttps://www.un.org/en/events/humanitarianday/ orhttps://www.unocha.org/events/world-humanitarian-day

This story first appeared in https://nationaltoday.com/world-humanitarian-day/

Giving back not only helps us support others in need, but it also helps us feel good aboutour selves, feeling like we have a purpose in life other than making money and becoming asuccessful business owner... it's the perfect complement to our already successful life. Istrongly believe that when I give, I steer good karma into the universe. When I only take,that action benefits only one person... Me. As a Veteran, it is my personal belief that Ishould never leave a person in need behind (the same way we are taught to do at war), andfor me, giving back to my community is the equivalent of not leaving people behind.

Today, I invite you to give back... pick a cause you believe in and help that cause. Younever know when you will be in the opposite side of that equation. The truth is that today,they may be the ones in need... but tomorrow, it may be you.

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As part of our commitment to our community,the Compassionate Hearts UNITEDFoundation, Inc., in partnership with

EEC Solutions has launched the"Door to Success" Project.

This project is dedicated to providing financialsupport to students around the Polk Countyarea to help them cover some of the costs

associated with college attendance.

We currently sponsor these two events underthe "Door to Success" project.

* The Edwin Steve Memorial Scholarship* Young Writers Award

For more information about the"Door to Success" Project,

or to become one of ourgenerous donors / sponsors, visit us at

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As part of our commitment to ourcommunity, the Compassionate Hearts

UNITED, Foundation, Inc. has launchedthe "Compassionate Hearts" Project.

This project is dedicated to providingmonetary donations to other non-profit

organizations around the Polk County areato help them cover some of the costs

associated with the operations of theirorganizations and /or to help them achievetheir missions. We also provide donationsto organizations based on their individual

needs.

For more information about the"Compassionate Hearts" Project, or tobecome one of our generous donors /

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